Judge Rules Cuts at Institute of Museum and Library Services Allowed as Lawsuits Proceed

A federal judge will not stop the Trump administration from continuing to slash the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as determined in a Friday ruling, according to the American Library Association (ALA).

The temporary restraining order was originally issued just days ahead of a mass layoff of nearly all IMLS employees that was expected to take place on May 4.

The agency, which is responsible for distributing federal dollars to American museums and libraries, was gutted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in April, with its entire 75-person staff placed on leave by acting director Keith Sonderling.

Last week, the IMLS faced news of federal defunding should the Trump administration’s proposed 2026 fiscal budget be approved by Congress, with an allocation of only $6 million that would be used to close the agency and several others at the beginning of 2026.

The cuts to grants and services are expected to continue as ongoing lawsuits proceed. The ruling was part of the larger case, ALA v. Sonderling, brought by Democracy Forward and Gair Gallo Eberhard LLP on behalf of the ALA and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The case is expected to continue in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

“ALA is disappointed that the court did not grant our motion for preliminary injunction. The extent to which some libraries have already cancelled services and programming – and even lost staff in some cases – is evidence of the importance of IMLS. ALA will not rest until libraries in every state receive the funding promised and IMLS is back in full force to meet the information needs of all Americans,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl in a statement.

Established in 1996, the IMLS is the only federal agency that provides resources to museums and libraries across all 50 states and territories. Also under its purview are the Institute of Museum Services and the Library Programs Office. It has received bipartisan support until now.

As an agency, the IMLS is legally bound to support libraries and report important issues to Congress. Slashing programs that are supported by federal funds and failing to operate as was originally laid out, however, violates these laws.

A preliminary injunction issued in a separate case, which could stop the agency from shutting down, was brought before a federal district court in Rhode Island on May 6. That case is still pending and the decision remains in effect.

“This administration cannot ignore the separation of powers and dismantle agencies established by Congress at will. After we obtained an initial temporary restraining order, another federal court in a case brought by state attorneys general has agreed with our position and blocked the gutting of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. So, while we disagree with today’s decision, the fight is not yet lost,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders explained in a statement.