How IMLS Funding Cuts Will Impact Prison Libraries
Prison libraries are some of the most vulnerable to loss of funding
With the recent chaos surrounding the future of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), people are concerned about libraries around the country losing vital government funding. Most of the uproar against the proposed cuts has centered on how important public libraries are to their communities. However, there’s another type of library that will also be affected by these funding cuts—one that is indispensable to the community it serves.
Prison libraries are a lifeline to many people who are incarcerated. They depend heavily on IMLS grants, and if IMLS is dismantled or suffers severe funding cuts, then prison libraries will struggle to exist.
Trump's proposed budget completely eliminates Federal funding for libraries.
Sign the petition today to show your support for IMLS then, click to share it on Bluesky, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and Linkedin!
Prison Libraries and IMLS Funding
IMLS is the main source of federal funding for libraries in the United States, and the grants it dispenses go to libraries across the country. While libraries use multiple sources of funding to support their operations, the grants they receive from IMLS are essential, especially for smaller libraries with fewer financial resources.
The Trump administration is attempting to defund and dismantle IMLS, among many other government agencies that serve US residents. So far, the entire staff was put on leave as of March 31 (though they were brought back to work May 21), grants were terminated (some have been reinstated), and Trump’s latest budget proposal for FY2026 calls for the complete elimination of funding for IMLS.
Prison libraries will be particularly hurt by the loss of IMLS funding. IMLS runs the Grants to States program, which gives states funding to support services at various types of libraries, including prison libraries. Many correctional facilities have limited budgets for libraries and other educational resources, so these grants are necessary to cover the costs of prison library staffing, materials, and programs.
The state of Washington usually receives $3.9 million annually from the Grants to States program. That money gets distributed to various institutions, including eight of the state’s eleven prison facilities. With the uncertainty about the future of grants, state officials have called their situation “urgent,” and fear library staff and programs will have to be cut.
Illinois is also facing an urgent situation. They received $5.7 million from IMLS, the sixth highest amount of money for any state through the Grants to States program for FY2025. From that grant, $420,000 was awarded to the Illinois Department of Corrections for the purchase of library materials and services at twenty-eight state corrections facilities. That money is now in danger of being rescinded.
Contact Congress to stand against Trump's 2026 budget proposal to defund IMLS then click to share this campaign on Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, Twitter, and Linkedin!
Why Are Prison Libraries Important?
Access to literature and other educational resources in prison is crucial for people who are incarcerated. For instance, the JSTOR Access in Prison Initiative has shown that justice-impacted individuals have better job opportunities upon release when they can easily access materials to help them pursue their educational goals. Studies have also shown that libraries and other educational resources in prison help reduce recidivism by increasing literacy rates.
According to the Vera Institute of Justice, education programs in prison make participants 43 percent less likely to return to prison. Prison libraries can offer a wide variety of resources and programs, including résumé workshops and digital literacy training, which can help incarcerated people gain skills that will increase their chances of finding jobs. When formerly incarcerated people are able to gain stable employment, they are less likely to recidivate.
In response to the proposed cuts to IMLS, Jim Kopriva, the media relations manager for the Washington Department of Corrections, decried the loss of funding for prison libraries. He said that if prison libraries are forced to shut down, it will be a “shock” to the people who depend on them. Kopriva considers education and literature important for justice-impacted people to help improve their lives both inside and outside of prison.
While prison libraries offer excellent resources for self-improvement, the library is also a helpful way to mentally escape from the hard life of incarceration. When a large grant from the Maryland State Library was awarded to the Jessup Correctional Institution for the purchase of more books, many of the people incarcerated there rejoiced. Being able to read a variety of books has helped so many of them cope with prison life.
Every $10 we raise helps us reach 1,000 more Americans like you.
Help us sustain this fight with a $1, $3, or $5 monthly donation today!
How Can We Save Prison Libraries?
The gutting of IMLS will affect libraries in every state, and marginalized and vulnerable communities will suffer the most because of it. So how can we help protect funding for prison libraries and all other institutions that will be hurt by the loss of IMLS?
There are many ways you can take action to support IMLS and fight for full funding of libraries. One of the most important things you can do is contact your Congress members. Let them know you support IMLS and libraries. You can call them or write to them, or better yet, do both. You can also sign EveryLibrary’s petition to stop cuts to IMLS.
The more people who take action now, the more likely we can save this invaluable institution. Whatever way you can, please get out there and show your support for IMLS and all of the good it does for people across the country.