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Universal Design in Library Environments

June 23, 2025

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed into law by President George H. W. Bush on July 26, 1990. The act “prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services.” The ADA has undergone several updates since its implementation and will be celebrating its thirty-fifth year of implementation this July.

National Archives and Records Administration Should Never be Politicized.

June 20, 2025

With so much attention focused on the threats to IMLS and libraries in the federal budget, we want to make sure that we don’t lose sight of what is happening at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

No More Free Ebooks? Why IMLS Cuts Could Cost You Hoopla Access

June 20, 2025

Imagine settling into your daily commute with an engaging audiobook or streaming a blockbuster movie free from your library, anytime and anywhere. Thanks to Hoopla, this kind of access is a reality for millions of Americans. But this modern library perk is in jeopardy. A proposed federal budget for FY26 threatens to eliminate funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). And it's this very agency that helps make digital services like Hoopla possible.

LGBTQIA+ Resources for Pride Month and Beyond

June 19, 2025

Only a few decades ago, it was considered a criminal offense to live as a Queer person in many areas of the United States. Individuals could be openly LGBTQIA+, at their peril, but many laws in place prevented Queer individuals from enjoying the same equal rights as cisgender persons. For example, in 1969, it was still illegal to serve gay patrons alcohol in New York, and therefore, many gay establishments became easy targets for police raids.

A WWII Lesson: Why Library Funding Matters More Than You Think

June 17, 2025

In 1929, the United States’ Secretary of State, Henry Stimson, shut down its last major signals intelligence office. Fast-forward to July 1941: President Franklin Roosevelt knew that the US might not be able to keep itself out of the war in Europe, and the country needed a new intelligence agency.

What Happened in Campbell v. St. Tammany Parish School Board?

June 16, 2025

Only one library book ban case has ever been decided by the US Supreme Court: Island Trees v. Pico (1982). In that case, a school board in Nassau County, New York, removed a series of books from the high school and junior high libraries. A group of students led by senior Steven Pico sued the school, losing at trial but winning on appeal.

Book Banning Spreads to the US Military

June 13, 2025

Censorship has a new Bad Conduct Medal.

Texas Approves Controversial School Voucher Law, Jeopardizing Public Education

June 12, 2025

Texas Senate Bill 2 passed on May 3, 2025, with a vote of nineteen in favor and twelve opposed. This contentious bill has dealt a significant blow to the public school budgets in Texas. One billion tax dollars will be siphoned from Texas taxpayers to subsidize private school vouchers, leaving essential school functions underfunded by the state budget. According to the Texas Freedom Network, this bill is “a direct assault on the Texas public education system.”

Libraries, Literacy, and Government Transparency are Under Attack from the Trump Administration

June 11, 2025

What’s happening to America’s libraries isn’t just a political issue; it’s an assault on knowledge, access, and democracy. From censorship to leadership purges, libraries are under siege, and we need your help to fight back.

How IMLS Funding Cuts Will Impact Prison Libraries

June 11, 2025

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.
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