Take Action for Museums and Libraries!

The Trump Administration has issued a Presidential Budget Request that calls for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), along with other cultural agencies.

Fill out the form to the right to urge your Members of Congress to oppose these proposals!

If you have already contacted your elected officials, please also urge them to oppose this specific proposal by contacting them again now.

You can read more about the campaign here.

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Subject:

Please Oppose Elimination of IMLS

Dear Official,

As a constituent, I am writing to urge you to support robust funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and oppose any proposal that would eliminate IMLS.

I am concerned by the request to eliminate IMLS, among other agencies, included in the Administration’s inaugural Presidential Budget Request and I urge you to oppose this proposal.

IMLS has long garnered bipartisan support. Its most recent reauthorization, passed by Congress unanimously, called for an increase in federal support for this critical program. While I appreciate the difficult budgetary decisions ahead, I strongly believe that IMLS must be a high priority.

IMLS’ programs are the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums, supporting efforts to innovate, promote lifelong learning, and deepen cultural and civic engagement. Grants to museums support education students, preserving collections, coordinating resources and digitizing collections to expand access, while grants to libraries support expanding services for learning and access to information resources.

This support for museums and libraries spurs the economy and creates lifelong learning opportunities. Museums employ more than 400,000 Americans and spur tourism from around the world. They are also deeply committed to lifelong learning, spending more than $2 billion a year on education. Libraries, meanwhile, provide critical learning opportunities for adults who are no longer a part of the K-12 educational system, including the 1 in 6 Americans with low literacy skills and adults who face economic and other challenges.

Thank you for your consideration.

Regards, Your Name

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Hello, thank you for taking my call! I’m a constituent from [city/town] and I am calling to express my support for the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The President has called for the elimination of each of IMLS in his Presidential Budget Request. I hope that the Representative/Senator will do everything they can to oppose this proposal. Do you know the Representative/Senator’s position on IMLS?

Possible Talking Points:

IMLS supports libraries and museums in creating jobs, growing local economies, and promoting life-long learning.
Museums alone employ more than 400,000 Americans and spur tourism from around the world. They also spend more than $2 billion each year on education.
Libraries provide critical learning opportunities to adults who are no longer a part of the K-12 education system, including the one in six adults with low literacy and many who face economic and other challenges.
IMLS grants are awarded in every state and congressional district.

In all, please try to keep the conversation to just a few minutes.