As one of your constituents, I want to first thank you for standing with those of us who believe in the vital role of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). I know you support its mission—and that matters deeply to me. But right now, I’m writing to urge you to do more. Because the stakes are no longer just about funding. They’re about our future.
The recent attacks on IMLS by Trump and Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) are more than bureaucratic maneuvering—they are part of a broader, disturbing effort to dismantle the public institutions that hold our democracy together. Libraries and museums are not luxuries. They are lifelines. They provide early literacy programs, internet access, job search support, resources for veterans, STEM education, small business aid, and safe spaces for learning and connection—especially in rural and underserved communities.
Eliminating the modest federal funding for IMLS would do real harm to real people. Millions of Americans depend on these services—not someday, but now. Every day. And if DOGE succeeds in gutting IMLS, it won’t stop there. This is part of a coordinated effort to hollow out the public sector and replace it with something colder, more transactional, and more authoritarian.
We need bold leadership. We need you—not just to resist—but to fight. To call out what’s happening by name. To rally your colleagues and speak truth to power. To help remove figures like Elon Musk from our government entirely. And to stop Donald Trump from continuing his destructive march through everything we hold dear.
I believe in democracy. I believe in public libraries and community museums. I believe in you. Please, don’t let us down.
First sent on March 21 by Resistance is Imperative
