The bestselling author of seven nonfiction books on American history and culture talks with Andrew Richard Albanese about her recent contribution to Michael Lewis's 'Who Is Government' and why the country may soon learn a hard lesson about the importance of government workers.
Among the week's headlines: The Supreme Court hears a potential landmark case about books with LGBTQ+ themes; North Dakota governor vetoes the state's book banning bill; and two new library-related documentaries are set to debut.
In a lengthy filing, DOJ lawyers argue that the canceling of grants and the firing of staff at IMLS is not about dismantling the agency, but about realigning it consistent with the current administration’s policy objectives.
Among the week's headlines: while fighting in court to save IMLS, ALA is also rallying library advocates to push Congress for FY 2026 funding; a Michigan court rules against book bans; the library world mourns Cliff Lynch; and the second IndeLib Forum takes place in New York.
The schedule appears to accommodate an ALA request that the court rule by May 4, which ALA lawyers cite as the date a "mass termination" of IMLS staff is reportedly set to take effect.
'At bottom, the situation is simple,' attorneys argued in an April 16 filing. 'The President issued an executive order so illegal that Defendants cannot defend it on the merits.'
In a filing this week, Trump administration lawyers said a coalition of 21 states lacked standing to sue in federal court.
Lesley's case has garnered national attention, and her refusal to ban books won her the ALA's 2022 John Philip Immroth Memorial Award, which recognizes 'personal courage in defense of freedom of expression.'
Among the week's headlines: library advocates are rallying in Ohio; the Maine State Library lays off staff after its IMLS funds go MIA; Brewster Kahle weighs in on the threat facing libraries in the digital age; And Maria McCauley wins the 2026-2027 ALA presidency.
"The services that IMLS’s staff provides and the grants it issues are the lifeblood of the American library system,” the ALA’s April 10 filing stresses.
DOJ Lawyers will argue their case to shutter the IMLS before a judge that has already once blocked a sweeping attempt by the Trump administration to gut federal funding.
The ALA suit comes just days after a coalition of state attorneys general filed a similar federal lawsuit in Rhode Island also seeking to stop the Trump administration’s dismantling of the IMLS.
George M. Johnson’s 'All Boys Aren’t Blue' and Maia Kobabe’s 'Gender Queer' took the top two spots on a list once again dominated by stories by and about LGBTQ+ persons and people of color.
Released annually, the ALA's State of America's Libraries Report documents the achievements of America’s libraries and library workers, and outlines the challenges they face.
The emergency action seeks to block the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle IMLS and several other agencies, and comes amid reports that the White House has fired members of the IMLS advisory board.
Among the week's headlines: National Library Week kicks off on April 6; State legislators propose massive cuts to Ohio libraries; and Arkansas moves a step closer to dissolving its state library.