It was a rollercoaster week for libraries, which began with a solid victory in court, and culminated with the shock firing of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on the evening
Among the week's headlines: the Senate votes to kill the FCC's popular WiFi hotspot program; Book Banners lose big in Texas school board elections; Ohio libraries pull a clean sweep at the ballot box; and Library Journal announces its 2025 Movers & Shakers.
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Hayden's sudden dismissal "a disgrace" and the latest in the administration's efforts to "ban books, whitewash American history, and turn back the clock.”
Leon's order follows a status report delivered by the parties in 'ALA v. Sonderling' on May 6, and a DOJ motion asking the judge to dissolve his order in light of a recent appeals court decision in a nearly identical case.
Trump Administration lawyers on May 6 filed a motion asking federal judge Richard Leon to reconsider his order temporarily blocking the dismantling of IMLS.
Judge John J. McConnell held that Trump’s March 14 executive order to dismantle the IMLS "ignores the unshakable principles that Congress makes the law and appropriates funds, and the Executive implements the law..."
In its May 2 plan, Trump officials outline a draconian $163 billion reduction in discretionary spending, which includes the elimination of the agency tasked by Congress with distributing federal library funding.
Leading this week's news, a federal judge on May 1 halted the Trump Administration's plan to destroy the IMLS, but the battle remains far from over.
Under the deal, “a select number” of Spanish language titles will be published in Spain and Latin America by Urano World and its imprints, while in the United States, co-published titles will be published under S&S's Primero Sueño Press imprint.
Among the week's headlines: The IMLS gets a stay of execution; Macmillan CEO John Yaged talks book bans; the Book Industry Study Group hosted a strong annual conference program in New York; and author Chris Barton shares a no-nonsense op-ed against a Texas book banning bill.
University of Richmond law professor Corinna Barrett Lain on the critical role her librarian played in 'birthing' her first book.
The IMLS is clinging to life after a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on May 1, just 24 hours after oral arguments in Washington D.C. in a case brought by the American Library Association.
In a new 26-page report, PEN America explores the executive orders and actions taken by the Trump administration in its first 100 days that hold grave implications for free expression.
With the filing, the ALA’s motion for a preliminary injunction is now fully briefed and ready for a scheduled April 30 hearing in Washington D.C. before federal judge Richard Leon.
Our first Words & Money weekly newsletter comes at a momentous time for libraries and publishers—and for the United States.
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.