Latest

‘Time is of the Essence’: ALA Sues Trump Administration to Save IMLS

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.

ALA Releases Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2024

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.

‘A Difficult Time for Libraries’: ALA’s 2025 State of America’s Libraries Report Details Ongoing Censorship Threat

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.

States Sue to Block Trump's Destruction of IMLS

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.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending April 4, 2025

Four of the Big Five Publishers Sign Letter Urging Congress to Restore IMLS

Shuttering IMLS would be "an act of monumental neglect, violating the very foundation of America and what it stands for as a country," the publishers assert.

IMLS Advisory Board Iced Out as Acting Director Begins Slashing Grants to Libraries

In an April 3 letter, the IMLS's advisory body said it has not heard from acting director Keith Sonderling, even as sources report that Sonderling has informed multiple libraries that their grants have been terminated.

Trump Administration Puts IMLS Employees on Leave

Without staff to administer its programs, "it is likely that most grants will be terminated," noted library political action committee EveryLibrary, in a statement.

Editor's Note: March 31, 2025

In our latest progress report, we've set a tentative date for our first newsletter. And if you're Interested in contributing to Words & Money, we'd like to hear from you.

Smithsonian Secretary Addresses Trump Effort to Remake the Historic Institution

In a memo to staff, Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III said the Smithsonian will "remain committed to telling the multi-faceted stories of this country’s extraordinary heritage."

Publishers. Libraries. Readers. Writers.

Welcome to Words & Money, a new digital media venture from publishing industry veterans Andrew Richard Albanese and Erin L. Cox. Read about our plans, and subscribe here.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending March 28

In New Executive Order, Trump Seeks to Remake the Smithsonian in his MAGA Image

In a chilling order, the administration accuses past administrations of pushing "a distorted narrative driven by ideology" and seeks to bar "exhibits or programs" deemed "inconsistent with Federal law and policy.”

South Carolina Library Patrons Sue Over LGBTQ Book Bans

The suit seeks to have the library's new collection policies declared unconstitutional.

Court Blocks Iowa Book Banning Law—Again

In a major win for freedom to read advocates, a federal judge has once again temporarily blocked the book banning provisions of Iowa law SF 496.

Two Lawsuits Challenge Book Bans in Minnesota School District

The suits accuse the St. Francis School Board of “abandoning its duty to oversee the education of young people in service of a partisan, political orthodoxy.”