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The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter for the Week Ending June 20, 2025

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter for the Week Ending June 20, 2025

As the library world prepares to converge on Philadelphia for the 2025 American Library Association Annual Conference, challenges abound. But this week, librarians got a little backup from the Government Accounting Office, which released a report concluding that, yes, the Trump Administration's withholding of IMLS funding is illegal.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending June 20, 2025

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending June 20, 2025

Among the week's headlines: Escambia County votes to allow book bans without review; a chilling report on the freedom to read in Utah; two more 'Freedom to Read' bills advance; and BookCon returns!

Judge Schedules Next Steps in the ALA’s IMLS Case

Judge Schedules Next Steps in the ALA’s IMLS Case

In a filing this week, Trump administration lawyers said they would move to have the ALA's lawsuit to save the IMLS dismissed.

GAO Declares Trump's Withholding of IMLS Funds to Be Illegal

GAO Declares Trump's Withholding of IMLS Funds to Be Illegal

The Constitution grants the President "no unilateral authority to withhold funds from obligation," concludes the independent, nonpartisan watchdog.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending June 13, 2025

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending June 13, 2025

Among the week's headlines: Former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden to speak at ALA 2025; Oregon passes its 'Freedom to Read' bill; AI developers are turning to libraries for training data; and how a new media specialist has supercharged reading at a Wisconsin school.

With Appeals Court Considering a Stay in Rhode Island Case, the IMLS Is Once Again Facing Uncertainty

With Appeals Court Considering a Stay in Rhode Island Case, the IMLS Is Once Again Facing Uncertainty

Can DOJ lawyers sow enough uncertainty to keep the courts at bay until the destruction of the IMLS is complete? An appeal before the First Circuit to stay a Rhode Island court's IMLS injunction will be a major test.

Minnesota School District Settles Lawsuits, Agrees to Return Banned Books to School Library Shelves

Minnesota School District Settles Lawsuits, Agrees to Return Banned Books to School Library Shelves

Under the agreement, the St. Francis Area School District will replace a controversial policy that tied book selection to reviews on a conservative website with a policy that "guarantees the input of the parents and qualified media specialists," and "follows state law."