Since 1997, Wisconsin has received over $55 million in IMLS funding through 248 grants. Many of these grants were matched by state, local, or private dollars—leveraging additional investment and expanding impact.

On March 31, 2025, all Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) employees were placed on administrative leave, with access to their work systems blocked. The President replaced the agency’s leadership with the Deputy Secretary of Labor. Without leadership and staff, it’s expected that library funding will be halted.

This action puts crucial services at risk across the country—and especially here in Wisconsin. Federal law requires IMLS to provide support to public libraries, but that support is currently only guaranteed through September 2025.

Visit https://mywisconsinlibrary.org/ to get more information and find out how you can speak up for libraries.