If Keith Sonderling truly wanted to “ensure we preserve our country’s core values”, he would not be placing libraries “in lockstep with this Administration” and ordering them to “focus on patriotism” or “promote American exceptionalism”.
Ministry of Truth shit.
First and foremost, “steering this organization in lockstep with this Administration” is the antithesis of what museums and libraries do. These public, democratic institutions offer a breadth and depth of information and resources to ensure that users are able to understand a wide range of ideas and perspectives on any given topic. This allows people to think for themselves and draw conclusions based on evidence, rather than on what someone tells them to be the truth.
The consequences of shutting down the Institute of Museum and Library Services would be particularly dire for smaller museums and rural museums.
every damn time
get library cards and use them often (online e-book and audiobook rentals count!). sign up to volunteer at your local library. donate money to your library’s general fund. run for a spot on the library board.
join and participate in your local “friends of the library” group. donate books (if your library accepts book donations). set up your own little free library. vote for library funding when it’s on your local ballot.
fill out comment cards to leave positive comments. request new materials that you’d like to see added to the stacks. like and share your library’s social media content.
The Trump administration is explicitly targeting libraries, museums, and the press in the latest executive order.
Also going after services for the homeless, minority businesses, and community development.
The cruelty is the point.
few emails i am so excited to receive
Introduced last week, Iowa's librarian criminalization bill has already made it to the House floor.
update: the library director was in today and showed me his secret space opera hoard. new additions to the list:
(haven’t read either yet, but he highly recommends)
he also had two of the books i’d been wanting to include in the display!
