Executive Order and Effects on Libraries
Starting on July 1, 2025, some online library services will be reduced, statewide. On March 14, 2025 President Trump signed Executive Order 14238 eliminating the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” IMLS is the single largest source of critical federal funding for libraries. Through IMLS’ Grants to States Program, for FY2025 the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) was allocated $3.6 million to support statewide library services and grants to local libraries. In the weeks that followed the executive order, IMLS staff were placed on administrative leave and in the President’s FY2026 budget, IMLS is eliminated (pg. 39 under Small Agency Eliminations).
At the annual Massachusetts Library Association conference on May 19th, MBLC Director Maureen Amyot addressed the impact of ongoing federal uncertainty caused by the executive order and spoke about the MBLC’s efforts to preserve as many federally funded statewide services as possible. Director Amyot announced the FY2026 plan for statewide research databases, the statewide eBook program, and the Commonwealth Catalog.
Research database offerings will be significantly reduced. However, the MBLC and the Massachusetts Library System (MLS), which jointly fund databases, will maintain several of the most heavily used.
Support for the statewide Library eBooks and audiobooks (LEA) program will continue. The Libby eBook platform that allows eBooks to be shared across the state will be fully funded from the state budget. Databases that will be discontinued includes Boston Globe Article Archive, Britannica Moderna, 13 Gale databases, HeritageQuest Online, Peterson’s Test/Career Prep, ProQuest Science, and Transparent Language Online.
Full funding for the Commonwealth Catalog (ComCat) will also continue for FY2026. ComCat gives Massachusetts residents access to millions of items that their own library network doesn’t have.
Maintaining these services comes with the elimination of services that were announced in April and the MBLC anticipates announcing further reductions in the coming weeks.
Everyone can support libraries, feel free to visit any of these urls for more information.
- SaveIMLS.org – EveryLibrary’s petition to State Governors and Congress.
- Share your stories with Senator Ed Markey – Senator Markey is pushing back against the latest executive orders from the Trump Administration and would like to hear from YOU about how you are being affected.
- You can contact your state legislators: FIND MY LEGISLATOR
- You can contact your federal legislators: FIND MY CONGRESS MEMBER