Answer, No Answer

At the bottom of our public library home page it says, “This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of Iowa.”

I wrote my Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks on March 31 after the staff of the Institute of Museum and Library Services was put on leave, in part,

I’m writing to express my disappointment that the president intends to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) “to the maximum extent of the law,” via executive order. As you know, the Congress created IMLS and, by law, only the Congress can dissolve this federal agency. As a resident of your district, I don’t understand how the executive branch can intervene in a congressionally created agency, cancel grants, and in effect put it out of business. Please explain.

She responded today, in part:

As you may know, on March 14th, 2025, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14217, which closed 7 agencies, including IMLS, to the maximum extent applicable by law. The staff of IMLS were put on leave on March 31st, 2025. As always, my office and I are in constant contact with officials in the administration to see how any changes to federal agencies affect Iowans.

Bad date format aside, she stated what I stated in my original letter, declining to explain a dang thing. It seems pretty clear to people like me who use our public library that if funding from IMLS goes away, we will have to find another way to provide the important services for which federal money pays.

Another day in the dumbing down of America.

Editor’s Note: This is another in a series of short posts to enable me to get the garden planted in May. Despite the setbacks described yesterday, gardening goes on.