IFLA calls for the reversal of cuts to IMLS, archives, restrictions on freedom of research in the United States

Indiscriminate cuts in the library and information sector – both to staffing and other activities – as well as the removal, hiding or modification of data inevitably risk undermining the pursuit of the goals of preserving and providing access to information, knowledge and heritage.

IFLA is therefore very concerned by recent decisions in the United States concerning the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), as well as the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the wider heritage sector, as well as the withdrawal of datasets and halting of research.

We echo the position of the American Library Association in deploring the cuts announced to IMLS, which plays such a valuable role in supporting libraries to realise their potential, as well as offering a model globally. The cuts will not just hurt the employees of IMLS, but the millions who rely on libraries to enjoy their rights and fulfil their potential. 

The same can be said of NARA. As has already been underlined by the Association of Research Libraries, cuts here can have very real impacts on people’s lives in the short term. Yet the true societal cost is likely only to be fully felt in the longer term, as transparency, accountability and democratic participation suffer.

In addition, restrictions on the freedom to pursue collaborative scientific research are an attack on the future. Beyond the human cost of hard work disrupted or cancelled, it also narrows the range of material that will be available to future researchers. This fundamentally runs against the goal of libraries to give access to the widest possible range of ideas and insights. 

Beyond the immediate negative impacts on American colleagues and citizens, these steps have global consequences. The United States is a key hub in the global knowledge ecosystem and has also long been an enabler of access to information internationally. US influence has  helped to build more inclusive and prosperous societies in many parts of the world; therefore, recent policy reversals merit worldwide attention. 

IFLA supports American colleagues facing these challenges and upholding the values and missions of libraries. We welcome efforts to safeguard freedom of research to ensure ongoing accessibility, and diligence in tracking and evaluating the impacts of these changes.

Approved by the IFLA President, 19 March 2025