SOLON — Back on March 14 of this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that instructed the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to cease all operations. The 75-person staff – which provides support to libraries across the country – was cut down to 12, grants were terminated, and the future of small town libraries became in question. This was part of a bigger move by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut down on government spending.

Now, the initial wave has passed, and the dust has settled, revealing a fight in court to determine the future of library funding by the federal government.

So far, the American Library Association (ALA) and 21 states have used separate lawsuits to stop the dismantling of the IMLS. US District Judge Richard Leon granted a temporary restraining order to stop any further cuts to IMLS staff and grants. An injunction in the case with the 21 states ruled that IMLS cannot be cut down any further, but the future of grants remains up in the air. President Trump has proposed completely defunding the IMLS in his 2026 budget outline.

For the Solon Public Library, the cuts would end the interlibrary loan system. Previously, the state library of Iowa received just over $2.2 million from the IMLS. A chunk of these funds are used to support the loan system that allows public libraries around the state of Iowa to lend books to other public libraries. This allows smaller public libraries, like Solon, to have a bigger catalog readers can choose from.

For Liz King, the Solon Public Library director, this is yet another time of uncertainty for Iowa libraries. While the IMLS conversation is happening on the federal stage, Iowa libraries recently had their own battle at the state level. A bill was voted on last month that would have modified existing obscenity exemptions for public libraries and educational institutions. The bill did not make it through the second funnel but could be voted on in 2026. King and other library directors have strongly opposed this bill.

“Who am I to say to somebody, you can no longer read that,” said King. “That was the most disturbing thing – the censorship.”

King has partnered with other directors and the state library by forwarding newsletters that explain the bills and share why the libraries believe it could be damaging to their future. They worry about how loosely the term “obscene” could be used.

“We wanted to make sure the community was aware of the bills that could impact the library,” said King. “Our job as a library is to educate and provide those opportunities to learn and then make their educated decisions.”

The uncertainty about what the future of the public libraries has not kept King and the Solon Public Library from planning community events and helping those who want to read. May 30 will be the annual kickoff party for the summer reading program through the library. “Right now, this time is challenging for libraries, but we have to remind ourselves we are still doing very good work and can continue to make positive impacts in the community,” said King.

Though the state bill regarding obscenity will be hovering over the head of King until it is officially voted on, she plans on being the best resource she can for readers and parents of young readers. If a parent is worried about the content in the books a child is reading, there is a plethora of resources that can give advice, including King and the library staff . There are many websites online that can provide reviews on books, including commonsensemedia. com. The library staff can also make recommendations based on any parameters a reader or parent prefers.

King said the best way for a parent to know if a book’s content is acceptable for their child is if they pre-read the book. However, she did note that can be tough to find time for when a child has a high reading level and wants to read longer novels.

King said, “Our audience is [ages] 0-100 so we want to make sure we have something that appeals to everyone and is going to help nurture that love of learning and what they have to read.”