Elon Musk's Doge Moves to Gut Local Libraries While No One Is Looking
newrepublic.com
newrepublic.com
> “There is no efficiency argument when IMLS represents just 0.0046% of the federal budget, while museums generate $50 billion in economic impact,” the American Alliance of Museums wrote in a statement.
Total U.S. public library and museum spending is almost $14 billion: https://wordsrated.com/library-funding-statistics. This agency distributes about $250 million in federal support, which also supports museums.
""" The IMLS has a $313 million annual budget and about 70 employees. Its stated goal is to “advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development.
Local libraries are mostly funded by local tax dollars, but the funding they do get from the federal government goes towards things like employee training and technology updates. This is especially critical in more remote areas.
"""
IMLS activities don't directly fund most libraries and museums but the training, surveys, but they have an impact on the quality of libraries and museums all over our country.
I'd encourage HN readers to read about the work of IMLS directly:
Or at least until the DOGE-ies destroy and/or censor the IMLS website (probably in progress).
I swear if they start cutting books and exhibits about things specifically musk dislikes and we don’t see comparisons to book burnings, I’m going to lose all faith in the people of this country.
Why would you still, at this point, have any faith in them? lol
Idk why that energy doesn’t come out during elections.
The parent corporation is under chapter 11 bankruptcy, which requires a full audit and liquidation of it and its subsidiaries.
This explains why various judges have been shut down from preventing Trump from his actions - he is acting under orders from the bankruptcy court.