The National Digital Stewardship Alliance (NDSA) strongly opposes the recent executive order to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). As a leading voice for digital preservation professionals, we recognize IMLS as an essential agency that sustains the critical work of libraries, archives, and museums in preserving the nation's cultural, historical, and scientific record—both analog and digital.

For decades, IMLS has been at the forefront of advancing digital preservation and stewardship capacity nationwide. Through programs such as the National Leadership Grants for Libraries and the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, IMLS has supported transformational projects, including:

  • The National Digital Stewardship Residency (NDSR) program, which trained a new generation of digital preservation professionals and established best practices for stewarding digital collections.
  • The creation and expansion of the Digital POWRR (Preserving Digital Objects With Restricted Resources) Program, providing practical, hands-on training and resources for small and mid-sized institutions to develop sustainable digital preservation programs.
  • The establishment of the DC Public Library's Memory Lab and the Memory Lab Network, which has expanded the ability of libraries nationwide to offer community digitization stations and public workshops, empowering individuals to preserve their personal and community histories.
  • The development of the DPLA (Digital Public Library of America) Aggregation Program, which supports state and regional service hubs in preserving and providing public access to millions of digital objects from libraries, archives, and museums across the country.
  • The Sustainable Heritage Network (SHN) and its associated Tribal Digital Stewardship Cohort Program, which have provided culturally responsive digital preservation training and resources to tribal archives, libraries, and museums, supporting Indigenous sovereignty over their digital heritage.
  • The launch of Save the Sounds (New York Public Library), an initiative supported by IMLS that preserved and provided access to hundreds of unique audio recordings, many from underrepresented communities, which were at risk of degradation.

Without IMLS support, these and countless other initiatives would not have been possible, leaving critical gaps in our nation's ability to preserve and ensure equitable access to digital information.

The dismantling of IMLS would severely damage the infrastructure that enables collaboration, capacity-building, and innovation within the cultural heritage and digital stewardship profession. We cannot allow this to happen.

NDSA urges immediate action:

  • Sign and share the petition hosted by EveryLibrary: https://action.everylibrary.org/eoimls2025
  • Call your elected officials: Share specific stories about how IMLS-funded programs or your local libraries, archives, and museums have positively impacted you, your work, or your community.
  • Mobilize your networks: Encourage your professional communities, partner organizations, and the public to raise their voices in defense of IMLS and the critical services it enables.

NDSA stands in solidarity with our fellow colleagues in the cultural heritage sector. We urge Congress to safeguard the future of the IMLS and fully fund its mission to advance the stewardship of America's collective memory.