EveryLibrary releases report ‘Culture War by Executive Order and Its Impact on Libraries’
EveryLibrary, the first and only national political action committee for libraries, has released a new report: “Culture War By Executive Order and Its Impact on Libraries.”
The report examines how President Donald Trump’s executive orders, issued during the first 100 days of his second administration, target the nation’s cultural institutions and threaten the independence of libraries, museums and archives.
The report documents how these executive orders:
• Place unprecedented scrutiny on institutions including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and the Smithsonian Institution.
• Frame their goals under themes like “restoring patriotism,” “ending woke ideology,” and “restoring American exceptionalism,” which politicize the missions of independent institutions.
• Represent a broader attempt at cultural capture — reshaping public institutions to enforce a single ideological version of American identity.
But the report also outlines proactive ways forward. It emphasizes that libraries, museums, and archives are not powerless in the face of federal overreach:
• Strengthen Governance – Local boards and trustees must reaffirm their independence and reject political mandates inconsistent with their missions.
• Civic Engagement – Professionals and citizens alike are urged to advocate publicly, contact Congress, and demand accountability for cultural institutions.
• Coalition Building – Libraries, museums, archives, and their allies should coordinate more deliberately to defend intellectual freedom and cultural stewardship together.
• Public Trust – By recommitting to transparency, community responsiveness, and inclusive storytelling, institutions can reinforce the civic trust that makes them resilient to politicization.
“As professionals and as citizens, we must decide whether we will serve as stewards of culture, or as instruments of the state,” the report states. “The future of libraries, museums, and archives depends on our answer.”
Readers are encouraged to access the full report at https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/culture_war and to contact Congress to demand protection for libraries, museums, and archives against partisan overreach.
EveryLibrary is the first and only national political action committee for libraries. As a pro-library, nonpartisan organization, EveryLibrary builds voter support for libraries, opposes censorship, and fights anti-library legislation across the country. Through its public advocacy and grassroots campaigns, including the FightForTheFirst.org platform, EveryLibrary works to ensure that libraries and cultural institutions remain free, independent, and accessible for all.
For more information or to learn how to support libraries, visit www.everylibrary.org.