IMLS Letter Annotation

Background

As I've written about in previous posts, Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency created entirely by the executive branch and headed by Elon Musk, has been unilaterally targeting government agencies for dissolution, which often takes the form of radical defunding and mass layoffs, bypassing any role for Congress. At the same time, these same agencies have been tasked with fulfilling edicts proclaimed through various executive orders, many focused on targeting policies deemed "woke," or otherwise objectionable to the incoming administration.  These range from orders banning DEI initiatives to ending refugee resettlement. 

The simultaneous removal of qualified personnel (as determined by their performance history and accordance with professional standards) and instatement of various individuals to lead the agencies (often bypassing Congressional approval processes by way of appointing people in "acting" roles), seems to have the goal of keeping agencies around for the sole purpose of doing the administration's bidding rather than the people's bidding more broadly interpreted (by way of Congressional mandates and professional procedures.) 

Setting side the notion that political affiliation should have any bearing on a person's eligibility for work in civil service, the fact that majority of civil servants are registered Democrats should speak more to an orientation of many Democrats toward helping the public rather than than some kind of biased “deep state” conspiracy. A policy of bullying federal workers (by ignoring their internal procedures and creating hostile work environments) primarily because of their perceived political affiliation is just plain un-American.

As news outlets have reported, the DOGE claims large cost-savings through their efforts without offering corroboration and without taking into considering the potential lasting effects of immediate cuts. For example, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) which was threatened with cuts in the most recent EO accounts for less than 0.02% of the federal budget yet enables standardization essential to coordinating scientific research across public and private entities. 

If you've been with me this long and are wondering why I'm writing about all of this again, please bear with me. On March 14, the Institute for Museum and Library Services was added to the list of agencies to be cut by DOGE. 

Cutting the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) would offer similarly miniscule savings as for many other small agencies (current operations set at 0.0046% of the federal budget) while making the closure of impactful museums and libraries in rural and otherwise impoverished areas highly likely. It may just be me, but isn't the definition of efficiency spending less than $1 per person to create free programming for millions? A cynical read on this and all of the DOGE activity is an attempt to consolidate this administration's power and that of its oligarch allies by removing access to broad-based educational and journalistic resources across the country except in already-liberal cities and suburban enclaves. (Think the "packing" version of gerrymandering.)

From where I sit, I may have been paid $300 to evaluate IMLS grants that will go to no museums. Still, as someone who has been involved in evaluating grant-giving from the federal government via IMLS, I have been privy to a letter than went out to every person in the museum and library community who has worked with the agency in this capacity. I received the following email on March 20, one week after the DOGE announced that IMLS was on the chopping block. See my notes in red. 

The Letter: "White House Announces Keith E. Sonderling as IMLS Acting Director."

 Keith E. Sonderling Sworn In as Acting Director of Institute of Museum and Library Services

WASHINGTON – Deputy Secretary of Labor (this is a role for which he was confirmed by Congress on March 12) Keith E. Sonderling was sworn in as Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today, after being designated to the role by President Donald J. Trump. IMLS, an independent government agency, is the primary source of federal support for the nation's museums and libraries.

“It is an honor to be appointed by President Trump to lead this important organization in its mission (this mission was established by Congress in 1996) to advance, support, and empower America’s museums and libraries, which stand as cornerstones of learning and culture in our society. I am committed to steering this organization in lockstep (What does it mean to steer an organization while being expected to eliminate its budget and cut away its essential functions? How do you fulfill an organizational mission in lockstep with an administration that does not support that mission, especially the idea of local empowerment?) with this Administration (Is it normal for "Administration" to be capitalized? Maybe it's just me, but this appears remarkably Orwellian.) to enhance efficiency and foster innovation. We will revitalize (How do you revitalize with no budget?) IMLS and restore focus on patriotism (In what way has the IMLS lost focus on patriotism? I can't think of anything more patriotic than a commitment to open and honest debate, the inclusion of diverse experiences in content and programming, and a celebration of fairness and freedom), ensuring we preserve our country’s core values, promote American exceptionalism (See my comment on this post to read my views on the only way in which America can be "exceptional.") and cultivate love of country in future generations,” said Acting Director Sonderling.

Sonderling was recently confirmed as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Labor, where he previously served as Acting and Deputy Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division. Most recently, he served as the Commissioner of the United States Equal Employment Opportunity from 2020-2024. 

Before entering government service, Sonderling was a partner at Gunster, one of Florida’s oldest and largest law firms (Ah yes, a great indicator of competence to lead an agency that funds libraries and museums). He earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Florida and a Juris Doctor at Nova Southeastern University. He has also been a Professional Lecturer in the Law at the George Washington University Law School, teaching employment discrimination.

Media Contact:

Courtney Parella at info@imls.gov

Conclusion

In less than two weeks, the Museum of History and Holocaust Education will open a new exhibition called Save One Life: Resistance During the Holocaust. If I were to apply today for IMLS support for this exhibition, an exhibition that celebrates helping people who were targeted by a powerful government, that highlights brave examples of civil disobedience in the face of oppression, that promotes the value of diversity and the importance of critical thinking, would these be considered in "lockstep" with "our country's core values?" For me they are. So, maybe it's ironic, but I'm finding my commitment to what I think of as the essence of American potential all the stronger in the face of threats unprecedented in my lifetime. And as long as I can write safely and stand up for my beliefs, I will.