News

New Petition Mobilizes Michigan Residents to
Defend the Freedom to Read in Public Libraries

July 29, 2025

As support for libraries grows, the Michigan Library Association calls on residents to reject censorship and sign the Protect MI Right to Read petition.

The Michigan Library Association (MLA) launched a statewide petition calling on residents to stand up for their First Amendment rights and protect the freedom to read in Michigan libraries. The Protect MI Right to Read petition will be delivered to the Michigan State Legislature and Governor Gretchen Whitmer this October during Michigan Library Appreciation Month, giving Michigan residents a clear way to push back against censorship efforts and show their support for accessible library collections for all.

The petition comes as new statewide polling shows strong and growing support for public libraries and resounding opposition to book bans. The new June 2025 poll follows a similar statewide survey on library issues conducted in March 2023, both commissioned by the Michigan Library Association and conducted by the public opinion survey and research firm EPIC-MRA. Key findings show:

• 79% of voters approve of the work libraries are doing (up from 71% in 2023).
• 75% trust librarians to decide what belongs in library collections.
• 82% agree that we need to protect the ability of young people to have access to books that help them learn about and understand different perspectives.
• 84% support current library policies on age-appropriate shelving.

“Michigan’s public libraries serve everyone, not just the loudest voices,” said Dillon Geshel, Interim Executive Director of MLA. “The Petition to Protect MI Right to Read was created to send a clear message to our elected officials that public libraries exist to reflect all of us, and every resident deserves the freedom to see themselves on the shelves.”

The petition encourages Governor Gretchen Whitmer, legislators and elected officials, school boards, and library trustees to:

• Uphold the First Amendment right to access information and reject censorship efforts targeting library collections
• Trust librarians as trained, professional guides to age-appropriate content
• Ensure public libraries reflect the full range of community voices and lived experiences
• Increase support for State Aid to Libraries and fund the Michigan eLibrary and statewide catalog, MeL and MeLCat, as well as other statewide library services in the Michigan budget

“We’re seeing more organized efforts to control what people can read, and it’s happening right here in Michigan,” said Jenny Marr, MLA Board President and Executive Director of Capital Area District Libraries. “This petition reminds us that libraries are places of curiosity, growth, and empathy, and they’re worth defending.”

Sign the petition and learn more about how to get involved in the MI Right to Read coalition at: www.mirighttoread.com/sign 

FOML Letter to Michigan State Budget Office Regarding
Defunding Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

May 8, 2025

Jen Flood, Director
Michigan State Budget Office
111 S. Capitol Ave, #6
Lansing, MI 48933

Dear Director Flood:

As the president of the Friends of Michigan Libraries (FOML), a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening libraries through advocacy, education, and public engagement, I write on behalf of our 94 Friends groups and 38 individual members from across the state to express our concern about recent federal efforts to defund the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).  It is a move that, if allowed, would have a profound and negative impact on the Library of Michigan and public libraries across Michigan.

Defunding the IMLS would threaten more than $4.8 million in annual support for the Library of Michigan and its outreach programs through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).  Funding for vital programs in digital literacy, workforce development, early childhood education, rural broadband access, and library innovation is not replaceable through local sources alone.  Federal funds enable resource sharing across library systems and equitable access for underserved communities.  Without them, programs for seniors, job seekers, veterans, new Americans, and children will suffer.

The FOML is calling upon the State Budget Office and legislators to make contingency plans that ensure that the following allowances would be made for a state library budget if federal funds are reduced or eliminated:

1. Increase state aid to libraries by up to at least $5 million annually to replace the lost federal dollars and expand access and capacity across our state’s 397 public library systems.
2. Protect and enhance funding for the Library of Michigan, which administers many of the federally supported programs and serves as the backbone for library development, training, and service statewide.
3. Recognize libraries as essential infrastructure—they are no longer just book-lenders; they are community hubs for education, Internet access, civic engagement, and public health outreach.

I respectfully ask the State Budget Office to champion libraries before the start of the next fiscal year on October 1. Help Michigan step up if Washington steps back.

Sincerely,

Joe David, FOML President

FOML Response to Executive Order Dismantling
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

On Saturday, the President issued an Executive Order to eliminate funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal agency that provides crucial funding to state libraries. In Michigan, IMLS funding supports the Michigan eLibrary (MeL), including MeLCat and essential research databases. It also funds Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants, which provide stipends, training, and support for programs like the Small & Rural Libraries Conference—helping make it more affordable for small libraries. Additionally, Friends of Michigan Libraries (FOML) used an IMLS grant to fund the speaker for its 2025 Annual Membership Meeting.

What This Does Not Impact

These federal cuts will NOT affect your library’s core funding, which comes from:

• State Aid, determined annually by the Michigan Legislature
• Penal fines, protected under Michigan’s Constitution
• Local millages and municipal appropriations, approved by voters
• Donations, bequests, and other local funding sources

While the situation is still developing, we will provide updates as more details emerge. Libraries remain vital to our communities, and we encourage everyone to stay informed and engaged.

Here are a few links that you might want to review:

Trump Orders Gutting of 7 Agencies, Including Voice of America’s Parent - New York Times (gifted)

ALA statement on White House assault on the Institute of Museum and Library Services - American Library Association

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Continues the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy - White House document

PETITION: Stop Trump's E.O. Attacks on Federal Funding for Libraries - EveryLibrary

There's a lot of uncertainty right now and no good answers but we WILL know more. We will provide updates as things become clear.  Keep doing the great and amazing things you are doing in your communities. Keep celebrating those epic wins and being fantastic.