2025 Year in Review

Freedom to read faces federal scrutiny

Following the Trump administration’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the US Naval Academy removed nearly 400 books deemed DEI-related from its Nimitz Library (later returning most of them to circulation). Meanwhile, in April, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case brought by parents wishing to opt their children out of instruction that incorporates books with LGBTQ+ themes at Montgomery County (Md.) Public Schools. The Court ruled 6–3 in June that the district violated families’ First Amendment rights in not allowing such opt-outs.

New leadership at ALA

Dan Montgomery joined the American Library Association (ALA) as executive director on November 10, succeeding Leslie Burger, who had served as executive director on an interim basis since November 2023. ­Montgomery was previously president of the Illinois ­Federation of Teachers.

A win for federal library funding

On March 14, President Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), leaving many state libraries to cope with staffing and service cuts. Lawsuits to protect IMLS were filed in response, one by a coalition of 21 attorneys general, another from ALA and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. On November 21, in response to the lawsuit filed by the attorneys general, the US District Court for the District of Rhode Island struck down the administration’s efforts, ruling that they were unconstitutional. By December 3, IMLS had reinstated all federal grants.

ALA initiatives to support libraries

ALA kicked off 2025 with Show Up for Our Libraries, an advocacy campaign designed to engage elected officials and policymakers to protect libraries, their funding, and the freedom to read. The following month, the Association unveiled a companion public supporter program to invite the general public to contribute donations to the movement.

Librarians in the public eye

Last year saw the release of a handful of librarian-focused documentaries, including The Librarians, which hit the big screen in October, and Free for All: The Public Library, which aired on PBS. Ionia (Iowa) Public Library Director India May, meanwhile, raised the librarian profile by announcing her candidacy for a seat in the state’s House of Representatives, following other librarian candidates in recent years in Indiana, Ohio, and Utah.

Library of Congress under attack

On May 8, Trump abruptly fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, with the White House later claiming that she promoted DEI at the institution. Two days later, Trump fired Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter. A federal court reinstated Perlmutter while she challenges the legality of her removal.

Shutdown leaves libraries in limbo

The longest federal government shutdown in US history, which ended November 12, halted the work—and paychecks—of library workers at IMLS, the Library of Congress, and other agencies. At its outset, ALA warned that some federal and state funding for the 2025 fiscal year that had yet to be drawn down may be impacted and could delay future grants libraries rely on.

A setback for broadband access

In May, the Trump administration cut the $2.8 billion ­Digital Equity Act grant program, designed to close the nationwide broadband gap. Passed in 2021, the act distributes funds for libraries and other institutions to use toward tech support and ­equipment upgrades for communities with limited digital access.

Threats to E-Rate

It was a mixed year for the federal E-Rate program, which provides funding for broadband access to libraries and schools. In June, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, which includes the E-Rate program. However, in September, the Federal Communications Commission voted to rescind funding for library and school Wi-Fi hotspot lending programs previously approved in 2024.

ALA Forward introduced

In early 2025, the Association launched ALA Forward, an initiative designed to improve member engagement and ensure financial stability. It includes three projects: a new strategic plan; a program assessment (reviewing the impact and value of programs at ALA); and an organizational assessment (reviewing staff operations, structure, and processes). ALA ­Forward’s evaluations concluded last summer, and implementation of its recommendations is ongoing.

Trump edits federal records

Shortly after his inauguration, Trump issued a slew of executive orders that affected federal data and information. As demanded by Executive Order 14172, the Library of Congress revised 45 subject headings on February 18, notably changing “Mexico, Gulf of” to “America, Gulf of” and “Denali, Mount (Alaska)” to “McKinley, Mount (Alaska).” Archivists scrambled to preserve thousands of federal data sets and web pages that were altered or removed in response to Trump’s orders, including environmental data, signage in national parks, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention findings.

Baker & Taylor announces closure

On October 6, the nearly 200-year-old book distributor Baker & Taylor (B&T) told employees it had begun shutting down business operations. B&T had faced financial difficulties in recent years, and its primary creditor had declared its loans to be in default. B&T was a major provider of books for public libraries, and its closure disrupted supplies as those libraries sought new vendors.

Libraries weather Los Angeles fires

Multiple wildfires raged across Los Angeles in January, destroying tens of thousands of acres across Southern California, including the Los Angeles Public Library’s Palisades branch. Amid the devastation, area libraries acted as hubs for internet access, power, masks, and information about recovering from the disaster.

Youth divisions reunite

In June, ALA Council voted to dissolve the Young Adult Library Services Association and combine its operations with the Association for Library Service to Children under a new name. This reunification will take effect September 1.

More battles for and against state book bans

In states across the country, book-banning bills and laws persisted—as did anticensorship efforts and rulings to counter them. In July, New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) defied her party by vetoing a bill that would make it easier for parents to remove books from school libraries. In August, US District Judge Carlos Mendoza deemed Florida’s efforts to restrict school materials that “describe sexual ­conduct” vague and unconstitutional. And in September, a law that allows Texas parents to form councils that could flag books for removal from school libraries went into effect.

Grappling with AI

Use of artificial intelligence (AI) continued to evolve in 2025. In one major legal decision last summer, a court ruled that it was acceptable for AI company Anthropic to use legally purchased copyrighted materials to train its large language model but not for it to train on pirated works. Meanwhile, libraries grappled with unlabeled AI content in their collections and suffered server disruptions caused by bots scraping the internet for training materials. Librarians also worked with this technology, leveraging AI to improve accessibility of collections and forming committees to ensure ethical AI use.