Ivanka Trump took to her Twitter last week to applaud librarians and libraries during National Library Week. Twitter, however, was not having it.
In March, President Donald Trump released his proposed budget for 2018, which would gut four independent cultural agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), The Washington Post reported. Cutting federal funding for the IMLS would be devastating for ― you guessed it ― state and local libraries across the U.S.
Per The Hill:
[IMLS] Director Dr. Kathryn Matthew notes that $214 million of the $230 million budget goes directly to grants to state and local libraries, including $155 million distributed through a population-based formula grant.
So, when the first daughter tweeted about applauding librarians last week, she was not met with much praise.
The replies rolled in.
Luckily, there are librarians across the country who are still trying to use their positions for good. Samantha Lee, who works at the Enfield Public Library in Connecticut, told The Huffington Post that libraries are more important now than ever in the current political climate.
“What’s become more obvious, is how fractured the country is,” Lee said. “There’s been a cultural lack of communication which has fostered misunderstandings and hard feelings. Librarians are sensing this and responding to it. We’re reaffirming libraries as community spaces ― welcoming and safe spaces. We celebrate diversity, intellectual freedom, and democracy.”