Andrew Albanese

6 days ago | wordsandmoney.com | Andrew Albanese

3 min It was a rollercoaster week for libraries, which began with a solid victory in court, and culminated with the shock firing of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on the evening of May 8. While no reason has yet been given by Trump officials for Hayden's dismissal, the move represents a major escalation in the administration's attacks on the institutions that support our nation's cultural and intellectual heritage, and a major shot across the bow of the library community.

6 days ago | wordsandmoney.com | Andrew Albanese

You can add WiFi to the growing list of things Republicans say kids don't need. In a party line vote on May 8, the Senate passed a resolution, introduced by Texas senator Ted Cruz, to overturn a much celebrated FCC program that allowed libraries and schools to tap federal e-rate funding to purchase and lend Wi-Fi hotspots. The resolution passed 50–38 along party lines, with 12 senators not voting. The vote brings an FCC program called Learn Without Limits one step closer to ending.

6 days ago | wordsandmoney.com | Andrew Albanese

In what observers are characterizing as a shocking act of political malfeasance, President Trump abruptly fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on the evening of May 8. The firing was made without cause and the news delivered just before 7 p.m. in a curt two-line email to Hayden from a deputy in the White House personnel office. Library officials confirmed Hayden’s firing, but as of press time Hayden has not yet commented.

1 week ago | wordsandmoney.com | Andrew Albanese

Over the objections of Trump Administration lawyers, judge Richard Leon has extended his May 1 Temporary Restraining Order blocking the Trump Administration's further dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services to May 29, citing "the dynamic nature" of the case and "the importance of the issues at stake." In a potential wrinkle, however, the court also ordered briefs on a DOJ motion for reconsideration, which asks Leon to rescind his block in light of a recent appeals court...

1 week ago | wordsandmoney.com | Andrew Albanese

A federal judge in Rhode Island on May 6 granted a motion blocking the Trump administration's attempt to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services and several other federal agencies. The highly anticipated decision comes in a lawsuit filed by 21 states on April 4, and just days after federal judge Richard J.