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#lorifisher

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DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PortlandME" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PortlandME</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ChildrensMuseum" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ChildrensMuseum</span></a> loses federal grant intended for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WabanakiHistory</span></a> programs </p><p>by Gillian Graham, Portland Press Herald, Maine<br>Sat, April 12, 2025 at 4:06 AM EDT</p><p>"The Trump administration has terminated a nearly $250,000 grant the Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine was using for programs about <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wabanaki" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Wabanaki</span></a> culture and history.</p><p>"The Portland museum was awarded the money last year from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and was already deep in the process of developing a project that includes programs for schoolchildren and other visitors, curriculum support for teachers and a play adapted from a children's book.</p><p>"Then an email arrived late Wednesday night notifying Executive Director Julie Butcher Pezzino that the grant has been terminated, casting uncertainty on how the nonprofit organization will pay for the project.</p><p>" 'It sort of feels like the rug was pulled out from under us in the middle of an important project,' she said. 'It's pretty brutal. It's a big loss in promised funds for an organization like ours.'</p><p>"The children's museum is among the many <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/museums" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>museums</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/libraries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>libraries</span></a> and other organizations across the country that are now scrambling to deal with the loss of funding they depended on to operate.</p><p>"President Donald <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> signed an executive order declaring the Institute of Museum and Library Services [<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IMLS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>IMLS</span></a>], the primary federal support for U.S. libraries and museums, 'unnecessary' and vowing to eliminate or nearly eliminate it. Weeks later, he placed the federal agency's entire staff on a 90-day leave.</p><p>"This week, the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineStateLibrary" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MaineStateLibrary</span></a> laid off 13 staff members — nearly one-third of its staff — and closed for two weeks to restructure its operations because its funding from <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IMLS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>IMLS</span></a> is indefinitely suspended, according to State Librarian <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LoriFisher" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LoriFisher</span></a>.</p><p>"Maine is among more than 20 states suing the federal government over its attempt to shutter IMLS. That suit also challenges Trump's targeting of the Minority Business Development Agency and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.</p><p>"The IMLS last year awarded $266.7 million in grants, research and policy development to museums, libraries and related organizations.</p><p>"The children's museum was awarded the $224,143 Museums for America grant in August, the first time in two decades it had received a grant from the IMLS.</p><p>"The museum had already received a $40,000 reimbursement from the grant funding and had requested another $15,000 reimbursement. But that second reimbursement never came and with Trump's comments about eliminating the agency, the museum staff and board were worried about the funding even before it was canceled.</p><p>" 'We had some concerns and suspicions, given the news and the termination of all the staff members at IMLS,' Butcher Pezzino said. 'That didn't feel like it would bode well.'"</p><p>Source:<br><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/childrens-museum-loses-federal-grant-080600799.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">yahoo.com/news/childrens-museu</span><span class="invisible">m-loses-federal-grant-080600799.html</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CulturalErasure" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CulturalErasure</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TrumpIsABully" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TrumpIsABully</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/USPol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>USPol</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmericanCulture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NativeAmericanCulture</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiConfederacy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WabanakiConfederacy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineFirstNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MaineFirstNations</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/History" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>History</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ErasingHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ErasingHistory</span></a> <br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CharacteristicsOfFascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CharacteristicsOfFascism</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>So yeah. This REALLY pisses me off! I have friends who work for the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineStateLibrary" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MaineStateLibrary</span></a>. Grrrrr.... </p><p>Maine State Library issues layoffs, cites inability to access federal funding<br>The Maine State Library announced Wednesday 13 staff members, whose positions are supported by federal funding, were laid off.</p><p>April 9, 2025 </p><p>"The Maine State Library announced layoffs on Wednesday, citing an ongoing inability to access federal funding. </p><p>"The announcement comes after President Donald <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Trump" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Trump</span></a> signed an executive order in March deeming the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) 'unnecessary' and slated to be dismantled, later placing the entire agency's staff on administrative leave. </p><p>"The Maine State Library said in a news release that IMLS funding represents 30 percent of its annual budget and has not received any communication from IMLS on if or when funding might be restored. </p><p>"The state library said it last received funds from its 2025 federal award advance through the IMLS on March 24. </p><p>"Thirteen employees whose positions are supported by federal funding have been laid off, the state library said. Those employees represent approximately 30 percent of Maine State Library staff. </p><p>"The Maine State Library said the layoffs could be rescinded if funding is restored. </p><p>"Starting on Thursday, the Maine State Library will close for a two-week reorganization period where its location at 242 State St. in Augusta will not be open to the public. </p><p>"'Losing access to this Federal funding harms Maine residents and will have negative consequences in communities across the state," Maine State Librarian <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LoriFisher" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LoriFisher</span></a> said in the release. 'Despite these significant cuts, the Maine State Library remains committed to advancing the mission of libraries in Maine and to serving every library patron to the best of our ability.'</p><p>"In 2024, the Maine State Library says it received $1,526,754 from the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IMLS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>IMLS</span></a> Library Services and Technology Act Grants to States program which supports services including <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HighSpeedInternet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HighSpeedInternet</span></a> for public libraries; <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/InterlibraryLoans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>InterlibraryLoans</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EBooks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>EBooks</span></a>, and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/audiobooks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>audiobooks</span></a>; services for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/VisuallyImpaired" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>VisuallyImpaired</span></a> patrons; and professional development for library staff. </p><p>"The library says it is continuing to evaluate the range of impacts on library services from the funding cuts and hopes to provide further updates as they become available. </p><p>"Following Trump's executive order, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey joined 20 other attorneys general in a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from dismantling a handful of agencies, including the IMLS."</p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-state-library-issues-layoffs-inability-access-federal-funding/97-3adb5f7f-a6c1-42fe-a519-dc849384dd99" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">newscentermaine.com/article/ne</span><span class="invisible">ws/local/maine-state-library-issues-layoffs-inability-access-federal-funding/97-3adb5f7f-a6c1-42fe-a519-dc849384dd99</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Libraries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Libraries</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LibrariesRule" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LibrariesRule</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LibraryOfThings" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LibraryOfThings</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BannedBooks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BannedBooks</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CommunitySpaces" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CommunitySpaces</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CentersOfLearning" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CentersOfLearning</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SeedLibraries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SeedLibraries</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Knowledge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Knowledge</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CharacteristicsOfFascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CharacteristicsOfFascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TrumpIsABully" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TrumpIsABully</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FundLibrariesNotSpaceX" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FundLibrariesNotSpaceX</span></a></p>
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