MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) board voted on Thursday to send a letter to all state libraries ensuring compliance with a recent executive order from President Donald Trump, threatening to slash federal funding for agencies promoting gender ideology.
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Trump has taken multiple executive steps to slash programs and spending that his administration has determined to be wasteful or unhelpful, with the help of Elon Musk's DOGE.
Most recently, Trump signed an order asking department heads to begin dismantling several agencies, including the Department of Education and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Additionally, in January, Trump signed another order stating that the United States recognizes only two genders: male and female.
At a Thursday APLS Board meeting, board members and APLS staff all expressed concern about the impact on library funding.
The main concern came with the threats to Library Services and Technology Act grants distributed by the IMLS to states and counties. However, the group acknowledged that the state was in a "holding pattern" until the ongoing issues with the federal government were ironed out.
Board members were also concerned with Trump's January order, which directs all state agencies to oppose gender ideology at multiple levels, among other things. The order states, "Federal funds shall not be used to promote gender ideology. Each agency shall assess grant conditions and grantee preferences and ensure grant funds do not promote gender ideology."
For nearly two years, the state's libraries have been embattled in a controversy surrounding sexually explicit and LBGTQ-affirming material targeted at children. The debate has often centered around children's books promoting, affirming or describing transgender ideology.
The state already sent a shot over the APLS's bow by cutting its funding in last year's budget. Now, with the possibility of federal funds relying on the denial of so-called gender ideology, APLS thought libraries should be made aware and conform to the federal mandate.
"I think it's very important that we do let our local libraries know," said APLS Board chairman John Wahl. "Just so they can be informed and know the requirements and know that any federal funding, at this point, would have those strings attached."
He continued, "This is something that we want to track very carefully because not only would it risk the local library grants, but our entire grant system for APLS."
The board agreed that Wahl would send a letter to all state libraries, encouraging compliance with the order and enumerating the threats to funding that may come by failing to do so. A copy would also be sent to White House staff.
"With DOGE, they can look at our whole state card catalog in 30 seconds and tell every gender book that's in our library," said board member Amy Minton. "So, they can pull state funding. They don't have to go to board meetings. That's what [Trump's] saying in this executive order."
Minton also pointed out that the action meant Alabama would be "leading the way."
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