Institute of Museum and Library Services and Doge

Lots of outrage against Doge for cutting the IMLS budget--a small federal agency with some money for grants to museums and libraries. The cuts were to DC staff it seems who cut the checks, so it's not clear in the article how many were coming to work or if there is another agency to pick up the obligations. I quickly scanned the Wired article and saw nothing essential, but did notice California could lose $54,000 to 5 Indian tribes for children's books. By the time all that sifts through the layers of bureaucracy, it's not a lot of money for the kids books. Guess how much Dolly Parton has contributed to help needy children with books to read: $240,000,000!

 
Libraries and museums are primarily funded by state and local taxes, and I would not call IMLS a "key" funding source, which articles I've read have claimed. It was created in 1996 in a Republican initiative when Clinton was president and Laura Bush (who was a librarian) was a big supporter. It was created with a merger of several agencies, probably to reduce duplication.

https://www.wired.com/story/institute-museum-library-services-layoffs/

There are thousands of small or unorganized collections of memorabilia or "culturally significant" objects through out the country--some connected to a local public institution, like a library, some not. I'm sure IMLS was a source of grant money if the person or group that started it died off. To my knowledge IMLS doesn't fund our Museum of Catholic Art and History in Columbus.  https://www.catholicmuseum.org/about-us/ For years a retired priest collected "stuff" as small Catholic churches in Ohio were closed, and it was stored in an old school building. It now has its own home in an unused Catholic building. I've never been there but the website looks great. As far as I know it runs on donations and gifts from benefactors and volunteers. Another one I know about because I attended a program about it at Lakeside is a collection of a black family from Toledo. These are microcosms of our culture. I think they should be supported at the local level--not the federal. Our own Ohio History Connection may have been a recipient of such grants--I never looked in to it, but the people of Ohio need to support that and not depend on Mississippi and Arkansas.

Federal funding for the arts--clubbing the President over the budget

One of the arguments I've heard in favor of keeping the various arts funding programs of the federal government is the wildly successful musical, "Hamilton." You know--the one where the cast lectured the Vice President. Look at all the jobs it has produced!! Look how no ordinary citizen could possibly afford or even get a ticket!! It apparently had a small grant to get off the ground and the rest was history. Who really believes that there were no private investors for this in the shopping around stages? And now we have "Go fund me" type sources--at least for liberal causes. I helped fund the movie about the abortionist, Gosnell. We helped with a funding page for a rare disease. And there are funding opportunities for small business start ups--I get an email about once a week on marvelous innovative products. But what about all the great ideas/performers/artists the government by-passes, or all the horrid things it does fund which the public hates? 

Yesterday Facebook was awash with hashtag  IMLS--Institute of Museum and Library Services.  Since it was only liberals posting it, I figured someone feared Donald Trump was going to do something awful.  All of a sudden libraries and museums are going to collapse because fewer federal dollars are going for studies that no one reads and cushy federal jobs for conferences and workshops? Is that what people think makes libraries and museums work? Look, when Laura Bush (a real librarian) was advocating for libraries and museums, members of the American Library Association were boycotting her appearances. When George W. Bush was reading to school children on 9/11, all manner of paranoid plots blossomed when he took a few minutes not to alarm them. So save your hash tags and support your local bond issues--that's what pays for your library services--we the people.

Then when your public library turns down your request for conservative or Christian titles, you know where to complain.  This is not about money.  The amount the federal government puts into the arts wouldn't build a bomber or drone.  It's about where does the responsibility lie, and who should be in control.

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/17/im-calling-bs-on-the-la-times-using-hamilton-as-a-pawn-in-trumps-budget-game-commentary.html

http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/16/14948108/trump-nea-neh-budget-cuts-proposal-arts-funding-effects