by John M. Eger

May 21, 2025

For nearly three decades, a little-known but essential federal agency — the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) — has quietly fueled the growth, innovation, and resilience of museums and libraries across the United States, including here in San Diego. It has awarded tens of millions of dollars in funding to support cultural institutions that serve as educational hubs, community anchors, and places of inspiration.

But today, that support is in jeopardy.

The IMLS became one of the most recent casualties of sweeping federal budget cuts initiated under President Donald Trump. According to reports, the agency’s entire staff was placed on administrative leave, effectively suspending its operations. The loss is deeply felt across the nation — and close to home. Jessica Hanson York, CEO of the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park, described the cuts as “a gut punch” in an interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Yet despite these setbacks, San Diego’s libraries and museums — like their counterparts across the country — are not standing still. They are forging ahead with creativity, purpose, and tenacity. They will survive, and many will thrive. But that outcome depends on us — on the strength of our financial support and the depth of our civic commitment.

This support is more than a charitable gesture. It is a necessity.

Museums and libraries are foundational to creating the kinds of inclusive, informed, and culturally vibrant communities that San Diego — and every city — needs. In an era marked by economic inequality, political division, and rapid technological change, these institutions offer not only continuity and access to knowledge but also community cohesion and cultural literacy.

The IMLS itself put it best:

“The relationship between libraries, museums, and their communities is at a critical intersection. There has never been a greater need for libraries and museums to work with other organizations in effectively serving our communities; there has never been a more rapid period of change affecting museums, libraries, and their communities.”

For too long, museums were seen by some as static or out-of-touch — unsure of who their audiences were, where they came from, or what they sought. That’s changing. Today, almost every museum collects visitor ZIP codes at entry. With digital tools — including free mobile audio guides — institutions can now gather detailed insights into how people interact with exhibits, how long they stay, and what captures their attention. This kind of data, once exclusive to tech companies, now drives smarter, more personalized cultural experiences.

Consider the Dallas Museum of Art, which launched a bold initiative offering free general admission and a no-cost Friends Membership. Every visitor receives a digital device that not only enhances their visit but also helps the museum understand audience behavior. Paired with ZIP code data, the museum can tailor programming, expand outreach, and serve a broader, more diverse public. This is engagement built on inclusion and innovation.

Technology is transforming museums from passive repositories into interactive, dynamic spaces — places of participation, conversation, and connection. Southern California museums have been early adopters of this shift, blending digital tools with physical experiences to reach audiences in powerful new ways.

And this transformation isn’t limited to the museum floor. Behind the scenes, digital archives, immersive media, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence are being used to reshape how institutions curate content and how communities interact with history, science, and the arts. In many ways, museums are being redefined for a digital century — a shift that touches everything from how collections are presented to what is defined as a “museum object.”

While part of this evolution is practical — younger audiences expect a digitally enhanced experience — the change also reflects a deeper cultural awakening. Museums are recognizing that storytelling, context, and accessibility matter just as much as curation. A visit to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam offers a glimpse of what this looks like: not only can you purchase Van Gogh-themed gifts (including scarves and potato chips), but you can also take a selfie with one of his masterpieces and receive it by email — forging a modern, memorable connection between art and audience.

British philosopher Alan Watts once remarked that museums were “places where art goes to die.” That notion has been soundly rejected by a new generation of curators, educators, and cultural leaders. Today, museums are places where art — and ideas — come to life. They house the artifacts of our artistic, cultural, scientific, and historical legacy, and they make these treasures available for everyone to explore and learn from.

The same evolution is unfolding in our libraries.

Once viewed as relics of the pre-digital age — “book-lined cathedrals” of silence and solitude — libraries are now vibrant, connected centers of learning, innovation, and civic engagement. They are as essential as ever.

Modern libraries offer far more than books. They provide access to vast digital collections, virtual learning platforms, workforce training programs, and tools for media production, entrepreneurship, and creative collaboration. In an age of information overload, libraries serve as sanctuaries of order, context, and curated knowledge.

Several years ago, more than 250 libraries around the world joined a bold initiative called Outside the Lines. The campaign aimed to shift public perceptions of libraries by spotlighting their role in fostering creative confidence among youth, providing media arts education, and empowering the next generation of changemakers. It was a reminder that libraries are not about the past — they’re about shaping the future.

Crucially, libraries are staffed by trained professionals — librarians — who act as trusted guides, educators, and information curators. In a world where “just Google it” is the default response to any question, librarians help make sense of the deluge. As one observer quipped, using the internet to answer a question is like trying to drink from a fire hydrant. Librarians turn that fire hydrant into a drinking fountain.

We must also recognize the broader role libraries play in community life. As schools reinvent themselves to teach 21st-century skills, the community must also adapt. Children — and adults — spend most of their lives outside of formal education. That’s where libraries come in: supporting lifelong learning, creative discovery, and civic participation. They are the bridges between classrooms and communities, between questions and understanding.

Yes, the funding once provided by the IMLS was important — and its potential loss is significant. But the deeper truth is this: our libraries and museums are resilient. They are reimagining their roles, embracing innovation, and recommitting themselves to public service.

They are not just institutions of the past. They are engines of the future.

Now more than ever, they need — and deserve — our support.