D.C. Circuit preserves IMLS after Congress funds 123,000 libraries

Courts blocked the cuts on constitutional grounds, ruling Congress controls spending authority over library funding

Library Services and Technology Act provides $200 million annually that keeps 9,000 rural libraries operational

Public libraries provide internet access for 21% of Americans who cannot afford home broadband connections

Local censorship groups gain power to remove books when federal grants no longer require First Amendment compliance

Adult literacy classes, childhood reading programs, and English language learning courses face elimination without federal funding

Digital divide expands when libraries lose broadband funding precisely as government services move online