Recent cuts proposed by the Trump administration threaten the existence of tribal libraries, including the Santa Clara Pueblo Community Library in New Mexico. Funding from federal grants, essential for maintaining these libraries and their services, is now in limbo, putting tribal culture and resources at risk. With numerous libraries facing similar dilemmas, leaders voice deep concerns about preserving their heritage amidst potential losses.
In the heart of rural New Mexico lies the Santa Clara Pueblo Community Library, a vital hub for the local tribe. However, recent funding cuts pose a grave threat not only to this library but to many others on tribal lands across the U.S. The library, located in a 90-square-mile stretch between the Jemez Mountains and the Rio Grande, serves as a lifeline for the tribe’s 1,700 members. Unfortunately, as tribal governor James Naranjo told NBC News, they face an uphill battle for resources to improve technology and literacy on this reservation, where internet access is already scarce.
Naranjo brought to light that the library heavily depends on federal grants to connect community members with services they desperately need. Yet, these funds are now at risk due to cuts proposed by the Trump administration. The Santa Clara library is one of over a hundred libraries across federally recognized tribal lands that received alarming notifications from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), indicating their grants would be terminated mid-cycle. An IMLS spokesperson confirmed these cancellations, stating that they fell against the agency’s priorities.
A letter received by a tribal grant writer read, “IMLS has determined that your grant is unfortunately no longer consistent with the agency’s priorities and no longer serves the interest of the United States and the IMLS Program.” This statement reflected a significant shift in federal priorities, as directed by the Trump administration just before Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling took over at IMLS.
In March, Trump signed an executive order to eliminate various federal agencies—including IMLS—as much as possible within legal constraints. According to sources, President Trump’s order mandated the agency, known for providing states and tribes with essential services like free access to literacy resources and cultural programs, to terminate operations and streamline staff. Soon after, most of the IMLS staff found themselves on administrative leave, while the agency’s grants, save for a few due to errors, were axed.
This is all part of a broader initiative to slash federal budgets, led by Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. As a result, libraries nationwide, including the Igiugig Village tribe’s library in Alaska, which serves a community of just 68, lost critical funding. The cutbacks are not just about numbers; they risk dismantling programs that provide essential services to vulnerable populations.
Naranjo expressed his concerns: “It’s unfortunate that these cuts are nationwide, and it’s hurting our children. You know, it’s hurting our unborn. It’s hurting our community in general.” For him, the loss of even a modest grant amount like $10,000 represents a vast financial gap for the tribe. In fact, this sum was acquired last year under the Native American Library Services Basic Grants program, which aims to support under-resourced Native American communities.
The Santa Clara Pueblo and the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo share a unique cultural connection through the traditional Tewa language, which is becoming endangered. An IMLS-funded project at the P’oe Tsawa Community Library in Ohkay Owingeh helps preserve Tewa by teaching it to local youth; however, this initiative is hanging in the balance.
These grants aren’t just numbers; they support essential services. Ohkay Owingeh’s Lt. Gov. Matthew Martinez emphasized, “our library, physically, is at the center of our tribal community.” It’s a lifeblood for their culture. Meanwhile, the IMLS had allocated $5.9 million across 173 grants to Native American tribes in 2024. Yet the fate of this funding hangs in a precarious balance as tribal leaders push back against what they consider a breach of promises made to sovereign nations.
In Washington, the Makah Tribe’s Cultural and Research Center is also at risk of losing critical grant funding. This funding helps address the opioid epidemic on the reservation – a pressing issue that demands resources, not cutbacks. There’s a sense that these actions echo painful past betrayals by the federal government that have long affected Indigenous communities.
Martinez articulated these sentiments, recounting historical traumas, “If you look at history, the federal government, you know, put our parents and grandparents in boarding schools. Language was not taught.” This funding cut evokes memories of cultural suppression and reaffirms the importance of continuing their language and traditions. The implications of these cuts are more than fiscal; they impact the very soul of tribal identity and community cohesion.
Original Source: www.nbcnews.com
