Silke Jasso
Last week, first daughter Ivanka Trump sent out a tweet honoring the library system during National Library Week, but her tweet was quickly derided by Twitter users, especially librarians, thanks to her father’s proposed budget, which could cut millions of dollars in federal funding to libraries across the nation.
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Trump’s proposed budget, which was released last month, cuts funding for several cultural institutions, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
According to The Hill, a large portion of the IMLS’s budget goes to local libraries: “Director Dr. Kathryn Matthew notes that $214 million of the $230 million budget goes directly to grants to state and local libraries, including $155 million distributed through a population-based formula grant.”
In her tweet, which The Huffington Post dubbed as “tone deaf,” Trump wrote, “This #NationalLibraryWeek, we honor our libraries and librarians for opening our eyes to the world of knowledge, learning and reading!”
This #NationalLibraryWeek, we honor our libraries and librarians for opening our eyes to the world of knowledge, learning and reading!
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) April 14, 2017
Twitter users were quick to weigh in on the first daughter’s tweets.
Best writerly burn I saw in response to Ivanka's library tweet: "She doesn't even use the Oxford comma."
— Stephanie Lucianovic SAYGAY (@grubreport) April 14, 2017
Your father is about to completely defund the federal agency that helps to fund libraries. You might wanna look into that.
— Jason Griffey (@griffey) April 14, 2017
If libraries are that important to you, maybe ask your dad to help save them, instead of taking away all their funding. #saveIMLS https://t.co/Vf75AANJ3C
— Jenny Romero (@JenRomero83) April 14, 2017
Defunding libraries as proposed in your dad's budget hurts hardworking Americans pic.twitter.com/DHQ0i9IezF
— EveryLibrary (@EveryLibrary) April 14, 2017
Best writerly burn I saw in response to Ivanka's library tweet: "She doesn't even use the Oxford comma."
— Stephanie Lucianovic SAYGAY (@grubreport) April 14, 2017
Hi @IvankaTrump Why not restore soul killing #library cuts in Dad's budget before we celebrate #libraries? #saveIMLS #nationallibraryweek https://t.co/ELRAEP5VF4
— Barbara A. Genco (@BarbaraAGenco) April 14, 2017
*listens into fake Jon Stewart earpiece*
Oh? What's that? Ivanka's dad proposed eliminating library funding and she's a fraud? https://t.co/3bnHPRIeFZ
— Lily Herman (@lkherman) April 14, 2017
https://twitter.com/JenAshleyWright/status/852700100593938434
However, at least one organization was happy about Trump’s tweet, which helped the topic trend on Twitter. The American Library Association wrote, “So great to see #NationalLibraryWeek trending in the US right now. Help us trend again on Thursday to #saveIMLS.”
So great to see #NationalLibraryWeek trending in the US right now. Help us trend again on Thursday to #saveIMLS. https://t.co/zxjiv92vCv pic.twitter.com/dy9BYunLvL
— American Library Association (@ALALibrary) April 10, 2017
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