America’s Libraries Face a Growing Information Crisis

Over the past 20 years, the United States has lost more than 270,000 journalism jobs, while nearly 3,500 newspapers have ceased publication. As independent news organizations struggle to survive, another trend has been developing largely out of public view: a financially well-supported network of partisan media outlets that critics have compared to propaganda operations.

For years, media watchdogs have scrutinized Fox News for presenting news through a strongly partisan lens. Critics have argued that the network's ratings-driven approach relies on confrontation and repeatedly reinforces conservative positions on controversial subjects, including climate change and transgender rights. Regular Fox viewers may recognize its political orientation, but newer operations can be considerably harder to identify.

One recent investigation illustrates the concern. Journalist Judd Legum uncovered a collection of Republican-linked news websites apparently designed to influence voters in important swing states while presenting themselves as conventional local news organizations.

According to Legum's Popular Information newsletter, One Nation, the Senate GOP's principal dark-money organization, is behind a network that presents political messaging in the form of journalism. His investigation identified at least six operations serving audiences in Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire and Ohio ahead of the November midterm elections.

The websites are presented as independent and trustworthy local publications. Examples include Maine Policy Updates, which describes itself as "Maine's News Source," and Iowa Voice, which uses the slogan "Stay Informed. Stay Iowa." Their branding can make their political connections difficult for ordinary readers to recognize. Legum reported that the sites are owned and operated by One Nation and also found factual claims on the platforms that closely mirrored language appearing in One Nation's political advertising.

The erosion of established journalism is only one part of a much broader information problem in the United States. Misinformation has become increasingly widespread, particularly on social media, where more than half of Americans are reportedly exposed to false or misleading information on a daily basis. At the same time, changes under the Donald Trump administration have included the reduction or removal of federal programs and datasets that previously provided evidence-based information to the public.

Amid this deteriorating information environment, one group continues to provide reliable information, digital assistance and community services: public librarians. Often overlooked in discussions about the information crisis, librarians may be playing a more important role than ever.

Libraries remain trusted institutions, but resources are under pressure

The Trump administration entered office with a record of criticism toward public libraries and other independent cultural and social institutions. Yet recent figures from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) demonstrate the continuing importance of public libraries across the country. IMLS itself became the target of an unsuccessful effort by the administration to eliminate the agency.

The latest IMLS data, covering more than 9,000 public library systems, show that libraries continue to attract enormous numbers of visitors and program participants. More than 800 million visits were recorded, while 93 million people took part in approximately 4.6 million library programs. Those programs addressed areas including early childhood education, digital and financial literacy, employment assistance and public health.

Libraries are also experiencing growing demand for digital services. OverDrive, an Ohio-based company that provides digital lending services, reported that library e-lending reached record levels in 2025 across the 114 countries where it operates. U.S. library systems occupied nine of the top 10 positions among the world's highest-volume providers of e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines.

However, library resources are not expanding at the same rate as public demand. Advocacy organization EveryLibrary has warned that although in-person visits, room bookings and electronic-resource use grew between 2021 and 2024, staffing and funding failed to keep pace. By 2024, library staffing remained 8.2 percent below pre-pandemic levels, while a 5 percent increase in funding was insufficient to offset inflation.

Smaller library systems have faced an even greater squeeze. EveryLibrary reports that their staffing levels fell by 11.5 percent, more than three times the average decline. Unlike larger systems, smaller libraries also experienced declining use of electronic resources.

Changes to federal broadband policies could put digital library access at risk

Public libraries have become important centers for digital education, particularly for Americans who lack dependable internet access at home. The American Library Association estimates that roughly 66 million U.S. households have limited digital readiness, while about 33 million households do not use the internet at home. Rural communities, low-income households, people with disabilities and communities of color are among those most affected by these digital-access disparities.

With approximately 120,000 libraries across the country, the ALA considers libraries an essential part of the effort to close these digital gaps and expand broadband adoption and digital skills. However, when funding becomes constrained, smaller libraries are particularly likely to reduce their electronic services.

Concerns over digital access increased in June when the Federal Communications Commission indicated that it intended to propose changes to its E-Rate program, which helps schools and public libraries obtain affordable broadband service.

On August 14, the FCC formally submitted a notice to the Federal Register seeking public input on several proposed changes to the program. Although the agency has previously indicated that no facilities would be removed from E-Rate eligibility, library advocates remain concerned that the program could eventually be reduced or eliminated.

Another issue involves possible restrictions on the type of online material accessible through E-Rate-supported connections. The FCC proposal refers to the Children's Internet Protection Act, or CIPA, a 2000 law intended in part to protect minors from sexually explicit material online. Critics worry that broad interpretations of terms such as "pornography" could potentially extend restrictions to LGBTQ-related information and, in particular, material concerning transgender people.

The concern comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to restrict or characterize information about transgender issues in particular ways. Library advocates fear that such policies could eventually contribute to censorship of LGBTQ-related educational and informational resources in public libraries.

Library advocates are pushing back

Library organizations are not standing by quietly. During the summer, the American Library Association joined the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition in a nationwide campaign urging Americans to contact their members of Congress and support the continuation of E-Rate.

The organizations argue that E-Rate is a program created by Congress and therefore requires congressional support to ensure its continued operation. They have also provided an online resource that allows members of the public to submit comments to the FCC before the October 13 deadline.

It remains unclear how these policy debates will ultimately affect libraries. But bringing attention to the issue is an important starting point.

For communities already dealing with reductions in food assistance and changes to Medicaid eligibility and work requirements, losing another source of free public services could have consequences far beyond access to books. For millions of Americans, the local library is also a place to connect to the internet, find trustworthy information, attend educational programs, develop job skills and access essential community resources. As traditional journalism continues to contract and misinformation becomes more difficult to distinguish from legitimate reporting, preserving that public resource may be more important than ever.