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Summary and Analysis of Potential Impact of January 2025 POTUS Executive Orders on Libraries Served by the ESLN

You have requested my expedited input regarding the potential impact on ESLN member organizations of the 33 executive orders issued in the first week of the second term of President Donald Trump, which began January 20, 2025.

The nine regional “reference and research library resources” systems comprising the Empire State Library Network serve:

  • Chartered public libraries (of all types)
  • Public library systems (cooperative, consolidated, confederated)
  • School libraries and school library systems (public and private)
  • Hospital libraries (public and private)
  • Academic libraries (public and private)
  • Libraries of educational agencies (public)
  • Law libraries (academic, local, state and federal)
  • Archives (public and private)
  • Museums (public and private)
  • Historical Societies
  • Prison libraries
  • Other “special libraries,” including libraries at religious corporations and even for-profit businesses.

To provide the requested analysis, starting on page 5, this memo arrays each executive order (“EO”) by name and describes the most notable actual or potential impacts on ESLN-served entities (aside from generally applicable impacts). Because the first EO issued in this term of office rescinded eighty prior EOs, those rescinded EOs are also arrayed.

As the content is vast and intricate, a summary of major takeaways precedes the array. Areas of actual or potential high impact and takeaways for ESLN-served entities are highlighted in yellow in both sections.

NOTE: This is a New York State-specific resource.

Thank you for entrusting me with this request.