MAC Position Statements

The MAC Council may take a position on an issue of importance to the profession, the association, or the communities we serve. As executive orders continue to reduce and eliminate the federal cultural heritage workforce, the proper disposition of our nation’s records and the financial support many cultural heritage organizations count on to fulfill their missions is in jeopardy. Below you will find information on how to stay abreast of current news and find out how you can take a stand in support of libraries, archives, and museums. You will also find updates on current events, and at the bottom of the page, links to official MAC Council position statements.

Follow Professional Organizations
National library, archival, and museum organizations are leading the way to provide you with the information you need to stay up to date with ongoing issues affecting the cultural heritage professions and how you can respond. Organizations like the Society of American Archivists (SAA), American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the American Library Assocation (ALA), and the American Historical Association have news and press release pages on their sites that provide policy statements and resources in response to the issues facing archives and other cultural heritage organizations today, as well as social media accounts you can follow for their latest activity. Your state and regional organizations are also doing their best to spread information on the topics relevant to your locales.

Advocate
These organizations provide language and templates you can use to call and write your elected officials today, as well as other resources to help you effectively advocate for your institution and the work you do. ALA has prepared a Show Up for Our Libraries campaign with resources that can be used at the national, state, and local level. AAM has a Call to Action geared towards the public, to engage your institution’s users and supporters in the advocacy of our work, while SAA provides Resources for Federal Workers, which includes a year of free membership. Additionally, you can sign up to “Take Action for Libraries” at EveryLibrary, the nation's first and only political action committee for libraries and organized as a 501(c)4. Their platform can help you act in support of libraries at the local level through volunteering, financial donations, taking the pledge for libraries, or signing petitions.

Support Your Colleagues
Recommend a student archivist or first-time conference attendee to apply for one of MAC’s financial awards. Vote in MAC elections for the candidates you feel best support your views. Volunteer to help support the work of MAC. If you are able, donate in support of MAC’s scholarship funds, operating budget, or educational programs. And if you need additional support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to MAC leadership—we are here to support you.

Updates

April 3, 2025

The American Historical Association has released a statement regarding the March 27, 2025 White House executive order, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, describing it as an egregious misrepresentation of the work of the Smithsonian and an inaccurate interpretation of the nature of historical work. Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie Bunch has affirmed the organization's commitment to "telling the multi-faceted stories of this country's extraordinary heritage" and that their work "will be shaped by the best scholarship , free of partisanship, to help the American people better understand our nation's history, challenges, and triumphs." 

As a member of the National Humanities Alliance (NHA), the Society of American Archivists (SAA) affirms NHA's statement on threats to the National Endowment for the Humanities and includes a link to a Save the NEH campaign to contact your Members of Congress. SAA will also be holding a virtual event, Raising Your Voice for Archives on April 21, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. CT to discuss how to practically and effectively address issues like these. Registration is free. The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) also posted instructions on how to respond if your NEH or IMLS grant has been terminated and how to continue to put pressure on your state legislators on this topic.

American Library Association (ALA) has made a statement in response to the news that all staff at the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) were placed on administrative leave for an unknown length of time. A number of news outlets have also been covering the effects of IMLS staff layoffs on rural communities, books for people with print disabilities, seniors, summer reading programs for kids, programs for veterans, and services to small businesses.

On Friday, FEMA-HENTF (Federal Emergency Management Agency - Heritage Emergency National Task Force) reached out to Kentucky and Missouri colleagues in support of response and recovery efforts for the arts & culture sector of these states, now experiencing ongoing severe storms and heavy rainfall. Details from these messages were shared on the MAC listserv for those with colleagues who may be affected and need information on FEMA's resources, the National Heritage Responders, and disaster recovery and salvage, and/or who may want to complete a Rapid Damage Assessment Form to report on any losses to their organizations/institutions.

March 21, 2025

Regarding the March 14 executive order, Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, directing further cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, you can find statements and links to resources from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and American Library Association (ALA). Currently, the Society of American Archivists’ (SAA) response to the destruction of records at USAID is available. On March 13, the American Historical Organization with the Organization of American Historians posted a joint statement on March 13 condemning “recent efforts to censor historical content on federal government websites, at many public museums, and across a wide swath of government resources that include essential data.”

Official MAC Position Statements

2025:

Statement on Recent Actions by the Trump Administration

The Council of the Midwest Archives Conference (MAC) is alarmed by the recent firing of the Archivist of the United States and the widespread firing of archivists and cultural heritage workers at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the National Park Service, and other government agencies. Please read the full statement passed unanimously by the MAC Council on February 24, 2025.

2022:

Statement opposing Ohio HB327

The Midwest Archives Conference stands behind the Society of Ohio Archivists in opposing Ohio HB327, noting that the bill "infringes upon free speech and interferes with the teaching and research work of not just archivists, but librarians, teachers, professors, and workplace educators." Please read the full Statement opposing Ohio HB327.

2021:

Statement in Support of LGBTQ+ History and the Exhibit "Making History: Kansas City and the Rise of Gay Rights"

The Midwest Archives Conference unequivocally condemns the removal of the Making History: Kansas City and the Rise of Gay Rights exhibit from the Missouri state capitol rotunda. Please read the Statement of Support of LGBTQ+ History.

MAC Council's Antiracism Statement in Support of the AAPI Community

The Midwest Archives Conference stands in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander community within MAC, the Midwest, and the nation. Please read the MAC Council's Antiracism Statement in Support of the AAPI Community. 

2020:

Statement on George Floyd (June 3, 2020)

The Midwest Archives Conference condemns the senseless murder of George Floyd, and countless others, by the police. Read MAC Council's full statement unanimously passed on June 3, 2020.