Are Library-Science Faculty Expecting Federal Research Funding to Shrink?

p strongLibrary-science faculty expect a materially weaker federal funding environment, even though the direct effects reported so far are comparatively limited./strong/p p Primary Research Group found that 53.33% of respondents expected federal support for library-science research to be lower over the next five years than it was at the end of 2024. A slight majority&mdash51.11%&mdashalso believed that most or all recent Institute of Museum and Library Services grant cancellations were likely to endure./p p Expectations can change research behavior before every cut is fully felt. Faculty described reducing reliance on IMLS and repositioning their project portfolios. That shift may favor work with clearer institutional support, smaller budgets, private-foundation appeal or partnerships able to distribute costs across several organizations./p p Library schools should map exposure now: proposals in development, projects dependent on renewal, staff supported by grants and research areas with few substitute funders. A diversified pipeline can include foundations, state agencies, consortia, professional associations and interdisciplinary federal programs, but each source requires different framing and lead time./p p The management challenge is to avoid abandoning important questions merely because the familiar funding route has weakened. Better intelligence about funder fit, collaborative capacity and bridge support can preserve a research agenda while the market for grants changes./p p  /p