Institute of Museum and Library Services Awards $4.1 Million to Support the Trump AI Action Plan

Museums and libraries across the country will initiate AI literacy and integration projects

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced it awarded grants to eight projects in Fiscal Year 2025 that are dedicated to building AI literacy and integrating AI tools into museums and libraries across the country. In total, the agency has allocated $4,184,695 to such projects, furthering the Trump administration's commitment to advancing AI education to prepare all Americans to thrive in an AI-driven economy.

The awards support the goals outlined in President Trump's 2025 Executive Order, "Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth," by leveraging the nation's museums and libraries as catalysts for AI learning and workforce preparation. The grants also advance the Trump Administration's 2025 AI strategy blueprint "Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan," specifically supporting AI education and skill development priorities outlined in the plan's section on empowering American workers in the age of AI.

"As AI reshapes our economy, museums and libraries have a critical role to play in ensuring every American has access to AI literacy," said Keith Sonderling, Deputy Secretary of Labor. "These grants will help institutions across the country, from small libraries in rural communities to large museums in major cities, build the foundational AI skills that Americans need to succeed in the AI era."

"President Trump has made clear that American leadership in AI depends on ensuring every American has the opportunity to develop AI skills," said Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. "These IMLS grants are an important step in expanding AI education beyond traditional classrooms and into the community institutions that reach Americans in every corner of our country."

These grants will support AI-related projects across the country:

• The University of Oklahoma will integrate Generative AI into children's maker-based learning experiences in public libraries, providing curriculum and training to improve informal STEM learning and enhance AI literacy.
  
  
• The University of South Carolina will develop a national open-access curriculum that empowers secondary school librarians to integrate AI literacy education and equip students to understand, evaluate, and interact with AI technologies.
  
  
• North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will host a national forum and launch the Artificial Intelligence Catalyst Institute, an online community of practice that supports the professional development of library professionals in the field of AI.
  
  
• Purdue University will create online AI training modules for librarians covering the entire AI project lifecycle, including project planning, data preparation, model training, and evaluation, with both coding and no-code options to support varying technical skill levels.
  
  
• The Museum of Science will launch Advancing AI in America, a national initiative to expand K-12 understanding of AI through exhibitions, programs, and digital resources, with objectives to advance AI literacy, increase teacher confidence, and foster student interest in AI careers.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Institute of Museum & Library Services