President Trump to nominate library head to federal agency

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- President Donald Trump has announced plans to nominate the executive director the Kansas City Public Library to lead a little-known independent federal agency the White House has tried to shutter.

The Kansas City Star reported Crosby Kemper III will become director of the Institute of Museum of Library Sciences, pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

Trump's federal budget proposals for the last three years have sought to close the agency, which has an annual budget of about $242 million. The agency is tasked with supporting the nation's museums and libraries with research, policy and grants.

On Thursday, Kemper said he was under orders from the White House not to comment. The American Library Association and Republican U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt have praised Kemper's nomination in written statements.