Wow!!

Tuesday was a great day for libraries in Minnesota!!

That was the official day for Minnesota Library Legislative Week, where lots of library people went to St. Paul to talk about libraries, and the need for funding.

Lots of us who could not go to the legislator’s offices for the day worked on virtual advocacy. And you know what – it’s still happening!!!!

Whether or not you did some library advocacy on Tuesday – there is still more work to be done. We’re here all week – and these issues will be important for many weeks to come. Go talk to a legislator!

Sure. You can sit around and hope that someone else will take care of this for you. You can be a quiet, demure librarian stereotype – not speaking up for yourself or for your library. Just letting people trample over you, not wanting to make a fuss.

That might work?

I mean – I doubt it.

I think that’s a great way to ensure we continue to hemorrhage money and resources. An excellent strategy for seeing your library and your job downgraded in importance. A very workable plan to be sure your community loses access to the information you provide.

If that’s your direction, okay. Interesting choices. I can’t support it, but…interesting.

OR!!!

You can contact a legislator today!

We are spending someone else’s money in every library out there. Often it’s taxpayer money, it may be donations, it may be tuition, it may be federal money. Part of that “getting nice money” is a subsequent responsibility to tell your funder what you are doing with the money.

So, tell them!

And really? Legislators LOVE to hear from us! Libraries provide amazing value for the money. We are wonderful, happy stories they get to hear! We do fantastic things, and we exist to serve our communities!

We’re GREAT!!!

TELL PEOPLE THAT!

What specifically can you say? There is a whole website devoted to library issues in Minnesota! You can read all about it here, find sample text for phone calls/emails/in-person visits!

Want a quick, fun audio version overview of MN library issues? CMLE has you covered! (Yes: we like to talk about libraries!)

Don’t get too dragged down in “this is hard/scary/beyond me” thinking. We need you; we need everyone! If you have even SEEN a library, we could use your voice here!

Go! Tell legislators about cool library stuff!

Let them know you support multitype systems getting a funding increase to $2 million!! We want to be able to do even more awesome stuff for our members – and all seven multitype systems across the state share that money. Help us to be able to help you and your library work!!

(Why are you still here? Make a phone call! Send an email! Drop by CMLE HQ and we’ll give you a cool library postcard, and even stamp it for you!)

We’ve got this!!