Tag Archives: politics

How to win library funding through political advocacy

Winning Elections and Influencing Politicians for Library FundingWinning Elections and Influencing Politicians for Library Funding

Contact:

Rob Christopher
Marketing Coordinator
ALA Publishing
American Library Association
(312) 280-5052

 

CHICAGO — As the saying goes, all politics is local. And 90% of funding for public libraries comes from the will of local politicians and, in turn, from local voters. So it’s urgent that librarians, library supporters, and anyone interested in running an election or campaign for a library understand the strategies, resources, and tactics necessary for positive political action. Whether election day is four months away or four years away, there are immediate steps library leaders and local library ballot committees should take to help secure a successful ballot initiative later. Written by experienced library campaigners Patrick “PC” Sweeney and John Chrastka, “Winning Elections and Influencing Politicians for Library Funding,” published by ALA Editions, is an action-driven manual for anyone running a political campaign for libraries. It dives into:

  • proven successful campaigning techniques for rural, suburban, and urban settings;
  • expert analysis on how political perceptions are formed, how political power works, and ways libraries can reach funding or political goals;
  • starting the discussion internally;
  • the right approach to setting up the committee structure, and identifying the core leadership team for the committee;
  • tips on networking, cultivating good relationships with the power players in the community, and building a winning coalition;
  • canvassing and direct voter contact;
  • responding effectively to opposition, including voters who habitually resist taxes or library funding increases;
  • the differences between paid media and earned media; and
  • best practices for marketing and message development, fundraising, volunteer engagement, and other key areas.

Sweeney is the current political director for EveryLibrary. He is a former administrative librarian of the Sunnyvale (California) Public Library and was executive director of EveryLibrary California, a statewide ballot committee to support library ballot propositions. He is active in the California Library Association and across library social media as a cofounder of the ALA Think Tank. A sought-after speaker and presenter, he was named a 2015 Mover & Shaker by Library Journal. Chrastka is EveryLibrary’s founder. He is a former partner in AssociaDirect, a Chicago-based consultancy focused on supporting associations in membership recruitment, conference, and governance activities. He is a former president and member of the Board of Trustees for the Berwyn (Illinois) Public Library (2006–2015) and is a former president of the Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System (RAILS) multi-type library system. Prior to his work at AssociaDirect, he was director for membership development at the American Library Association. He was named a 2014 Mover & Shaker by Library Journal.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. ALA Editions publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. ALA authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact ALA Editions at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5052 or editionsmarketing@ala.org.

 

Caucus materials for the classroom

Image credit: https://unsplash.com/ (Terry Matthews), licensed under CC0 1.0Here at CMLE, we simply love the work of Julie Greller, who publishes A Media Specialists Guide to the Internet. Often, her content is so good, we simply have nothing to add, and would rather just shine the light on her good work!

She really hit the nail on the head this week with her helpful student resources, lesson plans, and videos to prepare for the March 1st Minnesota caucus. As we see a surge in young people who perk up and show interest in the political process, lets be well stocked in keeping them learning and engaged! Check out Julie’s 15 resources, lesson plans, and videos here.

Image credit: https://unsplash.com/ (Terry Matthews), licensed under CC0 1.0

Spring Cleaning Your Electronics

Some rights reserved by TheImpulseBuy
Some rights reserved by TheImpulseBuy

This year, bring your spring cleaning to the office and add your smartphone/laptop to the top of the to-do list.

Gizmodo is a blog, started in 2002,  that focuses on gadgets and technology. This month, they posted tips and trick to refresh your technology. In the article titled, “Give your smartphone or laptop a spring cleaning, read about how to tidy up your device(s) both inside and out.

They Don’t Teach You Politics in Library School!

RoadClosedOpen. hober
Some rights reserved by hober

The title of this blog post from the ALA Inside Scoop really grabbed me and made me think back to graduate school. I remember very little discussion there about politics and the importance of both national and state politics in our library world. It is possible that it simply did not grab my interest at that time like other subjects did.  Politics is messy, often not very much fun, and just plain hard work. Whether testifying at a hearing, sending email voicing your concern or support, or talking to your legislator while in line to pay at the gas station, your engagement is important. Why? Because libraries must be engaged with their communities. And, community engagement requires political engagement. It is that simple.

Read the full post at http://tinyurl.com/b8q45w5.

Free Presidential Campaign and Election Kit Offered for Kids

The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance (NCBLA) has created a free Presidential Campaign and Election Kit to help parents, family members, teachers, librarians, and community leaders to engage young people in informed discussions about the presidential campaigns and election, to teach them to think critically, and to energize them to learn more about the political process in America. The Kit includes:

  • Exclusive articles regarding such topics as presidential job requirements, the history of presidential campaigns, and the evolution of voting rights.
  • Activities to use with young people in the classroom or at home.
  • Discussion questions you can share during class, around the dinner table, and at a Scout or club meeting.

Get the downloadable free kit at http://tinyurl.com/9328tw2