EveryLibrary’s 2024 Annual Impact Report - Executive Summary
In a year marked by challenges to free expression and public access to information, EveryLibrary has remained a true advocate for libraries and the communities they serve. Our 2024 Annual Impact Report highlights the organization's unwavering commitment to defending the right to read, supporting library funding initiatives, and empowering local advocacy across the nation.
At EveryLibrary, we believe that libraries are essential to the fabric of our democracy and the personal freedom of every American. As the nation’s only political action committee for libraries, we spent 2024 expanding our reach, deepening our impact, and standing up for libraries in the face of increasing censorship, budget threats, and political interference. The EveryLibrary 2024 Annual Impact Report reflects our commitment—organizing against book bans, winning new local funding through elections, raising national awareness, and equipping frontline library advocates with the tools they need to succeed.
In 2024, our "Fight for the First" campaign powered over 125 local anti-censorship efforts, impacting more than half of all communities affected by book bans nationwide. With nearly 100,000 individuals activated and 86,000 petition actions sent to boards and councils, we helped return challenged books to shelves and protected the right to read in schools and public libraries. These campaigns were not just symbolic; they were strategic, well-resourced, and guided by our team every step of the way.
On Election Day, we continued to be the only national library organization providing pro bono strategic support for local library ballot initiatives. In 2024 alone, we worked on 10 local library measures, helping to pass crucial funding in communities from Florida to Michigan to West Virginia. Our total impact since 2012 now includes support for 140 election campaigns and over $2.8 billion in stable library funding, boasting an 84% win rate. Each of these campaigns reflects our commitment to ensuring that public and school libraries have the resources they require to thrive.
Read the 2024 EveryLibrary Impact Report
Our work extends well beyond elections. In response to widespread legislative attacks on libraries in dozens of states—ranging from efforts to criminalize librarians to laws redefining what is considered “obscene”—EveryLibrary helped form or support nine statewide “Right to Read” coalitions, empowering local advocates and defending professional standards across the country. Through platforms like FightForTheFirst.org and Libraries2024.org, we informed voters with clear, accessible resources about library-related issues in every election cycle.
Recognizing the importance of state-level advocacy, EveryLibrary helped establish and sustain nine statewide groups focused on the right to read and the future of libraries. These alliances include the Florida Freedom to Read Project, Texas Freedom to Read Project, Read Freely Alabama, Alliance for Georgia Libraries, Delaware Library Champions, Right to Read Arkansas, Right to Read North Dakota, Let Utah Read, and Parents Defending Schools and Libraries. Each plays a vital role in countering legislative efforts that threaten library services and access to information, organizing grassroots responses, and defending the rights of readers across their states.
EveryLibrary's digital presence grew substantially in 2024, with its social media following surpassing 1 million Americans. The organization's magazine published and syndicated nearly 300 original stories, reaching 10 million Americans monthly and amplifying the voices of libraries and librarians nationwide. We shared the story of libraries and librarians with millions of Americans through EveryLibrary Magazine on Medium, which published and syndicated nearly 300 articles this year. Our features were picked up by parenting, education, and lifestyle outlets, amplifying a positive narrative about library work during a time of rising hostility and misinformation.
At LAFCON 2024, our Library Advocacy and Funding Conference, attendees participated in practical sessions on lobbying, grant writing, and legislative strategy. This unique gathering helped build capacity among library leaders and stakeholders who are driving change in their own communities. Our EveryLibrary Live! Banned Books Week Festival drew tens of thousands of viewers to discussions with authors like Jason Reynolds, Laurie Halse Anderson, Malinda Lo, and Paula Poundstone, reinforcing the value of intellectual freedom and storytelling.
In 2024, we reached over one million Americans on social media and maintained a voter file of half a million pro-library individuals. With an average grassroots donation of $45.60, we are truly a people-powered movement. We are also proud to have the support of industry partners like Follett Learning, Bibliotheca, Clarivate, and EBSCO, as well as authors such as Julia Quinn and Nora Roberts.
As we look toward 2025, we remain vigilant in the face of renewed threats. With the potential implementation of Project 2025 and increasing federal hostility toward libraries, museums, and archives, our mission has never been more urgent. We are committed to defending public institutions, upholding professional values, and safeguarding constitutional freedoms.
We invite you to stand with us. Your support, whether as a donor, advocate, or ally, ensures that we can continue this vital work at the necessary scale and intensity. Visit everylibrary.org/donate to contribute, or connect with us to learn how you can be part of the fight for the future of libraries. Together, we are building a nation where libraries are valued, funded, and free.