Read the 2025 EveryLibrary Impact Report
In 2025, EveryLibrary stood at the forefront of the national movement to protect libraries, readers, and free expression. From state legislatures to Congress, and from school boards to federal agencies, our campaigns shaped outcomes that directly influenced access to information, the profession of librarianship, and the future of public institutions.
We faced unprecedented levels of censorship, safeguarded vital funding sources, and mobilized hundreds of thousands of advocates nationwide. This year highlighted not only the urgency of our mission but also the strength and effectiveness of our model.
Opposing the Trump Project 2025 Agenda for Libraries, Archives, and Museums
In 2025, EveryLibrary led the national response to the Trump Administration’s Project 2025 agenda, which targeted the independence of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the Smithsonian Institution. Through rapid-response organizing, public education, and congressional engagement, more than 250,000 Americans took action through the EveryLibrary network to oppose executive overreach and defend these cornerstone institutions. We connected federal threats directly to local consequences, helping communities understand how national policy decisions shape what happens in their schools, libraries, and cultural institutions. This work positioned libraries at the heart of a broader struggle over democracy, history, and free expression.
Defending the Right to Read
EveryLibrary led and supported campaigns in dozens of states to defeat book bans, prevent the criminalization of librarianship, and advance new Right to Read protections. We helped stop some of the most harmful legislation of this generation while promoting positive policy reforms in states such as Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island. At the federal level, we mobilized over a quarter-million Americans to defend the nation’s library, archives, and museum infrastructure against political interference. Collectively, these efforts preserved access, protected civil rights, and reaffirmed the constitutional foundations of free expression.
Empowering Local Advocacy
At the heart of EveryLibrary’s impact is our collaboration with local communities. In 2025, we delivered strategy, digital infrastructure, campaign coaching, and rapid-response support through FightForTheFirst.org to numerous grassroots right-to-read groups nationwide. This support empowered local leaders, often volunteers, to run professional-grade campaigns that could overcome well-funded opposition. Our model transforms community concern into lasting civic power for libraries, civil liberties, and civil rights.
Building Statewide Coalitions and the National Library Alliance
In 2025, EveryLibrary deepened and expanded its coalition model, strengthening statewide advocacy networks through the National Library Alliance as a coordinating force in the library ecosystem. These partnerships united parents, educators, librarians, civil rights groups, authors, publishers, and community leaders around shared goals. By building enduring alliances instead of one-off campaigns, EveryLibrary increased the sector’s long-term capacity to defend libraries, influence policy, and shape elections. This collaborative infrastructure is now one of the strongest assets in the fight for the future of libraries.
Expanding Reach and Influence
EveryLibrary expanded its national reach in 2025, achieving remarkable growth in public engagement, media visibility, and digital organizing. Hundreds of thousands of supporters participated in state and federal campaigns, while millions more were reached through library advocacy via media coverage, social platforms, and EveryLibrary programming. Through projects like EveryLibrary Live! and Take Your Child to the Library Day we connected tens of thousands of readers with authors and publishers, strengthening the culture of reading and shifting the public narrative about libraries and censorship.
Looking Ahead
The coming year will be decisive. With the approach of the nation’s 250th anniversary and impending Midterm Elections, the battles over culture, education, and free expression will intensify. EveryLibrary will remain on the front lines defending institutional independence, advancing new protections for readers, and expanding the movement that supports libraries. Our work in 2025 has positioned us to face these challenges in 2026 with confidence and clarity.
Join the Movement
None of this progress is possible alone. EveryLibrary’s wins are made possible by a national community of supporters, partners, authors, publishers, advocates, and donors who believe in the essential role of libraries in democracy. As the next year begins, we invite everyone who values access, freedom, and the right to read to stand with us. Together, we will continue building a future where libraries remain open, independent, and accessible to all. Donate today at https://www.everylibrary.org/donate
Read the 2025 EveryLibrary Impact Report (PDF)
Open the 2025 EveryLibrary Impact Report in Google Slides