A Win For Lebanon Township NJ

When the Bunnvale Library in Lebanon Township, NJ was at risk of being closed, EveryLibrary provided quick, effective support to local residents and helped save the Library.

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Organizers thanked EveryLibrary and noted the importance and power of a Fight for the First petition that generated over 500 signatures (in a town of 6000) in convincing decision-makers to fund the library.

EveryLibrary supports every petition with training, digital support, tools, and other resources that allow library supporters to show that the community cares for its local library.

This investment helped organizers in Lebanon to contact their supporters and turn out a large crowd to the Township Committee meeting to advocate for Library funding.

After the Committee voted to continue funding the Library, one organizer shared this email with EveryLibrary:

"I found out on a Friday that the library was to close in about a month's time- there would be a township meeting in less than 2 weeks but I did not even know if there was anything we could do or if it was a done deal.  This library had meant so much to my family since we moved to the area in 2014- activities for the kids every weekend, proctoring my online masters exams, the curio cabinet to show off members' collections (including my husband's Star Wars one!) and the monthly book club to name a few. 

Someone suggested I contact EveryLibrary and I immediately scheduled a phone call - Every suggestion you gave me helped- we got a number of people in the book club to walk petitions around and put them in the small businesses in town. 

I contacted the friends of the county library who reached out to a local journalist who researched the history of the library and followed the story as it unfolded.  I created an online petition on Fight For the First.  Then we got busy spreading the word!

The online petition had over 500 signatures and we collected another 700 through local businesses. The township meeting location was moved to accommodate a larger crowd and a few days before, the mayor wrote a letter stating the library was back in the budget.  We all still went to the meeting and some residents spoke about what Bunnvale Library has meant to them and their families over the years.

What appeared to be a lost cause moved forward because no matter the odds we were facing, you provided guidance on what we could do to move the needle.  Thank you for all your help! The meeting and the planning included Republicans, Democrats and Independents- everyone wanted to save the library.  It was truly common ground.

Thank you for all of your wise words and assistance- The township meeting was tonight and the Bunnvale library is back in the budget for the upcoming year!   When asked about future years, the committee said they are not that stupid!  The sentiment was overwhelming from residents, supporters etc. and they had not realized how beloved the Library was.”

EveryLibrary is proud to offer effective rapid response support and the Fight for the First platform, backed up with free consulting and support, to empower local grassroots Americans to take effective action in support of their libraries.