EveryLibrary Announces 2014 Campaigns

EveryLibrary is proud to announce our first 10 campaigns for the 2014 election cycle.  

With your help, we will provide financial, tactical, and campaign support to 10 library communities on ballots in April, June, August and November 2014. These Elections total at least $39.8 million dollars in stable tax revenue for these libraries.  Please donate today at https://www.everylibrary.org/donate to make this happen.

EveryLibrary is fundraising $40,000 to work these first 10 campaigns. We are calling on you, our personal donors, to kick start us with the first $10,000 in funding.  We will put your donation to work immediately engaging voters, training “Vote Yes” teams, and tactically supporting these library ballot measures.  In 2013, for every dollar we spent on a campaign we returned $1,450 to the local community in stable tax money.  As we move into 2014 campaign mode, your donation can be leveraged nearly one thousand times. Our goal is to support 21 campaigns this year.  As more campaigns file, we're looking forward to announcing those.  It is the funding you provide today at https://www.everylibrary.org/donate that can make the difference between a win and a loss for these libraries.

April 2014 Ballot

Scenic Regional Library (MO)
$1.2 million Levy Lift
April 8, 2014 - 50% ballot
http://www.gasconadecountyrepublican.com/news/gasconade_county/article_f94df810-88f6-11e3-9a27-001a4bcf6878.html

Scenic Regional Library covers 7 communities across three counties west of St. Louis.  The library is forecasting a need for FY 2015 and requires additional property tax support to maintain collections, staffing, and hours at their branches.  This is the first Levy increase before the voters in over 55 years.  In polling, the local community is supportive of the increase.  

Our Involvement: Last October, EveryLibrary presented to the Board of Trustees to work on Information Only and helped convene Vote Yes activity in the district.  We are in ongoing consultative contact with the Vote Yes committee.  

May 2014 Ballot

Josephine Community Library (OR)
District Authority and $3.5 million Levy
Petition Drive - May 2014 (8,500 signatures) Successful!
Ballot  - Nov 2014 - 60% ballot
http://www.kdrv.com/josephine-county-library-fundraising/

Josephine County is a rural county in southern Oregon. The library’s most recent funding measure failed in 2004 and the library re-organized as a non-profit rather than a governmental unit.  The current campaign includes a petition drive to secure 8,500 signatures of registered voters by May 4th to place a measure on the November 4th ballot.  That Measure would re-establish the library as an independent taxing district and restore it to full service.  EveryLibrary is working with the local Vote Yes committee on both the petition drive and subsequent GOTV work toward Election Day.  

Our Involvement:  We are training and support to Petition efforts.  When they succeed, we will raining and support the Vote Yes committee as well.
June 2014 Ballots

Sacramento Public Library (CA)
$1.9 million Parcel Tax Renewal (Measure B)
June 3, 2014 - 66% ballot
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/15/6075282/sacramento-council-places-library.html

Sacramento Public Library serves both the city and county of Sacramento.  This new supplemental Parcel Tax will be voted on by city residents only.  While it impacts operating revenue for 12 of their 28 branches, library management has discretion to allocate other Measures’ funding across the system.  This Parcel Tax will back-fill a projected shortfall in the FY2016 budget and help expand library hours, staffing, programs and collections across the system.  

Our Involvement:  EveryLibrary conducted extensive training with staff and Friends / Foundations volunteers on conducting and effective Information Only campaign.  The local Vote Yes committee has engaged a full time consultant and has asked EveryLibrary for support on social media outreach.   
Hayward Library (CA)
.05 General Tax
June 3, 2014 - 50% ballot

The city council in Hayward, CA has included significant funding commitments for the library within a general obligation  Tax measure.  In addition to the library, the tax measure includes commitments to police and fire, parks, and municipal infrastructure.  The library volunteers have lead the way in Vote Yes organizing and campaigning.  Local polling reflects well on a general tax reaching its 50% + 1 threshold (unlike parcel taxes, California general taxes only require a simple majority).  The Vote Yes committee is well organized across the different constituencies and a full-time campaign manager is in place.

Our Involvement:  EveryLibrary will conduct an intensive training for library staff on Information Only campaigns.  We expect to train segments of the Vote Yes committee on library specific messaging as well.

South Lake Tahoe - El Dorado County Library (CA)
$425,000 Parcel Tax - special district
June 3, 2014 - 66% ballot
and
Georgetown Library- El Dorado County Library (CA)
$80,000 Parcel Tax - special district
June 3, 2014 - 66% ballot

South Lake Tahoe Library and the Georgetown Library are special taxing districts within El Dorado County.  They are simultaneously going out for renewals of their core Parcel Tax funding.  This country is rural and many homes are either vacation or absentee part of the year.  Communication with registered voters will need to be through direct mail and email, and social media outreach.  The communities have solid local poll numbers and organized Vote Yes committees.  

Our Involvement:  EveryLibrary conducted an intensive training on Information Only campaigns with staff and volunteer leadership.  We are helping both Vote Yes committees to get operational and are in close consultation on campaign messaging and GOTV technique-training.  

August 2014 Ballots

Clinton-Macomb Township Library (MI)
$1.9 million Levy Lift
August 5, 2014 - 50% ballot

The Clinton-Macomb Township is facing a shortfall in FY 2016 in its regular operating budget.  The system has recently increased the number of branches that serve this growing community north of Detroit.  The proposed Levy Lift will provide stable operating funds for the next 10 years and includes staffing and collections for an additional storefront branch in the northern part of the system.

Our Involvement:  EveryLibrary has conducted extensive Information-Only campaign training for the library staff.  Our work with the Vote Yes committee is taking shape.

November 2014 Ballots

Pomona Library (CA)
Restore Parcel Tax and Restore Hours and Professional Staff (Measure X)
November 4, 2014 - 66% ballot
http://www.soppl.org/

In June 2012 the City Council in Pomona voted to defund the library. As a result on community action, some funding was found and the library operated at a greatly reduced service level without professional guidance.  The library suffered another serious setback in November 2012 when their core Parcel tax, Measure X, was defeated.  The library is currently organized as an all volunteer library. All collections, programs, and hours are supported through charitable contributions via their friends group.  The library lacks professional staff and is only open 29 hours per week.  The local Save our Pomona Library committee is conducting extensive early campaigning to line up volunteer support and funding for GOTV.  

Our Involvement: EveryLibrary is helping to convene campaign strategy following City Council action to place Measure X on the November 2014 ballot again.  Our involvement will include an intensive 2-day retreat with the steering committee and ongoing support.  EveryLibrary will hold a fundraising challenge of $5,000 to encourage local support at this early stage.  (edited for clarity and hours: 12 March 2014)

Half Moon Bay (San Mateo County Library) (CA)
$26 million Bond Measures (new building)
November 4, 2014 - 66% ballot

The San Mateo County Library system is governed by a “Joint Powers Authority” where each library building is owned by each city in the system.  This initiative by the residents of Half Moon Bay is proceeding through architectural planning and municipal approval.  The campaign is in pre-planning mode.  EveryLibrary has met with the Vote Yes committee steering committee on two occasions and is awaiting a final decision to go to ballot in 2014.

Our Involvement:  EveryLibrary is ready to engage the local Vote Yes committee on GOTV efforts and has been advising on pre-campaign activity to expose the community early to the building plans.  

Cranston Public Library (RI)
$1.8 Million Bond for general capital improvements
November 4, 2014 - 50% Ballot

The bond measure will be placed on the ballot in March and campaigning will begin in earnest in April with an intensive ELPAC Info-Only training and convening of the Vote Yes committee by EveryLibrary.  The local sentiment is high to pass this Bond to modernize and update the library’s branches.  

Our Involvement:  EveryLibrary is training staff in April on Info-Only campaigns and is ready to engage the local Vote Yes committee on GOTV efforts.

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All of our work is supported 100% by donations from individuals, corporations, and unions. Please make a donation today at https://www.everylibrary.org/donate and help us secure the first $10,000 we need to help these communities and advance our work in 2014.  Your donations make this happen.