Growing the National Library Alliance
Since February 2022, EveryLibrary and the EveryLibrary Institute have sponsored local and statewide library alliances and education coalitions that are organized by citizen volunteers to protect the right to read in public libraries and schools.
Over the last three years, more than 150 library alliances and education coalitions have utilized the pro-bono tools and benefited from direct support and guidance from EveryLibrary (501c4) and the EveryLibrary Institute (501c3) in their efforts to restore the right to read and oppose unconstitutional censorship.
In 2025, EveryLibrary deepened and expanded our coalition approach, 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 has 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.
With 14 statewide Library Alliances and Right to Read organizations now active in policy fights with their state legislatures and in support of local schools and libraries, EveryLibrary serves as their key national partner, providing digital communications and advocacy, as well as fiscal sponsorship services from the EveryLibrary Institute.
The National Library Alliance is a long-term initiative. By organizing for public policy and legislative fights on a state-by-state basis, we work in concert with self-identified state-level stakeholders to help them build durable, people-powered infrastructure that ensures that the constitution is followed, that laws are just, and that once books are restored and rights are protected, the culture of freedom remains strong. By strengthening local leadership and statewide networks, we can ensure that libraries continue to serve as open, trusted, and inclusive spaces for learning, discovery, and civic life.
2025 National Library Alliance Members:
AL - Read Freely Alabama
DE - Delaware Library Champions
FL - Florida Freedom to Read Project
GA - Alliance for Georgia Libraries
ID - Idaho Freedom to Read Alliance
ND - Right to Read North Dakota
NM - Freedom to Read New Mexico
OH - Right to Read Ohio
OR - Parents Defending Schools and Libraries OR
(PDSL merged into the Oregon Library Association initiative)
TN - Tennessee Freedom to Read Project
TX - Texas Freedom to Read Project
UT - Let Utah Read
WI - Wisconsin Freedom to Read Project
National Library Alliance Members receive tremendous no-cost support for their digital communication and activism, as well as pro-bono in-person consulting as they build their volunteer-run organizations. Being a part of the Alliance jump-starts their organizing and accelerates their work. Every group is offered the opportunity to take advantage of EveryLibrary and the EveryLibrary Institute’s free ecosystem-building infrastructure:
- Dedicated branded campaign websites with tech support
- Email Campaigns to supporters
- Coordinated advertising on social media
- Press and media relations support
- Storytelling on Medium
- Issue Briefs
- Coalition Letters and Statements
- Fundraising on FundLibraries.org
- Fiscal Sponsorship / Fiscal Agent Services from the EveryLibrary Institute
This model for partnerships delivered concrete results in 2025. The 2025 state legislative landscape underscores both the threat libraries face and the necessity of coordinated national support. In 2025, 133 bad bills were introduced that would strip away the right to read, criminalize librarianship, cut funding to libraries, or otherwise dismantle libraries and educational institutions. Of these, 14 passed, and two were vetoed.
On the positive side, we saw 74 good bills introduced, with 46 of them focused on the right to read or the expansion of access and enfranchisement. This was twice as many introduced bills as in 2024, a sign that momentum is building in some states towards legislative solutions to the fight over access to libraries.
Some of the most dangerous legislative proposals of 2025 were stopped only because of deep, trusted partnerships on the ground. In Alabama, we worked with our friends at Read Freely Alabama to defeat SB6, which would have voided all public library board seats and allowed direct political appointments. In Arkansas, HB1977 (“Protecting Childhood Innocence”) was a sweeping censorship bill that we helped Arkansas Right to Read stop. Florida’s H1539 would have eliminated the Miller Test in K–12 school libraries; we supported our colleagues at the Florida Freedom to Read Project in their opposition campaign. In North Carolina, we helped operationalize the state library associations’ campaign to bottle up H595, which would have institutionalized censorship in schools and public libraries.
Two of the most significant victories of the year were the gubernatorial veto campaigns that prevented the institutionalization of censorship and the outright criminalization of librarianship in their respective states. North Dakota’s SB2307 was a bill that would have exposed librarians to criminal liability for professional collection decisions; however, it was stopped through a coordinated statewide campaign coordinated by our partners at Right to Read North Dakota. Likewise, the successful Veto HB324 campaign we helped organize in New Hampshire means that this sweeping censorship and criminalization bill was set aside.
EveryLibrary and the EveryLibrary Institute are proud to be involved in so many state legislative campaigns, serving as a connector and enabler of this broad, multi-state movement to protect libraries from political interference. No one has to join EveryLibrary or affiliate with the EveryLibrary Institute. We join them - and bring all the experience and resources of the National Library Alliance to fight against censorship and discrimination.
We believe that the most powerful defense of civil liberties, civil rights, and civil society comes from informed, locally rooted leadership by parents, students, educators, librarians, and community members who are equipped to act together. Through the National Library Alliance, we provide volunteer leaders with the digital infrastructure, upskilling and training, financial services, and strategic support they need to organize quickly, respond effectively, and secure lasting social, legislative, or judicial protections for the rights of readers.
Many state Alliance Leaders have shared about our support:
Alabama - Read Freely Alabama
“EveryLibrary’s support has been pivotal in helping Alabamians mobilize to swiftly kill anti-library bills during the past two legislative sessions. Now, our state’s devoted and beleaguered librarians won’t have to worry about facing jail time and hefty fines just for performing their profession’s most fundamental tasks. EveryLibrary supported our tactics and strategy, amplified our messaging, and connected us to resources unavailable to grassroots groups like ours, providing necessary insight at key moments. Their decision to support and mentor us helped Read Freely Alabama successfully lead the fight against this nationally coordinated attack on our libraries and the freedom to read.” - Jessica Hayes, Co-Founder, Read Freely Alabama
Florida - Florida Freedom to Read Project
"The support of EveryLibrary continues to be a beacon of light in our work that helps guide the way. Just as we rely on professional expertise in our schools, the support from the EveryLibrary team has helped ensure we keep the positive momentum going in the anti-censorship movement." - Raegan Miller, Director of Development and Finance, Florida Freedom to Read Project
Idaho - Idaho Freedom to Read Alliance / North Central Idaho Alliance
“EveryLibrary has been instrumental in helping us combat censorship and book banning in Idaho. For three years the Idaho Legislature has brought up anti-library bills, and for the last two years, the bills have been defeated. We hope this year's legislation will be defeated as well. Facts, information and important strategy methods from EveryLibrary have been invaluable to our communities and to our success. We thank them every day for their help.” - Heather Stout, Co-Founder, North Central Idaho Alliance.
North Dakota - Right to Read North Dakota
“No other national library organization does this kind of frontline, field-building work. They listened to what our agenda was, collaborated with us on building the tools, and helped us at a moment’s notice to pivot the campaign. None can match the speed, flexibility, or depth of EveryLibrary’s support.” - Randi Monley, co-chair, Right to Read North Dakota
Texas - Texas Freedom to Read Project
"The support of EveryLibrary has been instrumental in the launch and the ongoing work of the Texas Freedom to Read Project. As attempts at censorship and book banning have skyrocketed across the state of Texas, the need to protect our First Amendment rights is more important than ever. We are incredibly grateful for and look forward to a continued partnership with EveryLibrary. We are optimistic about the future of Texas as we FightForTheFirst." - Laney Hawes, Texas Freedom to Read Project.
Utah - Let Utah Read
"EveryLibrary’s contributions to “Let Utah Read'' have been an important partner in our success. When we launched our coalition to oppose anti-library legislation in Utah, Fight For the First gave us a turn-key platform and suite of tools that allowed us to quickly identify and activate library supporters who helped kill a number of bad bills in the legislature. Being able to embed petitions and email campaigns on the Let Utah Read website, combined with EveryLibrary’s digital marketing support, helped us add nearly 3000 Utahns to our community of library supporters and activists over the last year. As a result, we are in a much stronger position heading into the future to protect libraries and the principles of free expression in Utah.” - Rebekah Cummings, Advocacy Co-Chair, Utah Library Association / Co-Founder, Let Utah Read
The National Library Alliance occupies a unique position in the library advocacy ecosystem. At its core, the Alliance is a multi-state, multi-zip code community. We help our partner organizations and stakeholder groups build infrastructure, develop strategy, and operationalize their missions, standing shoulder to shoulder with them as they confront some of the most aggressive legislative threats to libraries in modern history.
If you are interested in developing and launching a state-wide Library Alliance or Right to Read group to focus on legislative, policy, and civic solutions to book bans, discrimination, and funding, please contact John Chrastka, Executive Director, EveryLibrary at [email protected] or 312-574-0352 for a confidential discussion.