In the 2014 Startup Review from Publishers Weekly
We're happy to see EveryLibrary included in Publishers Weekly's 2014 "Startup Review". A very nice write-up of our organization, the only national one dedicated to supporting libraries at the ballot box.
We're happy to see EveryLibrary included in Publishers Weekly's 2014 "Startup Review".
A very nice write-up of our organization, the only national one dedicated to supporting libraries at the ballot box. In 2103, we helped secure several million dollars at the ballot box for collections, programs, technology, and staffing. It is great that PW identifies this work as fundamental to the publishing ecosystem. Click through to read the whole piece (some fascinating developments outside of our immediate sphere) but here is the salient stuff about us:
The PW Digital Publishing Startup Review, 2014
EveryLibrary
“Our campaigns are different from the usual library advocacy,” says John Chrastka, founder and director of EveryLibrary, a nonprofit Library Political Action Committee launched in 2012. EveryLibrary provides grassroots electoral support and works to raise money to help libraries win local elections with funding issues on the ballot. “We focus our campaigns on the librarians—we’re people focused—not on the institutions,” Chrastka notes. And it’s working. Chrastka says that in 2013, EveryLibrary provided support for six successful ballot initiatives that raised over $9.2 million in tax dollars in support of library programming and services. EveryLibrary’s ROI—for every $1 donated it secured more than $1,500 in library funding—is impressive. In 2014, Chrastka expects EveryLibrary to be involved in 25–30 ballot initiatives that could provide as much as $100 million in funding to libraries around the country—funding that will directly impact library book purchases. The group solicits donations from the publishing industry, and he emphasizes that he doesn’t need a lot of money to be effective—a $1,000 donation can have a huge impact. Chrastka says he’s received a number of anonymous publisher donations, but hailed reference house Rosen Publishing for its “very public” donations to the group.
See also: Lots to Choose From at SXSW 2013