Library News Rodeo – March 12, 2019

Campaign Updates

Voters Approve a New Addition To the Charlotte Library in Vermont
We were very proud to support the Charlotte Library in Vermont as they went to the voters on Tuesday, March 5th, 2019.

This campaign would support half the cost of the construction of an addition to the Charlotte Library so that the small library could expand and better serve its community. It passed by a 63% margin at 629 to 236.

Advocacy and Activism for Libraries 

Iowa Legislative Day 2019 - Send an Email
Iowa libraries serve almost every town and community member across the state. Librarians provide vital services that don’t exist anywhere else. Because of our amazing network of libraries, Iowans can access the Internet, find early childhood education programs and homework help, and take advantage of resources for job searches, career development, and personal enrichment.

Keep the focus on Libraries in Florida - Email Your Legislators
Critical parts of Florida’s library infrastructure need new funding. Interlibrary Loan, the unique service that gets any book to any library in the state, needs your help. The wonderful Ask-A-Librarian service that provides 24/7 reference all Floridians and the vital e-resources that are a cornerstone of affordable higher education through the Florida Academic Library Services both need attention.

Pennsylvania Needs School Libraries - Petition
On February 20, Rep. Mark Longietti (D, serving part of Mercer County) and Rep. Thomas Murt (R, serving parts of serving Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties) proposed a new House bill that would ensure a certified school librarian in every public school. On February 25, Sen. John Blake (D- serving Lackawanna, and parts of Luzerne and Monroe Counties) proposed a complementary bill in the Senate. At this time, the bills have not yet been numbered. However, this period is a critical time when co-sponsors are being sought to sign the bills in both chambers.

Your donations help us continue this work across the country. 
Please consider making a $10-$25 donation today.
Or start a $1, $3, or $5 monthly donation to support libraries into the future.

News & Trends

EveryLibrary Political Director Wins “40 Under 40” Award
EveryLibrary is excited to announce that Patrick “PC” Sweeney has been honored as a “40 Under 40” award winner by the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC). This prestigious award recognizes him as one of the best and brightest political strategists nationally. Patrick is receiving this award for his non-partisan political consulting work with EveryLibrary, the first and only national political action committee for libraries.

Training and Skills Building

Tenn-Share Advocacy Trainings across Tennessee - March 18, 19, and 21
We're excited to partner with Tenn-Share to bring you three statewide trainings for public, school, and academic librarians to build support for funding your library in whatever community your library serves. In these trainings, John Chrastka and Patrick "PC" Sweeney will focus on two frames for activating people to support new or expanded funding: the "librarian as candidate" and the "library as cause". In the first 4 hours, participants will learn about the latest stakeholder perception data and discover actionable techniques to update stakeholder perceptions about both the institution and the people who work there. Following lunch, participants will continue to workshop issues and potential techniques for 2 hours while addressing specific concerns in small group ‘type of library’ breakouts with the workshop facilitators. Click here to register and walk-ins welcome!

East Tennessee workshop on Monday, March 18, 9am-3:30pm - University of Tennessee, Knoxville Library
Middle Tennessee workshop on Tuesday, March 19, 9am-3:30pm - Goodwill Industries Herman Street Office
West Tennessee workshop on Thursday, March 21, 9am-3:30pm - University of Memphis Library

DPLA Fest 2019 - April 16 to 19
Help shape the future of access to digital knowledge at DPLA Fest 2019. Our Executive Director John Chrastka is joining library leaders in civic engagement, education, community archives, and cultural memory for two days of discussions, sessions, and conversations. He will be presenting ”The Engagement is Also Digital” about using best-in-class tools, clean data, and cause-marketing techniques to build support, increase use, and find funders for digital projects. Registration information and view the full program at https://dplafest2019.dp.la/register/.

Telling Your Library Story for Community Impact, Advocacy, and Action - April 16 to May 13
EveryLibrary will be a key part of the InfoPeople course “Telling Your Library Story…” this April 16 - May 13. instructor Rance Greene, Founder of needastory.com, will teach library leaders a method for engaging communities called Story Design. In it, you’ll learn to recognize the components of an effective story, set up a value proposition of your library’s services in story form, define what engages your audience, and develop relatable characters for your audience. EveryLibrary’s John Chrastka will join the class for a workshop and drop-in session specifically on advocacy. Registration and course information is at https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?id=828&reset=1.

Design Institute by Library Journal - May 3rd, 2019
If your library is considering a design project, a new building, or just a refresh, the Library Journal Design Institute on May 3rd in Columbia, SC. is a must-do. Join EveryLibrary's executive director John Chrastka for a session on Funding your idea along with several amazing designers, architects, and solutions providers for sessions and small group workshops. See you at the wonderful Richland Library!

Neat Stuff that Librarians Do

New York State Libraries Hoping To Influence The Public With Dedicated Going Green Initiatives

Public libraries practically invented the “re-use” concept. Now libraries are going even greener. Lindenhurst Memorial has earned bragging rights as Long Island’s first library to be certified by the Green Business Partnership. “Libraries share. That’s our basic philosophy,” director Lisa Kropp said.

'Learning through exploring': Makeover transforms Rockport Elementary library

The library, which reopened at the beginning of the school year, now features two "makerspaces," one for kindergartners through second-graders and one for third- to fifth-graders. It also has a cafe-style collaboration space for older students, and new furniture, bookshelves, and books.

The Library of Congress wants to attract more visitors will that undermine its mission?

Under Librarian of Congress Carla D. Hayden, the world’s largest library is on its way to becoming another one of Washington’s acclaimed museums.

A splashy exhibition on baseball opened there just as Washington was hosting Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, and last May, the library added a major collection of comic books, including early images of Mickey Mouse, to its permanent holdings, which number 170 million.

“Literacy matters every day”
An excellent editorial by Judi Morellion in Arizona on School Libraries...

Far too many of our youth and classroom teachers are being denied access to and support from a school library-based literacy teacher who has knowledge of resources and can teach skills and strategies necessary for the next generation of literate parents, employees and voters.

School librarians could be our students’ first K-12 literacy teachers who help families and classroom teachers grow our youth as lifelong readers. School librarians lead school-wide literacy events , organize book clubs and spread a love of reading every school day.

Your donations help us continue this work across the country. 
Please consider making a $10-$25 donation today.
Or start a $1, $3, or $5 monthly donation to support libraries into the future.