News and Updates

EveryLibrary went to South by Southwest 2015 to talk with venture capitalists and entrepreneurs about libraries. What we found is that there is a significant (though not unexpected) disconnect between what we say inside the industry about our work, role, and impact and the perception of libraries among the tech sector. If we want to bridge this gap in understanding we have to start with our own vocabulary and positioning. 

Our job is to help library campaigns communicate better with voters. One problem is that the visual images, the 'creative deck' for library campaigns to use on social media, in print, and on yard signs are kind of uneven. What's available on the open web is OK....

EveryLibrary was founded on the belief that “Any library ballot measure anywhere matters to every library everywhere”. We took a calculated risk setting up EveryLibrary as a Political Action Committee (PAC) rather than as a charity, a non-profit, or a membership association.

We received a very nice note from John Quick, the president of the Friends of the Miami-Dade County Public Library, about our work supporting the Coalition to Save Miami-Dade Libraries (of which he was a co-chair).  

Here's our "first look" at over 75 library elections around the country last night, November 4, 2014.  All vote totals are unofficial.  As 'official and verified' tallies come in from Clerks of Election, we will be updating this analysis.  In addition, some jurisdictions have not reported as of 4:00pm CST today. Those races have been omitted from this early analysis.

We're announcing our support and endorsement of the Northvale Residents for a Municipal Library committee as they campaign to establish a taxpayer-funded library in their community on November 4th, 2014.  

We had a loss yesterday in Jacksonville FL.  The ‘Save Jax Libraries‘ committee was working on an advisory referendum to make the library an independent taxing district after years of city/county budget cuts.  

In case you haven’t heard, the open Internet’s founding principle is under attack. Policymakers in the U.S. are considering rules that would erase “Net Neutrality,” the principle that all data on the Internet should be treated equally. If these rule changes go through, many fear it will create a “two-tier” Internet, where monopolies are able to charge huge fees for special “fast lanes” while everyone else gets the slow lane. This would threaten the very openness, level playing field, and innovation that make the web great — not only in the U.S. but around the world.

The folks at Library Journal provided some solid coverage of our new – and growing – Rapid Response Fund.  Donors like you have helped get the Fund in shape quickly.  We still have to raise about $2,500 to make sure we have enough on hand to answer the first 2 or 3 challenges with enough resources to do it right.  Click through to LJ’s coverage for more about our plans.  And come back to donate.  It’s a game changer for library advocacy.

We were not around in 2009 - 2011 when the Troy, MI library was on the block. And we keep getting emails from people talking about how effective the Book Burning Party campaign was in 2011 and wouldn't be smart for us to do that kind of campaign for all our library communities?