Rapid Response For Niles-Maine Library

If you’ve been following the news about the Niles-Maine District Library over the past few weeks, you’ve seen a group of radical activist board members on a mission to defund the library from the inside. That’s why EveryLibrary responded rapidly and stood with the local Coalition and ASFCME in opposing these draconian cuts to the library at the #savenileslibrary rally.

EveryLibrary's Rapid Response Fund Helps safeguard libraries when crises like these strike and fast action makes all the difference.

Please make a ONE TIME or MONTHLY donation today so we can continue to be by the side of any Library when they call on us.

The situation at the Niles-Maine District Library is a real-world example of our Rapid Response work that is happening right now. I’m so happy to report that the library board responded to public pressure at Wednesday night's board meeting and decided to flat-fund the library next year. Compared to the board’s original intent to defund the library budget and gut the library’s services, programs, collections, and staffing, that’s a huge victory. Our public engagement in the campaign followed a lot of behind-the-scenes work with local stakeholders. We got to know them and their hopes for their community and its library. 

THIS WAS A WIN -- BUT THERE IS MORE WORK AHEAD

There is still a lot of hard work ahead for the #SaveNilesLibrary Coalition. I’m relieved about the board vote and am impressed with how many people in town are now activated for the library. But I’m most grateful to our donors because they empower us to show up, bring our experience and expertise, and lean in where we’re needed most. Next week, I’m on a call with the Coalition to listen about how we can best continue to help. Long-term campaigns like Niles are an everyday activity for EveryLibrary.

Your ONE TIME or MONTHLY donations make a big difference to libraries in crisis. 

PLEASE DONATE SO WE ARE READY TO RESPOND TO ATTACKS ON LIBRARIES

We need to be ready and have the proper resources on hand for our next Rapid Response campaign. I’d like to invite you to be a part of our Rapid Response Donor Team by making a donation today!

From talking with our national network of donors, I know that they appreciate how EveryLibrary’s work is measurable (for every dollar we raise, we’re able to help libraries secure $1,600 in stable library funding). Sometimes it means opposing a library board like in Niles, IL., who don’t have the best interests of the community, the library staff, or the mission of libraries in their hearts (and as a former library board member myself, their positions are particularly offensive to me personally and professionally.) 

If you understand and appreciate that too, I hope you can help me and my EveryLibrary colleagues do the on-the-ground Rapid Response work that is needed, necessary, and hopefully effective.

John Chrastka
http://www.everylibrary.org/

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