Read. Lead. RUN!

Love libraries? Thinking about running for office? We need you today!

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Libraries are among the most trusted public institutions in the United States, yet the policies that shape their future are set by elected officials. City councils decide local budgets. School boards determine whether certified school librarians are funded. State legislatures write the laws that protect or restrict intellectual freedom. Congress determines federal investment in literacy, broadband access, and national library programs.

Here’s why this matters: nearly 70% of races in the United States go unopposed. That means too many decisions about libraries are being made without champions like you in the room. When library supporters run for office, we change what’s possible for funding, access, and the future of our communities.

You already believe in libraries. Now it’s time to lead.

When readers and library supporters like you step into leadership roles, they bring the values of access, curiosity, and service to the heart of government, helping shape the future of their communities.

That's why people like you need to run for office today!

Get Ready to Run with This Help!

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City councils decide local budgets. School boards determine whether certified school librarians are funded. State legislatures write the laws that protect or restrict intellectual freedom. Congress determines federal investment in libraries.

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Download the Guide

We made it easy to learn the first steps to run for office. Check out everything you need to get started with this easy guide today!

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Search for Open Offices

Search for offices you can run for, with all the information you need to get on the ballot.

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Learn how to run for elected office. Find and engage the supporters that will lead you to victory on election day. Course length: 2 hours

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The Pipeline Fund is working toward a reflective democracy where skilled, diverse, community leaders are fully supported to run for office, run campaigns, and advance progressive policies that address the urgent needs of all Americans.

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Join the Run For Something online community where you can connect with progressive young people interested in running for office, participate in mentorship sessions, and access trainings as you explore and prepare for future candidacy.

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Whether you’re staffing up, scaling your digital program, or planning your GOTV push, this catalogue can help you connect with the services, products, and people who can give you a competitive advantage.

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The AAPC (American Association of Political Consultants) directory is a premier, searchable database connecting campaigns, organizations, and corporations with top-tier, bipartisan political professionals.

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I Was a School Librarian for 24 Years. Then I Ran For Office!

April 23, 2026

I was an elementary school librarian for 24 years. A few years ago, a school board member challenged a high school library book about transgenderism. While it was non-fiction and clinical, he felt it was inappropriate. He made clear he was acting as a parent, not a board member, and if it came to a vote, he would recuse himself. Per district policy, we formed a committee, consisting of himself, all district librarians including me, the high school principal, the superintendent, the school counselor, and several interested parents and students. We all came to the same conclusion: the book was age-appropriate, and should stay.  

If You Care About Libraries, It’s Time to Run

April 23, 2026

Every decision about your local library is made by someone in office. Funding levels. Staffing. Hours. Collections. Policies about what stays on the shelves and what gets pulled. These are not abstract forces or distant systems. They are choices made by elected officials, often at the local level, often by people whose names most voters barely recognize.  

Love libraries? Search for Open Offices. Get On the Ballot!

April 20, 2026

If you care about libraries, your community needs you in office. It’s that simple. But maybe you don't know what to run for, or how to get on the ballot? That's why we partnered with NationBuilder to offer you this great tool to search for local open opportunities to run for office.

Our Children Need To Feel Supported By the Adults in Their Lives.

April 20, 2026

“This is about right and wrong, good and evil. There is no middle ground.” These were the words of Cobb County School Superintendent Chris Ragsdale in 2023 defending our district’s book bans in front of students, media specialists, and parents who showed up to a school board meeting to speak out against the bans.

Want to Save Libraries? Run for Office

April 20, 2026

Public libraries are under pressure. Across the country, library budgets are being slashed, books are being challenged at record rates, and the very mission of libraries is being questioned. If you love libraries, you have probably signed a petition, attended a meeting, or shared an article online. But there is a more powerful step you can take: Run for office.

What Elected Officials Can Do for Libraries

April 19, 2026

Electing people who care deeply about libraries helps shift the broader political conversation. It reminds voters and policymakers alike that libraries are not relics of the past but engines of opportunity and democratic participation. When library supporters step into leadership roles, they bring the values of access, curiosity, and service into the heart of government where those values can shape the future of their communities.

Kathy Zappitello Supports Libraries and Ran for Office, Why Not You?

April 19, 2026

Running for office might feel like a big leap, but if you care about libraries, your community already needs you in the room where decisions are made. Every day, elected officials shape funding, policies, and priorities that determine whether libraries can serve, protect access to information, and thrive. Running for office sounds complicated, intimidating, and reserved for a certain kind of person with the right connections, background, or moment. Most people assume it requires years of planning, deep political experience, or a massive campaign operation.

Announcing Read. Lead. RUN!

April 15, 2026

April 19, 2026 — A new national campaign, “Read. Lead. Run.”, is launching today to inspire library workers, library supporters, and readers across the United States to step forward and run for public office. The campaign is built around a simple but urgent idea: the people who value knowledge, literacy, and access to information should help shape the policies that govern them.