The EveryLibrary Institute's 2022 Annual Report

The EveryLibrary Institute is focused on engaging policymakers, funders, and the American public about libraries and librarianship.

In 2022, we stood with library leaders who faced new challenges from politicized book bans and censorship while we continued to shape public policy through our research projects, whitepapers, and training partnerships. Through our targeted marketing and advertising on social media, we reached over one million people each week with stories about libraries and librarians. We are committed to providing high-quality direct support to librarians and library workers to help them set a course for stability and success in the future. 

Click here to download the 2022 Annual Report

Key 2022 initiatives

• Polling about Book Bans: Our voter-facing national polling discovered new messages that can impact and influence perceptions. 
• Emergency Fundraising for Libraries in Crisis: We championed fundraising campaigns for several libraries facing shutdowns because of censorship. 
• Shaping Public Policy: We created seven whitepapers that explored topics like post-COVID school and public libraries, emerging issues in health and literacy services, and the tax code.
• State Partnerships: We are trusted partners with several state library associations to help them advance their advocacy and policy agendas.
• Developing the Profession: Our biennial Library Advocacy and Funding Conference (LAFCON) hosted hundreds of library leaders who learned about political action, organizing, and fundraising from noted industry experts. 

Polling and Message Development about Book Bans

The EveryLibrary Institute identified a gap in polling data about book bans and censorship. Other polls have captured how Americans feel about book bans but did not ask voters questions about what would either change or reinforce their perceptions. In August, we commissioned Embold Research, a leading non-partisan polling firm, to conduct a political poll of over a thousand registered voters to ask these critical questions. We need to not only understand what people think today but how to proactively shape the message about libraries and librarians in a fraught political and social climate to positively influence what they think tomorrow. In 2023, we will be partnering with several leading national organizations to conduct focus groups, message testing, and voter modeling. 

Research and Public Policy 

Throughout 2022, we supported the development and dissemination of a robust open-access Book Challenge Database curated by Dr. Tasslyn Magnusson. Her independent research has focused on attempts to challenge books in school and public libraries and tracks successful banning efforts in particular. The dataset includes insights into the groups that are pushing anti-access and censorship agendas as well as local library alliances that are fighting for the First Amendment and the integrity of libraries. 

In 2021-22, libraries saw an alarming uptick in state legislation that would severely limit access to school library databases and ebook collections. In order to proactively address these legislative attacks, we collaborated with Georgetown University Law Center’s Intellectual Property & Information Policy Clinic (“iPIP”) to write the "School Library Database Procurement Act", new model legislation to help safeguard state library database contracts and student access to information and pre-empt legislation by grass-roots anti-access activists.  

This year, the EveryLibrary Institute helped create seven research projects and policy reports that explore core issues facing school and public libraries. We looked to explore topics like post-COVID school and public libraries, opportunities in health literacy services, and emerging issues with the tax code. Throughout 2022, our leadership team provided seasoned policy guidance and technical assistance to numerous local and state stakeholders about censorship issues. 

Click here to download the 2022 Annual Report

Mission Aligned Donors 

The EveryLibrary Institute is able to work for libraries and librarians because of our donors and partners. We would like to gratefully acknowledge our capacity-building donors this year:

• Nora Roberts and the Nora Roberts Family Foundation
• Kahle Austin Foundation
• Allison Rosen Family Foundation
• Society of Children’s Book Writers Impact and Legacy Fund
• Bookey Family Foundation
• Moreau/Weinreb Family Fund
• BMD Family Foundation
• Alper Family Charitable Fund
• Steinmann Multiverse Fund
• Heffner/Fichtenkort Family Charitable Fund
• Anonymous donors

We were proud to be the beneficiary of several directed fundraising efforts this year, including Black Library on Humble Bundle, the Impact and Legacy Fund from the Society of Children’s Book Writers, twitch streamer Enthusiamy, and several others. We are always excited to help promote these kinds of events and are grateful to the folks who identify our work as important to support.

Speaking, Training and Skills Building

The EveryLibrary Institute has always focused on helping the library sector to be better prepared to seize new opportunities or to anticipate the challenges ahead. We were proud to have hosted several formal training collaborations with state libraries and state library associations this year. These included training programs, workshops, and coaching calls for the state libraries of Delaware, Georgia, North Carolina, Wyoming, and Utah about local funding, public engagement, and coalition building.

State Partnerships

Throughout 2022, the EveryLibrary Institute was called on to provide experienced consulting and advising to state school library associations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, and to stakeholders in the city of Washington DC, on their legislative agendas. Our ongoing partnership with the Delaware Library Association, the Friends of Delaware Libraries, and the State Library continued to enhance the profile and effectiveness of school libraries and public libraries across the state. Our new partnership with the Wyoming Library Association puts us in close contact with association leadership to address issues like book bans and legislative issues. 

Click here to download the 2022 Annual Report

Looking forward to 2023

In 2023, we are launching Fight for the First, a digital organizing and advocacy platform, to assist local and statewide library groups campaigning for free expression and open access. Our goal is to empower library stakeholders to share their own stories and activate new allies and advocates for our nation’s libraries. The library sector continues to need better information about voter attitudes and messaging. We will be convening a national partnership project to conduct polling and focus groups to fill in these gaps. Likewise, there is a clear need for better policies in K-12 about collection development and book challenges. We will be working with qualified partners on a rights-affirmative framework to ensure that school libraries can serve all students.

The EveryLibrary Institute is uniquely positioned in the library ecosystem to focus on the frameworks that underpin federal, state, and local library and education policies. If you believe this work is important and helpful for the sector, please donate today.