New National Voter Engagement Campaign “Libraries 2020” with Fundraising Round on Giving Tuesday

RIVERSIDE, IL (December  3, 2019) -- EveryLibrary, an organization dedicated to building voter support for libraries and advocating in support of public funding for libraries, and the EveryLibrary Institute, a national non-profit focused on the future of library funding, announce a call for donations on December 3, Giving Tuesday. Donations made on this day will help EveryLibrary and the EveryLibrary Institute kick-off the Libraries 2020 campaign, a first of its kind nationwide voter engagement campaign for libraries.

“Donations on Giving Tuesday will move EveryLibrary forward and launch a national voter engagement campaign that helps libraries in small towns and big cities, in red states and blue ones, and in every corner of our country to win the funding they need to best serve their communities,” says Patrick Sweeney, EveryLibrary's Political Director.

How EveryLibrary Supports Libraries

In each election cycle, tens of millions of dollars are at stake for libraries - from bonding for new or remodeled building projects to changing millages, levies, or taxes that impact staffing, collections, programs, and services. Libraries across the nation are thriving, but often their funding is at stake during election cycles. EveryLibrary provides critical free assistance to libraries to help them gain voter support when it matters. 

Throughout Giving Tuesday, volunteers across the nation will help EveryLibrary reach its goal of $250,000. EveryLibrary and the EveryLibrary Institute support libraries by:

• Assisting in both the planning and campaign stages of an initiative.
• Providing strategic consulting services, voter segmentation advice, and assistance in developing ballot language.
• Conducting feasibility studies and assist in setting up a local committee.
• Providing free tools, data, and digital support to the ballot committee.
• Developing a fundraising strategy for local committees.
• Training volunteers in voter education and get-out-the-vote techniques.

What Do Community Partners and Librarians Say?

Libraries across the country have experienced the benefit of EveryLibrary's services. “EveryLibrary provided us with training that helped us develop messages about our new building proposal and understand how to most effectively prioritize our efforts to get those messages out into our community," reports Adrienne Furness, Director, Henrietta (NY) Public Library.

“The guidance EveryLibrary provided to staff and trustees . . . was invaluable to us. All the more so because it was provided pro-bono. Their personal engagement helped allay fears and reassure us along the way, too,” says Jeannie Dilger, Executive Director of the Palatine (IL) Public Library District. 

Why Donate?

Donations support direct contributions to local library campaigns and enable EveryLibrary to provide services to libraries at no cost. Money from donors is used to provide national voter education about the importance and impact of libraries. For every $1 spent on a political campaign for a library, $1600 is returned to the library industry.

“The libraries we support are changing lives every day because of the new funding," says John Chrastka, EveryLibrary Executive Director. "In Ferguson, MO, the library could bring in thousands of new books, start a job skills program, and focus on supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses in town. Because of our help, the library in Potomac, IL. could remain open. It’s the only place for pre-K and early childhood literacy programs, large print books for seniors, and fun events like Legos at the Library. And in New Orleans, the win for the library was a huge win for literacy, education, job skills, and cultural programs across 18 libraries in this city of neighborhoods.”

How Can You Make a Donation?

Donating is easy. On the Libraries2020.org campaign website, donors can make a one-time donation or pledge a monthly amount of their choice. 

EveryLibrary also sells merchandise online. T-shirts, phone covers, popsockets, totes, pins and stickers, can be purchased online in support of the Libraries 2020 campaign at: http://www.libraries2020.org/shop.  

“We started EveryLibrary as a political action committee because we believe firmly that every library does matter and that America’s librarians should have the right resources to serve their communities and their campuses,” stated Sweeney.

Donations made to Libraries 2020 protect a time-honored pillar of society. With help from generous donors, EveryLibrary helps ensure that libraries are thriving, not just surviving. 

###

ABOUT EVERYLIBRARY

EveryLibrary is an organization dedicated to building voter support for libraries. Since 2012, EveryLibrary has provided donor-supported pro-bono advising and consulting to 109 library campaigns helping to win over $1.7 billion in stable tax funding. Beginning in 2016, EveryLibrary has provided strategic and tactical support to school library communities on education and tax policy, along with supporting dozens of challenges to school library budgets and school librarian positions in schools and districts across the country. http://everylibrary.org 

ABOUT the EVERYLIBRARY INSTITUTE

The EveryLibrary Institute is a 501c3, non-profit organization, dedicated to enhancing public and political support for library funding and the visible role of librarians in society. The core work of the EveryLibrary Institute is to advance a research, training, and programmatic agenda that strengthens the public policy and funding framework for libraries and librarians in the future. http://everylibraryinstitute.org

DONATION/PARTNER INQUIRIES: 

John Chrastka, Executive Director: [email protected], 312-574-0316

MEDIA/INTERVIEW INQUIRIES: 

Kosi Harris, Publicist: [email protected]