Why Building a “Million Americans for Libraries” Movement is the Most Important Thing We Can Do Right Now

Libraries across America are under attack. Regressive political actors are spending millions to push false narratives, sow distrust, and undermine one of the most fundamental institutions of our democracy. Book bans, funding cuts, and misinformation campaigns are eroding public confidence in libraries at an alarming rate.

Yet the real crisis isn’t just that these attacks are happening—it’s that too many Americans who love and rely on libraries haven’t been asked to defend them.

At the EveryLibrary Institute, we believe that one of the single most important things we can do today is scale up our Million Americans for Libraries campaign. In order to create lasting and sustainable change for libraries, we need to mobilize 1 to 3 million people who are actively engaged in library advocacy.

We’ve already identified and connected with nearly 450,000 people in our database and 500,00 on social media—a significant number, but far below what’s needed to shift the national conversation, counter misinformation, and create a strong, resilient base of support that ensures libraries can thrive. 

Why This Campaign Matters Now More Than Ever

The threats to libraries today go beyond isolated book bans or budget cuts. We are witnessing a coordinated and well-funded effort to dismantle public support for libraries, fueled by political actors who see libraries as ideological battlegrounds rather than essential community resources.

Polling shows that public support for libraries has declined significantly in the last decade. The 2018 From Awareness to Funding report found that voter support for libraries dropped by 20% between 2008 and 2018—and that was before the pandemic and the latest wave of book bans and misinformation campaigns. Without a deliberate and strategic push to rebuild this support, the future of libraries will remain at risk.

The hard truth is that libraries cannot survive on love alone. Over 90% of library funding comes from voter-approved initiatives. If people are misled into believing that libraries are no longer trustworthy, relevant, or necessary, they will stop voting for them. They will stop defending them. Without the necessary funding and advocacy, libraries will close. But this isn’t speculation—it’s already happening in communities across the country.

The Strategy: A National, Data-Driven Marketing Campaign for Libraries

Libraries are in dire need of the kind of large-scale, professional marketing and advocacy effort that political and corporate interests routinely deploy. Most libraries don’t have the budgets or resources to wage these kinds of campaigns themselves. That’s why Million Americans for Libraries exists—to stand in that gap and create a nationwide movement that turns passive library supporters into active library defenders. Through targeted digital advertising, influencer engagement, and grassroots mobilization, we:

• Rebuild Public Support for Libraries – A national marketing campaign is necessary to remind Americans why libraries matter and ensure they have the funding and political backing to continue serving their communities.
  
  
• Fight Misinformation and Disinformation – A well-funded network of anti-library activists is working to spread lies about libraries and librarians. Our campaigns use data-driven strategies to counter these narratives and ensure the public understands the truth.
  
  
• Raise Awareness About Library Funding Needs - Libraries will not survive without sustained voter and donor support. Our campaigns emphasize the urgency of safeguarding library funding and policy protections.
  
  
• Identify and Mobilize Library Supporters – Our goal is to grow our network to one million people (and beyond) who are ready to take action when libraries need them most. That means recruiting new advocates, activating existing supporters, and ensuring library-friendly policies gain traction at the local, state, and national levels.

The Path to One Million Americans

We are inspired and motivated in our approach by the scholarship of Erica Chenoweth, the Frank Stanton Professor of the First Amendment at Harvard’s Kennedy School. Her research into social movements and civic activity clearly demonstrates that for a legitimate political movement to succeed, it needs to be represented by 3 to 5 percent of the population who are motivated, committed, and activated for the cause. 

Thanks to our digital marketing team, which has spent years refining our outreach strategies, we have a clear roadmap to achieving our goals. Today, the Million Americans for Libraries campaign, inspired by Professor Chenoweth, is nearly halfway to that important benchmark. Our experience and demonstrated success in identifying and mobilizing library supporters mean we can scale new investments by Mellon to achieve our goals.

We understand what it takes to acquire, cultivate, and mobilize new library supporters at scale. To expand our reach, we need to increase our daily ad spending to connect with millions more people through targeted digital media advertising, based on location and interest. We want to collaborate with influential voices in education, literacy, and community-building to amplify our message through strategic partnerships. Our approach includes equipping supporters with tools to advocate for their own communities and offering resources for email campaigns, donation drives, and community organizing.

Sustainability and Long-Term Impact

One of the most exciting aspects of this campaign is that it will be self-sustaining. Our data shows that once supporters are identified and engaged, they contribute an average of $1.25 per person per year in donations. This means that as we grow our network, we also grow a reliable base of financial support that allows us to keep fighting for libraries for years to come.

If we reach our goal of 1 million identified supporters, we will generate at least $1.25 million annually—enough to sustain the campaign indefinitely and continue expanding the reach of our advocacy efforts.

This campaign is the single most important thing we can be doing for libraries today. If we fail to organize, mobilize, and scale up our efforts, the attacks on libraries will continue unchecked. We cannot allow that to happen. Join us – because libraries can’t fight alone. Libraries need you—they need all of us. With your support, we can ensure that they remain strong, vibrant, and fully funded for generations to come.