1. Every Budget is a Referendum
NJLA 2013
Using tips from the best political
campaigns to activate citizen support
for library funding
@everylibrary
Building voter support for libraries
John Chrastka
Executive Director
EveryLibrary
john.chrastka@everylibrary.org
2. Voter Education Challenge
Extends to “Voter Influence” on
● Town/City Councils
● State Legislators
● Federal Funding Issues
Building voter support for libraries
3. Seven Factors Influence Voters:
1. A Reason to Vote
2. Mobilized
3. Personal Contact with Candidate or Issue*
4. Culture/Tradition/Habit of Voting*
5. Trust in Government (pro or con)
6. Decided to Vote
7. Weather/Access to Polls
What Activates Voters?
Building voter support for libraries
4. Why Talk Politics and Libraries?
Building voter support for libraries
● Only 37% of likely voters say they will
definitely support libraries at the ballot box.1
1. OCLC From Awareness to Funding, 2008
5. Voter Attitudes
Of all voters:
37% will Definitely vote yes
37% will Probably vote yes
26% will Probably or Definitely vote no or
may vote either way.
Building voter support for libraries
6. Voter Attitudes About Libraries
● Users vs. Non-Users - No difference
● Progressives vs. Conservatives - No difference
● Any Tax is a Bad Tax - Watch for
● Nothing Impacts More than their Perception of
the Librarian or the Library as Institution
Building voter support for libraries
7. Why Talk Politics and Libraries?
Building voter support for libraries
● 94% of Parents say libraries are important for
their children. 79% say “very important”. 2
● 58% of Americans have a library card. 3
● 62% of card holders have visited the library in
the last year at least once.4
2. Pew, May 2013
3 and 4. Harris Interactive | ALA, January 2011
8. Voter Attitudes
Nothing Impacts Voter Attitude about Libraries More
than their Perception of the Librarian and the Library
as an Institution
Building voter support for libraries
9. Inbound Service Model
Libraries are generally Inbound Service Models
Inbound Service Models Create
Inbound Advocacy Models
Building voter support for libraries
@everylibrary
10. Informational Campaign – “Please Vote”
● Planning
● Know your limits
● Marketing and Awareness
Vote Yes Campaign – “Vote Yes”
● Planning
● Filing
● Awareness and GOTV
Types of Campaigns
Building voter support for libraries
11. Informational or “Vote Yes” Campaigns:
● 1. Walking*
● Phoning*
● 2. Events
● Social and Web
● 3. Signs
● Mailers
Ways that Campaigns Reach Voters
Building voter support for libraries
12. Techniques that Work
Who Votes? Who Influences?
1. Tweet the Mayor / City Council
2. Become Political
3. Embedded Librarians
4. Get Out and Walk
5. Volunteer Library Brigade
6. Mini Libraries
Building voter support for libraries
13. Know Your Allies
Inventory Your Allies:
1. Educational Partners
2. Social Welfare and Religious Partners
3. Governmental Partners
4. Civic Partners
5. Business Partners
6. Politicians
Building voter support for libraries
14. Know Your Allies
1. Educational Partners
Pre-K and K-12
Community College
College/University
For-Profit Tutoring
Private/Public After-School Programs
Three Messages: Library as Educational Partner,
Library as Resource Extender, Library as Gap Filler
Building voter support for libraries
15. Know Your Allies
2. Social Welfare and Religious Partners
Counseling Centers
Food Pantry / WIC
Jobs Training Center
Literacy Centers
Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts
Three Messages: Social Leveler; Resource
Extender; Staff Multiplier
Building voter support for libraries
16. Know Your Allies
3. Governmental Partners
Parks
Public Safety – Police and Fire
Public Works
Public Employee Unions
Three Messages: Library as Contact Place, Library
as Info Point, Library as Fellow Traveler
Building voter support for libraries
17. Know Your Allies
4. Civic Partners
Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis
Heritage and local history
GLBT
Three Messages: Library as Social Leveler, Library
as Neutral Good, Library as
Building voter support for libraries
18. Know Your Allies
5. Business Partners
Local Chamber / CVB
Startups and Entrepreneurs
Small Businesses – Service or Retail
Big Employers
Three Messages: Librarian as Business Reference
Resource, Library as Training Space, Library as Retail
Anchor
Building voter support for libraries
19. Know Your Allies
6. Politicians
Incumbents
Insurgents
Local, State, Federal
Three Messages: Library as Good Governance, Library
as Responsible with Budget, Library as [insert their
pet project]
Building voter support for libraries
20. The Library as:
● Educational Partner
● Economic Development Engine
● Social Leveler
● Connect with Changing Technology
● Legitimacy as Institution
● Trust in the Librarian
Messaging That Works
Building voter support for libraries
21. The Library as Incubator
● Businesses
● The Arts
● Community Identity
● The Library as Governmental Leverage
● Budget
● Grants
● Tech
Messaging That Works
Building voter support for libraries
22. ● Demands for Services
● Entreaties from Patrons/Customers
● Appeals about Effectiveness
● Perceptions of Service
● Whining
What Doesn't Work
Building voter support for libraries
@everylibrary
23. In Every Case...
Building voter support for libraries
● Walk your Precinct
● Actively say “Vote, Please” or “Vote Yes”
● Answer Challenges with Legitimacy
@everylibrary
