Join the fight against censorship by taking ACTION.
We all know that the vast majority of Americans support public libraries and the freedom to read.
But we’re being out-organized by a small minority of people on the Right who are banning books, defunding libraries, and limiting access to services. If we want to make a difference, we need to be in the rooms where it’s happening - and we’re here to help you.
Find out when your local school and/or library board meets, and commit to attending AT LEAST 3 meetings. Use our Board Watcher Bingo card while attending meetings to keep track. https://bit.ly/boardbingo
Who funds your local library system? Advocate to INCREASE and EXPAND funding for public libraries. Oppose all cuts!
Run for or seek appointment to your local school and/or library board. Find a seat and join our upcoming candidate cohort!
Join your local Friends of the Library group to advocate for your public library.
Learn even more! Visit our resources page for videos, zines, guides, and more information on how you can help strengthen and expand your local public library.
This week, commit to taking specific actions to show up for your local public library.
And keep scrolling to find even more things you can do to support your public library!
SHOW UP TO A PUBLIC MEETING
Your local library system has a governing board of some kind, and they have public meetings. You can attend these meetings and say something, whether that’s speaking up against book banning or thanking your library staff for displaying and promoting a diverse collection of materials.
BECOME A BOARD WATCHER
Have you heard of Court Watchers? The central idea of that project is that "bad things happen in empty courtrooms," (which, let's be real, bad things happen in all courtrooms). Bad things also happen at unattended public library Board of Trustee meetings, so become a BOARD WATCHER.
JOIN A FRIENDS GROUP
Many public libraries are supported by a separate organization known as a Friends of the Library group. Friends groups are usually nonprofit organizations, independent from both the library and the library’s governing board. They often raise money to support library programs, engage in advocacy, or promote awareness of the many things the library has to offer. Learn more about Friends groups in our Friends of the Library 101 zine, and join yours (or start one!).
FIND A LIBRARY BOARD SEAT
Using the results of our multiyear nationwide survey, For The People has launched the first-ever Library Seat Lookup tool! Enter an address and find library board seats near you. Then you can attend a meeting, or seek a seat yourself!
PICK FROM A LIST OF TEN OPTIONS
You know that taking action locally is the only way anything will change - so here are ten ways you can make a difference in your local library system, from getting a library card, to attending programming, to joining a Friends of the Library group, to running for office.
FOLLOW THE MONEY + LEARN THE BASICS
Do you know who’s making decisions at your local public library? What’s the annual budget? Who decides how it’s spent? Use our Libraries 101 zine and video to get the basics on library budgets and governance, and use the resources to figure out what’s happening on the ground in YOUR public library.
JOIN OUR CANDIDATE COHORT
We have to build power in our public libraries, and that means getting leftists like you appointed and elected to library boards. For The People trains an annual cohort of candidates who will receive 12 weeks of training to help them get elected or appointed (and govern effectively on day one!).
