[Michlib-l] URGENT: Take Action: Federal Funding For Libraries

Fri Apr 26 07:44:34 EDT 2024

Dear Library Community,
I'm passing on the below message from the American Library Association to
ask you to reach out to your federal representative to ask them to sign on
to letters of support for LSTA & IAL.

The LSTA funds support the public library grants available from the Library
of Michigan and support other programs such as MEL

The Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) programs provide funding grants
to high needs school districts for their school libraries/literacy
programs. {Lansing & Ypsilanti received funds from IAL in the last grant
cycle.}

*The best action is to call your representative's office (see phone script
below) -- and follow up with an email .*
Both Michigan Senators have signed the LSTA & IAL letters.
However, the only Michigan Representatives that have signed the LSTA letter
are Debbie Dingall & Tlaib Rashida. *NO representatives from Michigan have
signed the IAL letter*.

You can also quickly send an email to your representative by using the form
at this webpage:
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/fund-libraries
{Make sure the email that you will send mentions the deadline!}

Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you!
--Kathy

As you know, ALA launched
<https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2024/04/ala-launches-fy-2025-fundlibraries>
our
federal FY 2025 #FundLibraries campaign last Monday with the release
of two dear appropriator letters in support of the Library Services
and Technology Act (LSTA) and Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL)
programs. *Yesterday morning the deadline for submitting signatures for the
House letters has been set for Monday, April 29! We have until EOB on
Monday to get signatures. *

Right now, we are far off from our goal of reaching the same number of
signatures as we had on the letters last year. We could really use support
from ALA chapter communications and from chapter leaders to get more
signatures.

We are asking you to make calls to your own Representatives and then follow
up by email.

The directions are as follows:

   1. Call your Representative's office.

   2. Ask for the education/library staffer for your Member of Congress.

   3. Deliver the short message below.

   4. Follow up with an email with template email message (provided below),
   which includes links to the dear appropriator letters.

The phone script, email and social posts should be customized with the name
of the Representative and, ideally, indicate if they have signed both, one
or neither letter. The chart on ALA's #FundLibraries web page
<https://www.ala.org/advocacy/fund-libraries> tells you which letters (if
any) your Representative has signed. Of course, if they have signed one of
the letters, do thank them!

We appreciate your voices and your influence as chapter leaders. Even
though the states that receive IAL funding put it to good use – building a
foundation of literacy in high-need places – every year
we must prod legislators for signatures. The combination of partisan
gridlock, election year politics and a proposed 4% cut to LSTA from the
White House could translate into decreased funding for LSTA in FY 2025.

Thank you for being a part of this national push, especially at a time
when you're fighting battles in your own states. If you have any questions
about these federal programs or ALA's #FundLibraries campaign, please
contact Kris Stewart, Grassroots Communications Manager (
kstewart at alawash.org).

*PHONE SCRIPT for calls to members of the U.S. House of Representatives*

Check ALA's updated chart on signature status:
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/fund-libraries#Sign%20ons
<https://www.ala.org/advocacy/fund-libraries#Sign%20ons>

Hello, I am the [title] of the [State] Library Association contacting you
because [your boss] has supported libraries in recent years.

Two bipartisan Dear Appropriator letters are circulating to support library
funding, and we note that [your boss] has not yet signed [either of these
letters].

One letter supports the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), which
returns valuable resources to your state every year. That letter is led by
Representatives Raul Grijalva and Don Bacon. On behalf of the members of
the [State] Library Association, I am asking all members of
the House [State] delegation to sign the Grijalva-Bacon LSTA letter.

The second letter supports the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL)
program, which is the only federal program directly supporting literacy
initiatives in school libraries. The letter is led by Representatives Jim
McGovern and Don Bacon. Again, on behalf of the members of
the [State] Library Association, I am asking [your boss] and all members of
the [State] House delegation to sign the McGovern-Bacon IAL letter.

The deadline to sign these letters is Monday! Thank you for passing along
my request soon.

*EMAIL TEMPLATE* (to follow up after phone calls)

Hello. I am following up on my earlier call urging [your boss] to support
libraries in our community in the FY 2025 budget. Every day, libraries
provide valuable, no-fee services to children and families, veterans,
unemployed, small businesses and entrepreneurs, seniors, and many others.
In many communities, libraries are the only resource for broadband access,
computing devices, and digital services.

Two bipartisan FY 2025 Dear Appropriator letters are circulating which
support of library funding and we note that [your boss] has not yet
signed [either of these letters]. On behalf of the members of
the [State] Library Association, I am asking all members of the
House [State] delegation to sign [both the LSTA and IAL letters].

One letter (text here
<https://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/FY%2025%20House%20LSTA%20Letter.docx>)
supports
the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and is led by Reps. Raul
Grijalva and Don Bacon. LSTA provides valuable resources for public
libraries in our state and resources for many of your constituents.

The second letter (text here
<https://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/FY%2025%20House%20IAL%20Letter_0.docx>)
supports
school libraries through the Innovative Approaches to Literacy
(IAL) program in the Department of Education. The IAL letter is led by
Reps. Jim McGovern and Don Bacon.

To sign the Grijalva-Bacon LSTA letter, contact Dorothy Holley at
Dorothy.Holley at mail.house.gov  or 225-2435.

To sign the McGovern-Bacon IAL letter, contact Isabella Edo at
Isabella.Edo at mail.house.gov or 225-6101.

*Please note that the deadline to sign these letters is Wednesday, May 1. *

Thank you for sharing my request today.

[closing valediction/signature]

*SOCIAL MEDIA AND LISTSERV POSTS*

In addition to making phone calls and sending emails to your own
congressional leaders, posting strategically in support of the
campaign from your personal social media accounts can move the needle.

Here are some suggestions and samples to work from (keeping in mind that
customization/using an authentic voice is best):

   - use the hashtag #FundLibraries
   - tag your members of Congress and urge them to sign the letters that
   help their constituents
   - include the May 1 deadline for House signatures

 For your convenience, feel free to repost/quote post one of ALA's social
media posts:

   - Twitter/X:  https://twitter.com/ALALibrary/status/1783562902059843737

   - Facebook:
   https://www.facebook.com/AmericanLibraryAssociation/posts/pfbid022vxWKKWzBbeDSmpYLpfrECPDNigNWMXH2zvcXjAErvUbKYYbdSz9Y1UiSa1vQJdFl

   - LinkedIn:
   https://www.linkedin.com/posts/american-library-association_fundlibraries-activity-7189329072940822529-HGmt?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

If you're posting on X/Twitter or Threads (which have a maximum word
count), be sure to separate the copy below into a two-post thread. The
first post is geared toward getting chapter members and library advocates
to act, while the second post is geared directly at your elected officials.
Here is a sample:

Fellow [@YourAssociation] members: I just asked my senators and
representative to sign letters to fully fund the LSTA and IAL programs.
Check your legislators' sign-on status here and join me to ask Congress to
#FundLibraries: [LINK: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/fund-libraries]

[@RepHandle], [State] libraries are counting on federal funding to support
summer reading, workforce programs, & more. Please stand with us &
#FundLibraries by signing letters supporting the LSTA and IAL
programs before the May 1 deadline. [LINK:
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/fund-libraries]

Kathy Lester, MLIS, MA
Adjunct Faculty, *Wayne State University, School of Information Science*
Advocacy Co-Chair, Past-President 2014*, **Michigan Association of School
Librarians (MASL)*
President, 2022-2023*, **American Association of School Librarians (AASL)*
Councilor At Large*, American Library Association (ALA)*
Retired School Library Media Specialist / Technology Coach*, **Plymouth-Canton
Community Schools*
*SL21 Model Library, 2017-2018*
*SL21 Exemplary Ranking - Michigan School Libraries for the 21st Century
2013-2022*
*ISTE Making IT Happen Award Winner*
*2017 MAME Michigan School Library Program of the Year*
*2012 **State Librarian's Excellence Award Winner*
kathyL at mimasl.org
twitter: @LibraryL <https://twitter.com/LibraryL>

"Every school librarian is a leader; every learner has a school librarian"
--American Association of School Librarians
<http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/advocacy/tools/docs/AASL_Position_Statement_Effective_SLP_2018.pdf>
 (AASL)
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