Overview
As the saying goes, all politics is local. And 90% of funding for public libraries comes from the will of local politicians and, in turn, from local voters. So it's urgent that librarians, library supporters, and anyone interested in running an election or campaign for a library understand the strategies, resources, and tactics necessary for positive political action. Whether election day is four months away or four years away, there are immediate steps library leaders and local library ballot committees should take to help secure a successful ballot initiative later. Written by two experienced library campaigners, this action-driven manual for anyone running a political campaign for libraries dives into * proven successful campaigning techniques for rural, suburban, and urban settings;* expert analysis on how political perceptions are formed, how political power works, and ways libraries can reach funding or political goals;* starting the discussion internally;* the right approach to setting up the committee structure, and identifying the core leadership team for the committee;* tips on networking, cultivating good relationships with the power players in the community, and building a winning coalition;* canvassing and direct voter contact;* responding effectively to opposition, including voters who habitually resist taxes or library funding increases;* the differences between paid media and earned media; and* best practices for marketing and message development, fundraising, volunteer engagement, and other key areas.Filled with easy to follow strategies, this book will guide ballot committees, librarians, trustees, and library advocates through the process of winning an election for funding their library. LIS students will also benefit from the early exposure to political literacy skills provided by this book.
Full Product Details
Author: Patrick Sweeney ,
John Chrastka ,
John Chrastka
Publisher: Association of College & Research Libraries
Imprint: Association of College & Research Libraries
Dimensions:
Width: 14.90cm
, Height: 1.50cm
, Length: 22.60cm
Weight: 0.380kg
ISBN: 9780838915561
ISBN 10: 0838915566
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 30 May 2017
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Temporarily unavailable
The supplier advises that this item is temporarily unavailable. It will be ordered for you and placed on backorder. Once it does come back in stock, we will ship it out to you.
Reviews
"If you work in a public library in the U.S., buy this book, read it thoroughly, and use everything it teaches you throughout your library career ... Your budget could depend in it."""" — MarketingLibraryServices.com """"The authors do a masterful job of laying out the challenges library advocates can expect, while energizing readers all the while ... Sweeney and Chrastka deserve credit for a very up-to-date approach. The book includes discussion about the recent election of President Donald Trump and notes an increased potential for anti-library rhetoric, devoting a chapter to how best to respond to opponents, even opponents who lie. The authors have turned what can seem daunting and insurmountable into something very possible and approachable. Best of all, it feels like the authors are walking hand in hand with readers and will be with them every step along the way.""""— VOYA """" The emphasis of this book is on best practices to help the reader through this difficult yet effective way of gaining and maintaining library funding through political action. Highly recommended for public libraries and any library that receives partial or full public funding.""""— Catholic Library World"
If you work in a public library in the U.S., buy this book, read it thoroughly, and use everything it teaches you throughout your library career ... Your budget could depend in it."""" — MarketingLibraryServices.com """"The authors do a masterful job of laying out the challenges library advocates can expect, while energizing readers all the while ... Sweeney and Chrastka deserve credit for a very up-to-date approach. The book includes discussion about the recent election of President Donald Trump and notes an increased potential for anti-library rhetoric, devoting a chapter to how best to respond to opponents, even opponents who lie. The authors have turned what can seem daunting and insurmountable into something very possible and approachable. Best of all, it feels like the authors are walking hand in hand with readers and will be with them every step along the way.""""— VOYA """" The emphasis of this book is on best practices to help the reader through this difficult yet effective way of gaining and maintaining library funding through political action. Highly recommended for public libraries and any library that receives partial or full public funding.""""— Catholic Library World
If you work in a public library in the U.S., buy this book, read it thoroughly, and use everything it teaches you throughout your library career ... Your budget could depend in it. - MarketingLibraryServices.com The authors do a masterful job of laying out the challenges library advocates can expect, while energizing readers all the while ... Sweeney and Chrastka deserve credit for a very up-to-date approach. The book includes discussion about the recent election of President Donald Trump and notes an increased potential for anti-library rhetoric, devoting a chapter to how best to respond to opponents, even opponents who lie. The authors have turned what can seem daunting and insurmountable into something very possible and approachable. Best of all, it feels like the authors are walking hand in hand with readers and will be with them every step along the way. - VOYA The emphasis of this book is on best practices to help the reader through this difficult yet effective way of gaining and maintaining library funding through political action. Highly recommended for public libraries and any library that receives partial or full public funding. - Catholic Library World
Author Information
Patrick ""PC"" Sweeney is a tireless and innovative advocate for libraries and the current political director for EveryLibrary. A 2007 graduate of the San Jose School of Library and Information Sciences, he is a former administrative librarian of the Sunnyvale (California) Public Library and was executive director of EveryLibrary California, a statewide ballot committee to support library ballot propositions. He is active in the California Library Association and across library social media as a cofounder of the ALA Think Tank. His library blog is well respected, and he is a sought-after speaker and presenter. A recent project, the Story Sailboat, worked to provide library services and materials-by boat-in the San Francisco Bay area. He was named a 2015 Mover & Shaker by Library Journal and tweets at @pcsweeney. John Chrastka is EveryLibrary's founder and is a longtime library trustee, supporter, and advocate. He is a former partner in AssociaDirect, a Chicago-based consultancy focused on supporting associations in membership recruitment, conference, and governance activities. He is a former president and member of the Board of Trustees for the Berwyn (Illinois) Public Library (2006-2015) and is a former president of the Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System (RAILS) multi-type library system. Prior to his work at AssociaDirect, he was director for membership development at the American Library Association. He is a member of the ALA as well as the Illinois Library Association and the American Political Sciences Association. He was named a 2014 Mover & Shaker by Library Journal and tweets @mrchrastka.
