EDUCATION
AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS
Regardless of its organizational
structure, any library seeking a public vote on any issue, including its
budget, should conduct an educational and/or advocacy campaign before the vote.
This will ensure that the public has a full understanding of the rationale
behind the proposition(s) and the reasons for supporting it. The differences
between an educational campaign and an advocacy campaign are summarized below.
A library’s timeline for a public referendum should allow sufficient time to
organize and conduct appropriate educational and advocacy campaigns.
Educational Campaigns
The purpose of an educational campaign is
to ensure that the public understands the facts involved in a referendum. The
campaign might include the following:
• speaking
engagements
• newsletter
articles
• printing
and distribution of flyers, ads, and other information
Materials should highlight the library’s
budget, the amount being requested, the potential cost per average homeowner or
family if the vote passes, and what the library will do with the additional
funding. Educational campaigns should not encourage people to vote one way or
the other on a proposition, but simply provide them with the facts necessary to
make an informed decision. A library can use public tax money on an educational
campaign. For good ideas on educational campaigns, talk to contacts in other
public libraries and school districts.
Advocacy Campaigns
The purpose of an advocacy campaign is to
influence voters to either vote in favor of or in opposition to a ballot
proposition. A library cannot use public tax money on an advocacy campaign. It
is best if a separate group using private funding conducts the advocacy effort.
A library’s existing Friends group may take on this responsibility. However, in
some cases, an ad-hoc citizens group may conduct advocacy efforts. That group
might include people in the community who are passionate about the library and
are willing to donate funds and their time to influence the outcome of the
vote. Advocacy campaigns might make use of the following:
• flyers
• newspaper ads
• letters to the editor
• phone calls to
prospective voters
• speaking engagements
• other measures to urge
people to vote in favor of a ballot proposition
Understanding Roles and Responsibilities
In every campaign, it is important for
everyone to have a clear understanding of responsibilities and roles. Here is a
typical list of participants and potential roles for a library educational and
advocacy campaign:
Retains ultimate responsibility for the overall
effort. Hires consultants, legal counsel, and other expertise as necessary and
appoints a steering committee.
Steering Committee
Should
include members of the library board, the library director, and influential
people within the community who are supportive of the library. Works closely
with consultants hired by the board of trustees and provides direction to the
educational and advocacy campaigns.
Serves
as a member of the steering committee and works closely with consultants to
ensure that required information from the library is available. Assists in
public presentations, development of educational materials, and other
activities as needed.
Library Advocacy
Group
May
be the library’s Friends group or a separately organized ad-hoc group
consisting of dedicated volunteers who will carry out activities associated
with the advocacy campaign. Carries out activities such as identifying library
supporters throughout the proposed library service area and contacting them
individually to request their positive vote on election day; calling people a
day or two prior to the election to remind them to vote; driving people to and
from the polling place on the day of the vote; identifying potential opposition
to the library vote and taking steps approved by the steering committee to
counter the opposition.