Colorado Association of Libraries wins ALA President’s Award for Advocacy, sponsored by United for Libraries

PHILADELPHIA — The Colorado Association of Libraries is the recipient of the 2013 ALA President’s Award for Advocacy, sponsored by United for Libraries.

The Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL) won for its 2012 campaign “Literacy Through Libraries: A Dollar Does It.” The campaign was to restore state funding for libraries; although a funding mechanism in the state budget had existed since 2001, the line item had gone unfunded for years due to budget constraints. This left Colorado as one of only a few states with no direct support of libraries.

CAL requested one dollar per capita, for a total of $5.2 million statewide. The legislative committee that designed the request felt that it was unlikely the full amount would be received, but the goal was to receive any funding possible, and re-establish libraries as a priority in the state budget. The campaign information with the theme was distributed statewide to library directors, trustees, friends and foundations. CAL heard from supporters across the state who stepped up on behalf of libraries, and was notified that the joint budget committee approved a motion to include $2 million to fund the State Grants to Libraries Act for only the second time in 10 years.

“We are gratified that our legislators responded to the targeted message and campaign carried on by so many library advocates in Colorado,” said Robin Gard of the CAL Legislative Committee. “We have made every effort to establish on-going relationships with state lawmakers through sharing the library’s role in helping Coloradans succeed.”

For a complete summary of the campaign, visit www.ala.org/united/grants_awards/advocacy.

The ALA President’s Award for Advocacy, sponsored by United for Libraries, includes $1,000 to the winning state campaign for the further development of citizens across the state as advocates. CAL will be recognized at the Opening General Session of the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, Ill.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association that supports citizens who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries. United for Libraries brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information or to join United for Libraries, visit the United for Libraries website or contact Jillian Kalonick at (312) 280-2161 or jkalonick@ala.org.

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