Fund Libraries Campaign

The FY23 Appropriations Letters have now closed, but the #FundLibraries Campaign isn't over yet!. 

The Senate Appropriations Committee has proposed historic funding for library facilities, along with increases in library funding. For the first time in over 25 years, Congress is on the verge of providing direct funding to build and improve library facilities nationwide!

However, the House is not yet on board. Stand with us and take action: urge your Representative to support library facilities funding in the Appropriations bill, a transformational investment for communities across the country. 

Use our action form to tell your members of Congress why this funding is critical for communities like yours!

Each year, ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office works with congressional staff to produce and circulate "Dear Appropriator" letters in Congress, addressed to members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The circulation of these letters marks the first and most influential nationwide advocacy action on the federal budget in any given year. As library advocates, we asked Congress to sign these letters and support federal funding for libraries. This year, the letters for the Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) were led by Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-3) and Rep. Peter Meijer (MI-3) in the House and Sen. Jack Reed (RI) and Sen. Susan Collins (ME) in the Senate. The letters for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy Act (IAL) were led by Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-2), Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Rep. Peter Meijer (MI-3), and Rep. Don Bacon (NE-2) in the House and Sen. Jack Reed (RI) and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI) in the Senate. Letters in the House closed April 22nd and letters in the Senate closed May 18th. 

Did your Senators sign on to support library funding for FY23?

Click to expand.

Check below to see if your Senators signed the LSTA and IAL letters.

 

Did your Representative sign on in support of library funding for FY23?

Click to expand.

Check below to see if your Representative signed the LSTA and IAL letters.

 

Want to do more?

  1. Download a handy one-pager of your state's IMLS funding history and library facts.

      State library factsheet preview
     
  2. Download our Appropriations pathway for advocates.

    Federal appropriations pathway onepager preview
     
  3. Invite members of Congress to visit your library. Check out these tips for organizing a virtual or in-person visit, and download this one-page introduction to Federal funding to share with them on the visit.

    Federal funding for libraries onepager preview
     
  4. Tell your story. Write a letter to the editor or share your story with the ALA advocacy team; we will hand-deliver it to your member of Congress.

    How to write a letter to the editor onepager preview
     
  5. Spread the word about #FundLibraries and share the impact of IMLS funding in your library or state. You can use our sample posts, and remember to tag your story with #FundLibraries.
     
  6. Not sure how IMLS funding is used in your state? Look it up in the IMLS database.
     
  7. Download all of our Fund Libraries graphics here.
    Facebook Share | Facebook Header | Facebook Profile | Instagram Share 
    Twitter Share | Twitter Banner | Twitter Ribbon | Photo Overlay

Related

Click to expand.

Don't see what you need? Tell us.