Building the Library Coalition One Sweet Tea at a Time

1. Building voter support for libraries Building the Library Coalition One Sweet Tea at a Time Presented for the Mississippi Library Commission by John Chrastka, EveryLibrary@mrchrastka | @everylibrary

2. About EveryLibrary • First Nationwide PAC for Libraries • Set up as a 501c4 rather than a c3 • 63 Campaigns to date • $220+ million in stable tax funding • Pro Bono Approach

3. Negotiation and Lobbying Support for funding • Trainings for libraries, state associations, and other orgs • #votelibraries 2016 • The Political Librarian journal • SaveMSimls.org for Mississippi library funding

4. Webinar Objectives: • Understand the difference between "Common Cause" and "Common Concern" coalitions • Identifying existing coalitions for your library to join, and evaluating local boards and commissions for the library • Creating a new coalition with the library as the convener • Empowering your board and staff to be the library's representative to a coalition

5. Voter Data that Frames Our Discussion “From Awareness to Funding” says…

6. Voter Attitudes about Libraries 37% will Definitely vote yes for the library 37% will Probably vote yes for the library 26% will Probably or Definitely vote no or may vote either way. - “From Awareness to Funding” OCLC 2008

7. Library Use Does Not Matter A voter’s willingness to support increased library funding is not driven, or limited, by library use. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p. 7-2 Building voter support for libraries

8. Library as Transformative Force [T]he library is not perceived as just a provider of practical answers and information; the most committed supporters hold the belief that the library is a transformational force. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p. 7-4 Building voter support for libraries

9. Attitude - Not Demographics The factors that determine residents’ willingness to increase their taxes to support their local library are their perceptions and attitudes about the library and the librarian. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p. 7-3 Building voter support for libraries

10. Library Use Does Not Matter A voter’s willingness to support increased library funding is not driven, or limited, by library use. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p. 7-2 Building voter support for libraries

11. What Activates Voters for a Library Measure? The Librarian is the Candidate The Library is the Incumbent

12. Run “As” or “Against” the Incumbent “As” = New Funding Extends Success “Against” = New Funding Fixes Problems The Library’s record will be considered, but it isn’t the only factor in the race Building voter support for libraries

13. How Voters Relate to Candidates • Shared Values - Do they care about people like me? • Shared Identity - Trust that the candidate is representing my concerns. • Personal Characteristics - Has qualities I like. • Predictability - Behavior about policy makes sense to me. • -The Political Brain, p. 140

14. The First Glass Your “Insiders” are Your First Coalition

15. Who Joins a Library Team ? • They are involved in their communities • They recognize the library’s importance to the community and to a child’s education • They are not always heavy users of the library, but believe the library is a noble place, important and relevant to the community

16. Who Joins the Library Team? • They recognize the value of a ‘passionate librarian’ as a true advocate for lifelong learning • They see the library as a vital community resource like public schools, fire and police, and are willing to increase their taxes to support the library. - OCLC "From Awareness to Funding" p7-4

17. How Do We Find Those People?

18. Identify Your Team with 5 Quick Questions Q1. Why is the library important to you, personally? Q2. What is your favorite reason to use the library? Q3. Who does the Library serve? * Q4. Why is the library important to those people? Q5. What will new funding do to serve those communities? Building voter support for libraries

19. Use of the Library Does Not Matter • To Library Users: • “As you know...” • Personal Value Proposition • Value for Other • Activation as a Voter • To Non-Users: • “As you can imagine...” • Value to/for “Other” • Satisfaction as a Voter Building voter support for libraries

20. Coalitions 101 Pour Another Tea

21. All issues are advanced by Coalitions Building voter support for libraries

22. Coalition 101 Common Cause? Common Concern? Shared Values Framework Never 100% overlap or you should just merge

23. Coalition 101 “Common Cause” about a Community Issue e.g. Housing or food security; redevelopment “Common Concern” for a Population e.g. ELL, Homebound, Job Seekers Coalitions are among equals. Libraries tend to ‘serve’ and not see themselves as equals.

24. Coalition 101 Confusing ‘project partners’ with ‘coalition partners’ Confusing ‘sponsors’ with ‘coalition partners’ Confusing ‘should be partners’ with ‘actually are partners’

25. Coalition 101 Pro-Tip “Coalitions allow you to advance your agenda by making it part of other agendas.” - John Chrastka, EveryLibrary

26. Identify an Existing Coalition Who else wants a glass?

27. What is Your Agenda? Strategic Plan Management Plan Service/Programs/Collections Plan Fundraising Goals Financials and Fiduciary

28. Easy Coalitions to Join • Where do your biggest partners hang out? • What coalitions do your biggest donors already belong to? • What have you turned down already because you don’t have time?

29. Exiting Coalitions to Look For State and Local Contexts Boards Commissions Alliances Councils Coalition for/to

30. What Coalitions are Right for You? Economic Development Early Literacy and Early Childhood Grade Level Reading Housing and Food Security Immigration Safety and Violence

31. Is this Coalition Right for me? • A clear ‘ask’ to potential members? • A buy-in for membership? • Is the coalition organized for success? • Is there a track record of communications • Is there a budget (money or time) for coalition? • Are they folks you’d have a glass of tea with? Building voter support for libraries

32. How to Build a Coalition Advancing your agenda by making it part of other agendas

33. Building a New Coalition • A clear ‘ask’ to potential members • What is the problem / solution? • What defines buy-in? • Identify coalition leadership, key organizations, and junior partner organizations • Draft an coalition organizational chart / structure • Committees • Roles for each organization Building voter support for libraries

34. Building a New Coalition 4) Internal communications protocols and infrastructure 5) Communications with external stakeholders, the public, and lobbying targets 6) Budget for coalition work - Money and time both matter Building voter support for libraries

35. Talking Coalitions Articulate why you think / believe / hope that these organizations will care about your big issue or goal Building voter support for libraries

36. Power Mapping Who are Your Potential Coalition Members?

37. *Power Mapping

38. Who Else Cares = Potential Partners • Educational Partners • Social Welfare and Religious Partners • Governmental Partners • Civic Partners • Business Partners • Politicians • Media Building voter support for libraries

39. Over a Glass of Sweet Tea I Like what you’re doing ---> We’ll keep you informed... I Support what you are doing ---> How you can help... I Want to identify with it ---> You’re on the committee! Building voter support for libraries

40. Who Cares about Education? 1. Educational Partners Pre-K and K-12 College/University For-Profit Tutoring Private/Public After-School Programs Three Messages: Library as Educational Partner, Library as Resource Extender, Library as Gap Filler Building voter support for libraries

41. Who Cares about the Same Populations? 2. Social Welfare and Religious Partners Counseling Centers Food Pantry / WIC Jobs Training Center Literacy Centers Youth Oriented Human Services Three Messages: Library as Resource Extender, Library as Third Place, Library as Start Point Building voter support for libraries

42. Who Cares What Your Tax Rate is? 3. Governmental Partners Parks and Recc Public Safety – Police and Fire Public Works Public Employee Unions Tribal Government Transit and Development Three Messages: Library as Contact Place, Library as Info Point, Library in Common Cause Building voter support for libraries

43. Who Wants to Change the World a Bit? 4. Civic Partners Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis Military Family Support Heritage and Local History GLBT, Immigrant and New Resident Arts & Culture Environment and Livable Communities Three Messages: Library as Social Leveler, Library as Neutral Good, Library as [insert organizational cause the library already champions] Building voter support for libraries

44. Who Doesn’t Know about Libraries? 5. Business Partners Local Chamber / CVB Startups and Entrepreneurs Small Businesses – Service or Retail Big Civilian Employers & Military Realtors Three Messages: Librarian as Business Reference Resource, Library as Training Space, Library as Retail Anchor Building voter support for libraries

45. Who has Constituents? 6. Politicians Incumbents Insurgents City / County / State / Federal Three Messages: Library as Good Governance, Library as Responsible with Budget, Library as [insert their pet project] Building voter support for libraries

46. Who Needs to Hear it First? 7. Media and Local Networks Print, Radio and TV Social Media Groups Bloggers Networkers, Connectors (Gossips) Key Messaging is always your campaign themes and talking points Building voter support for libraries

47. From time to time, coffee is OK too Building voter support for libraries

48. Keep it Relevant

49. Sending Someone Other than You How to Move Your People Out Onto the Front Porch

50. Come Back Your Agenda Strategic Plan Management Plan Service/Programs/Collections Plan Fundraising Goals Financials and Fiduciary