Slides from John Chrastka's keynote speech to the Northern Indiana Library Boards Assoc (NILBA) 2019 Trustee's Dinner.

1. Library Political
Literacy: Thriving,
Interesting, and
Prosperous
John Chrastka, EveryLibrary
NILBA 2019 Dinner
October 29, 2019

2. About EveryLibrary
EveryLibrary – 501(c)4 PAC
EveryLibrary Institute – 501(c)3 Non-Profit

3. Political Literacy for
Library Leaders

4. Is this Opposition or a
Legitimate Questions?
• Why do we need libraries anyways? Everything is on the
internet….
• Do people still use libraries?
• What do you do all day… Read?

5. These are
Legitimate
Questions
Why do we need libraries anyways?
Everything is on the internet….
Do people still use libraries?
What do you do all day… Read?

6. Eight Reasons Why Libraries Lose
1. When the day of the decision / vote is the first time enough people see the Plans.
2. Local elected officials don’t want it to pass.
3. An organized “any tax is a bad tax” group targets a ‘No’ vote.
4. There are local “watchdogs” who oppose everything in town.
5. Opposition is personal and attacks the staff or leadership.
6. The community is changing and the old town doesn’t like the new town.
7. The library staff or leadership kills it from inside.
8. Nostalgia for the old building (just for building projects, of course).

7. 1. No Marketing
• Engaged campaign.
• Talk about Plan B as well as Plan A.
• Focus on Non-Users.
• Humanize your marketing.
• Talk about “Yesterday”.

8. 2. Local Electeds
Oppose
• What are their own platforms?
• Build the popular coalition.
• Ask for the endorsement.
• Talk in the right political
language.

9. 2b.
Who’s Your
Actual Boss?
School Board What do town, city, and
county leaders care
about most of all?
What is at the core of
the hope people have
for their hometown?
What makes this place a more
interesting, thriving, and prosperous
place to live?

10. 2c. Interesting, Thriving,
and Prosperous
• Interesting
• Library’s programs and services
• Thriving
• Literacy, education, health,
connections, livable
• Prosperous
• Entrepreneurship
• Small Businesses
• Gigs and Side Work
• Workforce

11. 3. Organized Anti-Tax
Groups
•Invite them in early.
•Radical transparency.
•Stand on the mission,
vision, and values.
•Get beyond literacy in your
messaging.

12. 3a. Three Languages of Politics
• Progressive
• Conservative
• Libertarian

13. 4. Watchdogs: You May Need Guard Dogs
BUILD A BROAD
COALITION
ENGAGE LOCAL
NETWORKERS
(GOSSIPS)
STAND ON YOUR
VISION FOR THE
COMMUNITY
PUSH BACK SPIN IT UP
AND OUT

14. 4.5
Crusaders

15. 5. Personal
Attacks on
Board / Staff
• Be honest and (maybe) get
out of your own way.
• Honorary co-chairs.
• Advisory committee from
many sectors.
• Look past job titles and at
talent.
• Don’t hide. Don’t whine.

16. 6. Old Town vs.
New Town
• Convene conversations
early
• Talk about what new
money will do in an
honest and transparent
way
• Create and emphasize
points of leverage from
limited funding
• Who else cares?

17. 6A. Race, Class, Other
• Ask ”who are we missing?” and
follow the answer.
• Stand on your values.
• Invite and explain and dialog.
• Name it.

18. 7. Internal
Opposition
• Financial literacy.
• Participatory budgeting.
• Inclusive design.
• Talk about fear.
• Talk about politics.
• Legal briefing(s).

19. 7a. Understand the HB 1343 Process
…may adopt a resolution… for binding review and approval in the same
manner that is required under current law. (July 1 annually)
…if the public library's cash on hand plus its expected revenues is
greater than 150% of the public library's proposed budget. (These
amounts exclude gifts, bequests, and philanthropic funds and debt
funds.)
…Provides that the fiscal body … may not reduce the public library's
proposed operating budget or tax levy in a budget year by more than
10% of the public library's operating levy.

20. 7b. I Have Questions
• Why aren’t “Library Improvement Funds” considered under law in the
same way that “Cumulative Funds” are for counties and cities (as
established under § 6-1.1-41)?
• What happens in a binding review if the “appropriate fiscal body” had
approved a capital plan in a prior fiscal year and now wants to roll
back your budget? (§ 36-12-12-4)
• Contracts are contracts. What role do they play in a binding review?

21. 8. Nostalgia (Buildings)
• Talk to non-users about their
values.
• Legit next use.
• Legit tear down.
• Find or create your Home
Plate.

22. Political Literacy Pro Tips

23. FOUR STORIES TO TELL
Stories of our successes
Stories of our failures
Stories about people that the
audience cares about
Stories that decision makers
want to hear

24. MARKETING
YESTERDAY

25. Two Groups of Humans
Users = “As You Know”
Non-Users = “As You Can
Imagine”

26. Your are not alone.

27. John Chrastka, EveryLibrary
john.chrastka@everylibrary.org
312-574-0316
EveryLibrary.org | action.everylibrary.org | SaveSchoolLibrarians.org
facebook.com/everylibrary
@everylibrary
Thank You