An Appeal

With daily updates on federal and state loss of funding for libraries, and updates from school districts across Texas, slashing teacher and library jobs and educational resources, it is a very sad time for libraries and education in Texas, and across the nation, I am sure.  Grassroots planning and appeals to policymakers and politicians are in dire need.  Here is one appeal to TLA members I received today, with helpful tools on making an appeal for maintenance of library funding simple and quick. I urge any supporters of education, library programs, literacy and cultural/intellectual protection to follow these steps to appeal to lawmakers to stop further cuts to important funding.
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Dear TLA Member,


We need your help. As you know, we are all in the fight of our lives to protect library funding.  At the state level, we are working on making legislators aware of the dramatic cuts in state funds for key library programs, such as TexShare, Loan Star Libraries, and the K-12 database programs. In addition to losing state funding, we are also poised to lose millions in federal funding, which would affect Library Systems and interlibrary loan (among others).

We need to make sure every state representative and senator receives thousands of messages from local constituents. We need librarians AND members of the public to contact elected officials. TLA has created numerous tools to make it easy and non-threatening for anyone to advocate for libraries. The tools are in place, BUT WE MUST HAVE YOUR HELP IN REACHING THE PUBLIC. Below, you will find a list of online tools and activities to undertake, as well as a draft message you can send out to your own network of supporters and friends.

Please continue to contact your state legislators throughout the session. Use the email link below to send your own messages and PLEASE help us spread the word!  It will take only a few minutes to send an email, sign the online petition, and join the Facebook cause (Save Texas Libraries). Contact your friends, personal networks, colleagues, students, faculty, local organizations, and any potential library supporters you can reach. The session is far from over, and we must continue our advocacy efforts.

I. TOOLS

Link (http://capwiz.com/ala/tx/issues/alert/?alertid=22992501&PROCESS=Take+Action) to ready text for emailing legislators.  You can use this link yourself and make it available to anyone else to send emails. It takes just a couple of minutes.

Sign the TLA online Petition (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/texas_libraries/). It takes just a couple of minutes at most.

TLA Advocacy website (http://www.txla.org/take-action) - has quick info and links for taking action and PDF files of issue papers and current budget information.

Help us make our message viral on social media:
  · TLA’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/TexasLibraryAssociation. Link to us from your personal page, your library’s page, and your other Facebook pages. Here is a sample description to include:
“Texas Library Association  Take Action NOW!! Helps us protect funding for our state’s libraries. This link is set up to send an email to your legislators. Pass this link along to everyone and anyone to have them send an email to help restore library funding.”
  · Join the Save Texas Libraries Cause on Facebook and recruit others.

Updates on the legislative session are posted at: http://www.txla.org/texline-updates. 

PDFs of bookmarks and tent signs you can print and use are available online.

Talking Points at http://www.txla.org/local-talking-points.

II. SAMPLE MESSAGE to Email Out to Friends, Colleagues, and Networks

Dear Friends,

I am contacting you as a passionate supporter of libraries. As you know, the proposed state budget eliminates many key educational programs. Statewide library programs have taken a particularly hard hit: all state funding for the direct aid program to community libraries was zeroed out as well as state funding for online resources for public, academic (higher education), and school libraries.
I am asking for your help to speak out for our state’s libraries.  Please contact state legislators and ask them to restore state funding to libraries. In just about five minutes, you can take three key actions.

1)      Email your state legislators. The Texas Library Association has an automated site with ready text for emailing that will get your message directly to your own individual elected officials. Go to TAKE ACTION.
2)      Add your name to the TLA online petition “Save Texas Libraries.”
3)      Spread the word and get others to email also. Share this message with other library supporters. You can also join the social media campaign to raise awareness.
·        TLA’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/TexasLibraryAssociation. Link to us from your personal page, your library’s page, and your friends and board groups  pages.
·        Join the Save Texas Libraries Cause on Facebook and recruit others.

Thank you so much for you passion and commitment to Texas, education, and libraries.

Sincerely,


Thank you for your commitment to Texas libraries!

Gloria Meraz
Director of Communications
Texas Library Association
3355 Bee Cave Road, Ste. 401
Austin, TX 78746
512/328-1518; 800/580-2852
(fax)512/328-8852
www.txla.org