Spring 2024. This year during National Library Week (April 8 - 13), EveryLibrary celebrates the one-year anniversary of Fight for The First, the online platform that provides tools to local communities who want to take action against book bans in community libraries around the United States.
What's Fight for the First?
Fight for the First is a website that enables citizens to take action against book bans in their community while gaining direct support from EveryLibrary, the 501c4 political action committee dedicated to building voter support for libraries. A person who creates a campaign on the Fight for the First website is able to take advantage of EveryLibrary's extensive supporter and partner network. EveryLibrary also provides training and support to make Fight for the First campaigns more successful.
"EveryLibrary provides resources to help small community groups rally support and affect change for their library," said John Chrastka, Executive Director of EveryLibrary. "When free speech is threatened, EveryLibrary offers important services to help libraries remain a free and essential public resource."
How Has Fight for the First Benefited Campaign Organizers?
The Fight for the First website makes it easy to develop a community around local campaigns. Through the platform, groups are able to get together socially, encourage attendance at meetings, and create actions. Organizers can use the Fight for the First platform to:
- Develop petitions and actions
- Communicate with your supporters
- Create events and actions
- Get support from staff and from fellow members
- Launch a movement for the First Amendment
Since it was created one year ago, the Fight for the First platform has facilitated:
- 64,164 unique members joined
- 88 petitions created
- 73,352 signatures collected
- 214 emails sent
Success In Worcester County, MD
Fight for the First was designed to support free speech rights, including when the public engages library boards and school boards in our democratic republic. Its effectiveness is demonstrated in a recent campaign that took place in Worcester County, MD. The Worcester County Commission did not allow for a public comment period in their meetings. This lack of open dialogue meant that residents were unable to voice their concerns or opinions on issues before decisions were made. In this case, a Fight for the First campaign was organized by a local group called Worcester United to support petition and assembly rights. The campaign had a straightforward yet powerful call to action: "Every County Commissioners meeting should include time for public comment."
Worcester United fielded a successful petition that gathered over 275 signatures from across their rural county. EveryLibrary spent money on digital ads in their area to help amplify their call to action. Because they were able to be heard as a political and social force, the county has now committed to creating a new policy to allow for public comment.
Success In Marathon County, Wisconsin
The Marathon County Public Library was under attack for weeks after Supervisor David Baker proposed an Amendment to dismantle the library system. In response to this threat, the Marathon County Public Library Alliance launched a petition on our Fight for the First petition platform, urging supervisors not to defund the library.
The public responded quickly and overwhelmingly in favor of the library. The requested budget passed without Supervisor David Baker's proposed amendment to reduce funding and abolish the library system.
"Fight for the First stands as a beacon for fundamental values, empowering communities to defend free access to information," emphasizes Patrick Sweeney, Deputy Director at EveryLibrary Institute, Political Director at EveryLibrary. "We're honored to mark the one-year milestone of this crucial platform during National Library Week. People's support through donations ensures we can continue this vital work.
How to Donate
Anyone seeking to support Fight for the First can do so by donating through the website at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/fightforthefirst
If you are fighting book bans in your community library, or need to organize a public campaign to support free speech in your public library system, you can use Fight for the First to get started at https://www.fightforthefirst.org
About EveryLibrary
EveryLibrary is a 501c4 political action committee dedicated to building voter support for libraries. Since 2012, EveryLibrary has provided donor-supported pro-bono advising and consulting to 63 library campaigns helping to win over $220 million in stable tax funding. Beginning in 2016, EveryLibrary has provided strategic and tactical support to school library communities on education and tax policy, along with supporting dozens of challenges to school library budgets and school librarian positions in schools and districts across the country.
About EveryLibrary Institute
The EveryLibrary Institute is a national 501c3 non-profit with a mission to support libraries and librarians in the United States and abroad. We partner with allied organizations including foundations, philanthropic organizations, associations, non-profits, and academic institutions to enhance the perception of libraries and librarianship through direct engagement with the public.
