John Chrastka delivered the keynote for the Alaska Library Association's 2016 Annual Conference in Fairbanks, AK on 11 March called "How to win funding and influence politicians".

1. How to Win Funding and
Influence Politicians
#AKLA2016
John Chrastka, EveryLibrary
@mrchrastka | @everylibrary
Building voter support for libraries

2. ● First Nationwide PAC for
Libraries
● Set up as a c4 rather than
a c3
● 33 Campaigns to date
25 wins
● $64.4 million in stable tax
funding
● Pro Bono Approach

3. ● Negotiation and Lobbying Support
for funding
● Over 50 trainings - from individual
libraries to state assoc and agencies
● #votelibraries 2016
● The Political Librarian
● everylibrary.org - professional facing
votelibraries.org - public facing
action.everylibrary.org - petitions and
events

4. Voter Data that Frames Our
Discussion
“From Awareness to Funding” says…
Building voter support for libraries

5. Voter Attitudes
Nationwide, of all voters:
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.
Building voter support for libraries

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. What Activates Constituents for Library Funding?
● Is the reason for the tax - and process to get there -
legitimate?
● Is there a difference between Plan A and Plan B?
● Where is my money going? and
Who is spending my money?

10. What Activates Voters?
Seven Factors:
 A Reason to Vote
 Mobilized
 Personal Contact with Candidate or Issue*
 Culture/Tradition/Habit of Voting*
 Trust in Government
 Decided to Vote
 Weather/Access to Polls
Building voter support for libraries

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

12. What is Your Book?
Strategic Plan
Management Plan
Service/Programs/Collections Plan
Fundraising Goals
Financials and Fiduciary
Building voter support for libraries

13. Talking to Politicians
about Libraries
Building voter support for libraries

14. Why Talk Politics and Libraries?
Your funders - elected officials - listen to voters.
Not all voters. Their voters.
Building voter support for libraries

15. Talking to Politicians about Libraries
Building voter support for libraries
Politicians respond to only two things - Money and People. We probably
can’t get the money, but the data shows that libraries are well supported by
the people. So we definitely get the people.
Your electeds listen to their voters. They will be responsive if you can speak
not only to the needs of your community, but also why and how the
librarians are a partner in addressing those needs.
Your electeds have an agenda. They can be responsive if your ask aligns
with a core reason that they ran for office.

16. How to Win Over
Elected Officials
Building voter support for libraries

17. Guiding Principle: The Haycock Rule

18. The Haycock Rule
“The rules of advocacy include recognizing that the target warrants respect, that
the target makes decisions for his or her own reasons, not ours, and that the most
effective advocacy is about connecting agendas (your agenda will be advanced by
supporting our request). Advocacy is like banking—you can’t make withdrawals if
you have never made any deposits.”
- “A” does stuff for “Z” because “A” wants “Z” to like them
- John does stuff for Patrick not only because John likes Patrick but because
John knows that if he doesn’t help Patrick move (again) then Patrick may not
like John as much.

19. “We got it because we asked”
Building voter support for libraries

20. But You Need to Ask
Elected officials get a lot of "asks". If we don't ask, we don't get heard. If we are
not in line when the line moves, it moves without us. If we're not 'fundable', when
the funding comes we're not going to get any.
What makes us fundable?
Do you have the authorization to be in the appropriations?
When can we change the authorizing language
Building voter support for libraries

21. Researching Your Electeds
What committees does your elected sit on (policy/budget/approps) that libraries
are part of?
What committees does your elected sit on (policy/budget/approps) that libraries
have never been in?
What caucuses are your electeds involved in that may not normally look at
libraries?

22. Mapping Your Ask to Elected
Officials’ Priorities

23. Pro-Tips for Elected Officials
It is a discussion, not a debate.
Unless you know the elected is actually opposed or is on the
record as true friend to libraries, assume they are neutral,
interested, and unaware.
Building voter support for libraries

24. Conventional Wisdom Says….
Ask “open ended questions”...
What do you think of libraries?
What can libraries do for you and your position?
What can we (librarians) do to support your work?
Building voter support for libraries

25. Two Key Question for Legislators
1) How do you see libraries fitting into this ordinance/bill?
1) How do you see librarians putting this idea to work in the
community?
Building voter support for libraries

26. Making a New Ask

27. Making a New Ask
1. Where does revenue come from?
2. What are the priorities of my elected officials?
3. What is “regular order” for the lawmaking or rulemaking
body?
4. How can I make this easy for them?

28. Understanding Regular Order
I. Dates and Statutory Deadlines
II. Rules and Process for participation
III.How the ordinance / bill starts
IV.How the ordinance / bill moves
V. How to amend on the floor
Backroom work still gets it done. Out front is political cover,
political pressure, or political affirmation.

29. Making a “New Ask” Easier
We have developed model language for an ordinance/bill that
would address X or Y or Z.
Would you like to see it?
Building voter support for libraries

30. Extending Your Influence
Building voter support for libraries

31. What do Electeds Know?
● Vision for the community is the key story to tell
● You will either have more money than people, or more
people than money
● Elections are won through coalitions
● Endorsements drive legitimacy
● Proxies who to speak for the candidate are necessary
Building voter support for libraries

32. Extending Your Influence
What systems already exist in your community or statewide that align with
libraries? Where are your natural partnerships? Who are you regularly frustrated
with?
State and Local Systems:
Boards and Commissions
Coalitions of Common Cause
Coalitions of Common Concern

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

34. Building your Message

35. Plan A | Plan B
● What happens if it passes….
● What happens if it fails…..
● Talk about ’features’
● But focus on the outcomes

36. 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
Remember – Use Does Not Matter
Building voter support for libraries

37. Big Ideas for Alaska Libraries
★ Look outside of Alaska for donor and federal money
★ Your library is ‘shovel ready’ for new money on social services, education,
workforce development, community livability. Map it now. Ask for it.
★ When they want to cut you, say No. Then say “here is why”.
★ Build Likes and Emails of residents for advocacy.

38. John Chrastka
EveryLibrary
www.everylibrary.org
facebook/everylibrary
@everylibrary
Building voter support for libraries
Thank You