As part of a statewide effort to increase awareness on how the executive order to shut down the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and loss of federal funds will harm Wisconsin’s libraries, a “Speak Up for Libraries” postcard campaign is underway. Wisconsin public libraries are encouraging its patrons to write postcards to federal elected officials.
This campaign asks that libraries encourage their users to contact federal elected officials to share what the loss of federal funds to libraries means to them. To help, each library received a “Speak up for Libraries” postcard campaign toolkit at the end of May.
Following are instructions on how to use the kit:
- Each kit contains postcards, address labels, door sign, postcard dropbox (to be assembled), dropbox sticker, and an envelope for returning the postcards to the WVLS office.
- The postcard display can be set up anywhere in the library, including the circulation desk.
- People may write a postcard to any one of our federal legislators – Senators Tammie Baldwin and Ron Johnson and Representative Tom Tiffany. Postcard messages should be positive and share such information from the library user as:
- Why their library is important to them
- What they use their library for
- What they would miss the most if their library were to lose funding
- The “Speak Up for Libraries” website has a toolkit to download/print more signs and flyers. It also contains sample social media posts and newsletter text.
- Postage is not needed. Completed postcards should be placed in delivery back to WVLS no later than Tuesday, July 22. WVLS, along with the other public library systems, will send the postcards received to a central location. From there, postcards will be mailed to our legislators. It’s important that WVLS has a final count of postcards so we are billed appropriately.
Libraries that run out of postcards, or that might have extras, can contact WVLS Education Consultant Jamie Matczak at .