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Incorporate a 

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Join us by raising your voice in following us on social media and sharing our posts. The more people  hear our story, the more we can raise awareness and critical funds to revolutionize healthcare.

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SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS (TO BE ADDED)

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Public libraries are more than just buildings or icons or ideas—they are a wellspring of possibility. Unlike any other institution, public libraries have a unique and unparalleled ability to bring people and knowledge together. They fill communities with the vitality of learning. The joy of personal growth. The excitement of advancing with the times. As the needs of our communities change, libraries are right there beside us, continually opening new passages for anyone who enters. Because public libraries are and always have been where possibility lives.

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Don't Know What to Say?

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Use these talking points to guide your comments. Please make it personal and tell your own story about why the Library is essential to you…

• If local government budgets truly reflect the values of the communities they serve, I believe the City of San José’s budget should prioritize our public libraries.

• As we continue to navigate an unpredictable pandemic, it is critical that the San José Public Library has the resources it needs to serve our most vulnerable neighbors and build a more equitable, educated, and engaged community.

• The Library has taken the lead in implementing the City’s Education and Digital Literacy Strategy, which has become even more critical during COVID-19, with tens of thousands of San José residents struggling with distance learning, underemployment, and financial hardship.

• I appreciate the Mayor and City Council’s continued support and investment in the City’s Digital Inclusion efforts, including community Wi-Fi, hotspot lending programs, expanded broadband connectivity, and digital literacy education.

• Significant cuts to Library services in the previous budgets should be fully restored so that the Library can open at full strength, ready to serve the community as we recover from the pandemic.

• Any continued cuts to Library hours, services, and staff will only exacerbate the growing digital divide in San José, which existed before COVID-19 and will continue to persist after it — unless we invest in solutions now.

• I call on city leaders to fully fund our Library in order to ensure an equity of opportunity for all of our residents.n’t know what to say?Use these talking points to guide your comments. Please make it personal and tell your own story about why the Library is essential to you…

• If local government budgets truly reflect the values of the communities they serve, I believe the City of San José’s budget should prioritize our public libraries.

• As we continue to navigate an unpredictable pandemic, it is critical that the San José Public Library has the resources it needs to serve our most vulnerable neighbors and build a more equitable, educated, and engaged community.

• The Library has taken the lead in implementing the City’s Education and Digital Literacy Strategy, which has become even more critical during COVID-19, with tens of thousands of San José residents struggling with distance learning, underemployment, and financial hardship.

• I appreciate the Mayor and City Council’s continued support and investment in the City’s Digital Inclusion efforts, including community Wi-Fi, hotspot lending programs, expanded broadband connectivity, and digital literacy education.

• Significant cuts to Library services in the previous budgets should be fully restored so that the Library can open at full strength, ready to serve the community as we recover from the pandemic.

• Any continued cuts to Library hours, services, and staff will only exacerbate the growing digital divide in San José, which existed before COVID-19 and will continue to persist after it — unless we invest in solutions now.

• I call on city leaders to fully fund our Library in order to ensure an equity of opportunity for all of our residents.

 

Burlingame Ideas

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The Burlingame Public Library is a cornerstone of our community offering free and open access for all to a wide variety of materials and resources. The need for this trusted institution has never been greater. We believe that Burlingame deserves an excellent library. Share our commitment to and passion for the library and its mission to: Awaken your curiosity. Spark your creativity. Strengthen your connections.

Here are some ways to advocate for our library:

• Get a library card – one of the most important cards in your wallet! Use the library with your family. Read well and widely!

• Attend library programs. There’s so many interesting options for you and your family.

• Make a donation to BLF (link) Your gift supports the library and demonstrates your community commitment.

• Champion the Library’s strategic plan (link).

• Volunteer with BLF (link) or the library and witness the library’s impact firsthand.

• Tell friends, neighbors and others about our library and its many resources.

• Follow the Burlingame Library Foundation on Facebook (link).

• Follow the Library on Facebook (link) or Instagram (link).

• Shop for books in BLF’s Library bookstore or online (link). All proceeds benefit the library.

• Encourage your friends and neighbors to become Burlingame Library (link) advocates.

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Speak up for your Library! Join our advocacy efforts by signing up for the Public Library Action Network here. You’ll receive updates on policy decisions and funding opportunities that impact The Seattle Public Library at the local, state, and federal levels, and learn about how you can take action to help keep the Library strong.

The Seattle Public Library is a treasured community resource because it receives strong support from public funding and private philanthropy secured through The Seattle Public Library Foundation.

Though the Foundation has raised more than $241 million in private gifts for the Library in its 40 years of existence, our advocacy work has helped secure $572 million in public dollars during the past 20 years alone.

The Foundation accomplishes this through:

• Levy support: In 2019, the Foundation’s Board of Directors endorsed a $219 million levy renewal that supports collections, technology upgrades, late fine elimination, and seismic upgrades for three Carnegie-era branches. This measure passed with 76 percent voter approval.

• Capital campaigns: The Foundation advocated for the 1998 Libraries for All campaign, a $196.4 million bond measure that led to the construction of the current Central Library, as well as 26 new or updated branches across the city.

• Advocacy for annual City-allocated funds: The Foundation strives each year to secure city funding that will ensure the Library meets the needs of our neighbors. We, along with our supporters, educate city officials on the Library’s benefits to the city and its role as a public service to all its residents.

Your support helps us leverage our resources to maximize the public-private partnership that makes The Seattle Public Library work.

Please contact the Foundation’s Senior Director of Communications and Advocacy, Will Livesley-O’Neill, at will (at) supportspl (dot) org with questions or for more information.

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