Orchestrating PR to Save Your LibraryJune 27, 2010

“You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's

an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”

Rahm Emanuel

ChapterOneIntroduction:

A Brief History of Ohio Public Libraries

Chapter Two

State Financial Emergency

• Governor proposed to balance state’s budget by raiding public library funding

• Proposed cuts: $227.3 million in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 as part of his plan to fill the $3.2 billion gap

• Already lost 20% of state revenue in January 2009; proposing an additional 30% cut

• Came at a time when Ohio’s public libraries were experiencing unprecedented increases in demand for services

• Libraries could close or face significant reductions in operations as a result

• 70% of the state’s public libraries rely solely on state funding

Fin

an

cia

l C

risis

!

Ohio Library Council sends an alert

Chapter

Ohio Libraries Mobilize

Three

• Ohioans and Library Directors called to action to save Ohio libraries

• A campaign is born… “Save Ohio Libraries”

• Put signs in windows

• Email patrons

• Call the local TV stations

• Interrupt websites with splash pages, contacts for legislators

• Talking points

• “Lights out” for 5 minutes

CA

LL T

O

AC

TIO

N!

“A library is not a luxury, but one of the necessities

of life.”

-- Henry Ward Beecher

FourChapter

Cleveland Public Library

Rallies

Campaign Results

• Deeper cuts were avoided

• Better relationships were created between the state legislators and libraries.

• 25 out of 29 local levies passed in the state of Ohio during 2009.

ChapterFivegeekthelibrary.org

Campaign

Chapter

Seven

Go write it!

Cleveland Public Library

Thank you!