The last few years have been difficult for libraries and librarians, amid a surge in politically motivated book bans and legislative attacks on libraries and library workers. And with last night’s election results, the future for libraries just got a lot murkier, according to the customary election night wrap-up from nonpartisan library political action committee EveryLibrary.
“The last three years of censorship and discrimination fights should have been a wake-up call for our library organizations, stakeholders, advocates, and allies,” reads EveryLibrary’s post-election report, noting that American voters last night elected many politicians who have proposed defunding libraries and have targeted library workers. “Without some intervention to combat misinformation around libraries and library workers, voters will not suddenly realize they were wrong about their lack of support for these institutions. We have seen too many states pass laws that look like Project 2025, that throttle access, discriminate against minorities, and threaten librarians and educators."
Such attempts, say EveryLibrary reps, are now expected to increase in depth and scope.
“The library industry will need to do significant work over the next four years to mitigate potential cuts to library funding at the local, state, and federal levels,” the post concludes. “This will include organizing communities, providing resources to citizens to push back locally, and raising and spending significant funding on national campaigns to combat misinformation about the role of libraries in American society.”
As for specific library-related initiatives on the ballot last night, EveryLibrary reported mixed results.
EveryLibrary identified and tracked 73 individual libraries on the ballot, and as of this morning, 54 had passed, 13 lost, and one defunding measure (in Arkansas) also failed. “This is a 76% ‘win rate,’ which is down from the 10-year running win rate average of 90%,” the post states. EveryLibrary also reported “a significantly smaller number” of library ballot measures going to voters, continuing “a year-to-year decline” that began in 2017 that was magnified by the pandemic.
“The count of libraries on the ballot matters,” EveryLibrary reps say. “In some states, going to the ballot is the only way for public libraries to increase their operating funds or to issue debt for new building projects. If library leaders look at the political or social circumstances and decide against attempting a ballot measure, they will not be able to fund their libraries properly.”
EveryLibrary founder and executive director John Chrastka told PW that library supporters must steel themselves for the political challenges ahead. "These are going to be state-by-state and zipcode-by-zipcode fights," he said. "We've got the infrastructure set up with FightForTheFirst.org to win against censorship, but it is a resource-intensive battle. EveryLibrary wants to bring more allies to these local alliances."
The full election night report from EveryLibrary is here.
