Name: Trustee Track: On the Path to the Ballot: Preparing Your Community for a Successful Library Funding Measure
Start: 2026-09-10T16:00:00-0600
End: 2026-09-10T17:00:00-0600

Trustee Track: On the Path to the Ballot: Preparing Your Community for a Successful Library Funding Measure

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Library ballot measures rarely succeed when they are introduced as a last-minute measure. The real work happens years before Election Day. Long before a question is filed with the clerk of elections, libraries must build trust, engage partners, test community attitudes, and communicate transparently about their plans.
This session explores the strategic path libraries can follow in the five years leading up to a ballot measure, including how to understand voter attitudes, identify community partners, build coalitions, and develop values-based messaging that resonates with both library users and non-users. Drawing on research about voter perceptions of libraries and real-world election experience, the session outlines practical steps for engaging stakeholders, surfacing potential opposition early, and coordinating with Friends groups and foundations while remaining compliant with legal and ethical requirements.
Participants will leave with a clear framework for engaged planning, community consultation, and informational communication campaigns that position their library for a successful ballot measure when the time comes. This program is designed for library directors, trustees, Friends groups, and library leaders who may someday consider a bond or tax measure and want to begin building the community relationships and strategic groundwork necessary for success.

Speakers

John Chrastka

Executive Director, EveryLibrary

I am the executive director of EveryLibrary, the national political action committee for libraries. I am open to chat about ballot measures, local political issues, and ways to improve relationships with local elected officials and stakeholders. All of our work is pro-bono and for... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Trustee Track

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CALCON 2026 Courageous Libraries Resilient Communities

John Chrastka

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CALCON 2026 Courageous Libraries Resilient Communities

John Chrastka

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