Save the NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign

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Members: Please review this urgent communication from the organizers of Urban Librarians Unite. I received this bulletin from the president of SLA NY Chapter. Please respond in any way you deem appropriate from sending the postcards to ... Read moresubmitting your own ideas. I believe there will be a rally Tuesday. Watch this space!

The following message was sent to SLA-NY members by Leigh Hollingsby. If you haven't already sent in a postcard, please do so. Public libraries are essential elements of NYC communities. Public libraries and public librarians need your support.

From: Christian Zabriskie

First and foremost thank you all for your support and assistance with the Save the NYC Libraries Postcard campaign. The purpose of this email is to bring core stake holders and contacts up to date.

Queens Library issued 90 day notices to over 35% of its staff last week. We hope that the library will be able to retract ALL of the more than 400 letters that went out. The fact that Queens is doing this should be seen as the canary in the coal mine at other systems. If this budget goes through not only will we be forced to close dozen of libraries across the city but scores will be only open 2-3 days a week. The library will become one more inconvenience and the habit of usage will drop off.

Through your efforts the postcard campaign is going well. We have cards coming in from all over the city and people have been soliciting postcards in the community and at library rallies. CM Van Bramer and his office are pleased with how the campaign is progressing and have been great to work with throughout. We have a very active Facebook group with nearly 800 members and growing steadily:

http://www.facebook.c...

We are also trying to use Facebook as an organizational tool for events to support the libraries. We have photos from rallies up there as well as news about the budget fight. There has been increasing news coverage of the impact this budget will have on libraries, a trend we hope will continue. Clips follow this message.

This is a remarkable group of allies and I would like to commend and thank you for that. Currently this campaign has been endorsed at varying levels by Urban Librarians Unite, Local 1321 Queens Library Guild, Metro Library Council, ACRL/NY, SLA/NY, LLA/NY, The Desk Set, Rad Ref/NYC, and The Last Hire/First Fire Activist Council & Breakfast Club. Your members are our heroes and without your support and efforts this campaign would not be possible.

As layoffs become a reality people often shrug and say ?what can you do about it?. You are proving what we can do about it. We have over a thousand cards in already. Local 1321 has printed up thousands more which are out in the hands of membership, Desk Set will be creating silk screened postcards this weekend, we have people all over the city using them in children?s craft projects, it has been an amazing show of support.

I am asking you here to redouble your efforts. For all our success the budget question is only looming closer. Now is the time to remind any and everyone who will listen what is at stake and what they can do. It is as simple as dropping a postcard in the mail, then asking any and everyone who will listen to do the same.

Thank you for your ongoing efforts, together we can save our libraries.

Christian Zabriskie
Urban Librarians Unite

Press:
http://www.nytimes.co...

http://www.nytimes.co...

http://www.nydailynew...

http://thedeskset.org...

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http://thedeskset.org...


The Save NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign

WHAT IT IS: We are calling on all New Yorkers to write postcards to the New York City Council to show their love for and support of New York City?s public libraries. Any postcard will do! Possibilities include using NYC souvenir postcards, penny postcards, or make your own! Encourage your friends, family, and neighbors to join you in writing postcards in support. Get your postcards in early, often, and in bulk!

AESTHETIC: We are encouraging non-uniformity. We want our voice to stand out and apart from mass-produced advocacy campaigns. We believe that personalized, mailed physical items carry greater weight with our elected representatives than a virtual petition or a Facebook group.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the Save NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign is to unite library staff and community members in support for New York City?s public library systems (Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, and Queens Library) and in opposition to the proposed budget cuts for the next fiscal year. While we understand that New York City is facing a difficult economic climate, we believe that public library service must be strengthened, not dismantled, in order to serve the diverse educational and informational needs of New York City residents.

READ IN: We are currently exploring the option of holding a Save NYC Libraries Read-In as an awareness raising tool and as a feeder for the postcard campaign. We envision this as a 24 read-a-thon that will draw public and media attention to the postcard campaign. Please contact us if you are interested in planning or hosting a Read-In to Save NYC Libraries.

PARTNERSHIPS: We are actively working to partner with interested community groups to Save NYC Libraries. Please contact us if your organization would like to be a part of the Save NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign.

SEND ALL POSTCARDS TO

Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer

47-01 Queens Boulevard

Suite 205

Sunnyside, NY 11104

Thank you for your support! Together we can raise our voices and make ourselves heard!

Contact us at: savenyclibrariesATgmail.com