Be a Library Advocate
What is library advocacy?
Library advocacy can be as simple as telling a friend about library services and their importance within the community, and can have the ripple effect of ensuring the library has the resources to continue offering those services.
Wyoming House Bill 00-10 (HB 10)
The Wyoming Library Association (WLA) is gearing up for Legislative Session, where its top priority is House Bill 10: Sexually explicit materials in libraries-requirements. WLA's goal is that this bill does not become Wyoming law. HB10 will have a negative impact on public and school libraries in Wyoming, affect your freedom to read, and take away a parent's right to choose what is appropriate for their own children to read.
Now is the time to reach out to your Wyoming Representatives to let them know you oppose the bill.
1. Email and text are encouraged. If you know the legislator personally, try to set up a personal phone call.
2. Choose messaging that you can best relate to, such as:
- Are you a parent who is concerned about losing the right to choose what your children may or may not read, as well as having negative impact to your family’s overall library access?
- Are you a library user who appreciates the library’s role in our community and doesn’t appreciate state law’s reach into our shared space?
- Are you a citizen who is concerned about infringements on First Amendment rights and intellectual freedom and the potential for ideologically driven litigation?
Click for Wyoming Representatives' & Senators' emails>
The Wyoming Legislature's hotline number is 307-777-7881. If you are leaving a phone message, keep it brief, leaving your name, county of residence and a short purpose of your call.
The Librarians online watch party
If you missed the chance to see our screening of The Librarians documentary, the filmmakers are hosting an online watch party, followed by a discussion, SAT, FEB 7, 5:00 PM EST.
Share your TCL story
Have you gotten books or resources that have provided the information you needed, supported your education, or helped your small business? Have our programs been informative, entertaining or given you a way to engage with your community? We'd like to hear about impact the library has on your life!
Fill out our form to share your story, and one of our team members may be in touch to learn more.
Simple ways you can take action:
- Use the library. Taking advantage of everything the library has to offer helps us to show the importance of access to our community.
- Talk about the value that the library adds to your life with your friends and neighbors.
- Help friends and neighbors get library cards. Many people don't know what they are missing until they get signed up.
- Reach out to your elected representatives in the Jackson Town Council and Board of County Commissioners, and the Wyoming House and Senate to make sure they know the importance of the library in our community.
- Follow legislative updates that have the potential to impact your access to library resources. EveryLibrary, a Library advocacy organization, has a bill tracker you can follow.