On Friday, June 19th Ohio Governor Ted Strickland announced that he would use state library funding to help fill the $3.2 billion state budget shortfall. For libraries, this represents a 50% cut of our state funding and is catastrophic. Libraries will close or significantly cut hours.
This presents the quintessential marketing challenge: crafting a consistent message and 
deploying that message across print, web, people, social media, broadcast and print media. Here’s what we’re doing.
Links mentioned in the video:
Our library’s webpage: simple language, easy and compelling call to action. 15,000 emails have been sent to legislators from here within the last 24 hours!
Our Twitter page
Our Facebook page
The Governor’s Facebook page
Local Media: television and print
THANKS FRANCINE FOR LJ’S LETTER TO GOVERNOR STRICKLAND!
And just when you might be feeling a little bummed out about this situation, read this. What a powerful, tear-inducing, rabble-rousing endorsement for ALL libraries.
About Alison Circle
Wow – Library Journal’s letter to Governor Strickland was incredibly powerful… Has this been posted on CMLSi?
I want you to be aware of our need to save our library. I am asking your help in this cause – I consider it a worthy and important cause to our community. Please do what you can for us.
I live in Housatonic Massachusetts. It is a small town although we have a big population. In fact, the town of Great Barrington has taken over Housatonic and it is considered a village of Great Barrington. We have a Corner Market with deli, a drugstore, a gas station, a post office and several art galleries. We used to have a grammer school but since the new school was built, the building remains empty. We have a community center where kids play basketball. We have 2 local pubs and we also have other businesses All these businesses are small but like I say there are many people who reside in our town.
We have at least 4 churches in town, and last but not least, we have our own Library – The Ramsdell Public Library. Here, all the kids in town have walked to and shared countless events, music events, book readings, summer programs. They have internet for people (there are still many people who do not have internet) and of course, books, research , audio books, videos, a children’s room and even a mini museum.
Our library is in serious danger of being shut down because of One Man and 24 signatures on a petition. There is a larger library in Great Barrington which has been renovated (funded by the state). There is a new Firestation in Great Barrington. And there is a 4 year old new School Building (also funded by the state) I don’t have all the facts but I do know that this one man wants to close our library so he doesnt have to be taxed on it.
Tomorrow morning at 9:30 am a group of supporters of The Ramsdell Library will meet in front of the building for a photo shoot and meeting. This photo will be used in a Public Awareness Campaign about the pending vote to close Ramsdell Library by petition (24 signatures) at the Annual Town Meeting on May 3rd.
I have been talking to everyone I can about this and practically NO ONE knows or believes that anyone would or could shut down the library – and yet, it just MIGHT happen. Because no one is aware of it!!
I am asking you if you could help us in any way to SAVE OUR LIBRARY!
Thank you for listening. Sarah Formel
304 Park Street
Great Barrington, MA 01230