AASL Chapters Forum

Shared on behalf of Megan Cusick

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Reader Voter Ready booth at ALA Annual in San Diego. Here is a quick roundup of conference news:

• ALA unveiled custom state graphics for the Reader Voter Ready campaign, available to ALA chapters, AASL chapters, and other state partners here.
• During the Rally for the Right to Read, Unite Against Book Bans and ALA turned a spotlight on upcoming elections and ensuring that all communities are prepared to vote. Visit the voter checklist, commit to voting, and find resources from ALA and Unite Against Book Bans partners across sectors.
• At its meeting on July 1, ALA Council passed a resolution submitted by the Committee on Legislation, urging library workers and supporters to participate in the 2024 elections.
• ALA staff and Policy Corps leaders-including AASL President Becky Calzada-discussed the impact of local, state and federal elections on key library issues like intellectual freedom, funding, digital equity, public service loan forgiveness, academic freedom, governing authority, and more during Ready, Set, VOTE on Sunday, June 30. Conference attendees can find their slides on the ALA conference app.

Looking forward:

• National Voter Registration Day is offering program grants. The deadline to apply is July 25 and applicants must be NVRD partners; sign up today and join NVRD on September 17.
• Join us for "Getting communities Reader Voter Ready: Sustained engagement to increase voter participation" on August 6 at 11:00 a.m. central. The webinar will feature public, academic, and school librarians-including AASL member Lucy Podmore-who are deepening voter engagement in their respective communities. Register here.
• We want to hear from you! Tag us on social media with your voter engagement activities at #ReaderVoterReady or reach out to us at advocacy@ala.org.
• Keep an eye on the Reader Voter Ready website for new resources and updates, including forthcoming customizable graphics and downloadables later this month.

Together, we will ensure our communities are Reader Voter Ready!

Sincerely,
Megan Cusick