Beyond a Blue Wave, last night’s midterm may have also unleashed a Book Wave. Across local and state contests nationwide, libraries received encouraging news.
Analysts at EveryLibrary, a political action committee devoted to backing America’s third space, reported wins on 41 distinct ballot measures.
Mostly, these votes translate into larger library budgets. EveryLibrary can track this since more than 90% of library funding is set by state legislatures or city councils.
A recent briefing from analysts notes that funding tools such as referenda, millages, levies, and parcel taxes have the strongest impact on keeping libraries well funded.
So how did libraries perform financially last night? All things considered, quite well!
In a favorable alignment with their state’s notable congressional gains, library districts in Michigan, Ohio, and Austin are poised to receive larger operating budgets in 2028, and Austin also anticipates a new facility.
In a playful twist—given that it also houses a golf club—Palm Beach County approved a $175 million bond to construct a new library.
Two measures aimed at defunding or shuttering libraries failed last night, as voters in Saline County, Arkansas and Bridgeton, New Jersey rejected attempts to trim city budgets.
And given that state-level censorship remains a major threat to collections, it’s particularly heartening to see Texas unseat Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who had previously pledged to remove thousands of books from schools statewide.
The bicameral shift in Congress should also have broader implications for national censorship legislation, including proposals like H.R. 7661, the book-ban bill currently stalled on the House floor.
The National Archives, the IMLS, and the Library of Congress should also breathe a bit easier today, knowing their funding isn’t at the top of a congressional agenda anymore.
Of course, the situation isn’t without caveats. In Illinois, three out of five libraries lost funding at the polls.
And despite the Keep Libraries Funded Coalition’s valiant efforts in Florida, a measure to cut funding from city and county budgets passed. So if you’re not in Palm Beach, services could be strained.
But EveryLibrary Executive Director John Chrastka remains steadfast. “We celebrate every victory, and we take every loss seriously because we know what’s at stake for readers and families,” he said in a statement.
“Strong libraries don’t happen by accident. They happen because people organize, show up, and make the case for their libraries.”
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