#LibrariesAreEssential – How Can You Help?

We hope you agree that #LibrariesAreEssential to Scotland’s future and we would love you to support our ongoing advocacy in whatever way you can. Here are some of the ways you might be able to help:

CILIPS Members

• Share our campaigning on social media using the hashtag #LibrariesAreEssential.
• Provide us with a short blog post or a case study of some work you are doing, either getting in touch via admin@cilips.org.uk or using this form.
• Download or print out our creative template for your library users to share their stories about why #LibrariesAreEssential to them. No printer? No problem! Invite your community to express why their library is so essential on social media, by email or via a supportive quote.
• Display a #LibrariesAreEssential poster in your library – choose portrait or landscape to suit your space.
• Highlight our advocacy to decision makers in your council, perhaps providing evidence of how you or colleagues make a difference.

We understand that some local authority workers may not be able to support the campaign publicly, depending on workplace policies, so please check with your line manager if unsure.

The General Public

• Share our campaigning on social media using the hashtag #LibrariesAreEssential. You can also change your Twitter banner to this #LibrariesAreEssential logo, share it as an Instagram post or add to your Instagram Stories why #LibrariesAreEssential to you.
• Consult our online guides to advocacy and lobbying.
• Make use of our regularly updated online evidence banks.
• Add a creative contribution telling the story of why #LibrariesAreEssential to you.
• Look at other successful campaigns such as Save Glasgow Libraries or our campaign support pages.

If you get the chance to speak to any of your local decision makers, try to ask them the following:

• • ​Will you ensure that consistent funding is provided to libraries to ensure they can continue to support education, digital and information literacy, health and wellbeing, economic wellbeing and ​access to information?
  • Have you read the new National Strategy for Public Libraries? How will you ensure the new strategy achieves its aims?
  • How will you ensure quality public services, such as libraries, are a key part of future community planning?
  • Can you guarantee that school libraries and librarians will be resourced appropriately so they can be key components of curriculum delivery, as outlined in Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools, and that all school pupils will have access to a trained librarian?

Other Organisations 

• Share our campaigning on social media using the hashtag #LibrariesAreEssential.
• Share case studies showing how your organisation has worked with libraries (please email admin@cilips.org.uk for more information on this).
• Use our sample letter as a guide and write to local decision makers or candidates standing for election (please click the ‘contact your politician’ envelope above to find the current representatives for your postcode).
• Provide a supportive quote (please see below).

Supportive Quotes

We would love a supportive quote from any organisations, authors or other influential figures about why libraries matter and are essential to them. You can read our existing quotes or submit your own here.