California Library Association:

Vote @ Your Library

April 2004

ALA teams up with Working Assets on Register to Vote @ your library; Participation grants will be awarded to up to six libraries

Libraries are essential to our democracy and, thanks to a new partnership, libraries throughout America will have an opportunity to make it easier than ever for people to become registered voters. Through Register to Vote @ your library®, ALA and Working Assets will co-sponsor a voter registration page, www.yourvotematters.org/ala, where individuals can register to vote or update their registration information. Voters in all states except New Hampshire, North Dakota and Wyoming are eligible to complete registration via this web site.

The Your Vote Matters site was created and customized by Working Assets for participating non-partisan, non-profit organizations. When citizens register to vote through www.yourvotematters.org/ala, they help raise funds for the ALA thanks to a generous grant from Working Assets. All donated funds will be used to support ALA's library advocacy efforts nationwide.

"Libraries have always served their communities by providing the information resources needed to be informed citizens," said ALA President Carla Hayden. "Libraries are community centers offering information on voter registration, hosting forums, and providing resources about issues of concern in the community and the nation. Our public libraries are a perfect fit for this critical civic activity. We are delighted to have Working Assets' support in this effort."

ALA will highlight Register to Vote @ your library on its home page and via press releases and member publications. Through these efforts, ALA will not only encourage members to become registered voters, but also will ask librarians to promote voter registration through this site in their local libraries.

ALA will award a grant of $1,000 to the library that registers the largest number of voters through the site and grants of $500 to the first five libraries that register 500 individuals.

In addition to helping to support advocacy at ALA, Working Assets will underwrite the costs of producing tip sheets, bookmarks and buttons for library workers to use in promoting voter registration in their communities. These materials can be requested online at www.ala.org/requestmaterials by any library interested in participating in this voter registration initiative and grant contest. Materials will be mailed to libraries beginning in April and until early September.

When it comes to defending our democracy, librarians have always been on the front lines, said Working Assets President Michael Kieschnick. Were proud to be their partner in this crucial campaign to register new voters in library branches nationwide.

For more information about Register to Vote @ your library, please contact Lainie Castle at 800-545-2433, extension 5050. Contact Your Vote Matters at 877-205-VOTE(8683) with technical or voter registration questions. For more information about Working Assets, visit www.workingassets.com.

Lainie Castle
Assistant Director, Development Office
American Library Association
50 E. Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
p: 312.280.5050
f: 312.944-0379
toll free: 800.545.2433, ext. 5050
lcastle@ala.org