Election-Education Efforts Lag in Lead-Up to Super Tuesday

When in December we last documented public libraries’ election–education efforts—to see if anyone had stepped up to LJ publisher Ron Shank’s September 15 challenge to make 2008 the “year of election education”—things were at an even simmer. As tomorrow will be Super Tuesday, when 24 states hold primary elections to determine thousands of delegates’ fates, we wondered if those efforts would have risen to a boil. But a cursory survey of libraries’ election-education practices in a handful of Super Tuesday states suggests this is a cooling-off period. 

Election education not a priority

Interviews with library leaders show that state library organizations are focusing on issues closer to home, and a look at library web sites suggests that longstanding programs, such as for Black History Month, are the priority.

• “We’re more sort of gearing up for New York State politics, focused on facing the $4.4 billion deficit.” – Michael Borges, Executive Director, New York Library Association
• “We pretty much keep away from partisan politics…we haven’t even talked about it, to be honest.” - Susan Negreen, executive director, California Library Association
• “Staffing levels are such in Delaware that it’s as much as we can do to keep the doors open.” – Annie Norman, director and state librarian, Delaware Division of Libraries/State Library
• “The staff plans to vote—does that count?” – Jane Janzen, director, Western Plains Library System, Clinton, OK

Web ahead 

Some libraries are mounting useful online efforts. From the home page of the Middletown Thrall Library, NY, users can access a “Special Coverage Center” guide (below) with information on voter registration, political parties, and campaign financing. The Arapahoe Library District, CO, home page links to a "2008 Caucuses, Primaries, and More" page offering as a calendar of presidential primaries by date and by state, the latest Washington Post campaign coverage, and a PBS page outlining the presidential nomination process.

In January, the staff at the San Jose Public Library’s Educational Park Branch, CA, posted a blog entry with the following headline: “Civic Duty Fatigue? Tired of Hearing About the Candidates on the News But Still Not Ready for 5 February? Not to worry! Your librarian has gathered together a number of valuable resources.” The entry links to downloadable Spanish– and English–language voter registration forms, election coverage from local and national newspapers, a breakdown of readers’ nearest polling locations, information on becoming an election officer, and a list of the library’s books on or by presidential contendors. 

And through the C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District's (IL) home page, users can access a Presidential Election 2008 page containing links to primary dates and results, general election coverage, and campaign issues reported by a bipartisan array of news sources, from CNN to Fox News. It also links to resources providing information on candidates’ voting records and elections donations.

Illinois libraries powered up...

With lead Democratic candidates Hilary Clinton born and Barack Obama largely bred in Illinois, there may be more election-education activity in that state. Charm Ruhnke, consulting manager, Lewis & Clark Library System, Edwardsville, IL, told LJ that, in the last six months, she’s been “purchasing practically every book election-related book” because reader interest in the topic "just keeps snowballing.” Further, she said, “many of our libraries are voting locations, and we strongly encourage voter registration.”

...But conserving energy

But even in Illinois, libraries are pacing their efforts, storing up for the bigger day ahead. “We’re planning to gear up more for the presidential election in the fall,” Judy Thompson, head of reference and user services, Edwardsville Public Library, IL, told LJ. Thompson and seven other library staff members are already well prepared, having recently trained at the county clerk’s office to become voter registrars. And come November, as they did on election night four years ago, the Edwardsville staff will  hold a presidential contender–trivia contest, with prizes including tissues (for if your candidate loses), and noisemakers (for if your candidate wins). The gift baskets, reports Thompson, are already packed.