Sample Letter

Here's a link to a sample letter and the addresses to send it to.  Remember that letters count more than emails - anyone can come up with lots of email addresses and shoot things off quickly, but letters carry more weight because it takes a little longer, and you can't make up tons of fake addresses.  So call or write.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150131624641206&id=709052714

Thanks to David Dodd for posting this

Here's a sample letter for those of you wanting to support California libraries:

January 24, 2011


The Honorable Carol Liu
Chair, Senate Budget Subcommittee Number 1 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 5061

Dear Senator Liu,

I am writing to urge the Senate Budget Subcommittee Number 1 on Education Finance to reject Governor Brown’s recommendation of cuts to State funding for public libraries. The sweeping nature of these cuts, though understandable in the current budgetary climate, actually makes little sense, either as a money-saving effort, or as something that should or could be shifted to local communities.

The California Library Services Act allows local library jurisdictions to cooperate in a meaningful way throughout California, in offering library services to State residents who live outside their local jurisdictions. For a minimal amount of funding, anyone who lives in California is currently able to borrow materials from any public library in the State, with few exceptions. Such a service would not be a good candidate for local funding, and it goes a long way to providing equity of access to information for all California residents.

Another major reason to maintain current funding levels for California’s public libraries is that we receive a significant amount of federal funding, as a match to our own State funding, and it’s estimated that we would lose approximately $16 million in Federal funds if our own funding is eliminated.

Finally, I would urge you to reject the cuts to State support for Literacy services. While we do a good deal of local fundraising and provide from our budgets to the degree we can, a cut of this magnitude will have far-reaching implications for those in our State least able to advocate for themselves—namely, those adults without reading and writing skills.

Please send a clear message back to the Governor, that his proposed savings of $30 million is something we just can’t afford if we value a well-informed citizenry, as any democracy does.

Sincerely,

[your name here]


WHO TO CONTACT
Note: If these two key subcommittees listed below don’t sense that the library community is completely opposed in strong numbers to the Governor’s plan, they will not recommend that any of the funding be restored. This will severely impact our ability to get any money restored going forward. Your action now to object to these cuts by phone, fax, or mail, is absolutely essential to our success. Please ask your staff, patrons, Friends and Trustees groups and others to participate in this effort.
First to hear the impacts of the cuts on public libraries will be the Senate Budget Subcommittee, who will hear the issue on Tuesday, February 1 at 1:30 p.m. in room 3191 at the State Capitol. Please take a moment today to write a letter to these individuals – even if they are not your Senators. It is important for them to see the broad impact statewide of these proposed cuts.

Senate Budget Subcommittee Number 1 on Education Finance


The Honorable Carol Liu
Chair, Senate Budget Subcommittee Number 1 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 5061
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4021
Fax: (916) 324-7543


The Honorable Bob Huff
Member, Senate Budget Subcommittee Number 1 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 5097
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4029
Fax: (916) 324-0922


The Honorable Roderick Wright
Member, Senate Budget Subcommittee Number 1 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 5064
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4025
Fax: (916) 445-3712

The Assembly will hear the issue of the proposed cuts on Monday, February 7 at 9 a.m. in room 444 at the State Capitol. Please take a moment today to write or call these members of the subcommittee, even if they are not your Assemblymembers.

Assembly Budget Subcommittee Number 2 on Education Finance


The Honorable Susan Bonilla
Chair, Assembly Budget Subcommittee Number 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 2188
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2011
Fax: (916) 319-2111


The Honorable Bill Berryhill
Assembly Budget Subcommittee Number 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 3141
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2026
Fax: (916) 319-2126


The Honorable Julia Brownley
Assembly Budget Subcommittee Number 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 2163
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2041
Fax: (916) 2141


The Honorable Brian Nestande
Assembly Budget Subcommittee Number 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 4139
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2064
Fax: (916) 319-2164


The Honorable Sandre Swanson
Assembly Budget Subcommittee Number 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 6012
Sacramento, CA. 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2016
Fax: (916) 319-2116