Summer Advocacy
Advocacy is a year-round activity and there are plenty of opportunities to support your public library during the summer.
- Participate in the Summer Reading Challenge. Using your public library is one of the best ways you can show your library love, and summer reading is one of the largest programs the library offers. Register, log your reading minutes, and pick up your library swag. Be sure to share your participation with your friends, family, and others. Make sure the kids in your life are also participating. It’s free and easy! CRLibrary.org/summer
- Connect with Elected Officials. Summer may not be legislative session, but it’s the perfect opportunity to connect with our elected officials at every level and remind them of the value of the public library. State officials are likely to be in the area during the summer and more available to meet or attend a library program. Invite them to visit and learn more about the impact of the library on the community.
- Write to legislators. The summer is a great time to contact state legislators about the value of our libraries, specifically around the context of bills that didn’t make it through the previous legislative session. Things to consider mentioning:
- Libraries reflect their community, and the materials they contain reflect the needs and requests of those community members.
- A process for challenging materials already exists in the library.
- Parents have the right to decide what their children read. They should not be making decisions for other parents’ children.
- The library strives to present materials representing multiple sides of an issue in a neutral, unbiased manner. The existence of a particular viewpoint in the collection is an expression of the library's policy of intellectual freedom, not an endorsement of that particular point of view.
- IMLS Funding Support. The Institute for Museum and Library Services is currently under threat of elimination by the Administration. They have proposed $6 million for IMLS in the 2026 budget, effectively dismantling the agency.
- The impact of the loss of IMLS will be felt across the country, especially in small and rural libraries (of which Iowa has more than 500). Impacts include loss of Brainfuse (live tutoring and job help), which will go away as of June 30, 2025. Brainfuse was paid for by the State Library of Iowa with funding from IMLS.
- The delivery system used by libraries across the state (Iowa Shares)has moved from daily to weekly due to cuts in IMLS funding. Iowa Shares is the system that delivers Inter Library Loan items across the state, bringin materials from one library to another. Cedar Rapids is a significant supplier to smaller libraries across the state. Smaller libraries will feel the greatest impact from this cut.
Legislative Updates
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
UPDATE: A federal judge in Washington has ruled on a request for a preliminary injunction in the ongoing legal case, ALA v. Sonderling. A federal judge has declined to block the administration’s efforts to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The ruling, issued June 6, 2025, will allow the administration’s cuts at the independent agency while the case proceeds.
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A March 14 Executive Order called for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and six other agencies. In FY24, the IMLS budget was $294.8 million, of which more than $211 million was dedicated to library services through the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA), the leading source of federal funding for America’s libraries.
LSTA funding supports State Library services, programs and resources that benefit Iowa libraries and citizens. These services include:
IA Shares Delivery Service - Twice-weekly delivery service to every public library in Iowa, supporting the sharing of materials among libraries
Accreditation and Standards - ensuring the development of high-quality libraries in Iowa
Endorsement Program - Providing foundational knowledge, skills, and recognition
State of Iowa Libraries Online (SILO) - platform for resource sharing through interlibrary loan transactions
Summer Library Program - Giving public libraries resources for a comprehensive summer literacy program
Continuing Education - Professional development for directors, staff, and trustees
State of America's Libraries Report
Each year the American Library Association (ALA) releases the State of America's Libraries Report during National Library Week. This includes the Top 10 Most Challenged Books List, and highlights the ways libraries continue to meet the needs of their communities amid challenges to intellectual freedom.
Despite growing pressure, library professionals and advocates stood strong for the freedom to read in 2024—continuing to provide essential services, support their communities, and drive innovation in libraries.
Share Your Library Story
The impact of a public library can best be measured by the impact on our community. This is where you come in!
Tell us a story about how the library has impacted your life or the lives of those around you. Share meaningful interactions or moments, or tell us about your experience with a library staff member.
By submitting this form, you give the Cedar Rapids Public Library permission to publish your story. When we share stories, we typically display only your first name and last initial. Not all submissions are published.
Advocacy
The Cedar Rapids Public Library is grateful for the support of our community. The purpose of this page is to outline resources to promote the importance and value of the Cedar Rapids Public Library. These tools have been compiled to make it as easy as possible to share your support for the library with your friends, family, and community.
Advocacy helps to:
- Inform public library users and the community about library services and their value
- Demonstrate how public library services improve the lives of people in the community
- Ensure libraries have resources to continue offering these important services
- Secure a place at the table for library leaders where important funding and policy decisions are made
Why is Advocacy Important?
Library advocacy is important because it ensures we continue to have the means necessary to serve as a vital community resource supporting all community members. Regular and consistent advocacy with stakeholders means there is a greater chance of being top of mind when important decisions are being made.
We hope this toolkit will offer you the resources needed to advocate for the Cedar Rapids Public Library. Some examples of the messages we hope you will share:
- “The Cedar Rapids Public Library is a vital community hub that fosters lifelong learning, promotes literacy, and provides equal access to information for all residents.”
- “The library offers free resources, programs, and services that support education, professional development, and personal growth, contributing to a thriving community.”
- “Investing in the Cedar Rapids Public Library is an investment in our community’s future, as it enhances quality of life, promotes economic development, and strengthens social cohesion.”
Freedom to Read Timeline
The freedom to read is intertwined with U.S. history, enshrined in the First Amendment and founding ideals of this country.
However, book challenges have also been a recurring feature of American history. Find a timeline of the history of the freedom to read in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and beyond at the link below.