Building Political Support for Your Library Through Surfacing

Abstract

This column describes “surfacing”—a technique commonly used in political campaigns to raise awareness about a candidate or cause long before election day—and explores ways in which it applies to campaigns for library funding or initiatives. Surfacing is most effective during the earliest phase of a campaign to ensure that a candidate or cause is viable and has the resources needed to move the political agenda forward. EveryLibrary, a national organization dedicated to building voter support for libraries, has used the surfacing approach successfully, helping public libraries across the U.S. gather the resources they need to win or successfully move an initiative forward.

Keywords:

• politics
• funding
• campaigns
• elections
• advocacy
• activism
• surfacing
• ballot measures