Public Comments to Support School Librarians

As many of you know, school librarians across the state are facing increasing challenges as school districts consider changes that could reduce or eliminate certified library staff and move students away from the resources, instruction, and support that school libraries provide. Here is an article about Evanston’s struggles.

We want to help make advocacy easier.

We are creating a collection of sample public comments that community members, parents, educators, and library supporters can adapt for their own school board meetings. The goal is not to provide a script that everyone must read word-for-word, but to give people a starting point — ideas, language, and examples that they can personalize based on their own communities.

We are asking librarians to contribute a short public comment you have written or would like to share. Sign up for a topic here so we make sure that all of our bases are covered.

Strong public comments often include:
• A personal connection or story
• Specific examples of student impact
• The role school librarians play in literacy, research skills, digital citizenship, and equitable access
• A clear request for school boards to protect library services and staffing

Please send your contributions to lirerockford@gmail.com. We will compile and organize the submissions into a resource that will be shared on our website and with AISLE.

Share Your Legislative Ideas with ILA’s Public Policy Committee

Advocacy starts with identifying the challenges libraries are facing and bringing forward solutions. The Illinois Library Association’s Public Policy Committee (PPC) is collecting legislative suggestions to help shape future advocacy priorities for libraries across the state. To submit your own suggestion, fill out this form by August 3, 2026.

This process is an important opportunity for library workers to share what is happening in their communities and identify where policy changes could make a meaningful difference. After suggestions are submitted, PPC reviews and evaluates the ideas to determine which issues the committee will pursue.

Whether your concerns relate to funding, staffing, access, intellectual freedom, technology, library services, or another issue impacting libraries, your input matters. The strongest advocacy comes from hearing directly from the people doing this work every day.

Please consider submitting a legislative suggestion and encouraging your colleagues to do the same. Your ideas help guide the conversations that shape the future of libraries in Illinois.

Thank you all for everything that you do!

<3 E&S