ADVOCACY

Updated August 29, 2023

Library Friends,

We need your support. City Hall needs to hear from us this week.

During the past week, there has been discussion among City Councilmembers about potential cuts to the proposed budget presented to the City Council by City Manager TC Broadnax.

These cuts could include not fully funding all Dallas library locations to be open six days a week, as recommended by the City Manager.

While we believe there is still strong support among the Council to have all our libraries open at least six days per week, we need you to reinforce the importance of having all our libraries open six days a week by contacting the Mayor and your City Council representative this week.

Follow this link to contact Mayor Johnson and your Councilmember.

Need to know who your representative is? Follow this link, and enter your address in the top right corner.

Our main talking points to the Mayor and City Council are:

• Libraries are important community centers for Dallas citizens. They are so much more than books. They provide safe play places for children and their families, serve as learning centers for those seeking to master a second language, digital hot spots for many who lack internet access in their neighborhood, and places where the community can come together for events and meetings.
• Last year, the City Council re-opened 15 of our branch libraries to serve the Dallas public six days a week, with the promise by City Manager TC Broadnax and many members of the City Council to open the remaining 14 branches and the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library to a six-or seven day a week schedule in this year’s budget. Remind them of that pledge made last year.
• Thank them again for their past support of the Dallas Public Library, including serving as a Reading Ambassador for the annual SMART Summer Reading Program.
• Ask them if we can count on their support to have all Dallas Public Library locations and the Central Library open six days as proposed in this year’s budget.

Please take the time to contact the Mayor and your Council representative this week in support of having all Dallas Public Library locations open at least six days a week. It is important.

If you need information or have questions on any of the above, please contact the Friends office at 214-670-1458 or email friends@fodpl.org for more information.

Thank you,

Sarah Evans and Jeff Kitner

Co-Chairs, Advocacy Committee 

Friends of the Dallas Public LIbrary

How you can help advocate for the Dallas Public Library:

1. Call or email your councilmember. Follow this link to email your City Councilmember and the Mayor Tell them to keep their commitment, made last year - to open all 30 Dallas Public Library locations to six or seven days a week to equitably serve the entire Dallas community.
2. Stay up-to-date about the budget process. Follow this link to the City's Financial Transparency webpage.
3. Plan to attend the upcoming council meetings on Wednesday, September 6, and Wednesday, September 20th. Follow this link and sign up to speak on behalf of library funding. 
4. Join the Friends. Become a FoDPL member and support the Dallas Public Library. Follow this link and become a member today!

Now is not the time to be complacent. Councilmembers are looking for more cuts before approving the final budget and the Library is always vulnerable when this happens.