ABOUT

Libraries = Strong Communities was a national advocacy effort aimed at highlighting the value of academic, public, and school libraries, an initiative of 2018-2019 American Library Association President Loida Garcia-Febo.

Garcia-Febo toured a series of libraries throughout her presidential year to ignite public awareness about the value of libraries and library staff and create a groundswell of support at the local, state, national, and global level. Follow the hashtag #LibrariesStrong on social media to keep up with the Libraries = Strong Communities tour and related events.

Libraries were encouraged to use the Libraries = Strong Communities platform locally to highlight the value of their library and empower patrons to advocate for libraries.

Tour Locations

October 6, 2018: Pikes Peak (Colorado) Public Library District

October 17,  2018:    MIT and Harvard University libraries

October 18, 2018: Cambridge (Massachusetts) Public Library

October 22, 2018:  Cranston High School East Library Media Center  

January 26, 2019: Seattle Public Library

February 9, 2019: North Miami Public Library

May 15, 2019: Los Angeles Public Library

June 22, 2019: ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Washington, D.C.

NEWS

6/26/2018 | ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo announces “Libraries = Strong Communities” advocacy effort | Press release

Pikes Peak:

10/8/2018 | Find out why the president of the American Library Association thinks libraries are so important | Fox News 21

10/9/2018 | Libraries = Strong Communities Tour Launches in Colorado Springs: ALA president visits libraries, attends library rally | American Libraries

10/10/2018 | American Library Association President Loida Garcia-Febo kicks off national tour at Library 21c in Colorado Springs | Woodmen Edition

Pikes Peak Women Event – YouTube

Pikes Peak Library District kickoff event - Facebook Live 

Cambridge:

10/16/2018 | American Library Association President to visit Cambridge for national tour promoting Libraries = Strong Communities | City of Cambridge

10/19/2018 | ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo at Cambridge Public Library | Horn Books: Out of the Box

10/23/2018 | A Call to Access: ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo visits Cambridge libraries | American Libraries

Cranston:

10/24/2018 | American Library Assn. president visits East, cites library importance | Cranston Herald

10/26/2018 | Setting 21st-Century Standards: ALA president emphasizes importance of school librarians | American Libraries

Seattle

1/17/2019 | Celebrate Libraries With American Libraries Association President Loida Garcia-Febo Jan. 26 at the Central Library | Capitol Hill Times

1/24/2019 | Libraries are playing a new role of 'Life Saver' in our communities every day | KING 5 News

1/25/2019 | Librarians to Rally as ALA Midwinter Kicks off in Seattle | Publishers Weekly

1/26/2019 |  Libraries = Strong Communities Tour Rally | Facebook Live Feed

1/27/2019 | Libraries = Strong Communities Tour Reaches Seattle | American Libraries

North Miami

2/4/2019  | Host of Events Planned for City of North Miami Black History Month 2019, R&B Group 112 in Concert at the City of North Miami Black History Month Community Block Part | South Florida Caribbean News

2/9/2019 | North Miami Public Library Rally for Libraries | YouTube

2/9/2019 |  North Miami Black History Month Community Celebration | YouTube

2/12/2019 | Libraries = Strong Communities Tour Heads to Florida | American Libraries

2/17/2019 | Evening of honors recognizes people of impact, As part of Black History Month, North Miami hosts dinner and awards  |  The Miami Times

Los Angeles

5/8/19 l ALA President Loida Garcia-Febo’s ‘Libraries = Strong Communities’ tour reaches next stop in LA l ALA News

5/10/19 l  Los Angeles Public Library Selected as a Libraries = Strong Communities National Tour Location l Los Angeles Public Library Blog

5/17/19 l  Library President Visit l LA This Week

5/21/19 l Celebrating LA Libraries: Libraries = Strong Communities tour stops in California l American Libraries

Washington, D.C.

6/23/2019 | Celebrating Libraries = Strong Communities: Rally culminates year-long advocacy effort | American Libraries

GET INVOLVED

How does your library build a strong community? Use these tools to highlight the value of your library and show your support for the Libraries = Strong Communities initiative.

North Miami Public library used the Libraries = Strong Communities branding in this great video promoting their summer reading program.

Graphics

Libraries = Strong Communities logo (EPS)
Facebook Share 1200 x 630
Twitter Share 1024 X 512
Facebook Cover Art
Twitter Cover Art
810 px X 450 px

Frame Templates

Add the Libraries = Strong Communities frame to your Facebook profile or images of your library's community-building efforts. It's available under "Effects" or by searching "American Library Association" when uploading images to Facebook. You can also download the transparent PNG file and place it over images for use on other platforms.

1200px x 1200 px Facebook frame
776px × 1200 px frame
1080px x 1080px Instagram frame

Bookmarks

Blue Horizontal (PDF)

Yellow/Green Verical (PDF)

Because Statements

Eight new Libraries Transform Because statements were created for the Libraries = Strong Communities initiative. Use the posters, postcards, bookmarks, and social media graphics to get the word out about how your library helps to build a strong community.

Join the Libraries Transform campaign to access to more public awareness tools. Registration is required, but the tools are free.