My MLIS Didn't Teach Me Any of This!

EveryLibrary and EveryLibrary Institute Director, P.C. Sweeney, talks about why he is so passionate about the Library Advocacy and Funding Conference.

I graduated library school the year before the Great Recession and my first job was coordinating the opening of a brand new library in California.

Unfortunately, just a few months after we opened our doors to the public, the recession forced us to cut our hours, slash our programming, lay off staff, and take a fifteen percent furlough.

I quickly learned that my MLIS didn't teach me anything about where library funding comes from or how to influence it.

Especially in a time of crisis.

That's why I'm so passionate about the work that we do at EveryLibrary and the EveryLibrary Institute and why I'm always so excited to put together the Library Advocacy and Funding Conference (LAFCON). 

Around 98% of library funding comes from the will of voters and legislators at the local, state, and federal level and LAFCON is specifically designed to teach library workers, library supporters, and support organizations how to influence this funding for libraries.


Register today before Early Bird prices expire!


We are starting to announce sessions for our fully virtual Conference (July 24-26) and I couldn't be more excited about some of the experts that we're introducing to libraries.

Today we're announcing our first batch of sessions!

Moving From "Transactional Advocacy" to "Transformational Advocacy."

Drawing from the 2024 edition of his book: "Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen's Guide to Transformational Advocacy," Sam Daley-Harris will help us understand the difference between "transactional advocacy" and "transformational advocacy." LEARN MORE

Crisis Communications—Smart Strategies for Tough Times

This session will include practical tips on communicating before, during and after a crisis, including crisis planning, public and media communications, and social media management... LEARN MORE

Ready, Set, Go! Three Steps to Engage, Energize, and Empower Your Community

Join Kacey Carpenter, an accomplished author, community organizer, and volunteer, in a presentation designed to engage, energize, and empower your library community. Learn from real-life case studies featured in his latest book and gain insights into the use of digital tools and social media. LEARN MORE

You’re Writing Your Emails Wrong!!

Email can serve as the bedrock of a campaign for grassroots fundraising, organization and communication efforts. But so many organizations struggle to write emails that “work.” Throughout this session we’ll cover email best practices, common mistakes to avoid and a whole lot more. LEARN MORE

This conference will have over 24 hours of brand new content.

PLUS attendees will get access to all of the sessions from our 2020 and 2022 conferences. 

Register today!