On September 15, 2023, FLA Board Members formally approved the Legislative Platform 2024.
Legislative Platform 2025: Celebrating Libraries and Ourselves
Funding Initiatives
State Aid to Public Libraries Grant Program
Fund State Aid for public libraries through the Division of Library and Information Services in the Florida Department of State to continue supporting efforts by libraries across Florida to positively impact their communities. Public libraries offer safe and secure elections by serving as polling places, provide literacy programming to enhance quality of life and improve access to gainful employment, provide educational materials for all levels, and serve as an anchor and gathering place for the building of stronger communities.
Public Library Construction Grants
Fully fund all public library construction requests for FY 2025-26, as Florida’s population grows (an increase of over one million residents since the 2020 Census) and the state will need the viable community hub that is a public library.
Library Cooperative Grant
Support continued recurring funding and increased the State’s investment in the Multitype Library Cooperatives, which provides essential training for library staff and supports resource sharing activities for all Floridians.
Upskilling and Workforce Diploma Special Project
Fund this critical program that provides educational access (at no charge) to adult students seeking to improve their quality of life and job opportunities through completing their accredited private high school education at their local branch library.
Colleges’ and Universities’ Essential Library and Distance Learning Services
Support continued recurring funding to the Florida Postsecondary Academic Library Network for library resources, distance learning, and student services. This critical program serves all of Florida’s State Colleges and Universities.
Florida’s Public and Academic Libraries Support Success
Job Seekers - Librarians teach classes and provide one-on-one training for resume creation, job searching, and job applications.
Small Business Owners – Libraries provide space for business owners to meet, utilize fast internet access, and take advantage of industry-standard financial and business research tools and databases.
College Students - The Florida Virtual Campus is essential to the success of students, faculty, and researchers across the Florida College System and State University System. Florida’s State Colleges and Universities have contributed tens of billions of dollars to state economic growth through student success and funded research.
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Florida Public and Academic Libraries Support Free and Fair Elections
Voting and Elections – Many libraries serve as polling locations for early and Election Day voting, providing physical space and support. All Florida public libraries also serve as voter registration locations and provide spaces for political and community forums.
Florida's Public Libraries Support Literacy Initiatives
Children learning to read earlier – library storytimes teach important pre-literacy skills like improved vocabulary and understanding of sentence structure. Storytime movement activities promote vital cross-brain communication that is invaluable to development of learning to read.
Adults learning to read for the first time – Libraries provide Adult Literacy coaching, classes, and resources to assist the approximately 22% of adult Floridians who lack basic reading and writing skills. Floridians sit below the national average for Adult Literacy, in approximately the bottom 20% of U.S states.
Inspiring and nurturing the love of reading for all ages – Robust print and electronic collections, summer reading programs, year-round book discussions, and events coupled with trained expertise of professional and paraprofessional library staff.
Providing training and resources to increase Financial and Digital Literacy - valuable survival skills in people of all ages. These skills support families in their work and daily lives.
STEM/STEAM initiatives, like Makerspaces in many public libraries - Help foster financial independence and literacy with small business creation of selling items made in the Makerspaces.
Florida Libraries are Community Hubs
Meeting place - Libraries offer spaces for study groups, parent groups, civic organizations, homeowners associations, and other community groups that meet regularly.
Cultural programs and enrichment activities – Important cultural and historic events are held throughout the year across all Florida libraries.
Emergency relief - During disasters both large and small, libraries provide essential services as required by their community.
Important Dates
2024 Florida Legislative Session
January 9 | Regular Session convenes (Article III, section 3(b), State Constitution)
January 23 | FLA Reception prior to Library Day
January 24 | FLA Library Day!
February 24 | Motion to reconsider made and considered the same day (Senate Rule 6.4(4)) All bills are immediately certified (Senate Rule 6.8)
February 27 | 50th day – last day for regularly scheduled committee meetings (Senate Rule 2.9(2))
March 8 | 60th day – last day of Regular Session (Article III, section 3(d), State Constitution)
Library Day 2024
Join us in Tallahassee for Library Day! Save the date for an evening reception on January 23rd followed by a packed day of advocating for libraries with state legislators on January 24th, 2024.
2024 Legislation & Bills to Watch
2024-2025 Funding Summary
Congratulations on a successful 2024 Advocacy Campaign! Florida lawmakers approved a $116.5 billion dollar budget that includes increases for library funding. The results of the 2024 FLA platform’s requests were as follows:
| Request | Result |
| State Aid to Public Libraries Grant Program: Adequately fund State Aid for public libraries through the Division of Library and Information Services in the Florida Department of State | + State Aid to Public Libraries Grant Program: Received $17,304,072 from the general revenue fund and $2,150,606 from the federal grants trust fund for a total of $19.454,978 million |
| Upskilling and Workforce Diploma Special Project: Appropriately fund this critical program that provides educational access (at no charge) to adult students seeking to improve their quality of life and job opportunities through completing their accredited private high school education at their local branch library. | x Upskilling and Workforce Diploma Special Project: $1,000,000 request not funded |
| Library Cooperative Grant Program: Support continued recurring funding and increase the State’s investment in the Multitype Library Cooperatives, | + Library Cooperative Grant Program: Received $2 million from general revenue fund in 2024 budget |
Colleges’ and Universities’ Essential Library and Distance Learning Services: Support continued recurring funding to the Florida Postsecondary Academic Library Network for library resources, distance learning, and student services. This critical program serves all of Florida’s State Colleges and Universities. | + Colleges’ and Universities’ Essential Library and Distance Learning Services: Received $11,028,269 and $13,421,847, distributed as defined in budget proviso language. |
| Public Library Construction Grants: Build upon the incredible success of the 2023 Legislative Session by, again, fully funding all public library construction requests for FY 2024-2025. | x Public Library Construction Grants: Legislature approved $4,650,000 million from the general revenue fund; Vetoed by governor |
Advocacy Resources
The Value of Public Libraries
- FLA 2024 Library Day One-Pager by Advocacy & Legislative Committee Chair Winona Patterson
- Funding Florida Public Libraries. 2022 Op-Ed by FLA President Phyllis Gorshe.
- Libraries are Critical to Recovery. 2021 Op-Ed by Laura I. Spears, PhD.
- Why Floridians Value Their Public Libraries
- 2016-2017 LSTA Funding Infographic
- Keeping Libraries Public
- Florida's Multitype Library Cooperatives
Florida Library Facts
Floridians love their libraries. Over 57 percent of Floridians have library cards. That’s more than 12.3 million people. 2018-19 - Florida Department of State.
Floridians really enjoy reading. Florida libraries circulated over 99 million items – books, cds, dvds, etc., in 2018-19.
Books, music and movies. There are over 41 million items in Florida public libraries. Of these, over 10.4 million are e-books, 1.6 million are audio and 3.4 million are video.
Floridians vote for libraries with their feet. Florida residents visited public libraries about 62.6 million times in 2018-19 for an average of over 2.9 visits per person.
Libraries help children learn and prepare them for school. Libraries help young children learn to read and help parents and caregivers learn to support that learning. Florida libraries conducted over 116,240 programs for children in 2018-19 with over 3.3 million children attending – and children checked out over 31 million items!
Floridians come to libraries for technology and job search. There are over 17,290 public access computers available in Florida libraries. Floridians used these computers 13.2 million times in 2018-19 and over 2.9 million Floridians received technology instruction in libraries. Frequently use is for job seeking! Many libraries offer free wireless access.
Many Floridians use libraries from their home, school or office. Floridians visited library websites over 74.8 million times in 2018-19, using services like the Florida Electronic Library that offer electronic information and online help.
Librarians help you find what you’re looking for. Library staff answered over 18.4 million reference questions in 2018-19 and 427,000 of those questions were answered using online reference services.
For many, the library is their lifeline to essential government services. Library staff help the public transact their E-Government business using library computers for services including Unemployment Compensation, Medicare, Fla. Dept. of Children and Families, immigration, and the IRS. Library staff are important members of disaster management teams and following disasters, library computers help survivors locate family members and apply for insurance and assistance.
91% of Americans say public libraries are important to their communities. “Library Services in the Digital Age,” Pew Internet &American Life Project, January 2013.
Florida libraries are efficient. Florida libraries served the public at an average cost of $28.89 per person in 2018-19 compared with a national average of $44.89 2019. IMLS.
Good return on investment. Florida’s public libraries return at least $10.18 for every $1 invested. 2013 - Florida Department of State.
Webinars
2019 FLA Pre-Library Day Webinar (recorded 1/29/19)
- Power Point Presentation
FLA Confidentiality Webinar (recorded 6/17/16)
- Power Point Presentation
2023 Love Your Library Campaign
2023 Love Your Library Campaign
Love Your Library? Tell Your Legislators Why!
This is your chance to reach out to your Florida House and Senate members and remind them to "Love Your Library!" PLEASE take time to contact their offices and let them know how critical this funding is to all the libraries in Florida (and in their districts too!). We need your help to spread the word and to garner people of action to reach out to their legislators during the month of February, 2023.
✔ 5 Minutes
Share our "Libraries are Critical to Florida" Advocacy video with your Florida House and Senate members.
✔ 10-15 Minutes
Use FLA's OneClick Politics site to make it a quick and painless way to email your representatives during this week.
- Refresh yourself with the 2023 FLA Platform
- Click on the link to FLA's Advocate Sign-up Page
- Check these off your list of things to do today
✔ 15 Minutes
Light up the Lines: We are encouraging AS MANY ADVOCATES AS POSSIBLE to CALL your Legislators' offices and remind them to support all funding amounts listed in the FLA Legislative Platform! Find the phone number for your Legislators HERE.
Your personal stories are the most impactful.
Here are examples you can use to craft your own story to share your library's success:
- Online resources like eBooks, audiobooks, digital magazines and educational databases can be accessed anywhere with a library card. Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative customers collectively borrowed over 2 million eBooks, audiobooks and digital magazines in 2021.
- Libraries find ways to connect with their communities and bridge the digital divide. For example, Alachua County library system has over 200 Wi-Fi hot spots available for patrons to check out. Lake Park Library and Boynton Beach in Palm Beach County have self-serve laptop checkout kiosks for their patrons that can be used in the libraries. And many libraries across the state have free Wi-Fi access inside and outside their buildings along with public internet stations inside. State Library recent data reports that more than 1.5 million users received technology instruction from a Florida public library. All these resources help students, families, job seekers and small businesses.
- In response to the growing demand for COVID-19 testing, Miami-Dade Public Library System distributed 152,000 take home rapid test kits in 2 days to help their residents stay safe.
- U.S. Department of State Passport services have been available at Flagler County Public Libraries since 2008. In fact, libraries across the state of Florida offer this service for citizens along with notary services, adult literacy, job skills, Career Online High School and voter registration.
- A core service of libraries has always been youth literacy. Libraries came up with creative and inspiring ways to continue to reach youth in spite of social distancing constraints. Virtual story times, story times in the park, grab and go literacy bags, free online access to literacy programs, summer break time meals, snack bags to go and online programming for kids and teens. Most recent yearly reports to the State Library show that the total check out of youth materials in the state of Florida was 22 million items.
