Dear Colleagues:

Over the past three decades, we have seen a This tipsheet from the American Library decline invoter turnout, smaller attendance at Association provides ideas for how your library political rallies, fewer people engaging in can bean electoral resource foryour community politics ingovernment and a reduced involvement and how libraries can use the election season incivic organizations. And as countries overseas to promote their own issues. Italso includes seek to establish democratic institutions,we a broad listof suggested resources for informa seem to have experienced a deepening cynicism tion on the upcoming elections and American about public affairs inthe United States. democracy and great examples of what Fortunately, this cynicism has sparked a renewed some libraries indifferent parts of the country interest incivic involvement and reinvigorating are doing to facilitate the electoral process. American democracy. We hope that you will share this informa So how can we meet the challenge of tion with your colleagues and encourage library strengthening and maintaining a vigorous users to take advantage of all the important democracy? A good part of the answer lies at resources your libraryhas to offer to ensure our very doorstep-the Iibrary. broadpublic participation during this upcoming The libraryprovides a civic space where election season and in future elections. You can the public can find all sorts of voting information, findan onlineversion of thistipsheet that speak freely,share similar interests and you are welcome to reproduce and distribute at concerns and pursue what they believe is in www.ala.org/kranich/librariesandelections/. their interest.The library isthe one institution Libraries are the cornerstone of democracy. whose sole function isto provide for the free I urge you to take an active role inpromoting exchange of information and ideas. As such, the more citizen participation inthe electoral process libraryisone of the fewplaces where citizenship inyour community. Please send comments, can come to life.As librarians,we have a unique suggestions and additional sites and anecdotes opportunity to share our knowledge, expertise to the ALA Public Information Office. Thank you and commitmentto creating an informedcitizenry foryour support. I look forward to working with bymaking the librarya central player in the you on these and other important issues during electoral process. the year ahead. Libraries are also at the center of many of today's most challenging public policy issues. Intellectual freedom, the digital divide, copyright, privacy, filtering and telecommunications are just a few. The election season provides us with a wonderful opportunity to educate the public, Nancy C. Kranich candidates and the media about these issues President 2000-2001 and to gather support. American LibraryAssociation

Smart voting starts@ your library. 2 candidate lectures and in action. meetings, debates, Democracy presentations where local citizens can actively InMarch 2000, the Democratic Party of the state engage inopen and vigorous dialogue on all ofArizona pioneered a new frontier inAmerica's issues that are important to them. oldest ritual.Over four days, members of the For years, the public has registered to vote party cast ballots for their party's presidential and cast ballots at our nation's libraries.Users candidate, many of them doing so via the Internet. can gather information and monitor the work Total voter turnout increased from 13,000 inthe of bothelected and appointedofficials through 1996 primaryto 89,000 in2000, where 40% reports housed in librarydepositories of govern of voters cast Internetballots. And while many ment information. Libraries provide voter guides experienced the novelty of voting from their own and other relevant information about elections homes, a significant number utilized one of and referenda. They also provide a venue for America's oldest institutions-the public library. authors who write about political issues. A thriving democracy requires an informed Libraries provide information ina variety citizenry.America's libraries stand at the heart of of formats, from books and magazines to videos, our democracy as they are among the few public audio recordings and electronic resources, that spaces left incivic lifethat stand outside of informthe public about the political process. the marketplace. Libraries exist to ensure the free They provide deadlines forvoter registration and flowof informationfor all people.They provide the locationof pollingplaces, political speeches, the resources the public needs to be well statistics, media coverage, political party informedand to participatefully and activelyin information and more. every aspect of our society. In doing so, libraries Libraries offer their communities new play a critical role in revitalizing civic spirit. opportunities to revitalize civic discourse by Librarians, long dedicated to the free exchange utilizing new technology such as the Internetto of opinions and ideas, have a unique opportunity promote and deliberate on issues and challenges to put this spirit intoaction. facing them. Librarians linkcitizens to all sorts of One of the best ways that librarians can quality electoral information inprint and online. helpto keepthis spirit alive isby encouraging No doubt, future electoral effortswill include public participation inthe electoral process. online polling and voting throughout the country, Libraries are the ideal place for people to get the building upon the success of the Arizona experi information they need to make wise decisions ence. Librarieswill be key to bridging the electoral about issues and events affecting their lives. digital divide and encouraging broad participation Libraries are the perfect forums for town hall by citizens indetermining their political futures.

"Libraries have always been places where everyone in a can common so community find ground, it is logical that libraries would be where without places" people computers could come to vote. ?GladysAnn Wells, Arizona State Librarian

Smart voting starts@ your library. 3 Create a voter information area inyour public, Host an event foryour community to watch school or college/university libraryand a campaign debate on TV and follow with a publicize itsavailability to the community. Your discussion of the issues addressed. display might include books, videos, CD-ROMs, flyers, issue guides and resource lists,citizen Highlightmaterials that describe the duties of group literature,voter registration deadlines and elected officials, the wording of ballot measures nonpartisan information on candidates. Ifyour and contact information for candidates and library'spolicy permits, provide candidate state ballot-issue committees. ments and arguments on ballots. Provide ballots and voter guides, partnering with organizations Maintain a community bulletin board on such as the League ofWomen Voters. your computer system where people can discuss issues.Make sure there isan actual bulletin

Create a voter informationarea on your library's board that points people to the computer page. Web site. Include linksto useful election-related Web sitesand publisha userguide pointing Write a letter to the editor or opinion out resources relevant to local electoral issues. Be column foryour campus, community or school sure to include linksfor students. Bookmark Web newspaper about how important libraries sites of candidates important to your community are to a functioning democracy. Emphasize and publish a listof these sites. that libraries provide a forum for the public to exercise its right to know. Send out a press release about all the useful election information available at your library. Offer interviews to community or campus radio and TV stations about the importance of Sponsor a debate or forum between a commu having access to government and other nitygroup leader working on an issue relevant information about social and political issues to local or national elections and a leader and the library's role inmaking and keeping supporting opposing policies (e.g., a healthcare this information accessible. reformadvocate and an insurance company spokesperson). Publicize the event through Sponsor forums on local and national issues newsletters, campus newspapers, flyers, local with local leaders of community organizations. media and your library'sWeb site. Contact publishers to get authors of books on Host a candidate's debate on key library the 2000 election to speak at your library. Invite issues at an upcoming library-related conference a candidate or community group leader opposed or other public meeting. to the book's arguments to debate the author.

Invitea teacher, professor or other authority Host a movie night inyour college or university to give a talk about voting, the election library,showing a film about American politics, process or other related issues. Follow with a followed by a discussion. Invitea professor to question-and-answer session. moderate the discussion.

4 Smart voting starts@ your library to our a "The library is central free society.It is critical elementin thefree exchangeof informationat theheart of our democracy." ?Vartan Gregorian

Build partnerships with organizations Work with teachers to host a mock debate promoting voter education such as the League with two students representing two candidates' ofWomen Voters or Project Vote Smart. views. Follow with a mock election. (See Selected resources.) Make your school librarya one-stop shop for Sponsor debates of local candidates on local informationabout local elections and candidates issues, followed by a question-and-answer for teachers and other school professionals. session. If ina college or academic setting, work Be sure to highlight issues and positions with your campus newspaper or the Political impacting school libraries. Bookmark related Science department to co-sponsor a debate Web sites on the school library'scomputers. geared toward college students. Hold the debate inthe college library,inthe student union Make voting and election information or a in class during itsscheduled meeting time. available inthe school libraryduring Back-to School nights. Ask local businesses, YMCA's, schools, museums and other community organizations to Workwith your localPTA to distribute helpyou publicizethe libraryas a sitefor voter election information to parents. Send home information. flyerswith schoolchildren or provide literature at PTA meetings. Invitecollege students to helpwith projects that educate voters. Work with volunteer groups on campus to send e-mail, distribute flyersor stuff student Work with teachers to integrate lessons about mailboxes with voter registration deadlines and voting and elections into the curriculum. absentee ballot information. Remind students Provide information and research about voting, that they can pick up more information at the women's suffrage, the election process or other campus library. issues inwhich students might be interested.

Smart voting starts@ your library 5 It's important that candidates know that the library states. Last year, our state received $ (amount at center is the ofmany importantpublic policy available at www.imls.gov). Will you support debates?and thatwhen theyget elected, they11 be increasedfunding in the coming year for LSTA to able influence libraryfunding and other and a reauthorization of the act when itcomes our important issues impacting nations libraries. up in2002? Here's what you can do: Good school libraries improve student perform Highlight libraryissues ance. Yet, the last time therewas dedicated Contact the sponsors of any candidate federalfunding for school librarieswas duringthe debates inyour area-local, state or national 1960'sand 1970'swiththe first Elementary and and ask ifyou can get one or two library/ Secondary Education Act. Since then, school information questions on the debate agenda. librarieshave not had a consistent source of fund ing.What will you do toensure that school libraries Invitethe cable TV franchisein your continueto get the support they desperately need communityto joinwith you to sponsorand to improvestudent learning in the 21 stcentury? broadcast a candidate forum. Focus on library, technology and information policy issues. (For state candidates) Our stategovernment allocates $ percapita Develop two or three questions on libraryand peryear (checkwith your state libraryagency; information issues and send them to each listingavailableatwww.cosla.org, for amounts) candidate foroffice. Even ifthey don't all respond, toour public libraries.While thisstate aid isa theywill have a new awareness that libraries are small fraction of our total operating expenses, mi po rtan t tovote rs. Pu b Iclyi th a nk those itis crucial to our operations. Will you support who respondand publicizethe most favorable continued(increased) funding for public libraries responses widely-on flyers, innews releases, etc. from the state treasury?

Sample candidate questions (For all candidates) (For local candidates?city council Librariesare shownto be keycommunity-building county commission) institutions,the one place thatpeople of all Our libraryis largelyfunded through local tax opinions and backgrounds can gather, learn and dollars. Nationally, most people believe that the discover. Please tell us a littlea bout your own libraryisone of themost valuable publicservices beliefson governmentsupport for libraries and would support an increase in local taxes to as community centers. strengthen libraryservices. Can you comment on libraryfunding? Libraries are one of the most important institutions educating our youngsters. Research (For national candidates) showsthat time spent with books in library The LibraryServices and Technology Act provides programshelps children succeed inschool and in a small amount of federal funding for libraries, life.Would you supportan increasein funding allocated mostly on a per capita basis to the foryouth services and school libraries?

Smartvoting starts @ your library. 6 The development of new information technolo Encourage students, staff,your board and Friends gies has complicated many issues that our public to get involved inthe political process-volunteering policy-makers face every day. Can you share at the polls, helping with voter registrationdrives, with us your thinking on some of these issues? distributing informationabout the election. (Lookat ALA's Washington Office Web page at www.ala.org/washoff/keyissues.html for Have fact sheets or bookmarks available for the synopses of current key issues.) public to show the total percentage or per capita amount of local, state and federal funds that Influence the process come to your public, school or college/university For public libraries, let all your candidates library.Also listkey library policy matters that know the number and power of your trustees, elected officials influence. advisory group and/or Friends. Provide candidates with Friends' names, addresses Develop a listof local libraryfacts and figures and amount of funds raised. that are influenced by government decisions (funding, number of people who attend your Encourage parents, college students, library'sprograms, number of libraryvisits and colleagues, trustees or Friends to send lettersto the impact of federal, state or locally funded the editor of your local paper, commenting on programs on students and/or families). Print the candidates' positions related to libraries.Offer to listas a flyeror post on your library'sWeb site. draft language, facts and figures. Make sure your staff, board and Friends have the information so they can talk about the library's Host an "Information Issues Night" at your needs and itscontributions to the community. public, school or college/university library. Invite candidates, as well as panelists such as lawyers, Keep a listof all thecandidates and their scholars, telecommunications/computer biographies and positions handy foryour board, professionals, reporters and community leaders, staff, Friends, teachers and colleagues so that to join a state or national library leader to they have information at their fingertips to share discuss issues.Ask a locally known journalist to with libraryusers and the media. moderate the discussion.

Work with local community organizations that Issue a press release to localmedia that expresses are involved ingetting voters to register and your library'scommitment to educating voters. vote-such as the League ofWomen Voters, the NAACP, the Urban League, student groups and Take your board chair, keymember of your the local election commission-and be sure they Friends group, a member of the PTA, students are aware of library issues. or college administrators to a meeting with the local or campus newspaper's editorial board. Share informationabout your election season Discuss library issues and ask for editorial activities on your state or regional librarye-lists. support forany library issues that are coming up Solicit ideas and reportsfrom colleagues and adapt inthe election. Let the editors know the them foryour libraryfor future election seasons. candidates' stands on library issues. Sponsor programs on librariesand the electoral process at upcoming library-relatedconferences.

Smart voting starts@ your library 7 JeffersonCounty (Colo.) Public Library has has a research page formock congress bill voter informationtables inthe lobbiesof all their writing at http://aurora.portage.kl2.oh.us/ libraries (except those used as polling places). libraries/MockCongress/mock_congress.htm Candidates and campaigners drop their literature Contact: Mary Ann Balbach, there regularly. Inaddition, the ballot proposal Social Science Department Chair analyses by the League ofWomen Voters and Phone:330-562-3375 Fax: n/a those requiredby Colorado's TABOR (Taxpayers E-mail: [email protected] Billof Rights) law are placedon thosetables. Web site: www.aurora.portage.kl2.oh.us/ Contact: Kay Pride, Director of Public Information libraries/harmonm2y.htm Phone: 303-275-2203 Fax: 303-275-2202

E-mail: [email protected] Des Plaines (III.) Public Library registers voters, Web site:www.jefferson.lib.co.us posts deadlines forvoter registration, publicizes polling locations, provides mail-in voter The Government/Social Sciences Information registration forms for people who are not mobile, Service at U.C. Berkeley's Doe Library creates an checks on voter registration status for patrons, exhibit for state and national elections that answers reference questions on legislators (at all includes listsof sources from the collection, Web levels of government) and how to contact them addresses forvoting/election sites, etc., plus and gives dates of primary and regular elections. handouts such as the League ofWomen Voters Contact: Leslie Steiner, Public InformationOfficer handbook. A special binder, kept at the reference Phone:847-827-5551 Fax: n/a desk, isalso put together with local newspaper E-mail: [email protected] articles, flyers,and other materials that focus Web site: www.desplaines.lib.il.us on candidates, issues and campaign finances, as well as background materials on small, local TheWadsworth (Ohio) Public Library has elections. Voter registration information isalso sponsored a Candidates' Forum since 1992. Those available. candidates running incontested races forcity Contact: Susana Hmojosa and/or county government posts are invitedto Phone: 510-643-9347 Fax: 510-642-6830 make an opening two-minute address, and then E-mail: [email protected] answer questions from the audience. The program Web site: www. Iib.berkeley.edu iscarried liveby the local cable station and is re-run repeatedly during the weeks prior to the election. At Harmon Middle School inAurora, Ohio, Contact: JanetWelch, Marketing and eighth graders become senators and representa Public Relations Coordinator tives fora day and submit bills incommittees, Phone: 330-334-5761 Fax: 330-334-6605 debate intheir respective legislative bodies and E-mail: [email protected] conclude the day with a joint session. The library Web site: www.wadsworth.lib.oh.us

Smart voting starts@ your library. 8 not a as "There is such cradle ofdemocracy upon the earth Free where neither the Public Library,this republic of letters, " nor rank, office, wealth receives the slightestconsideration. ?Andrew Carnegie

The BlueValley (Kan.)School District 15 libraries in Jackson County over the next a new participates inthe Kids Voting Kansas project, six years, including 78,000-square-foot which ispart of Kids Voting USA, begun in headquarters facility. Arizona inthe late 1980'sto promote student Contact: Meghan O'Flaherty, Headquarters knowledge of the electoral process and create LibraryManager, Jackson County LibraryServices lifetimevoters. Each school has a teacher resource Phone: 541 -774-6403 Fax: 541 -774-6748 handbook of activities and lessons forevery E-mail: [email protected] grade level,along with background information. Web site: www.jcls.org Apian isunder development to integrate these activities into library lessons taught in The Gilroy(Calif.) Public Library teams up conjunction with the grade-level curricula. with other local organizations and offers: Contact: Ann Trotter a community information/handouts area; Phone: 913-681 -7158 Fax: 913-681 -7159 voter registration form/mailer; materials from E-mail: [email protected] candidates and opposing viewpoints on DistrictWeb site: www.bluevalleykl2.org measures/propositions; Easy Reading Voter Guide in several different languages (see Jackson County (Ore.) librarians had success California State Library on next page); Internet with an innovative program called Pony Express links; adult ready reference: clippings, articles 2000. The librarysystem was facinga bond and other information related to upcoming measure election that required a double and past elections; and public forums on key majority voter turnout to pass (50% of registered local issues. The libraryworks closely with + voters must cast a ballot, 50% 1must be groups like the American Association of "yes" votes). The librarygot the local League of UniversityWomen and the League ofWomen Women Voters and American Association of Voters when they present Meet the Candidates UniversityWomen to sponsor a voter pledge drive forums or issues programs. and involved Girl Scouts, local school classrooms, Contact: Lani Yoshimura, Community Librarian Boy Scouts, Campfire Girls and 4-H members Phone: 408-842-8208, ext. 3435 to run the drive. The librarymeasure passed with Fax: 408-842-0489 53% voter turnout and 57% yes votes. As a E-mail: [email protected] result,the librarywill be buildingor remodeling Web site:www.santaclaracountylib.org

9 Smart voting starts@ your library NorthBend (Ore.)High School Librarysends Contact: Al Bennett, or gives outvoter registration forms, complete Library Programs Consultant with postage, to students on their 18th birthday Phone: 916-653-7743 Fax: 916-653-8443 as a way to encourage students to vote. E-mail: [email protected] Contact: Ann Magill Web site: www.library.ca.gov Phone: 541 -756-8328 Fax: 541 -756-6945

E-mail: [email protected] Waunakee (Wis.) Public Library registers voters Web site: n/a and publicizespolling locations.The library director isan election official who visits nursing TheMobile (Ala.)Public Library has held homes and assisted-living facilities to register candidate forums for the past 10 years. The voters as well as set up absentee ballot stations, libraryworks with the League ofWomen Voters explains the ballot, assists residents with to develop forums and a set of questions based reading them and then returns completed on issues of concern to the community. The ballots to the village election office. forums are for candidates running incontested Contact: Louise Bauer, LibraryDirector races for city,county and local legislative offices. Phone: 608-849-4217 Fax: 608-849-7817 Each candidate gives brief opening comments E-mail: [email protected] and then isasked questions. The Probate Web site: www.scls.lib.wi.us/waunakee Court, which handles Mobile elections, sends the librarysample ballots, which are then made The Chicago (III.)Public Library System available through librarydisplays. The Court partnered with the League ofWomen Voters of announces in itselection news release that Illinois Education Fund to help educate citizens ballots are available at the library. about candidates and voting information for Contact: Christina Bowersox, upcoming elections. The collaboration helped Information Services Officer publicizethe Democracy Network (DNet), Phone: 334-208-7902 Fax: 334-208-5865 the League-sponsored Internet-based voter's E-mail: [email protected] guide. The League provided materials explaining Web site: www.mplonlme.org how to use the DNet Web site as well as publicity materials. The main library informed The California State Library,working with local branch staff about DNet, linked its home page public libraries, produces a voter information to the DNet Web site (www.dnet.org/il) and pamphletcalled EasyReading Voter Guide displayed that linkas an icon on the main for low-literacy level adults. The project began menu of itshome page. In2000, the League will through a local grant to a literacyprogram recruitvolunteers to demonstrate DNet at and isnow distributed to librariesstatewide for selected librarybranch locations, coordinating everyone's use, including students. The guide with local librarians. isdeveloped each time by a team of library Contact: Amy Eshleman, Director of adult literacystudents. It is printed inEnglish, Development and Outreach Spanish, Vietnamese and a Chinese dialect. Phone: 312-747-4092 Fax: 312-747-4968 It isalso printed insome local newspapers. E-mail: [email protected] See www.easyvoter.org for the latest issue. Web site: www.chipublib.org

Smart voting starts@ your library 10 ^llHHlBL^i^i^ifliflBiiifliA'

Guide and linksto politicalparties www.yahoo.com Web Sites with sub-categories, with links to News features on the elections platforms and agendas on theYahoo homepage that leadto University Information on nominating "Election 2000" page. Links users to Web sitesmaintained University conventions major news sources, live chat rooms links to by subject specialists provide Guide to Internet statistical and bulletinboards, audio and video numerous other sites and lists valuable of resources excerpts from candidates, magazine Browse these sites and check references. articles, candidate Web sites and out what's available. may prove They Commercial more. Very comprehensive. when very helpful selecting your www.freedomchannel.com own sites to candidates records follow Nonpartisan commercial venue that Not-for-profit on issues toyour important community. provides90-second video clipsof www.aarp.org/election2000/ are: Particularly noteworthy statements from presidential, Page on the siteof theAmerican gubernatorial and congressional Associationof RetiredPeople. Includes www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/library/ candidates. a newsletter, primary schedules, video gallery-us.html clips on election issues, suggested Broad site on American government www.politicalwag.com questions for candidates and informa and with on publicpolicy pages Free online message boards for users tion on health issues. Also information Election2000 and linksto: to voice opinions on major issues on registeringto vote (inSpanish too). Academic and research sites and carry out debates with others. Indexes to government information www.bettercampaigns.org Media sources www.publicagenda.com Siteof theAlliance forBetter Political parties Thorough coverage of national issues Campaigns, a group founded and Publicadvocacy groups (broken an with background,debates and opinion directed by ex-Washington Post down issue) are by pollspresented in a newsmagazine reporter. The honorary chairs former Resources for state and local law style.Links to sitesto find local PresidentsCarter and Fordand Walter and policy candidates. Also links to a series of Cronkite. The group seeks to promote Links to statistical resources inexpensivebooks (bya New York politicalcampaigns free of negative Times reporter)called National Issues attackads and sound bites.The site www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/ ForumsGuides coveringsuch topicsas issuesbriefs on campaignsand links Documents.center/psusp.html schools, Internet policy, unemployment, to civic and reform groups. Extremelycomprehensive guide drug policy, environmental protection, including: the justice system and more. www.calvoter.org Web sites concerningpolitical history A good exampleof a state-level fromAmerican Images political www.selectsmart.com group.ThisCalifornia guide provides history Users fill inquestionnaires to find voters with information on elections Internet to science guides political candidates whose policy statements and state propositions. Also includes resources approximate their views. links to campaign sites. Database on past elections (results, speeches, etc.) www.usademocracy.com www.cdi.org Linksto search political engines Reviewof the legislativeprocess. Siteof theCenter for Defense Links to campaign finance Biographiesof presidentand Information, an organization founded information legislators. Information available on byex-military people dedicated to Linksto and lobbying advocacy currentand past legislativeinitiatives educatingthe public about America's groups with a helpful search frame. weapon production. There is a page Linksto informationon minority dedicated to electionsand howeach

politicians www.washingtonpost.com candidate stands on defense issues. Guide to media resources covering Latest news stories on political races. elections Links to candidates' Web sites.

Provides maps of races state-by-state, brokendown bydistrict. Links to state government Web sites.

Smartvoting starts @ your library11 www.commoncause.org Site containsa detailedmap of the www.publicagenda.org Site of Common Cause, a nonprofit, organization, issues under discussion, Nonpartisan, non-profit site that nonpartisancitizens lobbying voter registration information and features excellent coverage of a to organization that works on campaign links to local branches of the organi national issues, offers page aid finance reform, ethics reform, limiting zation.The League is sponsoring a users in finding local candidates the influenceof PACsand making "Take a friend to vote" campaign to and linksto foundationsthat give government more accountable, which encourage voter registration. For more moneyto publicpolicy groups. features reports on candidates' information, see www.lwv.org/ voter/ donors with amounts and also charts govote/takeafriend.html. www.vote-smart.org an campaign expenditures. Site of Project Vote Smart, www.netelection.org organization that partners with the www.cspan.org/campaign2000/ A projectof theAnnenberg Public American Library Association, search/ PolicyCenter of theUniversity of where users can find candidates by Contains searchable video archives of Pennsylvania, in cooperation with the entering their zip codes. Also candidate statements. Center for Governmental Studies and included is informationon where to theCenter for Public Integrity, vote, voter registration details www.dnet.org this site features information about and national and state candidate Sitesponsored by the League of the roleof the Internetin American profiles,including positions and Women Voters Fund and the Center for political campaigns. Features voting records. Governmental Studies. Users may enter magazine-style reports about various Librariescan registerwith Project a resource theirzip codes to findcandidates in their campaigns and a substantive Vote Smart to receive free district.Includes links to other public bibliographyof scholarlymaterial on book, a Web site guide, a reporter's interestgroup sites and a thoroughlist the Internet and politics. source book and a toll-free ofdead linesfor voter registration and service that puts them in touch a see registration information. Links to sites of www.nvri.org with researcher. To register, the major and minor national and local Site of theNational Voting Rights ProjectVote SmartWeb siteor at political parties. Institute, a non-profit that challenges contact the organization Project the constitutionality of current Vote Smart, One Common Ground, www.e-democracy.org campaign financethrough litigation Philipsburg,MT 59858. Democracies Online, an organization and public education. Site contains Telephone: 406-859-8683. that "promotes civic participation and legalbriefs from past and present E-mail: [email protected]. news democracy efforts around the world projects, items and links to state on through informationexchange, experience organizations working similar Government sharing, outreach and education." issues. www.elections.state.ny.us/ a Focuses on politics inMinnesota. This An example of state-run site, this site features forums, an online magazine, www.opensecrets.org/home/ one from New York contains, among candidate debates, etc. The site also index.asp otherthings: promotes international exchange of TheWeb siteof theCenter for Registration and voter information ideas and experiences about democracy. Responsive Politics. It has a search Campaign finance information able database that helps users trace, Election results www.lwv.org in national and state elections, the Election law Site of the League ofWomen Voters, a amounts of contributions for each Ruleson runningfor office nonpartisan political organization that candidate and their sources. Users District maps encourages voter participation. can also search by donor or PAC.

"Whatever the cost our the is of libraries, price" cheap to an compared that of ignorant nation. ?Walter Cronkite

12 Smart voting starts@ your library historical and www.fec.gov CD-ROMs Through photographs Siteof the FederalElection Committee newsreels, evocative live footage thatfeatures guides forthose wishing and interviews with David Broder, to run for office; members of the AllAbout Elections Alistar Cooke, Cokie Roberts, Charles to can media covering elections; resources on (Grade 4 adult). Describes who McDowell and others, the film are campaign finance reform; and the vote, how candidates selected and chronicles the personalities, events structure of the U.S. election system how elections are conducted. Defines and issuesof the first200 years voter (electoral college, etc.). concepts like political party, of Congress. Directed by Ken Burns. registration, primary elections, party See www.libraryvideo.com. www.fec.gov/votregis/vr.htm conventions, nominations, campaign Siteof theNational Mail Voter strategies, debates, polls and ballots, Crisis of Democracy Registration Form. Users may print out referenda and the electoral college. (Filmsfor the Humanities and this form to register to vote. RequiresWindows 95 orMAC OS. Sciences: Princeton, 1996). Bill Moyers See www.libraryvideo.com. moderates a discussion with www.gpo.gov prominentpolitical thinkers about the Site of the U.S. Government Printing Decisions, Decisions 5.0: On the democratic process. Office, which hosts government Campaign Trail documents, including the latest (Grades5 to 12).Covers presidential C-Span liberal vs. legislative initiatives and successes. elections, party politics, The cable television network provides conservative policies and the democratic 24-hour coverage of congressional a Political PartyOfficial Web Sites process. Students role-play third-party hearings, debates, campaigns and more. are www.hartford-hwp.com/cp-usa presidential candidate where they Officialsite of theCommunist Party pressed for their positions on issues Democracy in a Different Voice: USA ranging from the economy and defense Lani Cuinier spending to heath care and crime. See (InsightMedia: NewYork, 1995). www.democrats.org www.libraryvideo.com. Politicalthinker Lani Cuinier discusses Officialsite of theDemocratic her views on democracy. National Committee Videos Electing the President: An American www.greens.org Government Series Officialsite of theGreen Party The Best Campaign Money Can Buy (PBSVideo: Alexandria, VA, 1996). (PBSVideo: Alexandria, VA, 1992). Five sixty-minute programs exploring A www.lp.org PBS Frontline documentary how presidents get elected. Officialsite of the LibertarianParty that asks, "Does big money control our elections?" Focuses on the 1992 Election Day www.natural-law.org presidential election. (GradesK to4). Explainsactivities that Officialsite of theNatural LawParty precede Election Day and reviews Campaigning forthe Presidency differentlevels of publicoffice elections www.reformparty.org (PBSVideo: Alexandria, VA, 1992). along with constitutional amendments Officialsite of theReform Party Campaign managers and political thatgave all groupsof Americans the advisors to Republican and Democratic rightto vote. Children also explorethe www.rnc.org candidatesfrom 1968 to 1988 historyof voting and examinethe Officialsite of theRepublican examine various aspects of the attributesof a good leaderby watching National Committee election process. as a group of middle school students elect their class president. www.sp-usa.org Congress: The History and Promise See www.libraryvideo.com. Officialsite of theSocialist Party USA of Representative Government (PBSHome Video: BeverlyHills, AThirdChoice Calif, 1996). DavidMcCullough (PBSVideo: Alexandria, VA, 1996). narrates this exploration into the A lookat the roleof thirdparties in an history of American institution. shaping American politics.

starts 13 Smart voting @ your library How Congress Works, 3rd Edition Electing the People's House, Books D.C.: 1998:A Collectionof Statistical Reference (Washington, Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 1998). An excellent and Written Analyses The Almanac of American Politics guidebook to the day-to-day Robert Richie (Washington, D.C.: Center Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa, machinations of Congress, with forVoting and Democracy,1998) with RichardE. Cohen and Charles E. historicalillustrations of the process Cook, Jr.(New York: E.P. Dutton, annual). of lawmaking. Ifthe Cods Had Meant Us to Published National Journal by Group, Vote, They Would Have Civen a Inc., for-profitWashington, D.C., Political Market Place U.S. Us Candidates publisher. The authors are a political George Thomas Kurian and Jeffrey JimHightower (New York: and consultant. journalist political Schultz(Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1999). HarperCollinsPublishers Inc., 2000) breakdown of State-by-state A reference book that includes members of Congress, with career information about local party How Congress Gets Elected and broad historiesof biographies headquarters, including "third" Rhodes Cook (Washington, D.C.: corresponding districts parties; political associations, left to Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 2000) of members' records Ratings voting right;political action committees; by leftto rightinterest groups political science research institutes; The LittleBook ofCampaign Etiquette ofHouse and Thoroughappendix thinktanks; and federaland state (Washington, D.C: Brookings Senate with contact committees, election commissions. InstitutionPress, 1998) information and lists of members and theirdistricts Presidential Campaigns: A New Kind ofParty Animal: Revised Edition How theYoung are Redefining Campaign and Election Reform: A Paul F. Boiler, Jr. (New York: Oxford PoliticsAs Usual Reference Handbook UniversityPress, 1996). A history (NewYork: Simon and Schuster,1998) Glenn H. Utter and Ruth Ann of presidential campaigns, focusing Strickland (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, on the idea that nasty, negative TheWeb ofPolitics: Two of on 1997). professors political campaigning is nothing new. The Internets Impact the science readers to and guide print American Political System non-print resources on the and history Restoration: Congress, RichardDavis (NewYork: Oxford, current of election and activity Term Limits and the Recovery 1999) reform. campaign of Deliberative Democracy GeorgeWill (NewYork: The FreePress, Why Americans Don't Vote Finance Reform: Campaign 1992).The author isa journalist/ Frances Fox Piven and Richard A. A Sourcebook punditwho providesa defenseof term Cloward (New York: Pantheon Books, The BrookingsInstitute (Washington, limits forCongressional office. 1988) D.C.:The Brookings Institute Press, 1997).A collectionof essaysand documents tracing the history, up to Books For Children 1996, of attempts to reform the way Popular raise and use money. campaigns Democracy inAmerica AlexisDeToqueville (NewYork: The of Web Sites HarperCollinsDictionary NewAmerican Library, 1991) American Government and Politics www.bensguide.gov JayM.Shafritz(New York: HarperCollins, Democracy on Trial U.S. government site, sponsored by 1992).Compiled and authored a by JeanBethke Elshtain (New York: the U.S. Government Printing of and international professor public Basic Books, 1995) Office,which isdedicated to educating affairsat the of University Pittsburgh. childrenabout theworkings of Providesdefinitions of electionand government. Breaks down information and of politicalterminology copies for different age groups. documents such as the Declaration of

Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

14 Smart voting starts@ your library. www.headbone.com/derby/polls www.sos.state.mi.us/ Presidential Elections and Other "Iz and Auggie Co to the Polls." kidspage/elections.html Cool Facts Students learn the fundamentals of TheMichigan Secretaryof State's SylSobel (Hauppauge,NY: Barrons Internet research and apply their Officeuses a CyberSeal to inform Juveniles,2000) knowledgeof keyaspects of American Michigan childrenabout votingand Presidential trivia and basic facts government. The Izand Auggie story the election process. Part of the on the electoral process as spelled line ispresented incomic strip format, Kids Discover Michigan Web site. out inthe Constitution, including with a research puzzle at the end the rules and practices related ofeach episode.The sitehas been to campaigning. For grades 4-7. designedaround the National Content Books Standards for Social Studies. ATeacher's Teen Power Politics: Make Guide includessuggestions for use with Elections Yourself Heard each grade level(4-8) and provides JanetMajure (SanDiego: Lucent Sarah JaneBoyers (Brookfield, CT: age-appropriate classroom extensions Books "Overview" series, 1996) MillbrookPress, 2000) and related off-line activities. History of the U.S. electoral process, An in-your-face, issue-oriented relation and influence of media and book forteens on politicaland civic www.kidsvotingusa.org bigmoney financial backers and advocacy. Includes the history of A non-profit organization, Kids Voting alternatives to the two-party system. voting, election information, media USA seeks to promoteparticipation Foryoung adults. literacy issues and civic participation of youngsters in the electoral process. ideas to get teens more involved The sitehas pages dedicated to voter ElectionsA toZ indemocracy. education, links for social studies John Moore (Washington, D.C: teachers and ideas on how to engage Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 1999). The Vote: Making Your childrenin the politicalprocess. Congressional Quarterly's ready Voice Heard reference encyclopedia of American LindaScher (Austin,TX: Raintree www.rockthevote.org government. A good reference tool, Steck-Vaughn,1993) Siteof nonprofitorganization founded particularly for teens and young voters. Writtenfor children, the book explains bymembers of the recordingindustry, who iseligible to vote, when and to geared toward the younger voter. Landslide: A Kid's Guide the wherevoting takes place (local to some Links include youth activist organiza U.S. Elections national levels), why citizens tions and magazine-like coverage Dan Cutman (NewYork: Aladdin don't exercisetheir voting rights and of issues. The site features bulletin Paperbacks,to be published how to become a wise voter. boards to air one's views. June2000) Describes what ittakes to get elected Voting Behavior www.virginia-beach.va.us/dept/ to Congress and the White House. (San Diego: Greenhaven Press voter/vbvr_kids_corner.html A little history, some fascinating "At Issue" series, 1996) From the Virginia Beach, Va., Voter facts and modern election campaign Examines the electoral process, its Registration and Elections Office. "Kids practices. Forages 12+. history and changes; includes discussion Corner" page offers activities for on the impactof media, third party children designed to increase awareness candidates and voter turnouts. of the importanceof voting and the For young adults. role that government plays inour lives.

"If information is the currency ofdemocracy, then libraries are its banks." ?Senator Wendall H. Ford

Smart voting starts@ your library 15 This was by C. of ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H Nancy Kranich,president ^^^^^^^^^^^^^M theAmerican Association Library ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 2000-2001,Paul Abruzzo, a researchassistant and ^^^^^^^^^^^M library ^^^^^^^^^^^^^M schoolstudent, andthe ^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hj ALAPublic Information Office. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^M Formore contact: information, ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H ALAPublic Information Office ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 50East Huron Street ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H Chicago,Illinois 60611 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H H Phone:800-545-2433, ext.5041/5044 Fax:312-944-8520 H ^^^^^^^^^H E-mail: [email protected] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H

Smart starts@ your library