Good news!

Been a minute since we have chatted! Some things are rough. Some things are quiet. We are very well aware that starting in January, the Idaho Statehouse Session may consume our lives again. So, let’s start with some good news!

• Every year the Idaho Library Association honors our local library heroes in a variety of categories and achievements. This year one category, Idaho Library of the Year, was awarded to EVERY Idaho public library. We can only assume it’s because ILA recognizes that every library is doing our best. From pandemics to politics, it’s been a few rough years, yet according to ICfL stats, the love (or need) for libraries keeps growing. 

• We were stoked this year to be a sponsor at the Idaho Library Association statewide conference. Local conferences need sponsorship for funding, and amazing volunteers to make it all happen. We want to give a special thank you to everyone who organized this year’s conference on top of your regular jobs. It shows how much you truly care for the profession.
  With our sponsorship we gave every attendee one of our supportive postcards, provided a snack break with fresh fruit and pastries on day 2, and our logo was included in the conference program.

You've got mail!

We are in the process of sending upwards of 800 postcards far and wide in Idaho to libraries big, small, rural, urban, school, public, special, etc. If your library got a postcard, we would love to see where you posted it! Tag us on Twitter or Instagram. If you know a person or organization that needs a boost, pay it forward if you can... we all need a boost right now! Download your own postcard to send or let us know where to send one.

The Postcard Project is one of our initiatives to boost morale, foster community, and make some of these scary times a little nicer. Who doesn't love snail mail?

Intro

It's been a little over 5 weeks since the Idaho Legislature gaveled out on April 6th without passing any of the library bills that percolated up during the 2023 session. Many of us let out a collective sigh of relief, and took a much needed break from our advocacy efforts. This work can be exhausting and we applaud you for your support and knowing when you need to take a break and recharge. Nice work! Hopefully that break has opened up space for you to think about elections that may be coming up in your area on May 16th.

Elections

Intro

It's been a long six weeks since we saw this year's first library-related bill land in the Idaho Legislature. In case you've forgotten, that was HB 139 all the way back on February 13. There have been four additional bills since, only one backed and supported by the Idaho Library Association. Three of those are still up in the air (more on that below). We're nearing the end of the legislature, though there's still lots of work to be done. We encourage you to make sure you're measuring your capacity and taking breaks. This work is a long haul, and it will still be here after you take a rest.

Here are two things you can do to make a difference right now:

Libraries have been in the NEWS this week

As you might have seen, some Meridian residents filed a petition to dissolve the Meridian Library District. At roughly the same time, and as of this writing, House Bill 139 has launched into the Legislature with the goal of litigating libraries into non-existence. SocialistlyAwkward made a great TikTok speaking to the problems with HB 139.

Here are two ways to make a difference right now:
Email House Education Committee members ASAP to let them know that you don't want HB 139 to be heard.

Welcome!

Welcome to the very first issue of Invisible Ink, your semi-regular newsletter from the Society of Secret Library Friends. We're a group of library workers and allies joining together to support libraries in Idaho.

We believe libraries are a public good that better our communities through education and access to resources. We seek to share talking points in support of the work libraries do, develop systems and tools to support library workers, and create paths for library friends to speak in support of libraries.