Civic Engagement, Voter Outreach, and Your Public Library

“We live in a democracy; it should never be dismissed as political when we empower, encourage, and enable participation in our democracy,” said Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas in the civic engagement and voter registration webinar co-hosted with the Vermont Department of Libraries.

The presentation provided guidelines and resources for voter outreach and civic engagement programming. “Civic engagement compliments the mission of the library, and centers the library as a community engaged center for civic engagement,” said Joy Worland, Vermont Department of Libraries Consultant for Continuing Education and Small and Rural Libraries.

Everything libraries do must be nonpartisan. “You want to invite people in, not alienate people,” Worland said. “The library is for everyone.”

“Time and time again I am reminded how important libraries and librarians are to the social and civic fabric of our towns, and the critical role you play in helping people connect with information and resources,” Secretary of State Copeland Hanzas said.

For those who could not attend or who want to revisit the presentation, the webinar recording is available here: Civic Engagement, Voter Outreach, and Your Public Library

For ease of access, resources mentioned in the webinar are listed below. The Vermont Department of Libraries presentation slides are posted at the end of the list.

NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY RESOURCES (September 17, 2024)
National Voter Registration Day Website

National Voter Registration Day 2024 Social Media Toolkit

Hashtags: #NationalVoterRegistrationDay #VoteReady

VERMONT SECRETARY OF STATE RESOURCES
Vermont Voter Registration Drive Information Flier

Vermont Voter Registration Drive “Your Voice, Your Vote” Request for Free Print Resources

Vermont’s My Voter Page, where people can check:
Voter registration status
Absentee ballot status
Mail-in application and ballot status
Poll location
Elected Officials
Registration information on file with the town office
Sample ballot for the upcoming election

Office of the Vermont Secretary of State Social Media Tookkit

Vermont Secretary of State Civics Program Resources

Office of the Secretary of State Social Media:
Instagram: @vtsecretaryofstate

Facebook: Vermont-Secretary-of-State

X (Formerly Twitter): @VermontSOS

Election Security in Vermont Video

ALA RESOURCES
Reader. Voter. Ready.

Libraries and Voter Engagement

2024 Election Collaboration Toolkit

Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC): Register Parents and Caregivers to Vote at Storytime

BOOK LISTS
Denver Public Library Voting Books for Adults

Denver Public Library Books on Voting for Teens