Library Advocacy – San Jose Public Library Foundation

San José needs Library advocates.
You can be one.

We invite you to join the advocacy wave that SJPLF is growing. Together, we can continue to drive positive change and ensure that our Library remains a beacon of knowledge and opportunity for all.

To get started, see the talking points below and sign up for our monthly advocacy newsletter for educational resources and notifications about opportunities to advocate for important issues.

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San José continues to face significant fiscal challenges. Although the FY 2026-2027 budget maintained current investments in library hours, continued advocacy will be necessary to protect library hours, staffing, safety, and services in future budget cycles.

Support Our Advocacy Work

Talking Points

If local government budgets truly reflect the values of the communities they serve, I believe the City of San José’s budget should prioritize our public libraries.
It is critical that the San José Public Library has the resources it needs to serve our most vulnerable neighbors and build a more equitable, educated, and engaged community.
When library funding increases, our community is safer and stronger. An increase in library funding correlates with an increase in library usage. Greater library usage increases the overall literacy skills of our community, which creates more economic opportunity for its members and boosts our local economy.
Any continued cuts to Library hours, services, and staff will only exacerbate the growing digital divide in San José unless we invest in solutions now.
The Library has taken the lead in implementing the City’s Education and Digital Literacy Strategy. In order to sustain and build upon this work, we must continue to invest in the program.
I call on city leaders to fully fund our Library in order to ensure equity of opportunity for all of our residents.

These points are more specific and intended for people who are more actively involved in advocacy, such as Advocacy Committee members, director-level staff, board members, and district champions. Use them for one-on-one meetings with elected officials, district budget town halls, and other public settings where you want to tailor your message to the district and to your personal library story.

Highlight the District specific impact, what cuts actually look like

Lead with a personal story on the impact of libraries on your life. Then consider noting:
- If hours get cut, working families lose after school and evening access, students lose homework space, job seekers lose computer time, and seniors lose in person help. Note: Tie-in to personal story and/or role.
- If staffing gets cut, service slows down, programs shrink, and safety response capacity weakens. Note: Tie-in to personal story and/or role.

Public safety, framed as prevention

Libraries are supervised, structured public spaces, fewer hours and fewer staff shifts mean fewer safe places to go and fewer responsible eyes on the ground.
Libraries are part of our City’s public safety infrastructure. Cuts to hours, staffing, or safety supports would reduce safety. Libraries also help reduce harmful outcomes by giving people a safe, pro-social place to be.
SJPL already provides supplemental security coverage at seven higher-need branches. Further cuts could undermine branch safety and staff support.

Education and learning recovery, framed as the City’s role

Libraries are one of the City’s clearest levers for education outcomes across neighborhoods, especially for kids who need quiet study space, literacy support, and enrichment.
Anchor it in your point that the Library leads the City’s Education and Digital Literacy Strategy and needs resources to sustain it.

Digital access, framed as basic infrastructure

Cuts deepen the digital divide, period. Say it plainly and connect it to jobs, benefits, school portals, and health care access.

Senior/Elder connection and isolation

Libraries are one of the few free, welcoming places where seniors can stay socially connected, participate in programs, and avoid isolation, especially for those who live alone.
Moreover, seniors are among the vulnerable populations who are most impacted by the digital divide, and also potential scams. Digital literacy will help keep our seniors safe and protected.

Check Back for Updates: We will add next year’s public-comment script, key dates, and advocacy priorities as more information becomes available about the FY 2027-2028 City budget.

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Previous Public Comment Script for FY 2026-2027: This is a ready-to-use script for public-facing moments, open forum, Q and A, and public comment. It is designed for advocates who are speaking on the record. Keep it conversational, add one personal sentence, and end with a clear ask.

Hi, my name is [Name], I live in [San José Neighborhood], District [Number]. I am representing [X] and the over 755K cardholders here to ask you to keep the San José Public Library budget flat for FY 2026 to 2027 and avoid any further cuts to library hours, staffing, or safety.

In our district, the library is a real lifeline, for students who need a place to learn, for families who need after school access, for job seekers who need technology, for neighbors who need a safe public space, and for seniors who may be experiencing limited person to person contact or feelings of isolation.

Cuts to library hours and staffing do not disappear, they shift costs elsewhere and widen inequities, especially for residents already on the wrong side of the digital divide.

Please protect our libraries, and let us know what you need from the community to support that commitment.