WebJunction

Sending a letter to the editor of a local newspaper is an effective way to voice an opinion to local policymakers and community leaders, and to educate them about why they should support the library. They are great grassroots organizing tools and an easy way to involve supporters in Opportunity Online communications efforts. A letter to the editor should draw a connection between a recent news story and a library's priority issues, or praise a recent article or editorial.

Above is a template that may help eligible libraries prepare their own letters to the editor regarding the Opportunity Online hardware grants. For maximum impact, libraries should identify community members that can endorse the letters and work with those individuals to insert specific examples of how their local library is benefiting them and the community.

General Letter

This is a general letter to the editor template that could be written from a variety of sources in response to library-related news coverage, news about the Opportunity Online hardware grants, or about current community issues such as education or the economy. For example, the letter could be written and submitted by: a person who has researched important personal health care information at the library; a director of an after-school program that focuses on how technology at the library helps youth develop new skills; or a small business owner who believes free technology access benefits the local economy.