San Francisco, California – At 826 National, we believe this to our core: when you build a library, you build a community—and when you protect libraries, you protect possibility itself.
Libraries have always been more than places to borrow books, they are places where young people discover new worlds, tell their own stories, and begin writing the future they desire. They are safe harbors for learning, creativity, and connection. They are spaces where students gather for story time, find support after school, and celebrate the richness of their communities.
That’s why today, we reaffirm our commitment to standing with libraries across the country now more than ever in light of the current administration’s executive order targeting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a critical source of funding for libraries nationwide.
We join advocates nationwide in strongly opposing this order. The stakes couldn’t be clearer. Without robust investment, we risk weakening some of the few truly public spaces where young people:
- Find safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments
- Build the literacy, confidence, and skills they need to shape their futures
- Grow from readers into writers, discovering stories that reflect who they are, explore worlds they never imagined, and find the power and joy in telling their own
- Access programs, digital tools, and internet resources that help bridge social and economic disparities and support their development and their dreams
“Libraries aren’t just about access to books, they’re about access to belonging. They’re where young people first see themselves in stories, and where they realize the stories they carry are powerful too. At 826 National, we believe every student deserves a space to imagine, create, and write their way toward a future they can shape with their own words. Protecting libraries means protecting that possibility.”
— Laura Brief, CEO, 826 National Youth Writing
Delaying investment in libraries doesn’t just limit access to books and technology. It erodes the foundation every young person deserves, which is the chance to read widely, write bravely, and step into their full potential as learners and citizens.
We proudly stand alongside partners like the American Library Association in urging Congress to protect federal library funding. And through the 826 Network, we continue to collaborate with libraries nationwide to fuel young voices.
Libraries don’t just build readers. They build writers, thinkers, doers, and dreamers.
And right now, they need all of us to stand with them.
For media inquiries, please contact Heidi Lepe at 805-267-9479 or heidi@826national.org
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826 National is the largest youth writing network in the United States, amplifying the impact of writing and publishing centers across the U.S., along with the words of thousands of young writers. We serve as an international proof point for writing as a tool for young people to ignite and channel their creativity, explore identity, advocate for themselves and their community, and achieve academic and professional success. Currently the 826 Network has nine chapters in nine major US cities: Boston, Chicago, Detroit/Ann Arbor, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, Washington DC, with approximately 775,000 students accessing free programs and resources provided by chapters and 826 Digital. Visit 826national.org to learn more about our writing movement.