Empowering Student Voices: Academic Libraries and Civic Engagement

Posted on September 19, 2024 in Blog Posts

The right to vote is one of the most fundamental elements of democracy, and academic libraries can play a pivotal role in empowering students to exercise this right. Beyond providing resources for academic success, libraries can evolve into civic engagement hubs, supporting students in becoming informed, active participants in the electoral process. With voter turnout often lower among young people, academic libraries are uniquely positioned to help close that divide by offering access to reliable voting information, registration tools, and educational programs to encourage students to vote.

This post will explore how academic libraries can support students’ right to vote, offering valuable resources and strategies that students can use to become active citizens. At the end, I also provide critical websites where students can register to vote, check their registration status, learn about local and federal candidates, and gather information on voting by mail.

Supporting Student Organizations Focused on Civic Engagement

Many student organizations on campus are dedicated to promoting civic engagement, voter registration, and political involvement. Academic libraries can support these groups by offering meeting spaces, helping with marketing and outreach, and providing resources for organizing events. Libraries can also collaborate with student leaders to host debates, voter forums, or mock elections, allowing students to discuss important issues and practice civic engagement in a safe environment.

In collaboration with student organizations, academic libraries can host voter registration drives throughout the school year, making it easier for students to register to vote. Many students may be unfamiliar with the voter registration process, especially if they are first-time voters or out-of-state students who must register in a new location. This also presents a great opportunity to offer in-person assistance and online resources for voter registration. Vote.org is a comprehensive platform where students can check their voter registration status, register to vote, and get reminders about election dates.

Voter Education and Information Sessions

Academic libraries can support students by hosting voter education events, workshops, and discussion panels on issues related to elections, civic responsibility, and voter rights. These events can be offered in collaboration with faculty members from political science or public policy departments to ensure that students have access to fact-based information about elections. While many academic libraries provide voting resources for U.S. citizens, some students, like international or undocumented students, may not have voting rights. However, they can still engage in the democratic process by staying informed, discussing civic responsibilities, and participating in non-voting activities, such as attending local government meetings or advocating for relevant issues.

Libraries can offer materials on how non-citizens can get involved in civic life and understand the political system, even without voting rights. To support these information sessions, you can create LibGuides with all the important information shared at these events so that students can access this essential information all in one place.

In these sessions, libraries can offer guides on:

• How to research candidates and their platforms.
• Understanding ballot measures and propositions.
• The importance of local elections and how they impact daily life.

Access to Voter Registration and Election Information

Libraries are information hubs, and one of the most critical ways they can support students in voting is by offering easy access to reliable election information. Libraries can provide print materials like voter registration forms, brochures explaining the voting process, and information about election deadlines. Displaying this information near high-traffic areas in the library—like the circulation desk, study areas, cafes, or bookshelves—ensures that students can easily find what they need. You can also provide bookmarks with information about voting at the circulation desks or QR codes around the library with links to voter registration websites, allowing students to register on the spot.

For students far from home, voting in person may not be feasible. Academic libraries can guide them through the vote-by-mail process by providing resources on requesting absentee ballots, meeting deadlines, and ensuring their vote counts. Libraries can also help track ballots and share state-specific deadlines for mail-in voting and early voting requirements.

Many students are unfamiliar with the election process, so having readily available resources like pamphlets, how-to guides, and even helpful websites is essential for supporting their voting journey. Libraries can create voting information stations during election season, featuring up-to-date resources on registration deadlines, absentee ballots, and election-day procedures.

Conclusion

Academic libraries have a unique and important role to play in promoting civic engagement and supporting students in their journeys to becoming active, informed voters. Remember to partner with your university’s civic engagement office and relevant academic departments, including the political science, history, and women’s and gender studies departments. The library’s social media pages should also be utilized to inform students about promoting important voting events related to voting. By providing access to voter registration, offering education on the electoral process, and ensuring inclusivity, libraries empower students to have a voice in shaping their future. As students navigate the challenges of balancing academic life with civic duties, libraries stand as key allies in helping them exercise their right to vote and making a lasting impact on their communities.

Quick Links to Voter Resources:

• Register to vote: Vote.org
• Learn about candidates: Ballotpedia.org
• Request an absentee ballot: Vote.org/absentee-ballot
• Check your registration: USA.gov/voting-and-elections
• Media literacy: FactCheck.org

About the author:

Jamia Williams (she/her) is a health sciences librarian. She is also the co-creator and co-host of the podcast LibVoices and the founder of The Diversity Fellow’s blog.

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Header image is a detail of This is Harlem by Jacob Lawrence. Courtesy of Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. © 2021 The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. For more information, click here.

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