Turning down the heat

With book bans and library de-funding in the news all over the US, here is a classic example of how library supporters in Troy, Michigan used psychological jiu jitsu to foil their opponents.

There was a ballot initiative to raise taxes to keep the struggling library open.  That generated strong opposition for certain quarters. Some of us pay taxes more willingly than others but, of course, no one likes paying taxes. That is what the debate became – a battle over taxes. Most people in the city didn’t want the library to close, but the people most likely to turn out to the polls were really galvanized by the anti-tax argument. The fact that library would actually close wasn’t registering with people.

So, library supporters, running with an idea created by the ad agency Leo Burnett, posted yard signs all over the city that read, “Vote to close Troy library Aug. 2, book burning party Aug. 5."   Although no one enjoys paying taxes, burning books is even less popular. Metaphorically, books are secularly sacred – and libraries are secularly sacred places.  The idea of people happily closing a library and torching the books feels viscerally disgusting to many, if not most, people.  The “book burning party” campaign also had an social media component, with Facebook and Twitter accounts dedicated to the idea.

Suddenly, the conversation changed from, “Why are my taxes going up?” to “Who are these sickos who are happy about closing a library and burning books?”  All’s well that ends well – lots of people who don’t normally turn out for off-year elections turned out for this one, and the ballot initiative won in a landslide.  Afterward, usage at the library skyrocketed. And the campaign, which cost just $3,500, according to Leo Burnett, won an Effie Award for advertising effectiveness.