Montclair SCM Student Team Launches “EveryLibrary, EveryVoice” Campaign for National PRSSA Bateman Competition

A team of Montclair School of Communication and Media students is competing in the prestigious Bateman Case Study Competition, hosted by the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). This annual, national contest challenges student teams to research, plan, implement, and evaluate a PR campaign for an actual client.

This year’s client is EveryLibrary, a nonprofit, pro-library organization that works to ensure access to libraries without the threat of censorship or illicit political interference. EveryLibrary supports public, school, and college libraries by helping them secure funding at the ballot box. Since its founding in 2012, the organization has fought against book bans in over 100 local communities and helped restore books to the shelves in dozens of towns and schools.

Through primary and secondary research within the Montclair community, the SCM team has gathered insights to guide its campaign strategy. Their findings revealed that many students were unaware of the challenges libraries face, including limited funding, and how these factors impact the availability of resources. Additionally, the research showed that while students valued libraries as study spaces and research hubs, they didn’t always recognize the broader role libraries play in community engagement and providing free access to information. With these insights, the team developed the EveryLibrary, EveryVoice campaign—a movement designed to raise awareness, amplify advocacy, and mobilize support for libraries.

SCM students Noelia Aguirre, Libby Brennan, Mary Lage, Hallie Lippey and Grace Velazquez are developing the campaign alongside faculty advisor Professor Erin Weinberg Some of the highlights in of the campaign include:

Public Libraries: An Overlooked Resource for Cultural Communities? A roundtable discussion featuring Telemundo47, exploring the vital role libraries play in serving diverse cultural communities.

PSA on NBC 4 New York / WNBC: A public service announcement produced by the team and aired on NBC New York, highlighting the importance of libraries and their role in the community.

Hawk+ Series: A set of interactive interviews, one with Professor Laura Nicosia, who teaches a class at the University on book banning and censorship and the other with Claudio Alejo Assistant Director First-Generation Initiatives, Student Development and Campus Life designed to inform students about the challenges libraries face and how this could affect them. Hawk+ is the University’s streaming network, the first of its kind in the country.

Banned Book Wicked Movie Night: In collaboration with Residence Life, the team hosted a themed movie night highlighting the importance of banned books and censorship awareness in Freeman Hall.

Surveys and Library Ally Pledge: Over 500 students participated in surveys, providing insights into their views on libraries. Many also signed the Library Ally Pledge, committing to support and advocate for libraries.

Launch and Valentine’s Day Tabling Events: The team engaged with students across campus through two major tabling events. The launch event introduced the campaign, while the Valentine’s Day tabling featured Montclair’s mascot, Rocky the Red Hawk, offering photo opportunities and encouraging students to pledge their support for libraries.

As the EveryLibrary, EveryVoice campaign comes to a close this week, the team reflects on the incredible journey that has brought them to this moment. From research and planning to implementation and engagement, they have worked tirelessly to create a meaningful impact on campus and beyond. With hope that their efforts will be recognized among the finalists, they take pride in the awareness and advocacy they have built for libraries. Regardless of the competition outcome, the movement they started will continue, and their commitment to championing libraries will remain strong for years to come.

Story by School of Communication and Media student Mary Lage