When contacting Legislators or the Governor about Library Issues

Guidelines for Writing to Indiana Legislators and

Governor Daniels about Library Issues

• Handwritten letters are most effective. If you type your letter, sign your name above your typed signature. In either case, if available, use your personal or business letterhead. You may also email or call your legislator or the Governor, but these communications are considered to be less effective than regular written letters.
• Write to all legislators serving your library district (see below) and to Governor Daniels.
• Avoid word-for word copying of provided information.
• Be polite - Ask for support for your position, don’t demand or be disrespectful.
• Be poignant - Letter should be personal, brief (one page) and concise.
• Be direct - State your purpose for writing in the first paragraph. If you are a voter in his/her district, state this as well.
• Support your position - Include personal information about how consolidation could affect you and your library. Illustrate potential impacts or your concerns with factual data or examples.
• Be timely - Make sure you are up-to-date on the issue and mail your response as soon as possible.
• Be open - Be sure to include your contact information and feel free to ask for a written response. You can offer to talk more about the issue by phone or in person.
• State your appreciation - Thank the legislator/governor for his/her time, consideration or support.
• Addressing your letter - Address your letters to legislators to The Honorable (full name of senator or representative), and to the Governor to The Honorable Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana. The salutation is Dear Senator (last name), Dear Representative (last name) or Dear Governor Daniels.

Email addresses for House members are “h” and then the number of the district followed by @in.gov. For example, the address for House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer from House District 6 is h6@in.gov. You can find out the district of your legislators by visiting http://www.in.gov/legislative.

Email addresses for Senators follow the same pattern, substituting an “s” for the “h”. For example, the address for Senate President David Long from Senate District 16 is s16@in.gov.

Regular mail for the House can be sent to: Indiana House of Representatives, 200 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 (800-382-9842 or 800-382-9841)

Regular mail to the Senate can be sent to: Indiana State Senate, 200 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 or her district office: 6195 Central Avenue, Portage, IN 46368 (800-383-946)7 or (219-764-0434)

Governor Mitch Daniels, Office of the Governor, Statehouse, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797 (email: mdaniels@gov.in.gov)

Share your letter with your library – Please drop off a copy