LJ recently spoke with Rebekah Cummings, a librarian for the University of Utah's Marriott Library, who is currently running for Lieutenant Governor of Utah.

LJ: You’re a librarian seeking elected office. How did you first get into librarianship?

Rebekah Cummings: Like a lot of librarians, librarianship was not my first profession. I worked in sales throughout my 20s, and I had my first child when I was 25. My job had me on the road a lot, and I wanted a change. So, in 2008, I talked to a career counselor, and she asked what I was interested in. I said, “I love books. I love people,” and she asked if I’d ever thought about being a librarian. That very day I went to the Huntington Beach Public Library and asked if I could start working as a volunteer to see if it was a good fit. And, literally, from my first day, I just knew it was work I wanted to do.

Soon after I started volunteering, the library hired me part-time, and I got the opportunity to work in many different areas—circulation, children’s, reference. They allowed me to take the lead on the teen summer reading program, which I absolutely loved. In 2011, I went to UCLA to get my library science degree, and when I finished, my family moved to Utah. I’d gotten really interested in data librarianship and digital humanities at that point, so I reached out to the University of Utah Marriott Library and eventually landed a position as a data librarian and digital humanities librarian.

Your work in library advocacy led to you being selected as Rep. Brian King’s gubernatorial running mate. What has your experience as an advocate looked like?

A friend of mine reached out several years ago and asked if I might be interested in running for president of the Utah Library Association [ULA]. I said no to him initially because I wasn’t sure it was the right time for me or my family, but my friend assured me it wouldn’t be a significant time commitment. I figured it would be a great opportunity to gain leadership experience, so I took the leap and ran the same year I was pregnant.

It was, of course, a significant time commitment, but it was energizing. During my term as president, I wanted to turn all the warm, fuzzy feelings people have about libraries into library funding and support at the ballot box. I reached out to my friend Peter Bromberg, who was [then] executive director of Salt Lake City Public Library, and asked him to help revitalize the ULA Advocacy Committee. He created a roadmap for developing relationships with the legislature, helping us gain influence without really having any money.

When lots of bills started to emerge that affected libraries, Peter and I would go to meetings to explain what a selection policy is and what a reconsideration policy looks like—trying to dispel the myths that were brought forward. We learned how to be strategic, and we worked with representatives to make some of the most harmful anti-library bills less harmful. There was one bill that involved running background checks for libraries, which felt frustrating at first. It seemed like just another bill that signaled distrust for libraries, but we quickly recognized that we could work with our representatives in good faith. So, we talked to them about how it could be a financial burden to have these background checks and made sure a fiscal note was attached to the legislation.

We worked with the ACLU of Utah and PEN America of Utah to start Let Utah Read, and we created a database of several thousand Utahns that we could activate to show up for school board meetings and at the state legislature in support of libraries, education, and the freedom to read.

I worked with Rep. King on HB 583, which involves student access to books. That’s how I really got to know Brian. In April I got an email from his campaign team saying they were considering me for lieutenant governor. And that started this whole journey.

What key policy issues are part of your platform?

Like a lot of red states, Utah has gone really far to the right. We can see from polling that 60 percent of Utahns think our state is moving in the wrong direction. When you look at our legislative sessions, a lot of time is being devoted to banning abortion, banning DEI, banning library books, trans bathroom bills—and many Utahns don’t feel like these are the issues affecting their daily lives. They feel like distractions compared to the real issues here in Utah: saving the Great Salt Lake; funding public education; ensuring affordable housing; and protecting individual liberties.

Everyone always says to me, “Book banning is your thing, right?” And I smile at that because, yes, that is what brought me to the table—that was an area where I felt like I had expertise and could make a difference. But there are so many issues I care about around good governance and protecting civil liberties. We want to bring moderation back to a state that’s gone way too far to the right.

In what ways do you see your experience in libraries preparing you for elected office?

I really appreciate that question because I think a lot of people don't see a through line between librarianship and politics. As I’ve thought about the service nature of librarianship, I recognize that we work with a broad cross-section of society. I’ve had the opportunity to work with students and LGBTQ youth and small business owners and entrepreneurs and unsheltered populations and new Americans and all kinds of families. Our job as librarians is to listen to people and help them be successful at whatever it is that they care about. I think that is a part of public service that not a lot of people have prior to coming into elected office.

In my current role as Director of Digital Matters at the University of Utah Marriott Library, one of my jobs is to think about the social and ethical implications of technologies like artificial intelligence and social media. I’ve been teaching for years on information literacy, digital literacy, digital citizenship, and misinformation, which I think librarians do very well. From a policy perspective, there’s been a big gap in these areas because a lot of politicians don't really understand these technologies and the implications for kids and other people. So, that’s one area where I'm really excited to be able to bring some expertise from librarianship to politics.

When I’m out campaigning, I will remind groups that I’m not at all offended by the books that are being banned—I’m not offended by Toni Morrison or Sherman Alexie. But I am so offended that working parents have to drop their kids off for eight hours a day in the summer because we don’t have affordable childcare. I’m not offended by fiction that reflects the hard things of life. But I am offended that kids go to bed hungry every night. We know the challenges that our communities are facing, and we know that books are not the real problem. We see what our unsheltered populations go through; we see the challenges our students face trying to get homework help; we see the challenges LGBTQ kids are facing, trying to find belonging and acceptance. Libraries have been filling gaps for a long time, and I think it uniquely positions us to go to our state legislatures, to our city councils, and talk about ways we can help.

Your campaign bio notes that you grew up in a conservative family that lived in a liberal community. How did that experience shape your perspective on navigating political divides and finding common ground?

I think that is such an integral part of who I am. I grew up in a very conservative, very religious, very loving family. My dad was a veteran; he served in Vietnam, and he was shot in both legs. Service is a really big part of the way I grew up. We had a 40-foot flagpole in our front yard, and my brother would play “Taps” on the trumpet. But we lived in Venice, CA, which is this kind of hippie art beach community. I went to public school, so I always had influences—friends and loved ones—on both sides of the political spectrum.

I frustrate some people, but I just can't demonize people on the other side of the aisle. I can’t do it. I think being a librarian actually helps because I recognize that sometimes the issue is that people are misinformed. Maybe libraries are the place where we can chip away at the kind of polarization that seems to exist today. It’s more about bringing people together. When you can have that one-on-one conversation with someone and get to know them—well, it’s hard to hate up close, is what I always say.

What has it been like campaigning for a statewide office?

The experience is wild. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done before. Some things feel very natural, like talking to people in libraries. What feels unfamiliar is having to fundraise. I think having to ask people for money is probably the most challenging part of running for public office. On August 29 we’re hosting a “Readers for Rebekah” virtual fundraiser, which should be a lot of fun. New York Times best-selling authors Shannon Hale and Ellen Hopkins are going to speak along with librarian, author, and activist Amanda Jones, and we’re lining up some other great guests to talk about censorship, freedom to read, and encouraging people to run for office. 

The part of campaigning that feels more familiar and comfortable is just getting out in the communities and asking what people care about. I even enjoy canvassing. I’ve had the most fun conversations with people on doorsteps, learning what they care about. Of course, there’s the rodeos and county fairs and parades—I’ve been in so many parades. I love shaking the hands of little girls and saying, “I'm Rebekah. I’m a librarian, and I’m running for lieutenant governor.” That never gets old.

For those who are interested in getting more involved in advocacy, what skills are necessary? What do you say to your colleagues in the library field who may be reluctant to get involved politically?

There are many different ways to be an advocate and many different skills that are useful. There’s a difference between having one-on-one conversations with your elected officials as their constituent and making public testimony at the Capitol—one’s a lot more intimidating than the other. There are things you can do behind the scenes as far as helping with messaging, organization, and events. We’ve had people do data projects for us. In my Digital Humanities Lab, one of my amazing post-doctoral fellows undertook a data visualization project to see where books were being banned in Utah, which helped with our advocacy against censorship.

I think communication is one of the best skills you can bring to advocacy. I wish every single librarian would reach out to their elected official and say, “Can I tell you about the impact your library is having in your community? Can I tell you about some of the library processes?” Many elected officials don’t really understand how librarians select books or that libraries have reconsideration policies. Providing that education is important.

I think sometimes librarians negate what we bring to the table politically—we don’t think of our experience as being relevant to politics. But so much of what we do is relevant to politics! We know our communities and their aspirations and challenges better than almost anybody.

Has elected office always been a goal of yours?

No—I didn’t start out dreaming that this could be my future. I really defined myself as being a mom, a librarian, someone who’s very active in my community. I’m the leader of a Girl Scout troop, and I volunteer at my kids’ schools. Service has always been a big part of who I am, giving back to the community. I never saw elected office as part of my future, really, until we got deeper into the book ban fights. I feel incredibly lucky that I have the opportunity to do this. But now I think more of us need to do it, because I think librarians are so important for these positions.