library advocacy resources

Advocacy Resources:What Trustees Should

Know

Presented by:Dr. Curtis R. Rogers

Director, Division of Statewide Library Services

South Carolina State Library

Overview

• What is advocacy?– The act of pleading or arguing in

favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support.

• Why is advocacy important?– Elevator scenario.– Exercise: three important facts about

the library.

Advocacy Highlights

• American Library Association – Issues & Advocacy

• http://www.ala.org/ala/issues/issuesadvocacy.htm

– Association of Library Trustees and Advocates• http://www.ala.org/alta • Discussion group, training events at annual ALA

• FOLUSA – Friends of Libraries USA• FOSCL – Friends of South Carolina Libraries• National Library Week: April 10-16, 2005• Events/Programming - discussion

What is FOSCL?

• To help foster, create, and support local friends of the library groups, and to provide a means for these groups to work together for the betterment of library service in South Carolina.

• To serve as a resource for local friends groups. • To promote wider knowledge and use of

libraries as cultural and information centers for individuals and groups.

• To support improved library education in South Carolina.

• To support the Library Bill of Rights.

Where to start…

• Identify: Who are the advocates?– Library Trustees– Library Friends– Library Users– Community Leaders– Librarians and library staff– Potential advocates

Tips…

• Build an “Advocacy Network”:– Designate a coordinator– Have a clear message (3-4

words/Slogan)– Create a database of names/contacts– Make sure all receive the library’s

newsletter. (If your library doesn’t have a newsletter, volunteer to create one!)

What can be done…

• Library staff– Be enthusiastic

and positive– Meet with key

community members

– Stay informed– Keep supporters

informed– Recruit advocates

• Trustees – Keep up with hot

topics like censorship, funding, literacy

– Get to know local officials

– Participate in legislative day (March 2, 2005)

– Hold annual event for supporters

Plan for Action!

• Define goals and objectives• Identify critical tasks:

– Steering committee– Budget– Volunteers– Activities coordinator/liaison– Fundraising

Plan to communicate!

• Define the key message• Target the key audiences• Identify communication strategies (see

Communications Handbook)• Learn about local and regional media• Be prepared to spread the word in an

effective manner! Document!• Learn how to write effective press

releases.

Timetable

• Set a timetable– Initially weekly– Then monthly– What is important in your community

during certain months? – Can you share activities with other

groups and offer the library’s meeting facilities?

Evaluate

• Focus groups – before and after an advocacy campaign

• Questions: Has funding improved?• Did demand for service increase?• Did you receive editorial support?• Did you get requests after items appeared in

the media?• What type of comments did you hear?

Receive in letters?• Were you successful in building your

advocacy network?

Telling your story…

• Statistics vs. stories• Thank you letters• Sharing a story with appropriate

audience:– Keep it simple, brief and personal.– Have a beginning, middle and end.– Have a good “punch line.”– Do not use real names unless you have

been given permission.

Story Example

The children’s book Dinosaurs Divorce was challenged in one library by a parent who felt it might be distressful for children. However, one little girl wrote a letter to her library saying that book helped her to stop crying because it made her realize that she wasn’t responsible for her parents getting divorced. What if that little girl hadn’t been able to read that book?!

Advocate Checklist

Contact the library Stay informed – get

on mailing lists Speak up! Talk to

neighbors, co-workers, relatives…

Suggest libraries for program topics to outside groups

Attend local government meetings

Call in to radio talk shows

Call, e-mail, write letters to legislators, local officials…

Attend library legislative day

Recruit others Join or start a friends

group

Additional Resources

• FOLUSA Advocacy Checklist (#13)• PLA – http://www.pla.org • LFF/ALC http://www.lff.org/ • SCLA.org (Trustee Section)• SC Literary Map• FOSCL (next slide)• Your Library’s Promotional Items

Q&A

• Contact:

Dr. Curtis R. RogersSC State LibraryPO Box 11469

Columbia, SC 29211Email: curtis@leo.scsl.state.sc.us

Phone: 803-734-8928