Library AdvocacyOctober 28, 2012

NCLA Leadership Institute

Overview

The need for advocacy

My library stories

Advocacy for Organizational and Community Engagement

Advocacy for Political Engagement

Advocacy Checklist

Advocacy Demonstration

Plan and Go!

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Three stories

The University Librarian and the Provost

The State Senator and NC Advocates

Libraries have databases Google does not?

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My library story

Hot summer days – cool worlds of exploration

Undergraduate days

Graduate days

As faculty

As father

As advocate

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Organizational and Community Engagement

Larue’s Big Hairy Audacious Goal See his blog

Why support the library? Use and Demographics has Nothing to Do with Support

Three reasons why people give money to the library:

A story of transformation

People believe the library is public good

A love for their librarian

The Four Messages that work:

Libraries Change Lives

Libraries Mean Business

Libraries Build Communities

Libraries are a Smart Investment5 of 13

Organizational and Community Engagement (2)

Replace negative views with positive views

Deconstructing the library positive talk

Find the most charismatic people in your community

Talk to your existing community organizations (see Larue video)

Recruiting speakers

Using social media

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Advocacy for Political Engagement

Steps (preliminary) Make contact with your senators and members of congress and

state assembly, local commissioners

Invite for visit and photo op (media photo and press release)

Share you library stories

Follow up - Thanks and library needs your help

Rally your staff! Contact EVERYONE

Customers (w/signage at public computers)

Friends

Messages “everywhere”

Local library board

County commissioners7 of 13

Prepare stories for Legislative Day (see Larue)

Invite key friends and trustees with you (they need to do the talking not librarians)

Send THE message:

You have received a free trip to Raleigh (respond to ASAP)

Brief them on the way up (bus, van, carpools).

Be sure to take notes and photos/video of visitors and groups

Advocacy for Political Engagement (2)

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LEGISLATING! Formatting your message

Something other than regular paper

Technology is in

FORMAT has to be ATTRACTIVE

Door hangers, bookmarks, print labels on bright paper

SCHMOOZE TIME!!

Respect the legislative assistant (they need to feel important too)

Advocacy for Political Engagement (3)

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The Systems View

“Success is a product of doing the right things the right way.”

Are we/they taking libraries for granted?

Macro (outside of your walls)

Micro (inside of your walls)

Process (what processes do you have in place for institutionalized, systematic advocacy?)

Are our own state library advocacy efforts consistent?10 of 13

Advocacy Checklist

Take a look - This is an outline of an advocacy binder we will create and distribute

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Advocacy Demonstration

“Libraries are not well marketed to the ‘Haves’ without children”

Need to build a “community” of advocates around each politician

Need two politicians A concerned community member

A grandchild

A visit to the library (2 people)

An email

A phone call

A visit from a library spokesperson

A visit on legislative day12 of 13

Final Thoughts and Q&A

Strategically advocate for your library Use the checklist

Allocate a committee and resources

Institutionalize it so it is pervasive

NC Library Advocacy Website (http://nclibraryadvocacy.wordpress.com/)

NC Library Advocacy Facebook

NC Library Advocacy Twitter

Library Stories

Larue Video

Thank You!13 of 13