Spring Assembly 2010: Frontline Advocacy

Frontline Avocados Royce Kitts

Frontline Advocacy Royce Kitts

Sadly you can’t pick a Howard up at Wal-Mart.
You will need to make your own.

What is advocacy?

“ Advocacy is about getting support from those who are in a position to help you and your library.”

“ Advocacy is the act of pleading for or supporting a change in an existing system which will produce results that are permanent and will benefit future users of the system.”

Advocacy is taking advantage of interactions to talk about what the library means to the community.

Advocacy: see marketing.

What is frontline advocacy?
Frontline advocacy is about being involved in your community and creating an indelible image of the library and its role in supporting the community.

What is frontline advocacy? Involving people who interact with the library in advocacy.

Who are the frontline advocates?
Staff
Patrons
Friends
Trustees
Elected Officials
And everyone else who spreads the word

What can library staff do?
be enthusiastic
meet with key community members
stay informed
keep supporters informed
recruit advocates

Staff
Make sure they are happy at work
Make sure they understand what is at stake
Talk to them about what being a library advocate means

Patrons, Friends, & Trustees

Elected Officials
Decision makers may support the library in spirit, but may not realize all of the potential benefits a well-supported library would have for the community and its people.

Why do libraries matter?
promote literacy and education in our community
bring technology and vital resources to our community
are important for the growth and development of our children and community
empower community members

Advocacy tools:
annual reports
business cards
fact sheets
press releases
be able to summarize the library’s importance to the community as briefly as possible. (but be able to talk longer if need be)

Social media as marketing tool
Be where the people who can be potential supporters can find you.
Be where the people who don’t support you are as well.
Be everywhere!

Tell the “Library Story”
Statistics
Stories
Keep it simple, brief and personal.
Have a beginning, middle and end.
Have a good “punch line.”

Tips for telling the “Library Story”
Deliver with passion
Tailor message to audience
Be community focused
Be personable
Relate stories that speak to the work you do that helps the community
Handouts
Always be ready to be ‘on’

Advocacy Ideas
Take part in projects that highlight the libraries place in the community
Partner with community groups
Attend city council meetings
Communicate with local officials and legislators
Participate in library legislative days
Recruit others to spread the word
Start a friends group
Talk to libraries in your areas about how they advocate for their library

Frontline Advocacy
Get out there
Do what you love
Spread the word

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Spring Assembly 2010: Frontline Advocacy

by Northeast Kansas Library System on Apr 26, 2010

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Spring Assembly 2010: Frontline Advocacy — Presentation Transcript