What library associations can do, advocacy experiences from Germany

Barbara Schleihagen, German Library Association
What library associations can do:
advocacy experiences from
Germany
The Future of Information and
Library Associations
NVB/IFLA Satellite Conference
The Hague
8-9 August 2012

What is advocacy?
• Advocacy has been defined as a planned, deliberate,
sustained effort to raise awareness of an issue or
issues; it is an ongoing process where support and
understanding are built incrementally in order to
change attitudes, policies or practices.
(Source: http://www.ifla.org/en/node/5704)

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German Library Association | Barbara Schleihagen | 09.08.2012

Contents
1. Background: Libraries in Germany and the German LA
2. Our Library Campaign „Meeting Point Library“ and its
various components
3. Our annual „State of Germany‘s Libraries Report“
4. Visit by Parlamentarians to Digitisation Centre
5. Effects of enhanced advocacy on our library association

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Germany and its libraries
• 82 Mio inhabitants in Germany
• 8 Mio are registered public library users
• 10,855 libraries in Germany
• 8.256 public library systems / 9.898 service points
• 2.113 with full-time staff (6.143 p.-t.s. or volunteers)
• 362 Mio media units are held by our libraries
• 660,000 patrons visit our libraries each day
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German Library Association
• Founded in 1949
• 2,100 members: libraries with full-time staff (3,000 service
points)
• Federal structure: 16 state library associations, 8 sections
according to library type and size, 9 committees
• Headquarters with now 10 staff members
• Revenue now: 1 Mio Euro/annually comes from
• membership fees (1/3) and third-party project funds (2/3)
• No conference income, no publications income

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Challenges for libraries
• Re-positioning of libraries in digital age
• Developing new updated services
• Restrictions by copyright legislation
• No Federal library legislation in Germany

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Challenges for (public) libraries
• Need to position public libraries (also) as educational
institutions
• Prove potential of libraries to help overcome social,
economical and technical challenges
• Limited and decreasing resources from municipalities
• Increased use of and increased demand of services by
public libraries
• Update and improve old-fashioned image of libraries
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Campaign “Meeting Point Library”
• Inspired by Austrian Library Association
• Beginning in 2008, now in its 5th year
• One week: 24-31 October
• Start: National Library Day on 24 October

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Goals
• Position public libraries as educational institutions
• Improve the image of all libraries
• Draw media attention to libraries and their services
• Provide springboard for discussing political issues
• Convey the contributions that libraries make to social
and political issues (e.g. technological development
or demographic change)
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Corporate Design (in print and download)

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in one week
more than 5.000 events

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Common platform with event calender

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Patron: Federal President Joachim Gauck

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Partners and Sponsors

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Support by famous ambassadors

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media partners for free advertisement

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Further PR materials
• E.g. photographs for free use by library association
members

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Marketing
• T-Shirts
• Large Panel Posters

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central kick-off and closing events
in cooperation with media partners and
government representatives

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ABC Webclip on libraries

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Library channel on You Tube

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Social media: Flickr account

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Social media: Blog

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State of Germany’s Libraries Report
tics
d statis
Facts an

• Short (12 pages) and Report G ermany
ra ries in
on Lib

concise overview of the 2010

state of German libraries
• Comprehensive statistics Total num
ber of
libraries
10,855 10,021
public
libraries

s

834
ic librarie
academ

which are illustrated by
stories, photographs and
graphics

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Why a State of Germany’s Libraries Report?
• We had a potpouri of wonderful events without a
clear (political) message of what we actually want
• For many years the idea was to produce a statistics-
based report but was never put into practise
• The important impetus for actually writing a report
was the current public financial situation

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Goals of Libraries Report
• Draw nation-wide public attention on the
contributions that libraries can make to societal
challenges
• Support our advocacy efforts
• Connect the library campaign with our library policies

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Concept of Libraries Report
• Key messages on the overall situation
• Different themes with current political relevance
• Building on existing facts and statistics (German
library statistics, current studies, further surveys)
• Mixture of text, graphics and photographs
• Publication within the framework of „Meeting Point
Library“
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Contents of Report on Libraries
• Statistics on financial situation in libraries based on
survey conducted by association in Spring
• Consequences for library patrons resulting from cuts
are named: service reductions
• Areas where libraries contribute and areas where
potential of libraries are not fully exploited are
described
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Libraries Report, example
Media units per resident (1.1.2008)

No library present

• Blank spots (no public 1-2 media units
2 or more media
units
library present) on the
map even in our model
federal state Baden-
Württemberg

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Libraries Report, example
• How many professionally-staffed libraries meet the
minimum standards?

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Results
• Many background reports on libraries in the national
and regional media
• 1.000 media reports in 4 weeks (the list consists of 36
pages references)
• More than 20 radio broadcasts

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Results
• Long-term effects: increase of press enquiries and
interviews with governing board and executive
director
• Media reporting on „Meeting Point Library“ is more
focused on library policy issues not events
• Report has also impact on regional and local level

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Press and media work for library campaign
• Commissioning of media agency
• Communication strategy for public relations, media
partners and media cooperation in 2010
• Press releases
• Press conference
• Journalist trip (2,5 days) to various libraries since
2009

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Press and media work
• Creation of a “topics pool”:
• geografic, type- and content-wise balanced pool of
libraries and topics
• New in 2012:
• Commissioning of a journalist who writes short texts
on various topics that are formulated in consultation
with us. Will be offered especially to the regional and
local press together with photographs for free use

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Press and media work
Focussed attention of media through well-crafted
build-up of media work:
• „Meeting Point Library“ (reason)
• National Library Day / Library of the Year Award
(reason)
• Libraries Report (figures, facts, graphics)
• Trip for journalists (concrete illustration and stories)
Commissioning of media agency (professionals)
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success factor: well-planned dramaturgy
• Press releases announce national campaign with
examples of events and forthcoming Libraries Report
• Report is presented at press conference to launch annual
campaign “Meeting Point Library”
• Press conference is part of media trip to various libraries
• Opening event with “Library of the Year Award” and
government representatives
• Closing event with presentation of “Medal to outstanding
supporter of library”
• Accompanying social media presence
• Background information and photos offered to media
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Visit of Parlamentarians to Digitisation Centre

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Success contributes to growth of association

Members are
Substantially Better visibility more Decision to
better visibility of association Growing convinced of increase
of libraries with with (potential) membership quality of membership
the media members association fee by 10%
work

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Membership development 2001-2011

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Increased visibility LA became founding New funding
and better reputation member of ministry‘s possibilities from
with Federal Ministry „Alliance for ministry with new call
of Education Education“ for projects

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New staff new political
Better
positions are issues are
financial basis
created in taken up
of association
association much quicker
• 2009: Event Manager • e.g. e-books in
• 2012: Officer for libraries
Political
Communication
• 2014: Press Officer

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Next step: Enlarge advocacy basis: re-vive
platform for friends of the library groups
• First meeting in Cologne 21.04.2012
• Next meeting in Leipzig in March 2013
• 6 month free
trial membership

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Deutscher Bibliotheksverband e.V. | Vorstand 23.05.2012

Success leads to further success
Improved
visibility of
libraries

Improved
new staff
visibility of
members
association

Better and
sustainable new
financing members
basis
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Thank you!
Barbara Schleihagen
schleihagen@bibliotheksverband.de
www.bibliotheksverband.de

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What library associations can do, advocacy experiences from Germany

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