ALA’s Advocacy Toolkit Making the Case for Libraries in Tough Economic Times

Setting the Stage ALA’s strategic plan – advocacy is goal #1 Association-wide advocacy efforts Advocacy and the ALA Washington Office Office for Library Advocacy Committee on Library Advocacy

ALA’s strategic plan – advocacy is goal #1

Association-wide advocacy efforts

Advocacy and the ALA Washington Office

Office for Library Advocacy

Committee on Library Advocacy

Goal #1: ALA and its members are the leading advocates for libraries and the library profession. Increase support for research and evaluation to provide evidence of the value and impact of libraries. Increase public awareness of the value and impact of libraries of all types, librarians and library staff. Mobilize, support and sustain grassroots advocacy for libraries and library funding at local, state and federal levels. Increase collaboration to secure legislation favorable to libraries. Increase public awareness of the importance of intellectual freedom, privacy and the role of libraries in a democracy.

Increase support for research and evaluation to provide evidence of the value and impact of libraries.

Increase public awareness of the value and impact of libraries of all types, librarians and library staff.

Mobilize, support and sustain grassroots advocacy for libraries and library funding at local, state and federal levels.

Increase collaboration to secure legislation favorable to libraries.

Increase public awareness of the importance of intellectual freedom, privacy and the role of libraries in a democracy.

Association-wide Advocacy Efforts @ your library, The Campaign for America’s Libraries (2000) Advocacy Institute: ALA Annual, July 10, 2009 Advocacy University: Online toolkits Library tools and campaigns with ACRL, AASL, PLA, IRC, ALSC I Love Libraries Web site

@ your library, The Campaign for America’s Libraries (2000)

Advocacy Institute: ALA Annual, July 10, 2009

Advocacy University: Online toolkits

Library tools and campaigns with ACRL, AASL, PLA, IRC, ALSC

I Love Libraries Web site

Advocacy and the ALA Washington Office Mission: Informs government of the needs of library communities Provides library supporters up-to-date information Builds coalitions

Mission:

Informs government of the needs of library communities

Provides library supporters up-to-date information

Builds coalitions

Advocacy and the ALA Washington Office Means: National Library Legislative Day (May 11 & 12) (Google “National Library Legislative Day”) District Dispatch with online updates and hot issues www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/ Tool: Legislative Action Center, the email service that allows advocates to send customized messages to Congressional members and state legislators (Google “ALA Legislative Action Center”)

Means:

National Library Legislative Day (May 11 & 12)

(Google “National Library Legislative Day”)

District Dispatch with online updates and hot issues

www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/

Tool:

Legislative Action Center, the email service that allows advocates to send customized messages to Congressional members and state legislators

(Google “ALA Legislative Action Center”)

ALA Office for Library Advocacy Supports the efforts of advocates association-wide Integrates their efforts Works to cultivate future advocates Examples: Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit Add It Up: Make the Difference in Youth Development and Education Toolkit

Supports the efforts of advocates association-wide

Integrates their efforts

Works to cultivate future advocates

Examples:

Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit

Add It Up: Make the Difference in Youth Development and Education Toolkit

Committee on Library Advocacy Develops resources, networks and training materials Integrates advocacy efforts into ALA’s overall planning, priorities and policies Cultivates future leaders in advocacy Has an Advocacy Coordinating Group for the exchange of information and ideas Has an Advocacy Training Subcommittee

Develops resources, networks and training materials

Integrates advocacy efforts into ALA’s overall planning, priorities and policies

Cultivates future leaders in advocacy

Has an Advocacy Coordinating Group for the exchange of information and ideas

Has an Advocacy Training Subcommittee

Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit Online so that it can be easily updated: www.ala.org/tougheconomytoolkit Produced by ALA’s Advocacy University Brings together advocacy information from across the association Has links to media coverage, a press center, etc. Allows you to “pick and choose” what would be useful for your situation and needs

Online so that it can be easily updated:

www.ala.org/tougheconomytoolkit

Produced by ALA’s Advocacy University

Brings together advocacy information from across the association

Has links to media coverage, a press center, etc.

Allows you to “pick and choose” what would be useful for your situation and needs

Toolkit: What It Gives You Facts and strategies to use in speaking out effectively for libraries Information on how to work with decision-makers and the media Talking points on the economic value of libraries (with examples of the “returns on investment”) A link for sharing successful advocacy stories

Facts and strategies to use in speaking out effectively for libraries

Information on how to work with decision-makers and the media

Talking points on the economic value of libraries (with examples of the “returns on investment”)

A link for sharing successful advocacy stories

Toolkit’s Structure Making the case Outreach strategies to generate support How to talk to the media to get their support and good coverage Tips for engaging decision-makers and legislators How to stage and publicize a rally

Making the case

Outreach strategies to generate support

How to talk to the media to get their support and good coverage

Tips for engaging decision-makers and legislators

How to stage and publicize a rally

Making the Case The toolkit includes a message worksheet to help you: Clarify your goal and specifically what you want to have happen Define the key message that will be repeated over and over (your “sound bite”) Identify your audience and why this would be important to them Outline your supporting points and examples/stories/facts to back them up

The toolkit includes a message worksheet to help you:

Clarify your goal and specifically what you want to have happen

Define the key message that will be repeated over and over (your “sound bite”)

Identify your audience and why this would be important to them

Outline your supporting points and examples/stories/facts to back them up

There is advice on: Delivering the message (communication strategies) Designating effective spokespeople Dealing with opposition and controversy Answering tough questions Telling your story Making the Case

There is advice on:

Delivering the message (communication strategies)

Designating effective spokespeople

Dealing with opposition and controversy

Answering tough questions

Telling your story

Outreach Strategies to Generate Support The toolkit includes a speaker’s checklist to help you: Prepare for a presentation Deal with anxiety Deliver the presentation effectively “ Look the part”

The toolkit includes a speaker’s checklist to help you:

Prepare for a presentation

Deal with anxiety

Deliver the presentation effectively

“ Look the part”

Talking to the Media The toolkit includes: Tips for successfully interacting with and managing the media Media strategies … what they are and when to use them Tips for staying in control of the message and answering hard questions

The toolkit includes:

Tips for successfully interacting with and managing the media

Media strategies … what they are and when to use them

Tips for staying in control of the message and answering hard questions

Engaging Decision-Makers and Legislators The toolkit includes: Tips for successfully reaching out to decision-makers Showing the value of your library Framing the message for this target audience Techniques for effectively communicating with legislators A “know your legislator” checklist

The toolkit includes:

Tips for successfully reaching out to decision-makers

Showing the value of your library

Framing the message for this target audience

Techniques for effectively communicating with legislators

A “know your legislator” checklist

Staging and Publicizing a Rally The toolkit includes: Planning for rallies … from conceptualization to logistics Examples of how to publicize a rally Sample rally messages A rally event checklist

The toolkit includes:

Planning for rallies … from conceptualization to logistics

Examples of how to publicize a rally

Sample rally messages

A rally event checklist