ALA International Relations Round Table State of American Librarianship: Advocacy and Other Issues University of Illinois at Chicago-West Campus Chicago, IL, USA June 24, 2005

1. Advocacy and theAdvocacy and the
Campaign for World´s Libraries inCampaign for World´s Libraries in
MexicoMexico
Jesús LauJesús Lau
Jlau@uv.mx
Universidad Veracruzana / DGB / USBI VER
AMBAC – Chair, International Relations Committee /
State of American Librarianship: Advocacy and Other Issues
ALA, International Relations Round Table, Pre-Conference
University of Illinois at Chicago-West Campus, Student Center
West (CIU), Room A 828
Chicago, IL, USA
June 24, 2005, Friday, 8:30-12:30

2. Topics
 Mexico´s concept of advocacy
 ALA/Gates international contribution
 Mexico´s achievements
 Advocacy challenges

3. Mexican Demographics
14th in geographical size
7th in exports
2nd trade partner of the US
Largest Spanish-speaking country
2nd Economy in Latin America
Middle income country
Literacy 90%
Ranks with some of the best libraries in Latin
America

4. Library Statistics
Type Centers Volumes
School 4,689 17,162,907
Academic 1,133 16,422,598
Special 175 2,576,889
Public 5,313 27,067,572
National 1 1,250,000
Others 5 449,160
Total 11,315 64,179,126

5. Advocacy Meaning in Mexico
 Meaning is similar to US/ALA concept
 Strategies are different
 They normally take a low-profile or a very
active one
 Examples go from phone calls/emails to
marches, mainly at the national and state
capitals
 The library community normally opts for the
low-profile

6. Factors that Influence
Advocacy Tactics
 The library community is small
 Associations, therefore, are also small
 Association budgets are, in general, limited
 Mexico´s democratic transition is an open
ground for library advocacy
 Internet is helping to get participacion from
librarians outside Mexico City

7. AMBAC
Mexican Association of Librarians
 Signed a cooperation agreement with ALA
a couple years ago
 @ your Library scheme was adopted
 Promoted among state associations and
libraries
 State association that have actively
campaigned are Jalisco and Chihuahua

8. National College of Librarians
Advocacy
 A professionals-only library association
 Right/Duty to advise government decisions
 Sends letters of support to influence decisions
 Advocay example: complaint for appointing non-
librarians to leadership posts
 A challenge: it is a small association
 Funding is again limited, dues are low

9. National Library Campaign
 AMBAC organized with the National
Council of Culture (Education Ministry) a
library promotion campaign
 The first lady, Martha Fox, kicked off the
program
 Great media coverage on TV and
newspapers

10. Great ALA Support
 A workshop has been organized at the MLA
annual library conferences in the last few years
 ALA has sent an instructor to facilitate the
workshop
 The champion-facilitor has been Carol Brey, the
current ALA President
 This support has made a positive impact among
professionals even among those who did not
attend the workshops

11. Gates Foundation
Contribution Factor
 The Gates Foundation has also contributed to
Mexican libraries´visibility
 Benefitted: More than one thousand public
libraries have now computer equipment and
greater Internet access
 It has played an important role in giving a better
stance to public libraries in government
 Gates guidelines support greater role of libraries in
society

12. Related Achievements
 Current federal government has became more
aware of libraries´s
 Public Libraries have received more recognition
 A new main/central public library for Mexico city
is under construction
 It will also be a “mega”-public library for the rest
of the country

13. Mexico City´s “Mega-Library”
 The architectural blueprints are the result of an
international contest
 It will be built in the former city´s railway station
 The building will be an avant gard masterpiece
 The funding has been a struggle between the
president and the Mexican congress
 The president´s commitment has been high, and
the community and the press has given good
support to the project

14. Guadalajara´s Main Public
Library
 This second largest city will buid a new facility for
its main public library
 The library will be the center-piece of a cultural
complex
 The building will be one if not the largest in the
country
 An international call for the architectural design -
400 consulting firms took part
 Helen Ladron is the Advocacy champion

15. Guadalajara – Mexico City
Competition
 Some of the big library consultants names have
been hired
 There is a competition with Mexico City´s library
building
 The national congress has been involved in the
funding competition
 The Universtity President, Raul Padilla has been a
strong sopporter of the project

16. Academic Libraries
 CONPAB (Association) is the main university library voice
 University librarians have achieved greater roles and status
in recent years, examples:
 Juarez University (UACJ), the library department is in
charge of academic evaluation/accreditation of faculty
programs – One of the top accredited state universities
 University of Colima (UCOL), the librarian also is in
charge of computing and telecommunications / information
technology
 National University (UNAM), a librarian is in charge of
faculty development.
 However, in some instances computer professionals have
taken over libraries

17. National School of
Librarianship
 An example of sucessful advocacy
 New premises in the last decade
 Close collaboration with Department of
Universities / Ministry of Education
 Runs spots on national TV and newspapers about
librarians´ role and library education
 60th Anniversary will be celebrated soon at Bellas
Artes/Fine Arts Palace, the most respected national
“bel canto” theater

18. Our Advocacy Challenges
 Get more social visibility among potential
library users
 Lobby for a more flexible copyright law
 Create library law at state levels
 Influence federal government to have a
national information development strategy
(Create a national library plan)
 Take a more active role at international
bodies, like ISO, and UN related bodies

19. @ your Library Challenges
 Promote adoption of the campaign at individual
libraries
 Adapt ALA World Campaign guidelines
 Create promotional materials
 Train library staff
 Promote professional involment in political
decisions

20. Associations
 Associations (AMBAC and NCL) need a
general advocacy plan
 The advocacy role varies according to the
association president´s priorities
 Create training opportunities on advocacy
for members

21. Conclusions
 @ your Library has been a good promotional
scheme to Mexico
 AMBAC participation has benefitted the country
 The new major main national/state public libraries
 under construction are the product of advocacy
 The campaign, it is assumed, helped to raise
greater awareness of the value of libraries at the
federal government
 Some states also became more aware of libraries