Advocacy
Your IFLS staff person to contact with questions about advocacy is John Thompson.
Who should advocate?
- Librarians
- A broad mix of individuals
- trustees
- friends of the library
- resident library users
- local business & community leaders
Effective advocates are educated about the library’s needs, and have a clear message for their audience.
Other Resources
IIFLS library System’s Get Involved Page.
Kathy Setter’s Advocacy notes from ALA 2019 Conference.Confidently Negotiating Political and Financial Support for your Library and Planning tool
ALA Resources
- Using Social Media, including the Storytelling with Video and Social Media Advocacy checklists.
- How to Conduct a Virtual Library Tour
- Advocacy University
- Frontline Advocacy
- Library Advocate’s Handbook
- Quotable Facts About America’s Libraries
- The Small But Powerful Guide to Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library
WLA Resources
- Library Legislative Day
- Hosting A Library Listening Session
- Easy-to-do Political Campaign Activities
- Selected Library Advocacy Websites
- NorthStar Economics Study
How do we do it?
- Collect positive comments from library users and share them with your elected officials
. These stories help move local-decision makers about the value of the library to the community. - Help local elected
officals by providing reliable information. They have many difficult decisions to make. Give them the information and tools they need to be a library advocate in theirgovenmental work. - Develop a message that is used consistently by staff, trustees, foundation members and friends of the library. Use the message over and over.
- Create relationships!