March 2009 Articles
Advocacy and the Delaware County District Library Friends Groups Advocating Who’s Reading in Mahoning County? Visit a Library to A Low-key successful levy Resource |
Lynda Murray Advocacy is an increasingly more important responsibility for anyone who supports public libraries. In these tough economic times, more and more people are dependent on the services of their community public library. But the reality is there is more and more competition for decreasing public dollars. To be an effective advocate, it is important to work with the library director to make sure you are delivering a unified message and you have accurate and current information about your library. Friends groups are wonderful supporters of public libraries. They can be great advocates because they are committed library users who represent the community. There are a variety of ways they can be helpful in the role of advocacy. They can call or write their legislators on issues of particular importance. Make sure your letters and calls are concise and focused. Legislators have very busy schedules and lots of constituents; they appreciate people who are respectful of their schedule. Friends can contact their own friends and neighbors to urge them to send letters or emails to legislators. Often times your neighbor will be happy to join you in an effort that you feel strongly about. Plan on attending public events where your legislator may be speaking or visiting. Take the opportunity to say a few words about the library, but be careful not to monopolize their time. Identify some of your financial resources to pay for attendance at the Ohio Library Council's annual Legislative Day. For more information about successful advocacy programs, check out the Ohio Library Council’s web site at http://www.olc.org/gr_advocacyresources.asp. The Friends groups in Ohio can make a huge difference in the success of their public library. |