Category Archives: Advocacy

Worth a Thousand Words: Library Snapshot Day

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By capturing photos of all that happens in a single day at your library, you can tell a powerful story about the importance of your library to the community. Libraries of all types and sizes have used Library Snapshot Day to build community awareness and to demonstrate the impact and reach of library services. During this webinar, panelists from Ohio Snapshot Day will share their templates and tips for successful planning and implementation, and will explore other ways images can be used to tell your library’s story. Learn how you can take a vivid snapshot of your library, whether it’s on your own, with others in your state or region, or in conjunction with National Library Week in April.

Presented by: Marsha McDevitt-Stredney, Marketing & Communications Director, State Library of Ohio and Jenaye Antonuccio, Communications Coordinator, Athens County Public Libraries.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 ♦ 1 pm CST ♦ 60 min ♦ Cost $0
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Energize Your Base: Tips and Tools to Raise Awareness and Build Support for Library Services

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Everyone knows that libraries are a good investment, but with tight budgets, we need to energize our base – to take action to connect more strongly with community members, to find out what excites them, and to let them know how libraries are changing lives – one connection at a time. This webinar will explore three vehicles that can help you increase awareness of library services:

  • Library Videos – New videos from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that showcase work done in libraries which are transforming lives, by changing the way we connect.
  • Geek the Library – A community awareness campaign offered free to libraries to help strengthen community connections and library support.
  • Data Visualization – We collect lots of data. Learn how the Colorado State Library is helping local libraries use their data to tell a story about impact.

Presented by: Karen Perry, Senior Program Officer, Global Libraries, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Jennifer Pearson, Programs Manager, OCLC Community Relations; Jamie Hollier, Project Manager with PLA and Library Consultant; and Linda Hofschire, Research Analyst, Library Research Service, Colorado State Library.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012 ♦ 12 pm CST ♦ 90 min ♦ Cost $0
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Connect2Compete: Promoting Digital Opportunity

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Connect2Compete (C2C) is a new collaborative effort of philanthropic, corporate, government and community leaders committed to taking awareness of how technology can improve the lives of Americans, promoting and linking to digital literacy training opportunities that encourage meaningful use, and accelerating broadband adoption through the distribution of low-cost computers and Internet service. In early 2013, a national ad campaign will be launching that will direct people to places in their community, including public libraries, that can help them access the Internet and training resources.

Understanding that libraries serve as the primary technology access point in many communities, C2C is collaborating with the American Library Association and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to ensure that librarians across the country are aware of this initiative.  To help ensure that public libraries have the support they need to engage as partners in C2C, this project is working with OCLC’s WebJunction, IMLS and several state libraries to build robust tools and online resources.

Computer Commons at Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional branch. Courtesy of Rob Dumas, Flickr.

Illinois, West Virginia and Mississippi are three test states working with C2C to establish some national models.

Public libraries in Illinois are asked to respond to a survey by October 19, 2012. The survey should take less than 20 minutes to complete. Responses will ensure a good foundation in Illinois to support the growth of digital literacy.

 

Questions and comments can be directed to Debra Aggertt, Illinois State Library daggertt@ilsos.net.

Banned Books Week: September 30th – October 6th

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Banned Books Week will be here before you know it! This year’s theme, “Celebrating 30 Years of Liberating Literature” marks the 30th anniversary. Events include a Virtual Read Out and Banned Websites Awareness Day. For more information, you can contact the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom at bbw@ala.org or visit the ALA website.

How will your library participate?  Let us know in the comments!

Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; Comic Book Legal Defense Fund; the Freedom to Read Foundation; National Coalition Against Censorship; National Council of Teachers of English; National Association of College Stores; and the PEN American Center.  It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and Project Censored.

Telling the Library Story

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Thursday, August 23, 2012 ♦ 12 pm CST ♦ 60 min ♦ Cost: $0

Learn how to tell a succinct, powerful story about the value of libraries. Based on OCLC’s “From Awareness to Funding” and the latest findings of brain research, this session focuses on turning the evidence of daily patron encounters into short, compelling, and memorable messages that build support.

Presented by: Jamie LaRue, director, Douglas County Libraries (CO), blogger, and chair of committee who created The Big Hairy Audacious Goal, a public library advocacy initiative.

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ILA Illinois Library Day Recap: We Need Your Support!

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On April 18, Illinois Library Day, library advocates from across the state met with legislators in Springfield to advocate for Illinois libraries. Several RAILS Board members joined RAILS President Alan Davidson at the Capitol to urge lawmakers to support budgets submitted by Secretary of State Jesse White and Governor Quinn. Budget proposals from both the Governor and Secretary of State would keep state grant funding for libraries and library systems at current amounts in fiscal year 2013. Amidst the state’s continuing fiscal crisis and as lawmakers grapple with vexing budget challenges, this promises to be a difficult session.

Your support is vital in the campaign to sustain state funding for libraries at current levels. Please refer to the handy legislative toolkit on the ILA website for more on how you can help. Take a few moments, contact your legislator, and make a difference today!

Mark Your Calendar for Illinois Library Day!

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In these difficult economic times, libraries of all types are needed more than ever.  And our library customers, students, and communities need us to speak up for the incredible role of libraries in supporting education, workforce development, and competitive colleges and universities.

Illinois Library Day will be held on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 and is a day of advocacy held in Springfield.  It is a time for library supporters to “talk up” libraries with visits to elected officials at the Capitol.  Illinois Library Day is held during the state legislative session and includes training and special briefings the evening before the full day of visits.

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Organizational Storytelling for Librarians: Using Stories for Leadership, Community, and Advocacy

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Tuesday, January 10, 2012 ♦ 1 pm Central ♦ 60 min

Join us for this webinar to learn about the process of leading and managing through organizational storytelling. Librarians can use personal stories within the organization for leadership (tell them who you are and why you are here), team building (sharing your vision effectively, rediscovering and honoring the mission of the organization), and moving through change (honoring the past as you move toward the future; listening to others, communicating your goals through story). Learn how to “retool” storytelling with new concepts of organizational storytelling gleaned from business and other sectors, with specific examples and powerful tools to improve library communication and advocacy. Also hear effective library stories and learn tactics shared by “story” expert Robert McKee who uses screenwriting methods to bring truth and tension to storytelling. In this webinar, co-sponsored by ALA TechSource and WebJunction, hear how libraries tell their story to strengthen organizations, build community and to amplify the value they bring to their communities.

Presenters: Kate Marek, professor at Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science, and author of Organizational Storytelling for Librarians (ALA, 2011); and Chris Rippel, head of continuing education, Central Kansas Library System.

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Organizational Storytelling for Librarians: Using Stories for Leadership, Community, and Advocacy

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Tuesday, January 10, 2012 ♦ 1 pm Central ♦ 60 min

Join us for this webinar to learn about the process of leading and managing through organizational storytelling. Librarians can use personal stories within the organization for leadership (tell them who you are and why you are here), team building (sharing your vision effectively, rediscovering and honoring the mission of the organization), and moving through change (honoring the past as you move toward the future; listening to others, communicating your goals through story). Learn how to “retool” storytelling with new concepts of organizational storytelling gleaned from business and other sectors, with specific examples and powerful tools to improve library communication and advocacy. Also hear effective library stories and learn tactics shared by “story” expert Robert McKee who uses screenwriting methods to bring truth and tension to storytelling. In this webinar, co-sponsored by ALA TechSource and WebJunction, hear how libraries tell their story to strengthen organizations, build community and to amplify the value they bring to their communities.

Presenters: Kate Marek, professor at Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science, and author of Organizational Storytelling for Librarians (ALA, 2011); and Chris Rippel, head of continuing education, Central Kansas Library System.

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A Small But Powerful Webinar for Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library

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Wednesday, December 14, 2011 ♦ 1 pm Central ♦ 60 min

Join us for an introduction to the revised edition of the popular “Small But Powerful Guide to Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library,” a new toolkit from the American Library Association’s Committee on Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds, Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries.  This webinar will introduce you to the tips and strategies presented in the toolkit, share the experiences of a rural librarian who has built support for her library, and introduce you to some of the additional advocacy tools and resources from the American Library Association.

Presenters: Miguel Figueroa, director, ALA Office for Literacy & Outreach Services; Susan Hill Pieper, director, Paulding County Carnegie Library (OH) and editor Rural Library Services Newsletter; and Jennifer Peterson, community manager at WebJunction, board member, Association for Rural & Small Libraries and chair of ALA Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds Committee.

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