The post Being Loved Is Not Enough first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

How did you first learn about Gladys Kalibbala?

I was working on a documentary about population issues, and I was interested in looking at the lives of kids who are born into families that don’t have the means to take care of them. One of the stories was looking at kids in Uganda, and I was trying to find out what’s going on with the thousands of kids who are stranded or abandoned, whether it’s through poverty, neglect, or illness. I found this newspaper column called “Lost and Abandoned,” which profiled a lot of these kids with the intent of reuniting them with their families. I kept seeing the columnist’s byline show up in other stories about lost and abandoned kids. I thought this woman, Gladys Kalibbala, would have a unique perspective since she’s a hub for kids, families, police, and other agencies.

When we got to Kampala, I met her and was immediately struck by her. She wasn’t just sitting behind her desk sipping tea. She was out there in the field with these kids, way beyond the boundaries of her column. If no one came to claim a child it was very likely that she would get involved on her own and try to find out what’s really the situation. Where’s this child from? Does she know the name of her village? Does she remember the name of her mother? She was like a detective in that way. She has to work with what the child presents to her and then figure out what’s the real story and what’s best for a child in that particular situation. So she gets involved in these cases, for sometimes years. That really struck me, and the fact that even though she was entering such dire circumstances with children, where the solutions aren’t simple by any stretch, she had this joyousness to her. I thought, “How do you do this all the time, on your own, and have this kind of buoyancy?” That was the point where I said, “I need to follow this person!” I wanted to know what drives her, what keeps her going. I couldn’t just leave after a few days of filming

Gladys immerses herself in the stories that she writes. Did you feel any connection with Gladys in terms of how you approach telling a story?

I come from a filmmaking background so I tend to think visually. In film, you always want to show as much as you tell. So in this project, I would be taking visual notes, and I noticed that Gladys, especially in working with children—oftentimes traumatized children—she’s looking for visual cues as well. Does this child have shoes? Is their face dirty? Those little visual clues that would help her piece together what the story is. Also Gladys is very excited in figuring out what’s going on—the problem solving is really interesting to her. She likes the drama of the surprise and I’ll tell you, with every single story of the kids, there was always a twist or a surprise. That certainly drives me as well, wanting to see a story through to its end, wanting some kind of conclusion.

The book has the feel of a firsthand account. Were you following her around? What was your research process?

Again, coming out of films, especially in documentaries, there’s always this idea that you want to be unobtrusive. It’s really an unattainable goal when you have equipment and a crew, you’ve got to break for lunch, and you have to set up lights or whatever. I found it so liberating to be able to travel and follow Gladys without any of that. There’s a deeper kind of focus you can achieve when you don’t have to control anything. So I found that I would just follow her and within a few minutes people would forget about the silent Asian lady in the corner.

Gladys is really herself at all times whether I’m there or whether anybody else is around. She just has this groundedness. So that was something that really enabled the observation process to be smooth and intimate and also made everyone else around focus on what she was there to do. For twice a year I’d stay for a couple of weeks and follow new and ongoing stories.  I would just contact her beforehand, see what she was currently working on, and sort of go with the flow. In between those times we’d be in touch via email and Skype to keep abreast of what was happening and when I should show up the next time. And this happened over a period a little over three years.

You talked about her buoyancy, and throughout the book, we see how Gladys is never hardened by the horrific things she witnesses, but maintains her empathy and compassion. To what do you attribute the fact that she’s able to remain solution-oriented as she’s surrounded by such grim realities?

I think she would say she was born that way. She had very strong grandparents who helped raise her with the idea that helping others was just something you do as a human being. What I’ve been able to observe is that she has developed this kind of pragmatic optimism. In other words, doing what you can in the moment, even if it’s very small—this kid hasn’t eaten anything today, where can we get some food for her? She takes pleasure out of accomplishing the smaller goals as well as the larger ones. I think there’s something so attractive about reviving that sense of one-on-one help, of engaging with others on a face-to-face basis, and really being on the ground. That is something that I think is not only nourishing but also motivating because the person you’re helping is right in front of you.

What do you want readers to take away from Gladys’ work?

I came away with this appreciation for the small act as well as the grand gesture. In the U.S, I think we like our problems to be solvable. When they’re large, remote, and complex we get discouraged and throw up our hands. So this reminder that when we engage with others, when we get closer to a problem and it becomes personal, that’s when there’s the potential for more satisfaction on both sides. I’ve been with her when we’ve driven four hours so she can meet with some of the kids she’s helped for literally ten minutes. The first time we did it I thought, “What was that about?” She explained It’s important for her to see them and for them to see her. I realized it’s really meaningful when you’re making that human connection. There’s something really strong about that idea and it’s something I’ve certainly tried to carry with me since getting to know her.

In the book we get a sense of the complexity of the problems Gladys has to negotiate. Can you talk about some of the challenges she faces on the ground?

One of the big things which I wasn’t aware of was transportation, which is such a big issue. it’s difficult to get around and very expensive. So when I’d go see her, I would provide transportation. It just made sense so we could get places. She has very limited resources. She doesn’t have an NGO. She’s doing most of this on her own, although she has allies in different places. She has to wade into different situations where not only doesn’t she know the people in the village that she ends up tracing a child to, they don’t know her. They don’t really understand who is this stranger who’s trying to come in there. It’s hard for people to accept her right away but she goes in there and explains herself. She’s very charismatic and she ends up being very effective.

It’s tough because when you look at what a child needs there might be issues of something that we can all relate to, like school fees, but there’s also shelter, Illness, kids with HIV, or parents who might not be around or might not be in a situation where they can help. I think that’s what would make a lot of people fearful about getting involved in the first place, because one thing leads to another. Gladys just keeps going with it. It doesn’t mean it makes it easier, I don’t want to downplay what a child needs to survive and thrive. The ten-minute visit is nice but that’s just one piece of a much bigger puzzle. She manages to stay in there over time. It’s amazing to see the effect it can have on a child’s life, having one person who’s consistent. And of course there are other people who step in along the way.

The other thing I should say is she’s not a martyr, she’s really a seeker of joy. She has this very self-sufficient bearing and over the time I’ve known her she’s never directly asked me for anything. I just really admire her.

Gladys’ work has such an expansive reach. How did you narrow your focus on particular kids and decide who to follow?

Sometimes there were stories that are just so much a part of her life there was no way her story could be told without them, like her relationship with Ezra. He’s a boy you meet early in the book. He had very large and painful facial deformities. He left his village and went to seek help in Kampala as a teenager, walking there on his own, just thinking somehow he could get help in the big city. He crossed paths with Gladys and that turns into a long thread in the book. Then there are other stories that would take place in one visit, like the story of a girl who goes to visit her father in prison. So those were two types of stories that fell into the book.

There are some stories I would really love to write sometime but either they lacked a sense of closure or I was just not present for enough of the seminal moments to feel confident writing about them. There was really no shortage of stories. I came away thinking I could do another volume. Her world is certainly not boring.

You get the sense that once she’s come across a person, that person is in her life forever. Do you have any plans for continuing telling Gladys’ story, either in another book or a documentary?

I would love to write more about Gladys. One of the stories in the book is this garden project that she starts. That was actually part of the reason I thought the structure of the book would work, because she’s taking on this venture where she was trying to find out ways where she could make her work with kids more self-sufficient. In other words, she’d create this garden, sell the produce, and that would help pay for things like transportation. It sounds pretty simple but it turns very complicated.

You just want things to work out for Gladys, and it’s so frustrating when you read the sections where the garden project is thwarted.

Of course I’m just observing, but I’ve felt so personally betrayed by those moments. That was one thing that was really interesting because I think Gladys is very canny when it comes to kids. Sure, kids sometimes lie very skillfully and she likes to wait and see if what a kid says turns out to be the whole truth, but she’s had so much experience trying to read children. But with this garden project—which is as much for her benefit as it is for the kids, in that it will be income that she can use to support her work—she’s having to deal with grown-ups who don’t necessarily share her sense of mission. I felt like that venture really tested her sense of optimism and the idea that you can give the world the benefit of the doubt and things generally turn out. That was a drama that was very painful to watch at times.

I wanted to end by asking what can people do to support Gladys’ work?

I have finally entered the world of social media as of like last night. (Laughs) I realized I kind of need all that stuff for the book. I have a website, and on there is a link for a crowdfunding page that I’ve set up for Gladys, so that’s a very immediate way to help her.  I think everyone will find their own way to integrate whatever they take away from the book into their daily lives. For myself, I’ve had this idea of trying to take just one act a day. For Gladys of course it’s second nature and that’s really part and parcel of her work, but that’s something that’s worked for me, to keep that an ongoing thing.

The post Jessica Yu on Gladys Kalibbala and the Value of the Small Act first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

What we see in New York City repeats itself over and over as city governments across the country have been clamoring for sport franchise bragging rights, subsidies, and public funding of stadiums. Only when local officials understand the value public libraries bring to their communities and view them as investments will we see budgets parallel to their importance.

Why is that? Well, as you know, libraries are not meant to be a revenue stream, although a library will generate some minimal income in the form of late fees, used-book sales, book bags, ear pods, and the like. If local officials do not recognize the human capital that libraries create, they will never see them as an investment but more so as an expense. But what if local and state officials acknowledged that investing in the creation of human capital pays off?

Though the field of library valuation is relatively new, in Worth Their Weight: An Assessment of the Evolving Field of Library Valuation, it is noted that public library researchers have already adopted economic valuation methods to determine a dollar value of a library’s programs and services.^[2] Tools such as The Individual Return on Investment Calculator first appeared online in 2006 and have since been adapted by many libraries to show the return in value for every dollar in taxes spent on libraries. Worth Their Weight also seeks to quantify learning values and cultural benefits^[3]; such quantification would allow local libraries to express human and social capital as data values that refer to citizens’ well-being. Herein lies the crux of our challenge.

How can libraries demonstrate the return on investment tax payers gain in collective human capital or social capital? Let’s talk a bit about investing in human capital. Human capital refers to intangibles—such as the collective knowledge, talents and skills—of an individual or a group of people. Local governments invest in human capital by adequately funding things like education and libraries, which, in turn, results in less crime and poverty through higher literacy rates and a skilled workforce, ultimately increasing community welfare.

Major league sports teams can dangle extra zeros at the end of their annual/seasonal cost/benefit analysis reports, usually with more success than public libraries; how can libraries numerate their value propositions to get a larger piece of their local budgets?

We continue to advocate by using the tools we have right in front of us (and teach others to advocate on our behalf):

• Visit and use the tools at ALA’s Advocacy University
• Read “Showing Library Value to Local Government”
• Use the Libraries Transform campaign to demonstrate value and impact

We continue to help local government solve local problems (and show just how indispensable libraries are):

• Enlist public libraries to help fight homelessness
• Start a seed library
• Support entering the workforce and networking

While sound arguments have been made for the community benefits of local and state sports teams,^[4] it’s no secret that cities and towns across the country continue to lose taxpayer money on sports endeavors.^[5] Using valuation tools, we can (and need to) demonstrate the value libraries provide to the citizens who, in turn, can advocate for our library budgets and let their local officials know just how the library has transformed them. Advancement in library valuation is essential, as well as patrons’ stories that illustrate the library’s social return on investment.

Further Reading

• David Giles, “Branches of Opportunity,” Center for an Urban Future, 2003.
• A. Zimbalist, Sports facilities and economic development. Government Finance Review 29, no. 4 (August 2013): 94+.

References

[1] Jim Dwyer, “Denying New York Libraries the Fuel They Need,” New York Times, April 23, 2015.

[2] Susan Imholz and Jennifer Weil Arns, Worth Their Weight: An Assessment of the Evolving Field of Library Valuation (New York: Americans for Libraries Council, 2007), p. 5.

[3] Ibid.

[4] David Swindell and Mark S Rosentraub, “Who Benefits from the Presence of Professional Sports Teams? The Implications for Public Funding of Stadiums and Arenas.” Public Administration Review 58, no. 1 (1998): 11–20.

[5] Jeffrey Dorfman, “Publicly Financed Sports Stadiums Are A Game That Taxpayers Lose,” Forbes, January 31, 2015.

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Advocacy is an important part of our job, one that we don’t actually do as often as we think we should. While you have daily opportunities to talk about the great work that your library is doing, there is a really powerful opportunity for us to put our voices together on Capitol Hill for National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) on May 2–3, 2016.

There are a host of barriers that many of us think of when we hear the word advocacy; these include: I don’t have time, I don’t know what to say, no one has asked me to, I don’t think I’m supposed to. Happily, we have a handy guide here that will help you break through those excuses (be honest, they are excuses) and take a few minutes to contact your local, state, and national legislators.

If you are not planning on going to Washington, DC, in person, there are ways to let your senators and congresspersons know how vital libraries are in their districts and that you need their support.

• Know your issues. Some major concerns affecting public libraries this year include copyright, LSTA funding reinstatement, broadband access for all, & E-rate funding. ALA’s Washington Office is a great resource for background information and sample messages.
• Contact your representatives remotely. A quick Tweet, phone call, or e-newsletter will take less than five minutes of your time.
• Hold a local event with your legislator’s staffers. Since all politics are local, it’s a great opportunity to get your customers/patrons/fans involved and tell your story.

We hope to see you involved in National Library Legislative Day, whether you’re in DC or active at home!

The post Virtual Library Legislative Day first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

“Almost one thousand people in this country die each day from smoking-related illnesses. Imagine it. That’s as if two fully loaded jumbo jets collided over your hometown every day and everyone aboard was killed. . . ” Authors Karen Berg and Andrew Gilman write about “selling points” in the book Get to the Point. This selling point (in italics) was created to paint a picture of how many people die from smoking every day. The selling point is striking and I can’t imagine you could forget the image. The library has plenty of great stories, touchy-feely and full of “awww.” I have to tell you, those stories don’t always resonate with me or politicians. They want results. They want to know the return on investment.

What is a selling point?
Selling points, as defined by the authors:  “Strong messages use vivid, unambiguous language. They rest on a foundation of information presented in a package that we call a selling point, which makes a positive statement and then gives an illustration.” When I make a presentation to stakeholders, I focus on selling. The goal is to leave an impression and a call to action. I challenged myself and my team to come up with some similar (though not as morbid) selling points, and this is what we created:

• Picture 200 people playing five-card stud. Now, turn all of those playing cards into library cards. That’s how many library cards we issue in a month.
• Imagine the traffic jam! Seventy-two school buses full of children. That’s how many people attend our library events in a single month! Seventy-two school buses would stretch from the library to the Mission on Main St. . . and they visit the library voluntarily!
• If you laid out every book that was checked out of a County Library last year, you would have enough books to stretch from Ventura to Disneyland.
• Every month, residents request about 8,000 titles. That’s over 1 million dollars of savings in a year. They aren’t just picking up a handful of titles while browsing, they are seeking out our titles specifically.

Depending on the crowd, I will add a call to action at the end of the statement. “Imagine what we could do with more!” I will also add a specific request, leaving the audience with the impression that they too can be a supporter of the community’s success. I pose the same challenge to you. Get to know your stats and talk to your coworkers. Create unique, brief selling points and start sharing them. The next time someone says “You’re a librarian! I didn’t know we still had librarians!,” respond with a smile and a selling point.

Reference

Berg, K. & Gilman, A. (1989). Get To the Point: How to Say What You Mean and Get What You Want. Bantam.

The post Get to the Point Already first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Why Tell Your Story Online?

Many libraries are restricted by city or county rules on employee advocacy. When funding or programs are at risk of getting cut, staff have to get creative in promoting the value of the library in the community. Digital advocacy is a great method of not only visualizing that value, but also disseminating it to your community through social networks, email newsletters, and your website.

The Rockefeller Foundation published a report in 2014 called Digital Storytelling for Social Impact, which offers insights and ideas from interviews with thought leaders in entertainment, brand strategy, and philanthropy. One of the key quotes from the report reinforces the importance of digital storytelling or advocacy for community-centric organizations, such as public libraries:

“Stories can embody values; they can show how an organization is living its life by giving tangible examples. Putting faces and names to [an organization’s] values goes much further to promoting high-level concepts that aren’t as tangible.” [1]

So where to begin? One place to start is by interviewing community members or staff members about what they like about the library and what they do while they’re there. You could also frame your story around library usage data or a timeline of a project, such as a summer reading program or an event of which you’re particularly proud. Also remember that digital advocacy comes in many forms, from blogs to videos to digital slideshows.

A Few Examples of Digital Advocacy in Action

TechSoup has an annual digital storytelling contest called Storymakers, but we’re always supporting nonprofits and public libraries in telling their stories online through educational webinars, product donations, and informative content. I thought I’d highlight some of my favorite examples of digital advocacy that we’ve seen over the years.

The Norton Public Library won the prize for Best Library Video in the 2012 Storymakers contest with its video, 12 Things to Do in a Library. Teen patrons created the video to promote the library’s collection of pop-up books. This project not only gave the teens a chance to show off their video skills, but it also created a new generation of library advocates.

The Oakland Public Library (OPL) is also engaging its community to tell the library’s stories. Sharon McKellar, the community relations librarian, talked about the importance of sharing everything you do on a TechSoup for Libraries digital storytelling webinar. Much of the library’s sharing is done on the OPL’s network of blogs, where library staff and partners write about events, share new additions to collections, and answer community questions. Sharon also does a fantastic ongoing series on strange ephemera found in the Oakland Public Library’s books, which has gotten the attention of local media as well as Library Journal.

Digital advocacy doesn’t end after the creation and production of your story. The M.N. Spear Memorial Library in Shutesbury, MA got a construction grant from the Massachusetts Boardof Library Commissioners, but it needed a local match to actually receive it. The library had to privately raise funds in five months, so library staff members produced a video called Where Would You Be Without Your Library?

The staff reached out to the Massachusetts Library Association to promote the video and somebody from the association got Cory Doctorow of BoingBoing interested. After he shared it, the campaign went viral with promotions from John Hodgman, Wil Wheaton, Neil Gaiman, and other library-loving celebrities. But the video’s success wasn’t sheer luck: the library strategically reached out to cause-driven websites and newsletters, as well as library and book-related blogs, and told them about the campaign.

At the 2016 Public Library Association conference, Crystal Schimpf of Kixal and I will be presenting on behalf of TechSoup for Libraries about the ways that digital stories can be used for advocacy efforts, from raising awareness to political action. We’ll be sharing tips and ideas on how to create a compelling story for your library, and how to leverage it to show your impact in the community. Be sure to drop by Lights, Camera, Advocacy: Digital Storytelling for Your Library session at PLA 2016.

References
1. The Rockefeller Foundation, May 06, 2014, “Digital Storytelling for Social Impact.” p. 8. https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/blog/digital-storytelling-social-impact/. Accessed October 26, 2015.

The post Share Your Library’s Impact with Digital Advocacy first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

One issue that recently came up for my library involved appropriate number of open hours. With a population base of a bit over 5,000, my library is open fifty-one hours a week. But one board member felt this was inadequate; they suggested being open sixty hours a week, while another argued that being a small, relatively rural library our resources were already strained and we should reduce our hours. The discussion turned into one of obligations. What began as a discussion of the library’s obligation to patrons evolved into a discussion about the institution’s obligations to staff.  With a small staff (4.5 FTE), increasing hours would put additional strain on library workers and in particular the director, who would in effect, become ‘on call’ seven days a week.

For me, the discussion raised another issue: is the library’s obligation to the existing demographics of the community or to a more diversified perspective?  Specifically, consider collection development, programming, and displays. Should we offer only that which applies to our known community’s demographics? Or should we try to broaden outlooks and horizons? Many times our decisions in these areas are shaped by our users.  We might put up a holiday display because we believe our community expects or supports that perspective. But are we sure? Should we, in fact, be displaying alternative views as part of an obligation to support lifelong learning? Would we draw more users if we expanded beyond our perceived local culture?  Is this not part of obligation, also? While it may be easy to say we should do both–support our community’s demographics and expand on the status quo–the finances and/or politics of many libraries may not allow for such a broad spectrum of activities or materials.

We can also expand this question out to larger professional organizations. Is the obligation of a state agency to all institutions within its jurisdiction? One might answer, yes, of course!  But the question becomes whether this is a feasible possibility.  In most states there are urban and rural libraries, large bureaucratic establishments, and small independent organizations; there may also be municipal libraries and libraries in nonprofit organizations, with differing structures and needs. On a national level, the issue is confounded as there are an even greater number of variations.  Consider something as mundane as where a national event will be held?  The problem arises that no one location can inherently serve everyone.

Personally, I believe all public library organizations of any size have the obligation to provide a broad base of perspectives, as reflected in materials and activities, and the obligation to strive for as much diversity as is feasible. To that end, on the national level, I support organizations that make mindful efforts to rotate conference location. On a local level, I support state agencies that offer diversified support to different levels and kinds of libraries.

On the daily level of library operations I make a conscious effort to assure my collection is diverse in terms of the topics and peoples it represents. I seek out programs that are unique or unusual. I am ecstatic when I find things that most people have not encountered and thrilled when I hear patrons speak of finding something they never knew about before. I am considerate of all holidays and celebrations–not only putting out the materials or iconic images of those who most participate or that which is most common.

When I consider my obligations for my library I think about challenging common thought patterns, offering a path into places unfamiliar, and helping to support diversity; those considerations shape my obligations to my library.  I see this as my obligation not only to my library, but to my community and the well-being of our world.

The post The Obligation of Libraries first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Discussions about flat or declining funding have become the “new normal” in public libraries. As little as a decade ago, senior library professionals spent much of their time concerned with finding new money and increasing funding; in the last few years these efforts have been replaced with ongoing attempts to retain as much funding as the year before. Since the latest recession started, more than half of the public libraries in the United States (approximately 57 percent) have experienced decreased or flat funding.¹ A heightened interest in developing advocacy campaigns has been one response taken by many libraries. Campaign goals may vary somewhat from library to library, but at their root they are most often designed to sway the opinions of those holding the purse strings and convince them that public libraries are a valuable enough part of their community that they should be adequately funded. While the idea of developing and implementing advocacy campaigns is not new to the work of public librarians, the current financial situation suggests it may be time to become more strategic through the use of evidence.

There are few evidence-based studies focusing on the request and approval process for public library budgets, though the work done in other disciplines can help to reframe these studies as well as to strengthen the findings and conclusions. New research is being undertaken that considers a systematic approach to the techniques that are most effective in positively influencing those making decisions about public library funding. Drawing on the evidence from other disciplines, a growing body of work is being developed that looks at the applicability of these approaches in the library context. To date, it has been shown that different strategies and approaches are not only relevant but perhaps even more effective.

Taking Stock

Too often advocacy campaigns are developed as a reaction to the threat of a funding decrease, or indeed, after reduced financial support has been shown by local and state funding bodies.² Faced with a cut, it is common for library supporters to feel threatened so their reactions are frequently characterized by a tone of outrage and protest. In a few instances, the results have softened the blow but large-scale efforts in mobilizing angry patrons rarely result in a full reversal of the decision, and likely make any future negotiations even more tense.

This should come as no surprise since studies in the field of public administration have demonstrated that “case studies [of pressure groups] teach us . . . that the most successful groups are those that know whom to talk to—and when—and are able to communicate in a bureaucratic fashion, with briefs, working papers, and professional consultations, rather than with placards and demonstrations.”³ Certainly this idea corresponds well with familiar definitions of advocacy in public libraries: “Advocacy is planned, deliberate, sustained effort to develop understanding and support incrementally over time.”⁴

Widespread letter-writing campaigns instigated by the library community and directed at elected officials seem to have little effect on final budget decisions, yet these grassroots campaigns are often suggested by library professionals as a preferred method of opening discussions with politicians about public library budgets.⁵ It is so much easier to be indignant than develop positive relationships over time. While it can be very tempting to “rally the troops” in times of threat, previous research has shown patrons as a group are able to exercise almost no influence on the local annual budget process,⁶ and the theory of public choice has shown increased use does not correlate to increased funding.⁷ Tilting at the windmill of increased use during economic recession is a non-starter yet it is our constant fallback position for advocacy. Further, studies have confirmed the role that library board members, and by extension, the director, play in the local political process and resulting budget deliberations has been minimal; generally library trustees have been inactive politically, but increasing activity in the local political process has not correlated to increased funding⁸ without preexisting relationships and connections.

Despite the variables political conditions bring to the current environment, governments in regions with a history of strong funding relative to others have generally continued this trend. Libraries that have received relatively higher levels of funding in the past may continue to enjoy this benefit,⁹ as well those located in areas with higher levels of educational attainment.¹⁰ Both budgetary incrementalism11 and community and country-wide local socioeconomic conditions provide some explanations for these contexts.

Few library advocacy campaigns are measured in terms of results. Greater attention needs to be paid here. Several reports of “successful” campaigns (in essence it was done and the proponents felt good about it) did not result in increased or even stable funding.

Where To From Here?

Ultimately the goal of advocacy efforts should be to develop an environment in which libraries can operate without these threats of funding decreases or spend precious time reacting to cuts. Working over time to create an understanding of the value of public libraries should help those making funding decisions promote public libraries in a favorable light when engaged in budget discussions, and agree that adequate funding should be given. Studies relevant to this question touch on a variety of topics, and include budget theory, decision-making, networking, and, most importantly, influence.

Through examining the budget setting process in local and state governments, it is apparent that senior bureaucrats, elected officials and interest groups can all be engaged in budget requests.¹² Librarians and trustees must build positive relationships with those setting funding levels, but recognize that administrative staff, budget committee members, and elected officials remain the most prominent players in the process, and therefore, the most influential in funding and budget decisions.¹³ It is important for library stakeholders to put themselves in the shoes of those decision makers. From this perspective, advocates need to first understand that internal decision-making processes tend to be more important than external pressure. Consider these facts:

• Previous knowledge and experience completes the picture for a decision maker. Knowledge needs to be built through positive experiences.
• Often a decision maker has no experience or context.
• Credibility is also a key factor in the decision-making process.¹⁴

Examples of strong perceptions of librarians’ credibility in the advocacy process should be considered. The development of strong relationships with local politicians and agreement with state library counterparts can increase credibility¹⁵ and those decision makers with contemporary, positive relationships with librarians are able to rely on more accurate images and perceptions to inform their decisions.

The presence of an existing relationship between library stakeholders and decision makers strengthens the chances that information critical to understanding the case for supporting libraries can be effectively conveyed.¹⁶ The deep bodies of literature in the fields of public administration and social psychology can help to further understanding of networking and the specific role that interpersonal influence can play in decision-making. The importance has been shown repeatedly of senior administrators, in both governmental agencies and their related counterparts, working strategically to exploit internal and external networks to achieve positive outcomes.¹⁷

The Six Principles of Influence and the Emergence of a Set of Best Practices

It may useful in considering the previously presented evidence to apply the framework of influence developed by Robert Cialdini.18 This framework is suitable for examining decision making in libraries because it allows to look at upward influence, i.e., when making requests to those in power. Here are brief descriptions of Cialdini’s six tactics.

1. Authority can refer both to legitimate authority, that is, when an agent (advocate) has hierarchical or organizational power over a target (decision maker); or authority of expertise. When making an appeal, those who are perceived to have genuine knowledge, or the reputation as having genuine knowledge, may be able to make more persuasive arguments. Authority is also conveyed through dress, manner, perceived professionalism, and crossover expertise such as the police chief advocating for libraries and literacy to reduce crime.
2. Consistency and commitment relate to a target’s need to carry through on either previous statements/promises, or actions that appear consistent with their values, statements, public beliefs, and so forth. An example of a public belief may be a party-wide campaign promise on which individual cabinet members and representatives act. A target’s strongly held value for public services and literacy will make libraries an easier consideration than an overriding value of reduced government and self-sufficiency.
3. Liking reflects both the popular definition of the term—a mutual affinity between the target and agent—but may also encompass aspects of the mere exposure theory. In other words, a target may be more likely to feel positively toward an agent upon multiple introductions and interactions. The mere exposure theory further supports the notion that one may find an object or person more attractive as they become more familiar it. Both of these attributes can have a positive effect on influencing the target. The importance of networking and even just “showing up” cannot be overstated. Not only must the target like you, or at least recognize you, he or she must believe that you like them. An annual “leg-day” just doesn’t cut it as sufficient activity.
4. Reciprocity reflects exchange theory and supports the notion that targets are more willing to comply with requests if the agent has had a prior exchange with the target. This can include examples such as favours, gifts, advice giving, and so forth. Surprisingly, Cialdini asserts that an agent may be more successful in influencing a target even if the favour was received by the agent, rather than given by him or her. Serving city hall, its senior staff, and elected council members, as one market or constituency, can pay dividends.
5. Scarcity refers to the possible lack of availability of an object or service. An everyday example could include the retail sales pitch cliché of “Buy now! They won’t last at this price!” In the context of libraries, services that may be seen as valuable and hard to obtain are seen to be scarce, and therefore, may be “sold” to funders on that basis. Stressing “free” hinders scarcity, and the information marketplace is very crowded. Scarcity might be better served by repositioning (as in transformation, learning and/or community development) and stressing the scarcity of the expertise of the professional librarian, as long as it is indeed unique and scarce.
6. Social proof is the reflection of a decision maker to act in accordance with peers or otherwise accordingly in situations where one option is clearly more socially acceptable than others. Studies do demonstrate that just as library directors have associations and conferences, so too do city managers, mayors, and council members. Interesting, preliminary studies suggest that while directors compare per capita support, city managers compare percentages of municipal budgets, and the differences from one municipality to another are less striking.

Over the past few years, an examination of these principles of influence within the context of Canadian public libraries has taken place. Those results reveal three primary ways of exerting influence were through:

1. a direct or peripheral relationship with the decision maker or those in his or her professional and personal networks;
2. the directing of their attention to a specific matter by a superior; or
3. their own desire to “champion the cause.”

Detailed analyses showed building positive relationships, or what Cialdini calls “liking,” might be the most important way we can help decision makers understand the value of public libraries.19

With the addition of these latest findings, two salient patterns are beginning to emerge. The first is grounded in the notion that circumstances significant for each library and their related advocacy needs are inherently local. The process and people that should be strategically targeted vary from one campaign to another. The individual nature of each situation establishes the base for the second emergent theme, which is that the development of personal relationships with decision makers on an individual basis is key to forwarding messages about library services effectively.

Conclusion

Over the past several decades, a handful of studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of specific advocacy techniques employed in a variety of settings. While the number of studies is small, the growing body of evidence in this area can help to inform the strategies boards and senior library staff members devise in order to stimulate support and increased funding for library services. Networks, reputation and influence—and their related techniques—are proven to affect the success of an organization; the intersection of these has implications for how we libraries are managed.

The implication from this review is that a one-size-fits-all approach cannot be effective—every funding situation is ruled by individual players in the community. Over time, personal relationships between both decision makers and other supportive audiences must be developed with library directors, trustees, and other interested stakeholders. It is only in the presence of strong relationships that effective messages can begin to have an impact. There is a need for research comparing advocacy efforts and activities to intended outcomes, and those strategies that had greatest effect.

The most recent studies on advocacy have shown that when decision makers considered funding for public libraries, they use three distinct lenses:

1. the consistency lens (what are my values?);
2. the authority lens (is someone in power telling me to do this?); and, most importantly,
3. the liking lens (how much do I like and know about libraries and the requester?).

We might start to consider less simplistic approaches to advocacy efforts than previously thought. The emphasis on effective communication and strategic relationship building may need to be strengthened. As the environment in which public libraries operate continues to evolve, the ability to create meaningful connections with individuals in many communities and across all levels of government may need to be emphasized. As Cialdini himself declared when discussing the most effective tactics for influence, “the relationship is the message.”20

References

1. Ray Lyons, “Rainy Day Statistics: U.S. Public Libraries and the Great Recession,” Public Library Quarterly 32, no. 2 (Spring 2013): 97-118.
2. Cheryl Stenström, “Factors Influencing Funding Decisions by Elected Politicians at the State/Provincial Level: A Case Study of Public Libraries in Canada” (PhD dissertation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, 2012), accessed July 6, 2015, from Trove: Australian Dissertations and Theses.
3. Paul Pross, Group Politics and Public Policy (Toronto: Oxford Univ. Pr., 1992): 15.
4. Ken Haycock, “Advocacy and Influence,” Ken Haycock and Associates: Training and Development, Apr. 26, 2011, accessed Aug. 3, 2015.
5. Stenström, “Factors Influencing Funding Decisions by Elected Politicians at the State/Provincial Level.”
6. Leigh Estabrook and Brian Lanker, A Survey of Public Libraries and Local Government (Urbana-Champaign, IL: Library Research Center, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Univ. of Illinois, 1995).
7. Bryce Allen, “Public Opinion and the Funding of Public Libraries,” Library Trends 51, no. 3 (Winter 2003): 414-23.
8. Jane Robbins-Carter, “Political Science: Utility for Research in Librarianship,” Library Trends 32, no. 4 (Spring 1984): 425-39.
9. Andreas Varheim, Sven Steinmo, and Eisaku Ide, “Do Libraries Matter? Public Libraries and the Creation of Social Capital,” Journal of Documentation 64, no. 6 (Winter 2008): 877-92.
10. Virgil Blake, “Joining City Hall: The Role of the Public Library Director in Obtaining Local Support for the Public Library” (PhD dissertation,
    Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 1988), retrieved from ProQuest Digital Dissertations & Theses.
11. Cal Clark, Janet Clark, and Karen Stanford, “The Boom-Bust Cycle in Wyoming County Spending: Implications for Budget Theories,” International Journal of Public Administration 17, no. 5 (May 1994): 881-910.
12. Jay Ryu et al., “Effects of Administrator’s Aspirations, Political Principals’ Priorities, and Interest Groups’ Influence on State Agency Budget Requests,” Public Budgeting & Finance 27, no. 2 (Summer 2007): 22-49.
13. Estabrook and Lanker, A Survey of Public Libraries and Local Government; Susan McCargar, “The University Library Director in Budgetary Decision Making: A Study of Power, Influence, and Governance” (PhD dissertation, the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1984), retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses; David Gillespie, “A Survey of Business Managers and Library Directors to Identify the Variables Affecting the Final Decision on Library Budgets in Institutions Awarding at Least the Baccalaureate, But Less Than the Doctorate Degree” (PhD dissertation, Florida State University, Tallahassee, 1980), retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses.
14. Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, “Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases,” in Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases, edited by Daniel Kahneman, Paul Slovic, and Amos Tversky (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Pr., 1982): 3-20.
15. Charles McClure, Sari Feldman, and Joe Ryan, “Politics and Advocacy: The Role of Networking in Selling the Library to Your Community,” Public Library Quarterly 25, no. 1 (Winter/Spring 2007): 137-54; Robert Ward, “State Library and Local Public Library Relationships: A
    Case Study of Legislative Conflict Within South Carolina From the Principle/Agent Perspective,” Public Library Quarterly 23, no. 1 (Winter 2004): 43-60.
16. David Shavit, Federal Aid and State Library Agencies: Federal Policy Implementation (Contributions in Librarianship and Information Science)
    (Westport, CT: Greenwood Pr., 1985); Estabrook and Lanker, A Survey of Public Libraries and Local Government; Ward, “State Library and Local Public Library Relationships”; Stephanie Rollins, “Alabama Virtual Library Lobbyists’ and State Legislators’ Perceptions of Effective State Lobbying” (DPA dissertation, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, 2005), retrieved from ProQuest Digital Dissertations & Theses; McClure, Feldman, and Ryan, “Politics and Advocacy”; Cheryl Stenström and Ken Haycock, “Influence and Increased Funding in Canadian Public Libraries,” Library Quarterly 84, no. 1 (Jan. 2014).
17. Alisa Hicklin, Laurence O’Toole, and Kenneth Meier, “Serpents in the Sand: Managerial Networking and Nonlinear Influences on Organizational Performance,” Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 18, no. 3 (Mar. 2008): 253-73; Kenneth Meier and Laurence O’Toole, ”Managerial Strategies and Behavior in Networks: A Model With Evidence From U.S. Public Education,” Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 11, no. 3 (Mar. 2001): 271-93; Laurence O’Toole and Kenneth Meier, “Public Management in Intergovernmental Networks: Matching Structural Networks and Managerial Networking,” Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 14(4) (Apr. 2004): 469-94.
18. Robert Cialdini, Influence: Science and Practice, fifth ed. (Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2009).
19. Stenström and Haycock, “Influence and Increased Funding in Canadian Public Libraries”; Stenstrom, C., Roberts, K. and Haycock, K. “The Role of Influence in City and Public Library Partnerships: An Exploratory Study,” Library Management 35, no. 3 (Spring 2014).
20. Robert Cialdini, “The Language of Persuasion,” Harvard Management Update 9, no. 9 (Sept. 2004): 10-11.

Further Information

This short video, featuring Ken Haycock, gives practical advice on the topic.

The post Public Library Advocacy: An Evidence-Based Perspective on Sustainable Funding first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

“The Political Librarian” is slated to be EveryLibrary’s venue and platform for the advocacy work they do.  Their motto is “Any library initiative anywhere matters to every library everywhere.”  EveryLibrary trains, coaches, and consults library stakeholders and supporters to increase civic awareness to win campaigns and funding at the local level for libraries.They offer campaign advising, training, keynote speakers, and Rapid Response funding to help libraries in crisis gain grassroots community support. EveryLibrary is a donor-supported, nonprofit Political Action Committee that focuses on local library ballot initiatives. “The Political Librarian” launch date will mark EveryLibrary’s third anniversary as a national political action committee dedicated to libraries.

The post EveryLibrary to Launch “The Political Librarian” first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

• Public library program attendance increased 54.4% over the last 10 years—in 2012, 92.6 million people participated in any one of 4 million programs offered at a public library.^[1]
• Public library services run the gamut—from toddler story time to teen centers to homework assistance programs. Today, many libraries provide career assistance with access to federal funding for effective job training centers and job development sites.^[2] Public libraries serve their communities in many different ways.
• During the past year, public libraries touched many different people in their communities:
  – 97.5% offered free wireless internet access
  – 98% offered technology training
  – 9.5% had education and learning programs
  – 98.4% had summer reading programs
  – Almost 80% offered programs that aided patrons with job training skills.^[3]

That’s some report card!

School Libraries

School libraries, too, stand ready to ensure American students develop 21^st century information literacy skills. As the educational demands for inquiry based learning and research increase, the 2015 report emphasizes the importance of collaboration between certified school librarians and classroom teachers. “School librarians [need] to develop engaging learning tasks that integrate key critical thinking, technology, and information literacy skills with subject-area content.”

The 2015 report provided some good news—94% of education professionals noted that they saw improved learning and achievement when technology was integrated into the curriculum. Half of high school students surveyed looked for information online to gain better understanding of topics studied in class. Access to information services is a key component to blended learning environments. Overwhelmingly, 82% of school librarians identified themselves as teachers of what the report references as “digital citizenship.” The consensus is in: School librarians have become a part of an expanding and integral component of the educational environment.

Academic Libraries

In higher education, academic libraries provide a supportive environment for learning, teaching, and research within a university culture. This is true today more than ever. Academic libraries today are re-purposing space to optimize budgets but also to build digital collections, to collaborate with inter-collegiate databases, and to offer e-library resources. The 2014 National Survey of Student Engagement reported that 33% of 1^st year college students found that their experience with an academic librarian “contributed ‘very much’ to their knowledge, skills, and personal development in using information effectively.”^[4]

Academic libraries have traditionally been the central access point for research in a university and college community. Big data poses new challenges. Academic librarians have helped researchers share, analyze, and reuse it effectively.

Issues and Trends

Digital literacy, equitable access, and assessment remain high on the the list of issues and trends in the changing landscape of the library world. According to the 2013 Program for the International Assessment for Adult Competencies report, 36 million people, ages 16-65, struggle with basic tasks such as completing a job application or reading a story to their children. Coupled with these individuals are the one in six American adults who struggle with Basic English proficiency. Equitable access, digital literacy, literacy classes, service planning, and delivery as well as recruitment are all key issues that can impact a library’s ability to serve these individuals, those with limited English proficiency or low literacy skills—an ongoing challenge.

The ALA as Advocate

The American Library Association remains a strong advocacy organization to uphold the tenets of intellectual freedom and promote the importance of individual rights. In its role as advocate, the ALA supports the USA Freedom Act as it strives to protect patron privacy. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom tracks challenges to books. In 2014, 52% of the books challenged or banned included diverse content—non-white characters, LGBT characters, issues about race, issues about religion, and issues about a disability or mental illness, including suicide.

The ALA continues to work in developing children’s collections that promote the diversity of a community. Jamie Campbell Naidoo explored this issue in The Importance of Diversity in Library Programs and Material Collections for Children.  In turn, YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) issued its report, The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: A Call to Action,–it called for connected learning to 21^st century jobs as a learning approach that would move beyond the formal classroom as a platform for the development of teen services at the library.

Exemplary scores: New issues, continuing trends, new approaches—librarians ready to provide programs, seek solutions, and collaborate with one another.

Libraries as Anchor Institutions in Their Communities

Libraries engage every segment of our society—from early literacy through lifelong learning, through digital literacy to college study spaces. Libraries assess their individual communities’ needs and are ready to respond. In 2014, the Ferguson Municipal (MO) Public Library stood as a shining example of a library’s pivotal role as an anchor institution within its community. The Ferguson Municipal Public Library provided information, internet access, and children’s services. Perhaps most importantly it provided a quiet space amidst a storm to anyone who chose to use it. It stood as the American Library Association defines a library—as a “protectorate of the tenets of a democratic government.”^[5] Ferguson’s community, along with many communities in America, cherish the services of their community library.

References

[1]American Library Association. The State of America’s Libraries 2015: A Report from the American Library Association.

[2] Ibid, 6.

[3] Ibid, 11

[4] Ibid, 8

[5] Ibid, 2

The post The State of America’s Libraries 2015 first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

BPL turned to Tableau, a software company that offers a family of interactive data visualization products focused on business intelligence.  According to Manager of Strategic Initiatives Diana Plunkett, the hardest part of getting started was finding where the data would come from.  “We started with our simplest metrics, the ones that were easiest for us to capture. Our data around circulation is pretty clearly defined and pretty clearly understood, so that’s where we started,” said Plunkett.

Although much of the data BPL tracks is common (door count, program attendance, circulation, etc.), the data visualization reports help staff members make sense of the data. I took a look at some of the sample charts that BPL created through Tableau and am impressed with the results.  It’s one thing to look at door count numbers by hour, but to see those numbers in an attractive graph makes a much bigger impact:  http://public.tableausoftware.com/profile/bpl.it#!/vizhome/ShopperTrakv4/DoorCountbyHour

Not only does the visualization make the data more accessible, BPL makes the data available to everyone who works at the library.  I believe this is the single greatest benefit of Tableau’s capabilities and the way BPL is using it.  Giving all staff access to the data creates transparency across the organization since everyone can see the factors that are part of making decisions, and all staff members feel like they can lend a hand in making those decisions.  When data lives only within the IT Department and the Executive Committee, libraries miss out on the input of those on the front lines.

“A lot of the data we are displaying in these visualizations is data that was captured before, but there wasn’t an easy mechanism for everyone in the organization to see the result of that captured data all in one place,” Plunkett said.  “We find that people are more effective in their reporting because they can see the results. It’s not just being reported and it goes into a black hole somewhere. The visualizations make it so that people who aren’t used to diving in and mucking with the data can easily take a look at what’s going on, and understand what actions they can take as a result of it.”

Now that BPL has curated a set of data in Tableau and staff members are on board with the resource, the organization is looking to pull from local data sources as well as its own data warehouse for more ad-hoc analysis.  Plunkett believes the ad-hoc aspect will encourage more staff members to share their own ideas for data analysis and create more collective brain power.  BPL also plans to share some of the data with patrons as a way to increase awareness of the library’s services.  The appealing visual narratives might also be useful in proving the library’s importance to politicians and other stakeholders.

Sources:

http://diginomica.com/2015/02/18/how-the-brooklyn-public-library-data-visualization-a-better-library-with-tableau/

http://www.tableau.com/learn/stories/brooklyn-public-library-saves-time-money-and-headcount-tableau

http://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/keeping_up_with/big_data

The post Data Visualization for Public Libraries first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Go to the Capitol and encourage our representatives to Vote for Libraries! NLLD is an event that covers two days and is dedicated to national library advocacy. Library supporters canvass the House and Senate in Washington, D.C. to share the positive impact of libraries in our communities. They also raise awareness on current issues and make connections with senators and representatives from around the country.

Everyone who attends NLLD will learn advocacy tips and training. Attendees also have the opportunity to attend briefings on national library issues. Registration for National Library Day ends on Friday, April 24.

If you can’t attend in person, remote attendance options also exist. Share your support for libraries by phone calls, text, email, and social media. You can find more information about ALA’s Legislative initiatives and how to participate virtually in National Library Legislative Day on ALA’s Legislative Action Center. The site also includes tips on how to communicate with your legislators.

Currently, the most pressing national library issues include funding for the Library Services and Technology Act, continued funding for the school library initiative Innovative Approaches to Literacy, and reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Library Services and Technology Act funds are distributed to states through the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The funding is used for collection building, creative and innovative programs, and to promote communicate engagement. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act reinforces the importance of school librarians to students and their education. Innovative Approaches to Literacy program has been the primary source for federal funding of school libraries.

Library advocacy is growing more important each year. Funding is never guaranteed. Make sure your legislators know how important libraries are to you and your community. Lend your voice virtually or in person on NLLD.

References

National Library Legislative Day

The post Vote for Libraries! Register Now for National Library Legislative Day first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Like many of you, I did not come into this profession intentionally. My first job was in high school as a page at my local library with the goal of earning a little extra money to go on an exchange trip to Germany. During my college years, after stints at the circulation desk and then tech services, my library job was transformed into the “accidental technology manager” with facilities manager added shortly thereafter. A few years later I was recruited to an assistant director position and then ultimately
became a library director eight years ago.

I attribute several factors to the long-term enjoyment of my library career. First and foremost was having a great boss and mentor. Soon after I started, my supervisor, Christine Lind Hage, recognized that I brought skills that could be applied to a variety of other projects in the library. When I had an idea for implementing an innovation I had read about in the private sector, not only did she support and encourage me, I found that I had been lined up as a speaker on the national stage. Although I had completed a master’s degree in business administration, she was the one who wisely suggested that I go back to school for a library science degree if I wanted to have a job like hers someday.

Second, and closely related to benefiting from a great mentor, has been becoming a mentor myself. Although I always question who gets more out of the relationship, it has become a privilege to meet enthusiastic, talented up-and-coming professionals. This has happened through casual communications with people I have met over the years, through ALA’s Emerging Leaders program, and with employees in my library who are doing great things and can benefit from the extra encouragement that I received along the way.

The third thing that keeps me excited about libraries is the constant change. From technological innovations, automation of the catalog and materials handling, self-service, content creation, and the transition of libraries to learning spaces, it all keeps life challenging and interesting. I can’t imagine how boring life would be without the exciting innovations and changes that are an inherent part of working in today’s library world. These changes have allowed us to deliver services more efficiently, in more formats, and in ways that were never imagined thirty years ago.

Fourth are all of the amazing people I have come to meet over the years. Not only does this include my staff, Library Board, and Friends’ group, it is the many colleagues I have come to know in local, state, and national level professional organizations. Together we laugh, cry, collaborate, and help to figure out and shape the future of public library service. Needless to say, the amount of talent, creativity, and willingness to share in our profession is amazing.

The final factor that keeps me enthused about our profession is advocacy. The issues are often complex and far reaching, but the galvanizing effect of some of the funding
challenges, in particular, have brought out the best in our grassroots efforts and made the statement that libraries are worth fighting for and here for the long haul.

So enough about me; what about you? Would you wear an “Ask me why I love my job!” button?

The post Ask Me Why I Love My Job first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

A Change.org petition made the rounds on the Internet to make Commissioner Barbara J. Jordan aware of the number of supporters for keeping the libraries open. At one point in 2013 it appeared that 22 of the branches out of 49 would be closed. 169 library employees were also to lose their jobs under Mayor Carlos Gimenez’ proposed budget. At this time grass root efforts really kicked in and large protests arose. Unfortunately, even though the libraries were not shuttered at that point, the budget issues reappeared in 2014.

Undaunted and refusing to give up, the advocacy efforts to save Miami-Dade Public Libraries continued into 2014. President of the Friends of the Miami-Dade Public Library John Quick wrote an editorial in the Huffington Post as the situation gained national attention. Yale Professor Carlos Eire wrote a letter to the Miami Herald entitled Libraries Save Lives. In this letter, Eire states that one of the branches of the system was a refuge for him in the 1960s. Like many of us who loved libraries as kids, he still remembers details of the building vividly. Almost every effort improves when prominent people step forward to vouch for it and this editorial ultimately persuaded Mayor Gimenez and other County officials to rethink the library budget situation.

For now, the advocacy efforts for Miami-Dade Public Library have had a successful conclusion. The library is more important than ever in this community, as witnessed by this recent article wich shows that many kids need the library for homework since they lack Internet access at home. Many readers of this blog are already drinking the library Kool-Aid, but it is still important to bear in mind that not everyone gets why libraries matter. Utilizing advocacy efforts to your advantage can save your library, but ultimately it is more important to be on the offensive showing your community the importance of your institution at all times. Major brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, and Taco Bell know this and never stop repeating their consumer message. Now is the time to create your own catchy library jingle.

The post Miami-Dade Public Library Advocacy Efforts Succeed – Will Yours? first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

My library is in a predicament. Faced with a budget deficit, the board must decide if we are to close a branch or make enough cuts to library staff positions to keep it open. A mayoral task force was created to help solve this situation. While they regret that anyone should lose their job, they cannot accept that a branch will close, or that it should even close in order to preserve library services…all library services.

I (like most library personnel) are committed to this library as it serves the community. To suggest (as some do) that any of us want to see a library branch close is ridiculous. One could make the suggestion, however, that our mission as a library is to serve all of our community. Since we are library professionals, who better to have the best interest of the library in our hearts and minds? We see the financial constraints. We understand what the circulation statistics tells us. We know what patrons are doing inside the building. In this sense, the numbers do not lie and the decision is clear.

That being said, I am not a life-long resident of this community. I am not beholden to sentiment or nostalgia in regards to branches and neighborhoods. What I do know is that the branch may be important to a particular neighborhood (much like a park), but it is not more important than the entire library organization.

The only real solution (which library staff members have been saying for months, but was only recently mentioned by the task force) is to have a referendum. If the community wants to have 3 branches, let them help pay for it. (I will save discussion of why we employ master-level librarians for another time — we have too many, so I’m told.)

What is the most glaring omission in this discussion is the failure to grasp that the branches exist because the main library exists. They are not independent but just like any library department; they are a department of the city’s public library, much like the library is a department of the city. What will this branch become if we are told to keep it? I’m not sure. I do know it will not be what long-term citizens remember. What I tell people who I meet is would they cut off their arm to save their life? This may be exaggerated, but it is no less true. Keeping the branch open without additional funding to cover the costs will cause harm to the entire body. If libraries are truly a hub of the community (the entire community and not a few city blocks), then it is in the interests of all to keep it healthy.

The post Making Hard Choices During Budget Cuts first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

In her opening remarks at The Liaison hotel, ALA President Barbara Stripling asserted, “Library advocacy is an activity that must be practiced all the time in every community at every level.” Don’t you just love that? It’s exactly the way I feel about holidays like Valentine’s Day. Why wait for one day out of the year to say, “I love you!” when you can show it in big and small ways all year long?

That said, those who attended NLLD 14 were indeed in the nation’s capitol for one amazing day of advocacy (two, actually, if you count the briefing day, which I do). However, many of us arrived at the event with stories of the previous weeks, months, and years we’ve spent speaking and acting on behalf of libraries. Even first-time NLLD attendees quickly picked up Barb’s idea that advocacy isn’t a once-a-year thing or someone else’s job. Each one of us is an advocate, and the onus to practice this critical activity all the time is ours.

Here’s a taste of how library staff members, trustees, and other stakeholders practiced their advocacy skills at the federal level during NLLD 14:

Monday, May 5th: NLLD 14 Briefing & Capitol Hill Reception
If I could bottle and sell the energy generated at The Liaison hotel on any NLLD briefing day, I could donate some pretty serious coin to libraries. The buzz of excitement in the air as friends and colleagues talked passionately about taking action together was unparalleled by any other conference or event I’ve ever attended.

The NLLD 14 briefing day agenda didn’t disappoint. Many engaging speakers provided participants with relevant background and details on these key legislative issues affecting libraries: appropriations, early learning, network neutrality, open access, privacy and surveillance, school libraries, and workforce investment.

The power of story was a common theme throughout the briefing day, with ALA Executive Director Keith Fiels summing up the idea perfectly: “We’re the ones who tell the stories of how federal funds are used to provide library services.” Keith’s empowering message set the tone, framing our efforts for NLLD 14 and beyond. Jazzy Wright, Press Officer for the ALA Washington Office, further emphasized how good library stories can be instrumental to hooking the media with our advocacy messages.

That evening, NLLD 14 participants gathered in the Hart Senate building on Capitol Hill for a reception, where United for Libraries honored Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy with the 2014 Public Service Award. (I’ll bet you didn’t know Batman is his favorite superhero. Awesome, right?)

Tuesday, May 6th: Congressional Appointments
Poised and prepared, NLLD 14 participants returned to Capitol Hill the following morning for Congressional appointments arranged by state legislative coordinators. As part of the Illinois delegation, I had the privilege of meeting with U.S. Representative Danny K. Davis and a staff member for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

Was I nervous? Not even a little bit. I entered both meetings confident in my ability to speak knowledgeably about the role of libraries in early childhood education, the topic about which I’m most passionate. Representative Davis greeted me and two other advocates like guests visiting his home, and an enthusiastic staffer for Senator Durbin welcomed the entire Illinois delegation for a friendly conversation about the transformative power of libraries in communities across the nation.

I left Washington, D.C., that afternoon feeling pride and elation about the difference we make every day in the lives of those we serve. Barb was right—practice does make pretty awesome. Do your part today!

The post Practice Makes Pretty Awesome: National Library Legislative Day 2014 first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The first problem is books. This is what he sees when he enters the library’s doors: new books, hardcover and paperbacks, Star Wars, and nonfiction books on his favorite topic of the day (this can change almost daily). He sees these materials and he sees people. He sees people lining up to check in and check out books. Rows of books sit on carts to be reshelved. Because he doesn’t see dad circulating materials, he doesn’t think I am a librarian. It is true he is only seven but he already equates librarians only with books. While this is not a novel thought it tells me I have a fundamental problem explaining what librarians do.

The second problem is because librarianship is so connected to print materials, it’s difficult to see not only what makes the library possible but also what it could become. My son is very creative and loves to imagine and learn. The other night, I showed him our new library discovery platform that is in development. He liked that he could type in “spy” and find books. He didn’t care if the book was an adult or children’s book. He also didn’t care that there were materials (books) of interest that weren’t even at his home library. A book he liked needed to travel miles to get into his hands, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to read the book. He didn’t care that the search interacted and communicated with databases to provide more resources on spies. He liked that he could find what he wanted and what he expected to find, which was a book.

I could go on at length about what it takes to select, order, and process materials to make them ready and accurately findable in a catalog. There is much to say about placing holds and shipping routes that fill those requests and this doesn’t even mention information and digital literacy skills.  Perhaps, however, he simply doesn’t care about that. Perhaps, he’s not ready to use ALL the resources available to him yet. Perhaps I expect too much. However, a good friend once said that if you can’t change your friend’s mind, how can you change that of a stranger? I guess it has to start at home.  How do you explain what librarians do? What’s your ‘elevator’ speech?

The post What A Librarian Does first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Many people incorrectly assume that large, corporate interests are the only ones that lobby in support of or opposition to various policy initiatives.  In fact, there are countless others – community activists, volunteer organizations or just everyday citizens – who share their views with key decision-makers in the hope of influencing the legislative outcome. Although often overlooked, the last words of the First Amendment contained within the Bill of Rights guarantees that all citizens can directly advocate for any causes that they choose.

I firmly believe that grassroots advocacy is one key to the success of public libraries. In an increasingly complex world, with strong competition for funding, library trustees, friends, and foundation members must stand up and speak out for America’s principal source for the free exchange of books and other information sources.  Our voices can be made stronger if we stand up and speak out in a unified voice. Critical to this notion is the idea that library professionals, business partners, citizen, and students must work together to make our voices heard. Once we convince community leaders and other citizens at large about the importance and necessity of public libraries, they can begin to speak out in support of our cause at the state and national levels.

Since the onset of the Great Recession in late 2007, governments at all levels have experienced budgetary distress.  As a result, a variety of government services – including libraries – have seen their funding remain stagnant or even cut over the past several years.  In my home state of Maryland, after a cut of nearly 7% at the beginning of the Great Recession, aid to local public libraries has been level-funded since fiscal year 2010.  We have been lucky, all things considered.  Unfortunately, other areas like the city of Los Angeles, the Queens Library in New York City, and others across the nation have experiences more dire funding losses.

In order to give library advocates the knowledge and procedural background necessary to be effective in conveying their message, the American Library Association (ALA) has compiled the “Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit.”  Most recently updated in October 2012, this handbook provides citizen library lobbyists with a wealth of useful material.  Topics covered include:

• How to directly engage with government officials and legislators
• How to conduct outreach to library customers and the public at-large
• How to effectively interact with the professional media

Of particular interest to me were the sets of talking points prepared by ALA staff.  These data-packed details offer compelling evidence to elected officials as to why libraries are relevant and deserving of sufficient funding.  For instance, it is important that advocates pass on the fact that the library is the solution to so many problems exacerbated by a tough economy.  For instance, folks who are experiencing financial difficulties turn to public libraries for free access to books, audio-visual materials, computers, and access to the Internet.  Moreover, most public libraries have seen usage statistics go up, even as overall funding has been challenged.

Now more than ever, citizen advocates in support of libraries must take the initiative and engage in a constructive dialogue with our legislators.  If library supporters do not take advantage of the tool available and speak up, other interest groups will happily take our places at the table, and promote some other causes.

References

1.   “Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit,” American Library Association, Office of Library Advocacy, updated October 2012.

The post Library Advocates Must Make Their Voices Heard first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

David Morris wrote a stirring piece last May in which he argues for the value that public libraries bring to their communities.^[1] More than just books and banks of computers, libraries are still places where individuals gather to explore, interact, and imagine. We decided to take a look at some of the specific ways in which libraries add value to our communities and serve as cultural centers for our patrons. We separated library services into five very broad categories: (1) libraries as community builders, (2) libraries as community centers for diverse populations, (3) libraries as centers for the arts, (4) libraries as universities, and (5) libraries as champions of youth. Under each of these we highlighted specific ways in which libraries serve in these capacities, and included examples of unique or exemplary library services that support the notion that libraries are about more than just information.

In building this list we had two goals. First, we wanted to highlight some of the incredible work in which libraries are engaged. From tiny public libraries to huge city institutions with multiple branches, libraries across the United States are building community and supporting local culture in exciting ways. Take a look, the examples are inspiring. Hopefully, they will encourage librarians interested in community services and cultural outreach to make connections with each other, share ideas, and build partnerships. We believe that reading these examples will spark some new ideas for public librarians and prompt them to try a new program or service, or to expand upon the great services that are already in place at their libraries. Former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, a strong supporter of libraries as community builders, addressed librarians saying, “Unless you are out there changing neighborhoods, you are not completing the work you are to do.”^[2]Strengthening neighborhoods and championing the cultural lives of communities are big responsibilities. We think librarians are up to the challenge.

Second, we hope that this list will not only inspire librarians to become more active in creating services and programs that are community focused, but will give them some tools with which to advocate on behalf of public libraries. As we said, we all know the value of our libraries. It’s time to take the value we add and use that to advocate for better funding and more resources. Those who argue that libraries are becoming obsolete don’t know what public libraries do in the twenty-first century. We hope you use the examples that follow to help educate stakeholders, making them aware that libraries are more than books and technology. Libraries build citizens. They educate individuals and foster thoughtful communities. They are essential components of communities—worth fighting for and worth funding. Hopefully, the presentation of these examples to city governments, library boards, and the community at large will help us demonstrate our worth and become increasingly valued partners in our communities.

Libraries as Community Builders

1. Libraries help revitalize struggling or depressed neighborhoods and downtowns.
   • Place-based economic development stresses the importance of offering attractive, functional, and community-based places, such as libraries, in town squares and depressed neighborhoods. Like a major department store in a mall, libraries attract large numbers of people, creating economic opportunities for a myriad of businesses and organizations in the surrounding area. Large cities (such as Chicago^[3]), medium-sized ones (Hudson, Ohio), and even small towns (Putney, Vermont) have successfully transformed their libraries into the hubs of vibrant neighborhoods.^[4]
2. Libraries are important partners in sustainability.
   • As key municipal agencies, and focal points for community education, libraries are major players in creating livable, environmentally friendly cities and towns. The Urban Libraries Council released a report detailing the unique ways in which libraries can further sustainability at the local level.^[5] Beyond ensuring that library construction projects consider environmental impact, libraries can take a lead in supporting local foods and artisans, like the Peabody (Mass.) Institute Library’s (PIL) partnering with local businesses to pioneer a farmers’ market in their courtyard, or the Richmond (Calif.) Public Library’s (RPL) seed lending library which “nurtures locally-adapted plant varieties, and fosters community resilience, self-reliance and a culture of sharing.^[6]”
3. Libraries’ special collections grow out of specific community needs.
   • In addition to RPL’s seed lending library, there are other examples of libraries that provide circulating collections of everything from cake pans to fishing rods to bike locks. The Iowa City (Iowa) Public Library circulates framed posters and original artwork through its Art-to-Go collection^[7]. The Temescal Branch of the Oakland (Calif.) Public Library literally builds the community through its Tool Lending Library, which was created in 1991 to help rebuilding efforts after a disaster^[8]. Libraries that start such unique collections show how locally responsive and flexible a truly community-centered library can be.
4. Archives preserve historic artifacts, oral histories, digital history projects, and monographs relevant to the community, including minority groups.
   • Communities lucky enough to have archivists have a great advantage when it comes to organizing historical records and artifacts. An organized archive is a place where people can research genealogy and immigration history, do environmental research, and more. An archivist is an advocate for preservation who, among other things, coordinates the restoration of maps and paintings, the digitization of vital records, and the creation of oral history projects. With projects like the Mass. Memories Road Show^[9] and the Veterans History Project,^[10] evidence of the importance of archives is everywhere.
5. Libraries are places where people come to know themselves and their communities.
   • In the words of Robert Putnam, “People may go to the library looking mainly for information, but they find each other there.”^[11] New moms connect at baby story-times; elderly people, often facing difficult life transitions, attend events and find that they make new friends; teenagers meet up in libraries’ teen spaces after school; and readers discuss current events in the periodicals room. In libraries, community-building connections are happening all the time.
6. Libraries serve as catalysts for addressing social problems.
   • Public librarians know their communities firsthand, and are often the first to recognize a pressing local need, simply because they interact on a daily basis with patrons from all walks of life. This puts libraries and librarians in the best position not only to bring local issues to municipal governments and social agencies, but also to partner with local governments and agencies to address the needs of a community. PIL’s “Library Lunches,”^[12] part of the Summer Food Service Program, is a compelling example of how a library recognized a social need, brought it to the attention of the community, and partnered with local agencies to address an important issue—how to provide meals for hundreds of hungry kids.
7. Libraries, which champion, promote, and reflect important democratic values, are a part of the community’s political life.
   • Libraries can, should, and do play an important role in the political life of a community. From Banned Books Week displays,^[13] which combat the perils of school and community censorship efforts, to programs such as the September Project,^[14] which gathers community members and encourages them to talk about issues of freedom, justice, and democracy, libraries are pivotal in encouraging informed political involvement. Libraries also help citizens learn how to become advocates for themselves and their communities.
8. Library buildings as architectural structures are culturally relevant.
   • From gorgeous old Carnegie buildings to modern marvels like the Seattle Public Library, library buildings are rich in symbolism and meaning. Whether it is architecturally grand or the simplest of rooms tucked into a city government building, the physical space of the library communicates to the public our underlying values: that libraries, information, and shared community space matter, something that the American Library Association (ALA) recognizes each year with its Library Design Showcase in American Libraries.^[15]
9. Libraries provide important business resources, especially for small local businesses.
   • With the recent collapse of many big corporations, it has become more widely acknowledged that small businesses provide most of the new jobs in our current economy. Libraries have a long history of serving local entrepreneurs and businesses, but some, like the District of Columbia Public Libraries (DCPL), are taking their business services to a new level. The Urban Libraries Council report, “Making Cities Stronger,” describes several library initiatives, including DCPL’s Enchanced Business Information Center (e-BIC) project. Located at the main branch library, e-BIC includes not only business resources, but also a state-of-the-art video conference room, full-time librarian, and staff-training workshops.^[16]

Libraries as Community Centers for Diverse Populations

10. Libraries help to ensure that non-English speakers see themselves represented in their communities.
    • Multilingual library websites, like those at the San Francisco^[17] and Queens (N.Y.) public libraries,^[18] are just one of the ways in which libraries help non-English speakers see themselves represented in their communities. Public libraries often collect books in languages other than English, incorporate appropriate signage, and hire librarians and staff members who are multilingual. Additionally, some libraries offer bilingual book clubs.^[19] Services like these help all community members recognize the depth of diversity that exists in their communities.
11. Libraries provide immigrants with helpful information about, and opportunities to connect with, their new communities.
    • Not only are libraries gateways to the community, they provide a place where new immigrants and their families can connect with resources, learn new skills, and meet new people. The San Diego Public Library offers a specific webpage highlighting area and library services for new Americans.^[20] The New York Public Library (NYPL) offers English As a Second Language (ESL) classes, provides citizenship information, and celebrates Immigrant Heritage Week.^[21] PLA offers an online learning module for librarians interested in providing new or improved services to new immigrants.^[22] Services like these make libraries essential for new immigrants, as they provide services and information about their new community and government while at the same time meeting the needs of these new patrons in an accessible and appropriate way.
12. Libraries provide information, resources, and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed, and questioning (LGBTIQ) patrons.
    • For gay teens, libraries are much-needed safe spaces and supportive librarians are allies and mentors. NYPL offers programs for LGBTIQ adults and teens,^[23] including an annual anti-prom designed for high school students who may not feel welcomed and included at a traditional school-based prom. The NYPL also maintains a blog that connects  readers with LGBTIQ resources and information.^[24]
13. Libraries provide information, resources, and support for patrons with disabilities.
    • Recognizing that diversity isn’t just about ethnicity, language, or culture, public libraries provide unique and adaptable spaces and services for patrons with disabilities. In 2001, ALA adopted a policy on library services for people with disabilities,^[25] and many libraries, including the Denver^[26] and Chicago^[27] public libraries, offer a variety of tools and services, from software and equipment to special collections and homebound programs. The Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library has “several staff members fluent in American Sign Language.”^[28] Going one step further, some libraries develop creative programs to partner with patrons with disabilities. For example, PIL’s Bookworm Café,^[29] a partnership with a high school life skills program, allows the library to offer a morning coffee cart to patrons, while providing valuable work experience for students with special needs.

Libraries as Centers for the Arts

14. Libraries provide access to nonmainstream points of view and give voice to local artists.
    • Public libraries strive to provide collections and services that represent various points of view, and often work closely with local artists to do so. In many communities, local authors seek out public libraries as places to promote and make their new books available, and library services like Overdrive^[30] allow local musicians to upload and distribute their work. From the art gallery at the Newton Free Library^[31] in Massachusetts to NYPL’s collection of zines,^[32]local arts abound in public libraries.
15. Libraries provide opportunities for free classes that encourage art appreciation as well as art participation.
    • Providing opportunities for children and adults alike, library arts programs range from the simplest of crafts to the finest of fine arts. Picturing America programs,^[33] with their focus on American art and art history, creative writing workshops, and painting classes, are just a few examples of the ways that libraries offer a wealth of opportunities to explore and understand art.
16. Libraries provide access to the arts for all, not just those who can afford them.
    • As Keith Richards said, “The public library is the great equalizer.”^[34] Despite the rising costs of concert and theater tickets, public library events (including concerts, author visits, and gallery displays) are often offered free of charge, enabling people of any income level to attend. In addition, library book groups allow people to explore and discuss the literary arts, and the Great Stories Club^[35] introduce at-risk youth to literature. The best part: it’s all free and open to the public.

Libraries as Universities

17. Libraries serve as the “people’s university.”
    • In a time when education is increasingly expensive, public libraries provide information and educational opportunities free for all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Offered by libraries across the county, ALA’s Let’s Talk about It programs^[36] are wonderful examples of scholar-facilitated learning opportunities in libraries. In addition, many libraries present classes and discussion programs, and some even provide online continuing education courses such as the Universal Class database.^[37]
18. Libraries offer opportunities for remote access, making it possible for those who can’t get to the library to still access the library’s cultural and educational offerings.
    • In addition to bookmobiles and databases, many libraries go above and beyond to make their services available to everyone. Polk County (Fla.) Library System offers B-Mail,^[38] a free book-by-mail delivery service, and in Zimbabwe donkey-drawn carts deliver library services to remote villages.^[39]
19. Libraries go beyond providing content to enabling patrons to create their own content.
    • Librarians know that patrons aren’t just information consumers, they’re information producers. Patrons use the library to gain knowledge in order to create their own new and independent works. Increasing numbers of libraries provide spaces and services that meet the needs of people who want to learn how to edit Wikipedia, set up blogs or podcasts, create their own zines, and so much more. Many libraries offer art or writing workshops and groups, and some provide music practice rooms for patrons. Programs like ImaginOn^[40] in Charlotte (N.C.) provide exciting models that take community partnership, creativity, and creation to a new level.
20. Libraries promote civil discourse.
    • The decline of civil discourse stems in part from the fact that it is so easy for people to watch news about, buy products from, and engage—in both the virtual and real worlds—only with those of similar backgrounds and ideologies. Public libraries, through such programs as The Human Library^[41] and Socrates Café,^[42] can help build small communities of difference that encourage people to interact with and learn from each other through dialogue. By both actively promoting civil discourse through these programs, and by modeling and upholding the principles of free inquiry and expression for all, libraries help individuals rediscover the importance of and increased need for civil discourse in American life.

Libraries as Champions of Youth

21. Libraries teach teens important life skills. 
    • The skills that teens pick up from teen advisory boards, volunteer opportunities, programs, and jobs can prepare them for success in high school, college, and the workforce. Brooklyn Public Library’s Multicultural Internship Program provides teens with positive work experiences, while also providing the library with a diverse staff that more closely mirrors the demographics of its community.^[43]
22. Free tutoring, homework help programs, and summer reading programs for kids and teens help bridge the economic divide that impacts students’ academic performance.
    • The cost of hiring a private tutor is well beyond what many library patrons can afford, so libraries offer homework help and tutoring online, by phone, in person, and even through social media and homework apps.^[44] Annual summer reading programs also have a positive impact on student performance and, according to a 2010 study conducted by Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science, students’ reading skills get a boost from these popular nationwide events.^[45]
23. Libraries are important partners in child development.
    • Through library collections, programs, and physical spaces, children learn to share, to be engaged in their communities, to participate in the arts, and to explore their immediate world and the world at large. There are surely endless examples of innovative library services for children, including the Middle Country Public Library’s (in Centereach, N.Y.) Nature Explorium, which engages children in learning about the natural world.^[46]

These examples are just a few of the many amazing things that public libraries around the United States (and the world) are doing to build and maintain strong community connections. We encourage you to try some of these ideas in your own libraries, and we hope that these ideas will help you be better able to convince your community leaders of the important role that public libraries play in communities large and small.

References

[1] David Morris, “The Public Library Manifesto: Why Libraries Matter, and How We Can Save Them,” YES! Magazine, May 6, 2011, accessed June 17, 2011.
[2]Robert Putnam, Better Together: Restoring the American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003), 42.
[3]Ibid., 34–54.
[4]William M. Senville, “Libraries Bring Value to Our Communities,” Planning Commissioners Journal 75 (Summer 2009), accessed June 7, 2011.
[5]Urban Libraries Council, “Partners for the Future: Public Libraries and Local Governments Creating Sustainable Communities,” 2010, accessed June
7, 2011.
[6]Richmond Public Library, “Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library,” accessed June 15, 2011.
[7]Iowa City Public Library, “Unique Collections: Art,” accessed June 6, 2011.
[8]Oakland Public Library, “Temescal Tool Lending Library,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[9]University of Massachusetts Boston, “Mass. Memories Road Show,”accessed June 7, 2011.
[10]Library of Congress American Folklife Center, “Veterans History Project,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[11]Robert Putnam, Better Together: Restoring the American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003), 49.
[12]Matthew K. Roy, “New Summer Program Provides Free Lunch to Peabody Youth,” Salem News, June 25, 2009, accessed June 21, 2011.
[13]See American Library Association, “Banned Books Week,” and “Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read,” both accessed June 21, 2011.
[14]The September Project blog, accessed June 21, 2011.
[15]Greg Landgraf, “Library Design Showcase 2011,” American Libraries, Mar. 23, 2011, accessed June 21, 2011.
[16]Urban Libraries Council, “Making Cities Stronger: Public Library Contributions to Local Economic Development,” Jan. 2007, accessed June 7, 2011.
[17]San Francisco Public Library, “United States Citizenship Resources,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[18]Queens Library, “Citizenship and Immigrant Services,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[19]Stacie N. Galang, “Peabody Public Library Starts First Bilingual Book Club,” Salem News, May 10, 2010, accessed June 25, 2011.
[20]San Diego Public Library, “Resources for New Americans,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[21]New York Public Library, “ Immigrant Services,” accessed June 21, 2011, www.nypl.org/help/community-outreach/immigrant-services.
[22]Public Library Association, “Welcome to the United States: Services for New Immigrants,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[23]New York Public Library, “Public Programs,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[24]———, “LGBT@NYPL,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[25]The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies, a division of the American Library Association,“Library Services for
People with Disabilities Policy,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[26]Denver Public Library, “Services for Persons with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[27]Chicago Public Library, “Find Services for People with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011, www.chipublib.org/howto/lib_disability.php.
[28]Nashville Public Library, “For People with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[29]Stacey N. Galang, “Cafe Launches in Peabody Library’s Young Adult Section,” Salem News, Dec. 19, 2007, accessed Sept. 27, 2011.
[30]OverDrive homepage, accessed June 7, 2011.
[31]Newton Free Library, “Calendar of Events: June 2011 Art Exhibits” accessed June 7, 2011.
[32]New York Public Library, “Zines,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[33]Picturing America for Public Libraries, accessed June 7, 2011.
[34]New York Public Library, “Live from the NYPL: Keith Richards,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[35]ALA Public Programs Office, “Great Stories Club,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[36]———, “Let’s Talk About It,” accessedJune 7, 2011, www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/ppo/programming/ltai/letstalkaboutit.cfm.
[37]UniversalClass homepage, accessed June 7, 2011.
[38]Polk County Library System, “Books by Mail,” accessed June 27, 2011.
[39]Lewis Jones, “ZDDT Appeal: Supporting the Donkey Library,”Aug. 1, 2011, accessed Sept. 27, 2011.
[40]ImaginOn homepage, accessed June 21, 2011.
[41]The Human Library homepage, accessed June 21, 2011.
[42]Society for Philosophical Inquiry, “Socrates Café,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[43]Brooklyn Public Library, “Multicultural Internship Program,” accessed June 6, 2011.
[44]Homework NYC homepage, accessed June 6, 2011.
[45]Susan Roman, Deborah T. Carran, and Carole D. Fiore, “The Dominican Study: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Reading Gap,” Dominican University Graduate School of Library and Information Science, June 2010, accessed June 7, 2011.
[46]Middle Country Public Library, “MCPL Nature Explorium,” accessed June 7, 2011.

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State chapters of the American Library Association (ALA) currently employ a wide array of robust advocacy programs.  These techniques range from approaches that use compelling written materials to identify specific reasons why libraries warrant sufficient public-sector support, to numerous programs and events that allow for direct lobbying of the state officials who actually make budget decisions.  I have selected the following examples to illustrate how local communities throughout the United States can develop similar initiatives.

Florida
Individual public libraries typically never have difficulty in sharing heartfelt stories of how much children and families love their local library branch.  However, many state legislators remain focused on the “bottom-line” and want to gather hard facts about libraries, and not just hear the touching stories.  In the State of Florida, library supporters have done just that by preparing an informative brochure, which highlights a study that quantifies “Taxpayer Return on Investment in Florida Public Libraries.”  Even the most fiscally conservative Florida budget committee member has to be impressed by the fact that, for every tax dollar received in the study year (2008), state public libraries provided $8.32 in value.  The Ohio Library Council employs a similar approach with a study of its own.

Maryland
My home state of Maryland is quite unique in that we actually have two statewide library advocacy groups.  Of course, the Maryland Library Association (MLA) functions as our state’s chapter of ALA.  However, we also have the Citizens for Maryland Libraries (CML), which serves specifically to “promote greater public awareness of services of libraries and to promote greater support of libraries of all kinds.”  This group goes beyond just library staff, and consists of interested citizens and non-profit organizations, libraries, library trustees, and professionals from throughout the state.  Annually, MLA/CML co-sponsor “Maryland Library Day.”  This event takes place in Maryland’s State House, and consists of both organized group advocacy discussions and direct lobbying of individual members of the legislature.  The day concludes with a reception that allows library advocates and state leaders to interact in a more informal setting (see photo).  Similar “lobby days” are utilized in a host of other states.

Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Library Association also hosts a “Library Legislative Day” in their state capital.  What I found to be really interesting was that this association also employs a series of similar “meet and greet events,” but with an interesting twist.  In partnership with individual local library systems, sixteen legislative breakfasts will be held in 2013 at individual branch libraries, with each event targeted to a specific member of either the Massachusetts Senate or House of Representatives.  Clearly, these sessions will have a great deal of value in that the elected officials themselves get to see first-hand all of the wonderful services that are offered in these libraries.  More importantly, members of the public at-large – all avid library users, of course – are able to directly lobby these decision-makers.

Sadly, many individuals are turned-off by the very notion of lobbying or lobbyists.  However, I am convinced that our founding fathers wanted each and every one of us to be passionate advocates for issues and causes that we happen to believe in.  Given this, now is the time for library supporters to gather together and make our voices heard.

References

1. Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services, “Taxpayer Return on Investment in Florida Public Libraries,” 2010.
2. “Value for Money:  Southwestern Ohio’s Return from Investment in Public Libraries,” prepared by Levin, Driscoll, and Fleeter, June 2006.

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