Wyoming Library Association

1. Wyoming Library Association Trusteesworkshop February24, 2010 Presented by: Library strategies

2. A Trustee’s Role • Hire, supervise and evaluate the Library Director • Establish/review policies • Assist in review/approval of annual budget • Participate in library planning • Advocate on behalf of your library

3. Why is Advocacy Important Now? U.S. CITIES AND COUNTIES WILL FACE BUDGET CUTS OVER $183 BILLION OVER THE NEXT 4 YEARS

4. Difference Between Advocacy & Lobbying • Advocacy is a broad-based, grassroots process of speaking out for what you believe in • Lobbying is a targeted process of influencing elected officials

5. How Does Advocacy Help Your Library? • Supports growing needs for library resources • Reaches decision makers • Includes stakeholders from every constituency • Creates community • Is cost-effective • Creates partnerships for the future

6. Why Should You Advocate for Your Library? • Free access to information • Intellectual freedom • Serve all ages, income levels, ethnicity & physical ability • Literacy for children, adults, New Americans – everyone • Libraries are a legacy – a link to the past and the future • More than every…libraries need you

7. What Is Library Advocacy? • Library advocacy is the process of bringing stakeholders together to turn passive support into educated action. • Library advocacy is grassroots. A simple concept in a complex world. • Library advocacy is being the voice for libraries.

8. Did You Know? • 59% of adults in the US have library cards. • Americans go to school, public and academic libraries nearly 3 times more often than they go to the movies. • There are more public libraries in the U.S. than McDonald’s – almost 17,000 libraries. • Almost 99% of public libraries provide public access to the Internet

9. Trustee’s Role in Library Advocacy • Understands the value/importance of public library service to the community • Communicates value/importance to community, government leaders and other decision-makers • Provides clear, accurate & timely information on library issues • Works with citizens to lobby for the library • Advocates for appropriate levels of funding

10. How Does a Trustee Represent the Library to the Community? • Has clear understanding of library policies and shares with stakeholders • Understands the library budget and can articulate how it is created in the interest of the community

11. How Does a Trustee Represent the Community to the Library? • Trustees should represent the diversity of the community • Trustees gather information about the community’s needs and presents to the library and decision-makers

12. The Advocacy Process • Advocacy is a year-round process • Advocacy is citizen-based • Advocacy efforts are driven by a standing committee

13. Creating an Advocacy Committee • Work with Friends & foundation to create committee • Meet with Library Director & President of Friends re: budget, initiatives, needs • Committee creates platform • Once platform is approved, create position paper • Present platform to decision-makers • Present position paper to media outlets

14. Getting Your Message Out • Advocacy Committee creates communications plan (messages, audiences, timelines) • Keep messages simple & consistent • Tell stories about how libraries impact citizens’ lives • Demonstrate how libraries bridge the divide between “haves” and “have-nots”

15. Did You Know? • Reference librarians answer nearly 5.7 million questions weekly. • ALA poll found that 96% of respondents agree public libraries give everyone a chance to succeed by providing free access to info & resources • Americans spend more than twice as much on candy as they do on public libraries.

16. Target Your Audience • Library users • Journalists • School Boards • Civic/neighborhood associations • Seniors • Business community • Library Staff, Trustees, Volunteers, Friends members

17. Identify Communications Strategies • Outreach to groups • Personal Contact • Media Outlets

18. Sample Strategies • Advertising • Editorials, Op-Eds, Letters to the Editor • Story pitch • Media releases & press conferences • Talk shows • Speaking Engagements • Web, Social Media, Wiki

19. Did You Know? • Public libraries are the #1 point of online access for people without Internet access • More than 65% of public libraries provide support to job seekers • Average books borrowed: 7/year • Americans spend $33.56/year on public libraries – cost of 1 hardback

20. Building Relationships with Local Elected Officials • Do your homework/be prepared • Start with officials who are favorable to libraries • Stick to one issue • Get to know staff • Be personal – tell your own story • Be clear & direct • Develop ongoing relationships at local, state & federal levels

21. Communicating… • Personal visits, phone calls, email • Write/speak from the heart • Focus on citizens who depend on library services • Be brief • Send copies • Be strategic

22. Library Advocate’s Checklist • Stay informed • Talk, talk, talk about your library • Develop relationships with local officials • Use communication tools • Use your army of advocates • Participate in Legislative Days • Continually build your network

23. Evaluate Your Efforts • From perspective of library budget • Against communications goals & strategies • What can you do differently in the next cycle?

24. Celebrate Your Successes! • Identify all your successes • Thank all who participated • Start over again…advocacy is a year-round process!

25. Public/Private Fundraising • Increasingly important to have multiple sources of library funding • Importance of Friends and foundations • Use advocacy process to build partnerships • Trustees play important role in raising private funds