1538 Truax Boulevard • Eau Claire, WI 54703-1569 715-839-5082 • Toll Free 800-321-5427 • Fax 715-839-5151 tellus@ifls.lib.wi.us • www.ifls.lib.wi.us Advocacy Kit Tools of the Trade: Easy Advocacy Tips Insuring all area residents have access to libraries in Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, and St Croix counties. Advocacy Kit Updated 2010 Advocacy at a Glance Securing support is an ongoing challenge for libraries of any size. It can seem particularly daunting in rural communities with many needs and few resources. But small also can be an advantage when making your case for support. For starters, you probably know everyone in the community and can easily drop in on the newspaper editor, mayor, or council leader. Advocacy is about persuading funders and other decision-makers to give you the support you need. It begins with the people who believe in libraries—you, your staff, board members, Friends, volunteers, and users. Your library is the cornerstone of your community. Free access to the books, ideas, resources, and information is essential for education, employment, enjoyment, and self-government. Your library is a legacy to each generation, offering the heritage of the past and the promise for the future. To be successful, you must work together to make a clear and compelling case. advocacy at work Let’s examine the issue of the rights of non- smokers. Note that it has taken several decades for public attitudes towards smoking to change. Tools used Advocates for this issue have used every public relations and marketing tool in the book: public meetings, news conferences, lobbying, surveys, focus groups, medical research, advertising in all media, a huge variety of print promotional material and much more. Each effort, built on another, until gradually, over time, their objectives were achieved. Champions, partners Non-smoking advocates had to find champions for their cause: in government, health care, medical fields, media, and in the tobacco industry itself. Advocacy centers on building relationships, partnerships, finding champions and collaborating with them. In this toolkit, we will start by talking about who a library advocate is, and then we’ll go over some basic steps to success, and finally provide you with some valuable tools and resources to get you started or continue you on your path. Advocacy is an ongoing process. Let’s start small with realistic goals. We’ll cover these this year, and then next year take the next step. This toolkit is provided thanks to a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grant, funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Portions of this booklet were graciously supplied by the Illinois Library Association’s Library Advocacy: Influencing Decision Makers, OLC Government Relations Committee’s Library Advocacy: A Handbook for Ohio Public Libraries, ALA’s Library Advocate’s Handbook, ALA’s The Small but Powerful Guide to Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library, Canadian Association of Public Libraries’ Library Advocacy Now! A Training Program for Public Library Staff and Trustees, and PLA’s Libraries Prosper with Passion, Purpose and Persuasion! We thank these organizations for their contributions in making this toolkit valuable for IFLS member libraries. Created by Laurie Boettcher, John Thompson, and Leah Langby (2008) Page 2 of 10 Lobbying Advocacy often includes the need to lobby. Lobbying involves interaction with decision-makers. It also requires a thorough knowledge of the priorities, interests, schedule, and political clout of the decision-maker and his or her staff. A library advocate will find out the agenda of a decision-maker, and demonstrate to him or her how some activity or program of the library can advance that agenda. An advocate might take a set of facts that favorably describe the cause and then communicate them in a way that the benefits will be very clear to the decisionmaker. Advocacy Kit Updated 2010 Who are Library Advocates? Library advocates believe in the importance of free and equitable access to information in a democratic society. Library advocates believe libraries and librarians are vital to the future of an information literate nation. Library advocates speak out for libraries. Library advocates are everywhere even though they don’t always call themselves that. They are: Librarians and library staff On the job or off, all library staff has countless opportunities to build public understanding and advocate support. You are the face of your library. Library trustees Whether elected or appointed, trustees generally have political and community connections that can benefit the library. They also have clout as public officials charged with representing the best interest of the library and their community. Institutional and community leaders School principals, college presidents, union leaders, CEOs, and foundation officials should be part of your advocacy network. Support from such leaders helps to ensure your message will be heard at the highest levels. Other Every library has supporters who may not belong to a library support group or even use the library. But they may have fond memories of using the library as children, have family members who benefit, or simply believe libraries are important. Some may be highly placed in their institutions or communities. These potential advocates are often glad to speak out if asked. Friends of libraries As library “ambassadors” in the community, Friends play a valuable role as the eyes and ears of the library as well as its voice. They also help provide the numbers that make legislators sit up and take notice. Library users Students, teachers, parents, seniors, business people, and other library users are key to any advocacy effort. Their testimonials about how the library has helped them and how much they need libraries provide powerful evidence that commands attention from decision makers. Created by Laurie Boettcher, John Thompson, and Leah Langby (2008) Page 3 of 10 public relations Public relations says “this is who we are, this is what we do, for whom and when.” It is the activities a library uses to establish and maintain communication between yourself and your various publics. It involves telling the library story in a way that the message reaches your target audiences. For example, annual reports, brochures, bookmarks, newsletters, posters, and signage are all public relations tools designed to get a message across. Similarly, if you write a news release, hold a storytelling program, or make a budget presentation, you are promoting what you do. Public relations tools The tools of public relations include those mentioned above plus activities like calling a news conference, doing a media interview, lobbying a politician, or dressing up as a bookworm and entering a parade! Disadvantage of public relations The problem with public relations on its own is that it tends to be librarycentric. It concentrates on what it is the library needs to say without any real consideration of what the target audience needs or wants to hear. Public relations does not actually require, and seldom demonstrates, two-way communication. Good public relations creates a healthy environment for marketing. Advocacy Kit 2008 Basic Steps to Success Making your case for support is all about getting organized and focused. The best way to do that is to keep it simple. The first thing you need to do is clarify what it is you want to happen. Why do you need to be an advocate? Do you want a new building? More computers? Ward off a budget cut? Promote a budget increase? Increase community awareness? Write down two reasons being an advocate could benefit your library. _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ ___ 1. Start now. Now is the perfect time to start. Remember, this year we’re starting with basic steps to get you on the right track and not overwhelm you so that advocacy becomes a chore rather than the highlight of your job. After all, who wouldn’t want to be a cheerleader for their profession? 2. Lay the foundation. Advocacy works best when the library has a track record of excellent service and a reservoir of community goodwill to build on. You may not have the nicest building or biggest collection, but you can become renowned for your excellent service. Greet everyone who comes in the library. Learn to speak the language of those you seek to serve. Promote a sense of ownership with displays of culturally relevant materials. Get involved with your Chamber and business groups. This is where your community leaders are. When they see your face, they should be saying “Hey, there’s our librarian Joanne, she sure is nice. I saw her at a Chamber event the other day and I couldn’t believe all of the programs they’ve got going on at the library. I took my kid there on Sunday.” We know ourselves that when we have a face to put with a name and we’ve made the personal connection; we are more likely to be a loyal customer. Loyal patrons can become loyal supporters. 3. Promote your image. This is the most crucial aspect that, sadly, many libraries overlook. Every library needs a logo, plain and simple. It’s not an option to NOT have one if you want to be recognized in your community as a credible, stable organization. A logo creates an image. That image tells the community who you are. Every time a community member sees your logo, it creates recognition, familiarity, and a connection. Every thing that goes out of your library – library cards, brochures, letters, mail, posters, signs, e-mails, or other, should reflect your image consistently. Same colors, same fonts, same logo placement, same tag line, same everything. Created by Laurie Boettcher, John Thompson, and Leah Langby Page 4 of 10 marketing Marketing asks “who are you, what do you want, how can I best deliver it to you, tell you about it and at what price?” It is activities directed at satisfying wants and needs through an exchange process. It has to do with finding out what your patrons want and need, and then changing, when necessary, to meet those needs. Marketing requires a two-way dialogue with your target audience. Public relations vs. marketing A public relations activity might include posting a sign indicating the library’s summer hours based on the staff’s observation of slow or busy times. A marketing activity would involve posting summer hours but only after a survey of library users had determined when they want the library to be open. (The content on these posters might be identical, or very different. The point is not to make any assumptions about what customers think, want, and need.) Marketing tools Marketing tools include many of the same ones as public relations (print promotion, news releases, electronic media, special events, advertising, etc.). However, these tools are selected based on the results of using such instruments as questionnaires, focus groups, and secondary research such as demographic information or market trends. Promotion is thus based on understanding what will produce an appropriate response from the customer. Advocacy Kit 2008 Many libraries have their own promotional advertising products such as book bags and t-shirts. The trick is to put as many book bags into the hands of users, and encourage their use for grocery shopping, for the beach, for vacation reading. One library encourages staff to wear library t-shirts on casual Friday. That is 30 people wearing a library message all day long: to and from work, at the bank, at the school to pick up the kids.... Imagine the power of an entire community of people wearing the library logo and slogan! Now, many toolkits and advocacy literature recommend assembling a team and making an action plan in their first steps to success. Although these are invaluable steps to your ultimate success, the four steps listed set the tone for your advocacy plan. They give you and your staff, who are the ultimate advocates, time to build recognition, credibility, image, and a message. You may complete these steps, practice them for a couple months, and then decide that your advocacy message should really take a different tone or focus in a different direction. These first basic steps allow you time to get your advocacy mission in order before assembling your troops. Wearing such promotional items helps you gather stories. People will talk to you and perhaps tell you what new book they read. A simple bumper sticker reading, “I love my library” turns into dozens of conversations about libraries. 4. Have a clear, consistent, memorable message. advocacy Advocacy is about saying to decision-makers, “Your agenda will be greatly assisted by what we have to offer.” In fact, it’s about marketing an issue. Advocacy is a planned, deliberate, sustained effort to raise awareness of an issue(s). Advocacy is ongoing process whereby support and understanding attempt to favorably influence the attitudes of a group or individual. A library advocate will find out the agenda of a decision-maker, and demonstrate to him or her how some activity or program of the library can advance that agenda. An advocate might take a set of facts that favorably describe the cause and then communicate them in a way that the benefits will be very clear to the decisionmaker. You will need a simple, powerful message, one that is easy to say and remember—10 words or less. And you should use it consistently in publicity materials and presentations. The more you use it, the more likely people are to “get it” and act. “Our community/college/ reservation deserves a 21st century library.” “Kids need libraries as much as they need schools.” “Our public library serves the whole community.” “Vote for the new tax measure and bring library services to all.” “Build the new library our town deserves.” What is your message? __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Created by Laurie Boettcher, John Thompson, and Leah Langby Page 5 of 10 Advocacy Kit 2008 5. Target your audiences. Be specific. Who needs to hear your message? It’s hard to reach everyone. Identify those whose support is most critical and make them your highest priority. Key public officials, parents, and seniors are typical target audiences for libraries. Don’t forget to include your internal audiences: staff, board members, Friends, and volunteers. Who is in your target audience? Where are your supporters? _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ 6. Delivering the message. All over the country, in small rural communities, and in the largest cities, librarians are beginning to see library service through the eyes of people who have experienced it and through the stories that show how a librarian or other staff member has made a difference to their lives. Stories have an incredible power to distill human experience. The more times and the more ways you deliver the message the more impact it will have. success To whom should you be telling your library’s story? Anyone who will listen! Start by asking book clubs and other groups that gather at your library if you can speak for a minute or two at the beginning of their gathering. Use those few minutes to be a cheerleader for the library – thank everyone for coming and give a plug for a new or upcoming program. Get them excited. Community groups are an amazing resource. Ask to do a presentation at your Chamber, Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Optimist, Jaycees, BNI, AAUW, League Voters, Scouts, 4H, Homemakers, Home Schools, County Fairs, church groups, college classes, professional groups, or other civic organizations. I became the librarian of a small, rural library 14 years ago. When I came, the library had been the same way for years. It was almost a dungeon. After I got my feet wet and learned a lot about the town and the people, I started to work toward gaining the trust and respect of the area citizens. I joined the Chamber and became one of those folks who was always there and ready to help in any way. In our library, I started to talk to all the customers, telling them to have a good day and building friendships with people who visited our library. I made every one feel welcome. As time went by, they knew me and knew I was working toward making our library the hub of our community. I started upgrading our library and asking the community to help. They responded and we added a small room on the back of our library. I applied for, and received, several grants to host a day camp for children. I partnered with the local Head Start, used their facility, and had a record number of participants. Librarians most commonly make presentations with lots of statistics that show the number of volumes in the library, circulation per capita, reference questions answered (completed), programs given. In an age where public funds are limited and governments increasingly find it necessary to lay off staff, statistics send a weak message about the centrality of library services to the viability of the community and no message at all about what librarians are able to do and how we can help assure a citizen’s right to know. Created by Laurie Boettcher, John Thompson, and Leah Langby Page 6 of 10 With all of this going, I started a campaign to remodel our library. I visited with local people, merchants, bank officials, and various business people. I did indeed win and we redecorated our library. We painted, installed new blinds, carpet, ceiling tiles, and did beautiful scenes on our walls. I am so proud of the facility now and to know the people and customers backed me in the whole project. Now I am working on enlarging our meeting room and my long-term goal is a new building. I am working every day to provide quality library service to a small town with many below the poverty level and many who haven't even used a library. I keep the library in the news and before the public to keep them informed about our library and the programs we are hosting to help the community. Advocacy Kit 2008 Send an exciting, positive message about the programs you are providing your patrons. State facts about the value libraries add to the community. “Public libraries protect the right of every citizen, regardless of race, age, gender, or economic status, to have access to any information that is vital to his/her life. Without libraries, a significant number of Americans would not have access to books or the Internet.” “The highest achieving students come from communities with good libraries.” Good old-fashioned word of mouth is still the most powerful form of communication. But to be effective, it needs to be done consciously and consistently. When you pay for merchandise at a store cashier, you are often asked something like, “And did you know that we have towels on half price today?” Why can’t you use a similar approach in your library to use every moment with a patron as an opportunity to expand their awareness of what your library has to offer? “People use libraries even more during recessions.” “People with library cards tend to have higher salaries.” “Public libraries provide support to schools and students. As school budgets continue to dwindle, public libraries have increasingly stepped in to fill the gap, recognizing that today’s students are tomorrow’s workers, leaders, and decision-makers.” “A community without a library is unattractive to businesses and individuals looking to locate to a new area.” “Public libraries are good for the economy. Studies have shown that public libraries have an economic impact that greatly exceeds their cost, returning somewhere between $4 to $6 to the local economy for every $1 invested.” ALWAYS provide a handout about how people can get involved – little ways and big ways. Don’t be pushy, but open the door. 7. Practice word-of-mouth marketing. “Did you know that we no longer require pre-registration for story hour? You can just drop in. Here’s a brochure with the new schedule for story hours if you’re interested.” “I really enjoyed this book. A book club is starting next Monday for another one of this author’s books. Here’s a card if you’d like to join us.” And word-of-mouth marketing is also effective when others do it for you. Don’t just tell people. Ask them to “Please tell your friends.” Another nice aspect of word-ofmouth marketing is that it supports step number 2 of laying the foundation. This friendly, helpful attitude is great for relationship building. Created by Laurie Boettcher, John Thompson, and Leah Langby Page 7 of 10 wise words Start with service. “People need to know we will do whatever is necessary to get the information they need.” –David Ongley, Director Tuzzy Consortium Library, Barrow, Alaska Be visible. “Be a part of the local parades, help at the local food drive (always wearing your name tag that says the library you work for), set a booth up at your local fair, etc....BE OUT THERE! Not just the director... all staff!” –Jana Ponce-Wolfe, Director Parker (Ariz.) Public Library Make the library the heart of your community. “The library is undoubtedly the busiest place in town. Even though we do not have a community room, several organizations use our small space periodically —writers groups, the Red Hats, literacy training and school tutoring. –Pat Garrett, Director Capitan (N.M.) Public Library Reach out. “I went door to door with a Hispanic widow who had lived there 30 years. By seeing her, residents were reassured I was not the IRS. I handed out flyers in Spanish. How did I know who was Hispanic in town? I used the water meter list from City Hall.” –Jo Ellen Ringer, Librarian Notus (Idaho) Public Library Get others to speak. “Find someone who is of importance in the community who is approachable, a ‘people person’ who supports the library. These people can make a big difference!” –Melissa Davis, Community Relations Coordinator, St. Clair County Library System, Port Huron, Mich. Advocacy Kit 2008 8. An enthusiastic, articulate spokesperson. A message will only take you so far. You also need a spokesperson who can deliver it with passion, who is comfortable, engaging, and confident. While you know the library best and you would be ideal, you should also know your strengths and weaknesses. If you are truly not able to be the presence your library needs and deserves, it is better to have a supporter be the front person. If we want to have people act on our behalf (support the library, use the library, and speak up for the library), we have to appeal to their values. And in order to do that, we have to find out what those are. Before making a presentation, find out why you have been asked to speak, know something about your audience, are you there to inform or persuade, keep your goals modest. Fill the audience’s need. People pay attention to the things that they love and value. Makes sense, doesn’t it? But every time we make a presentation without regard to our audience and their needs, we are essentially asking people to pay attention to the things that we love and value. To be effective, present yourself as credible with working knowledge of the community and political process, as well as your role in it. You must be able to address your library’s issues in ways that transcend partisan politics, acknowledge economic realities, and position your library as a part of the solution to larger problems such as those related to literacy, workforce productivity, and crime. Seasoned library advocates garner support through your strengths. Focus on the positives, the invaluable resources you offer to the community, and the challenges you face. Do this without whining, getting off topic, making jabs at decision-makers, or seeming hopeless. 9. Express gratitude. One of the best ways to make something stick in someone’s memory is to thank them! (Sadly, this is true because people so seldom remember to thank people any more.) And what better way to thank someone than to give him or her a small gift which tastefully evokes a memory of the library! One library director keeps on hand a supply of pins, silk ties, scarves, business card holders, and trinket boxes (all with a book theme) to present to politicians, dignitaries, visiting officials, and the media as a way of expressing respect and thanks. It’s a small investment when you consider the following: “Mr. Minister, that’s a very fine tie you are wearing...all those different colored books.” “Why, thank you. It was a gift from the Public Library to commemorate my cutting the ribbon at the official opening of their new Computer Training Centre. They wanted to remind me that the library was not forgetting its traditional services in-spite of the lure of new technology.” 10. Don’t stop. Make an ongoing effort to keep your community informed of how the library contributes and what it needs to provide the best possible service. It is much easier to win support when key officials and community members understand its importance and are enthusiastic. Created by Laurie Boettcher, John Thompson, and Leah Langby Page 8 of 10 wise words Start with service. “People need to know we will do whatever is necessary to get the information they need.” –David Ongley, Director Tuzzy Consortium Library, Barrow, Alaska Be visible. “Be a part of the local parades, help at the local food drive (always wearing your name tag that says the library you work for), set a booth up at your local fair, etc....BE OUT THERE! Not just the director... all staff!” –Jana Ponce-Wolfe, Director Parker (Ariz.) Public Library Make the library the heart of your community. “The library is undoubtedly the busiest place in town. Even though we do not have a community room, several organizations use our small space periodically —writers groups, the Red Hats, literacy training and school tutoring. –Pat Garrett, Director Capitan (N.M.) Public Library Reach out. “I went door to door with a Hispanic widow who had lived there 30 years. By seeing her, residents were reassured I was not the IRS. I handed out flyers in Spanish. How did I know who was Hispanic in town? I used the water meter list from City Hall.” –Jo Ellen Ringer, Librarian Notus (Idaho) Public Library Get others to speak. “Find someone who is of importance in the community who is approachable, a ‘people person’ who supports the library. These people can make a big difference!” –Melissa Davis, Community Relations Coordinator, St. Clair County Library System, Port Huron, Mich. Advocacy Kit 2008 Resources Here are some great resources. On-line Publications The Small but Powerful Guide to Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library Tips and tools you can use from the ALA Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds Committee in collaboration with the ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services and The Campaign for America’s Libraries http://staging.ala.org/ala/aboutala/ offices/supporttoolkit/toolkithome. cfm ILA Library Advocacy This brochure focuses on the need for increasingly more sophisticated legislative advocacy on behalf of libraries and the millions of people who depend on them. It is designed to help library advocates be effective in today's volatile, bottom-line oriented and complex political environment. The techniques and messages described can be used at the local, state, and national levels. www.ila.org/pdf/advocacy.pdf Library Advocate’s Handbook Who are library advocates; building a library advocacy network; the action plan; speaking out; dealing with the media; dealing with legislators; library advocate’s checklist; and advocacy resources. http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/o ffices/ola/libraryadvocateshandboo k.cfm Illinois Libraries Today Libraries are cornerstones of the communities they serve. Free access to the books, ideas, resources, and information in libraries is essential for education, employment, enjoyment, and self-government. This brochure celebrates Illinois libraries by presenting a narrative and statistical glimpse at their achievements and concerns. www.ila.org/pdf/today.pdf Library Advocacy Now! A training program for Canadian public library staff and trustees. www.cla.ca/divisions/capl/advo cacy/lanworkbook.pdf Ohio Library Advocacy In a climate of decreased funding, there is a need for a more consistent, more widespread, and more sophisticated level of reaching legislators on behalf of the millions of citizens who not only use but depend on public libraries. This handbook serves as a planning guide for all public libraries. www.olc.org/pdf/in_advocacy_ bklt.pdf Web Sites The Small but Powerful Online Toolkit for Winning Support for Your Rural Library Tips and tools you can use from the ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services and The Campaign for America’s Libraries http://staging.ala.org/ala/aboutala/ offices/supporttoolkit/toolkithome. cfm The Advocacy Classroom Learn, in clear and simple terms, the elements of effective communication. Classes are packed with resource tips, real life examples, and solid, commonsense advice on why it's important to communicate with your representatives in Congress, effectively. http://www.advocacyclassroom. com/homepage.cfm WLA Legislation and Advocacy Learn about library-related legislative issues and help Wisconsin's libraries serve the state even better! WLA Tips for Library Advocacy Libraries are a unique and powerful part of a successful democracy, and so is your individual participation in the democratic process. Get involved today! www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/legistips. htm Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries The Campaign is an ongoing, statewide effort that provides a collective voice for Wisconsin libraries of all types, focusing on developing and disseminating effective messages about the importance of Wisconsin Libraries. www.wisconsinlibraries.org Library Advocacy Resources From the Fox Valley Library Council www.focol.org/fvlc/advocacy.ht ml Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF) Begun in early 2009 with the merger of Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA) and ALTA, the new division brings together Trustees and Friends into a partnership that unites the voices of citizens who support libraries to create a powerful force for libraries in the 21st Century. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs /altaff/index.cfm Library Lovers Month WLA and Gov. Jim Doyle designated February as “Library Lovers' Month.” Encourage your patrons to send a valentine to a legislator! Let them show legislators their appreciation for elected officials, but also how much they love their library. www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/lovelibs /liblovers.htm www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/ Ensuring all area residents have access to libraries in Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, and St Croix counties. Advocacy Kit 2008 Created by Laurie Boettcher, John Thompson, and Leah Langby Page 10 of 10