Monday, August 5, 2019

August Is for Advocacy :: Invite Elected Leaders Into Your Library via American Libraries


August Is for Advocacy
Summer is a critical time to invite elected leaders into your library
American Libraries: 7.24.2019 by Emily Wagner

Here’s the truth about the dog days of summer: August is prime time for advocacy. With members of Congress on recess, it is the perfect time to invite legislators to visit your library and let them see for themselves all the ways libraries bring value to their communities.


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Inviting your elected leaders—at the state, local, or national level—is not difficult. Here are a few steps to get started:

 Call your congressional member’s district office. Ask who handles meeting requests for their district and how they prefer to receive them.

Write your request and tailor it to your elected leader, paying special attention to library services that intersect with their interests. For example, if your US representative is on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, invite them to visit programs that serve the needs of veterans in your community.

If your member of Congress is not available, invite a staffer to visit your library. Often they will enjoy the tour so much they will want their boss to see it.

Once the meeting is set up, put together supporting materials for the visit. The American Library Association’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office can coordinate with you to make sure you have the resources you need.

When you conduct the tour, remember that your elected officials want to hear from youyour feedback is critical to their work. There is no need to feel intimidated.

The visit is a wonderful photo opportunity for them. Be sure to ask ahead of time if they would like to take a picture or video inside the facility. Remember to ask permission to use images on your social media platforms (most officials will appreciate the visibility).

There are several steps you can take afterward that will multiply the impact of your decision maker’s visit, including:

Follow up with the staffer to say thank you and ensure all their questions are answered.

Promote your librarys value by highlighting the leader’s visit on social media.

 Write a letter to the editor expressing gratitude for the official’s visit and urging support for your library.

ALA is eager to learn about your congressional visits. Share your library tour using the hashtag #ALAadvocacy so that ALA can amplify your work and inspire others to host elected leaders.  READ MORE >>

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How valuable is your local library?
Use this handy Library Value Calculator, created by the Massachusetts Library Association.

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