The ALSC Public Awareness Committee is pleased to share a new Information Sheet now available in support of National Library Legislative Day (NLLD). It is intended to aid children’s librarians in promoting our expertise to legislators, and to reinforce the important role that libraries play in young patrons’ lives.
The Public Awareness Committee’s Information Sheet will be available on the Everyday Advocacy website, in the Speak Out section. This document includes statistics and basic facts that you can share with your elected officials to let them know just how critical children’s librarians are to the community. Use this resource as you prepare for NLLD, held May 7-8, 2018.
In addition, if you’re interested in further developing your advocacy skills, check out the following program being held at the ALSC Institute this fall:
Demystifying Advocacy: Building Support for Your Library
New to, or not quite comfortable, doing advocacy work for your library? The Association for Library Service to Children’s toolkit for advocating with elected officials about the importance of youth librarianship will provide the boost in confidence you are looking for. Learn how the toolkit is already being used, including for National Library Legislative Day. Plus, take part in a hands-on activity, which will give participants the tools needed to advocate in their communities.
Related Competencies*: V, VII
Skye Corey, Youth Services Librarian, Meridian Library District; Africa Hands, Operations and Development Associate, ACLU of Kentucky; Karlyn Spevacek, District Librarian, Youth Services, Timberland Regional Library
The ALSC Institute will be held September 27-29, 2018, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
–Jennifer Duffy, Children’s Librarian at King County Library System (WA), is writing this post for the Public Awareness Committee. She can be reached at jduffy@kcls.org.