SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS


The Cranbury Public Library is doing a local postcard advocacy effort directed toward one of our local legislators, Linda Greenstein, who is on the committee where A2555 currently resides. We have pre-printed a short message outlining opposition to the bill on the postcard and are then soliciting patrons to sign them and place them in a container here at the library. We are also providing the postcard in PDF format on our website so they can be printed out, filled in, and returned to the library. 

 

We are also thinking about contacting other libraries in our district to see if they would like to do this campaign with us (the more cards the better!!!!!!)

 

We then plan on taking all the postcards that we receive signed, and hand delivering them to the office of Ms. Greenstein. If your library is interested in doing a similar local level postcard campaign as well, I have uploaded a copy of the postcard we are using which you can feel free to modify and borrow from for you own efforts. 

 

And.. if you decide to do a similar campaign, please list your library below.. we would love to know who else is doing this!!

 

Postcard.pdf      

 

Postcard.pub (postcard template in MS Publisher format)

Antique Furniture Mall (^_^)

 

 

 

Here are more thoughts from Mary Martin, Director, Long Hill Township Library

 

I was fortunate to be able to go to PLA this year and one of the programs I attended that was the most interesting was "Advocacy on the Front Lines," presented by outgoing ALA president Camila Alire and some other people.

 

The full materials for this presentation can be found here: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/advocacyuniversity/frontline_advocacy/frontline_public/index.cfm

 

Some specific ideas:

-- Decide on two or three key messages you want to impart - short, easy to remember. "Our state funding will be reduced by 74% in the 2011 state budget but usage of libraries around the state (or usage of our library) has increased X % since  (year)."    Lots of the bookmarks people have posted to the advocacy wikis have similar statements you can use.

 

-- Coach frontline staff to get into the habit of advocating for the library at every opportunity, by providing them a list of talking points that they can bring up when in casual conversation with patrons, when the opportunity arises.   (E.g. when a patron complains that they can't get the latest Dan Brown novel, staff could say "Yes, our circulation has increased so much that our books are out all the time, and we just don't have the budget to keep up with the demand." Or if patrons complain about parking, or how they can't get access to a computer, say "I agree, it is remarkable how well-used our library is. This really is a sign that people rely on the library in tough economic times....")

 

-- When you witness a frontline staff person advocating well for the library, be sure to compliment them (and, if they're doing something really great, communicate what it is to the rest of the staff so that they can do it too).

 

-- If a patron gives a compliment about the library to a staff member, the staff member can say "Thank you so much, would you be willing to write that down on this card here so I can forward it to our township officials? We are funded by the town/city/county and we would like them to know how much the library means to our community."   (The comment card that this particular library created includes the library logo, director's name & contact info, and the mayor's contact info.)

 

Hope some of these suggestions are useful!

 

Mary

 

Nightmare on Elm Street