Countess: Library Advocacy: Advocacy Tools

Finding Your Federal and State Legislative Representatives

United States Senate
United States House of Representatives
GovTrack.us
Use this site for locating your state legislative representatives.
Alabama Library Association Capwiz Site
An easy way to learn who represents you in the Alabama legislature.

Quotable Facts About America's Libraries (2010, ALA)

Quotable Facts About America's Libraries (PDF)

ALLA 2013 Conference Program: "Library Advocacy: Personal Reflections from the Academy"

Here you will find three PowerPoint presentations from the AACRL Government Relations Committee's program at the 2013 Alabama Library Association conference. Presenter were: Lori Northrup (Samford University), Tim Dodge (Auburn University), Rickey Best (Auburn University Montgomery), and Eric A. Kidwell (Huntingdon College).

Learning How to Become an Effective Advocate

Federal Tools

Federal Resources
Federal Funding - the What, Why and How
THOMAS
Federal legislative news and information brought to you by the Library of Congress.
GPO Access
Official federal government information at your fingertips.
EDUCAUSE Policy
IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services)
IAL (Innovative Approaches to Literacy)
Influencing Public Policies Blog - Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
Scholarly Communication (ACRL)
"ACRL is committed to working to reshape the current system of scholarly communication, focusing in the areas of education, advocacy, coalition building and research."
ACRL - Legislation & Policy
Among other things, here you will find the current ACRL Legislative Agenda.

State and Local Tools

State and Local Resources
Under development by ALA; however, currently you can find here the "State Statistics Module," which is an ..."interactive website contain (ing) copious information about broadband connectivity in libraries and allows for the creation of customized reports, based upon 11 variables from the '2006 Public Libraries and the Internet Study.' Users have the opportunity to create tables and charts of data at the national and state levels and create comparisons of the data. Users also have the ability to write descriptions of the graphs and tables, as well as an introduction and conclusion to their report."
Library Snapshoot Day
"Library Snapshot Day provides a way for libraries of all types across a state, region, system or community to show what happens in a single day in their libraries. How many books are checked out? How many people receive help finding a job? Doing their taxes? Doing their homework? This initiative provides an easy means to collect statistics, photos and stories that will enable library advocates to prove the value of their libraries to decision-makers and increase public awareness."
Take Action for Libraries (State-by-State Map)
"These links will take you where you can take action for the libraries in your state, as well as to take action on federal legislation affecting libraries. Each state on the map ... links to each state association's ( each Chapter's) page for take action for that state's libraries. All link to Capwiz sites except Arkansas, New Hampshire, Ohio, Vermont, and Virginia, which link to each association's legislative action pages."
Save Libraries in Your State
"ALA Chapters have created—or helped create—websites dedicated to saving the libraries in their states. Among those are California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas."
Alabama Legislature and ALISON (Alabama Legislative Information System Online)
APLS (Alabama Public Library Service)
The site of the state library, APLS can help provide you with information on the state of public library service in Alabama. The latest APLS Annual Report can be accessed from the web site.

Tips for Effectively Communicating Your Message

Library Advocacy 101:Getting Your Voice Heard (Paula Laurita)
This PowerPoint presentation was created and delivered by Paula Laurita, library director of the Athens-Limestone County Public Library, at the 2012 Alabama Library Association Conference program, "Library Advocacy: Clear and Simple."
Library Advocacy: Clear and Simple (Marilyn Ochoa)
This PowerPoint presentation was created and delivered by Marilyn Ochoa, Assistant Head, Education Library, University of Florida, at the 2012 Alabama Library Association conference program "Library Advocacy: Clear & Simple."

The PowerPoint presentations included here were presented at the 2012 Alabama Library Association conference program "Library Advocacy: Clear and Simple" sponsored by the Alabama chapter of ACRL, and the Legistlative Development Committee; College, University & Special Library Division, and the Public Library Division of the Alabama Library Association.

Tips for Effectively Communicating Your Message - Part 2

ACRL - "Tips for Communicating with Legislators"
ACRL provides links to a number of helpful resources on this page: Tips for Success, Framing the Message, Ways to Communicate, Winning Champions for Your Library, On Capitol Hill (that includes the etiquette of how to properly address your federal, state and local officials), and Pocket Checklists (a handy checklist for jotting down information on your legislator, his/her position of library-related legislation, and your important talking points on the issues).