Perfecting your elevator speech:
- Learn your library issues. Stay informed, learn your environment.
- Know who might ride your "elevator." Learn all you can about the people who make decisions about library funding.
- Connect your issue to their issue. What matters to them, how do you motivate them?
- Practice. practice, practice. Advocacy has to happen every day, not just to your legislators. Articulate your passion.
Resources:
Use the calculator "What's your library worth to you?" In these tough economic times, libraries provide a solution.
Advocacy University Resources www.ala.org/advocacyuniversity
http://www.ilovelibraries.org/ Marci encouraged us to contribute our stories.
Strategies to getting the message out:
Internally and externally. Internally: newsletter,web site. Advantages - total control. Externally - press releases, other contacts with the media. A bit more complicated. Need to watch local media with a critical eye, find a reporter who can become your champion. Keep building your relationships with the media. Refer to Library Advocate Handbook.Everybody needs a Crisis Communications Plan: Who is the spokesperson? Director? Chair of the Trustees? Have a policy.
Your voice and efforts are important: "Anyone who thinks they are too small to be effective has never been in bed with a mosquito."
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