Lobbying on the go

Tuesday, May 5

Lobbying on the go

Speaker: Keith Michael Fiels, Executive Director, American Library Association

Finally off and running! Great to be here. Lunch was good, but I might need some tums to go with Lobbying on the Go! This is really a lot to digest. The operative word in lobbying is advocacy—with a capital 'A'. Make that Advocacy, or ADVOCACY! At every level. Networking at the federal, state and local level is important for dealing in success.

Libraries must have something you are trying to achieve. You may receive $1M—and bless you; but that is not a plan. Expecting surprise money is not a plan for success. Advocacy requires a plan and a vision at the local and state level for making a case for support. Specificity also helps. As old Medieval Cathedral builders used to say: “God is in the details,” or in this case, the library. Have numbers and figures. How do these figures relate to the problem we are trying to solve? This, of course, requires a great deal of preparation and resolve.

Keith offers a few points to consider:

Make note of Public Awareness—get the word out at every level. There is no need to think that you can only act at the federal level. Charity starts locally, and every phase of advocacy is important for building a coalition of the willing.

Use the power of the media—a quotable line, such as “Taking a child to the library is synonymous with being a good parent.” It’s bold, but it is a usable sound bite. You would not say this about taking a child to the mall. Such sound bites get the library necessary recognition.

Get involved and involve others—Keith tells a story about bringing relatives—carry baggage?—since more is clearly better. Keith has a friend who brings her mother to every meeting and fundraising event. Although I couldn’t imagine bringing my mother to every meeting, Keith is creating a strategy for action. Essentially you are bringing people who care into the fold. Every person then becomes an advocate.

Praise your legislators! They love to be shamelessly praised. Give them a chance to portray their good looks, er, I mean works (Sorry, couldn’t help thinking of Gilderoy Lockhart). Everyone wants to be a part of something good. Find a way to give them an opportunity to communicate with their constituents by turning the spotlight on them.

Don’t get discouraged—libraries will get built (in every sense of the word) whether it is 5 or 40 years. Creating positive, persistent pressure over time will yield results. Librarians are persistent and can make a dime go further than anyone else (I take that as a compliment, as a lover of free meals).

There are enormous opportunities to move ahead if you look for them. Lay the foundation during difficult times (I would say these are difficult times). If you show up to make your case, when the landscape shifts you will be ready to move, or pounce, as it were.

2002 Library Journal Conversation with Mr. Fiels

Or a more recent video of Keith talking about the tough economy from American Libraries

Quotes and tips from Sample Legislative Breakfast

Keith M. Fiels: "People are turning to libraries in record numbers. The question is - are libraries going to be there for them?"

"Every time I hit a pothole in Chicago, I hope the money [that would have fixed it] is going to the Chicago Public Library."

Rep. Don Humason: "Have a legislative breakfast in your municipality. Invite your officials to a library tour. Invite them to join the library Friends group."

Breakfast With Champions

Tuesday's preconference, 2009 MLA Advocacy Institute,  began with a Sample Legislative Breakfast at the bright and cheery hour of 8:30 a.m. First to be welcomed was State Senator Stephen J. Buoniconti of West Springfield.  The Senator told us that Springfield is a city of first - the first automobile was manufactured in Springfield.  

Senator Buoniconti echoed the voices of most of the legislators that met us during the Legislative Breakfast and Legislative Day in Boston. We are facing "tough times" and that "we are honest with each other."  April is usually the biggest revenue month and receipts came in $456M under the expected figures after two downward revisions earlier this fiscal year. The Commonwealth currently faces a $700-$1B deficit.  There WILL be more cuts and further use of federal stimulus money and the rainy day fund.  

Senator Buoniconti's wife is on the Board of Library Trustees of the West Springfield Public Library and he has good personal advice for us in our advocacy mission - get the spouses of our elected officials on the boards of our libraries. It makes the personal connection.  Buonoconti's further message: 'You must advocate.  Get political.   Get essential. Get out there and talk about libraries. In tough economies the demand increases for all public services. Libraries need to become essential and talk about their services.' We need to get aggressive and become essential. Focus on our personnel and the mission of the library.  Think outside of ourselves and out of the box. The senator even had an out-of-the-box message for us.  'Get a revenue stream this is direct to the library and become autonomous.'  The library is an institution that the town relates to - its enduring architecture serves as a inspiration.  We need to make sure that no one forgets about us.

Breakfast attendees asked several questions of the senator.  'How can we get our hands on some of the IT training budget that doesn't go to libraries? We are essential to training and teaching patrons of all ages.  Senator Buonocotti told us that when things get better in one, two, five years - go after a bigger piece of the pie.  In the meantime, 'become a face to the legislator - create a relationship' for that time when the money will be there. Make your message personal to our legislators. 

Second on the agenda was Executive Director of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, Rob Maier.  Rob reiterated what he and those involved with libraries have been saying for the past few years, libraries are being used more than ever.  Rob added, though, that 'we have been seeing an increase in public libraries for nine consecutive years' and it has been an ongoing trend.  It is not just circulation but attendance at programs across all ages. An especially critical core service is access to Internet and we need to talk to more people about that.  We need to talk about what we are doing and how we are reaching out and providing the services people need (doing it the way we do things - hands-on and direct.)  That's why our libraries are more relevant than ever.  

Should the MBLC present a more modest legislative agenda to our legislators?  No.  We need to keep those numbers we NEED in front of everyone.  Library services are 'core, essential state-funded programs.'  There is a pre-existing gap between 'real funding' and that which is needed.  We need to keep that gap critically exposed. Our current legislative agenda is 'a program of recovery for libraries - ready for two, three, five years from now and we need to be prepared to act.'  The Senate budget is being prepared as we speak ... we need to tell our stories about how we impact real people in the communities. 

Keith Fiels, Executive Director of the ALA, knows Massachusetts well.  He served as Executive Director of the MBLC until 2002 when he left for ALA.  We all know that Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known to the world as the beloved Dr. Seuss, was born in 1904 on Howard Street in Springfield, Massachusetts.  Keith suggested that our breakfast today might be nicknamed the "Green Eggs and Ham Legislative Breakfast." The first legislative breakfast was held in Springfield fifteen years ago.  Legislative breakfasts are so important because it is a chance for senators and representatives to meet librarians and constituents. Keith has two further messages for us and that is to make sure that our legislators and communities know that 'libraries change lives' and libraries build communities'.  He shared with us the name of a new book, Living Well in a Down Economy For Dummies.  One of the key messages in this book is to visit the library and use its services. It isn't a secret anymore!  He also proudly told us that Massachusetts libraries are the 'envy of the country' and we are doing things right. More advice for us? New and future technologies will change the way we work in our global society and we need to remember that "libraries are the window and the door to this future that lies ahead."

The last to speak at the breakfast was State Representative, Westfield resident Donald F. Humason, Jr.  Representative Humason is on the Board of Library Trustees of the Westfield Athenaeum Library.  His advice? Get your local officials on the Friends group or on the library board of directors.  

So just how do you lobby a legislator?  The representative adviced the all public officials like to have their pictures taken in front of shiny things - in short, invite them to your library.  The library is one service that everyone uses - all ages groups use the library.  This is a unique feature of the library that is unlike that of other town and city resources and departments.  As a Friend of the library, currently and in the past, he suggested having a tag sale with library discards ... or actually giving them away. Our patrons love to build their own libraries at a minimal cost. Make sure there is note on the book - 'courtesy of your library.'

While all of the speakers had different messages for us in today's economy ... the message is clear from all of them.  We need to speak up, speak out, stay relevant, and be prepared for better and happier days ahead.  It's simple.  Keep doing what we do well and make sure that our communities and our legislators know us and know what we have to offer. 

Making the Case: what research tells us about the value of libraries

Speaker: Keith Fiels – ALA Executive Director
Former director of the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners. Formerly, President of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, director of a library network and a staff consultant for the New York and New Jersey State Libraries.

Discussing the Value of Libraries
Educational, Economic, Social, Governmental

Educational
First area of value of libraries in education is for preschool. Plenty of research (mostly coming from Headstart) showing that children who have preparation preform better in school and life. Libraries have become eligible for Headstart funding.

Students – School Libraries Work
14 studies that have been conducted stating the importance of school libraries.
Examples given from North Carolina, Massachusetts, Missouri, Alaska, Ohio, Florida, Oregon, Pennsylvania.

Another study shows that students who use school libraries after school preform more successfully.

Studies show that college students preform better when use the library

Economic
Return on investment – how many dollars in value are generated for each dollar invested?
Direct values – if you borrow the book, you don't need to pay for it
Indirect values – for every dollar invested in the library, 4-7 dollars in benefits to the community

Florida Study –Taxpayer Return on Investment in Florida Public Libraries – found that there were nearly as many educational uses as recreational uses. Business use much higher than expected (third of use). Nearly as many person information uses as well (health, finance, job-seeking), remote internet use much higher than expected as well. $6.54 value for every dollar invested.

Measuring for Results The Dimensions of Public Library Effectiveness by Joseph Matthews:
A good books looking at:

• Individual benefits
• Technology Access
• Information for Investors
• Benefits to local businesses
• Development of new businesses
• Benefits to the Local Community
• Library as an employer (almost 1 in every 1000 people is a library)
• Purchasers of local goods and services
• Impact on retail sales
• Impact on neighborhood appeal (home buyers)

Social Value of Libraries

• Literacy
• Local history and genealogy
• IT skills
• Culture and Arts
• Quality of Life
• Equity and free access – libraries as the great equalizer
• Personal development
• Community building and community vitality
• Social communication
• Health – questions asked and answered

Democracy and Government Value of Libraries

• Library users vote in higher numbers than non-users
• As more government services go online there is less personal access to people – libraries have changed because of that – getting tax forms, filling out FEMA forms (after Katrina).

* * *

Now:
We're gathering data to get more research for libraries to help with ADVOCACY!

ALA has made Library Advocacy a priority since late 80's. It began with non-research based advocacy because there wasn't as much research available.

ALA vision at this point looks at advocacy, attempting to push down to keep a focus on advocacy at the national level but to increase it at state and local levels. Now ALA wants to figure out how they give local librarians the tools to “do the job”- to advocate.

Advocacy University – series of modules focused on helping local libraries with advocacy. The goal being to create a network of speakers, experts, etc. available to help with local advocacy

On Sept. 1, 2007, ALA established new office for advocacy working mainly with local advocacy
Started website called I Love Libraries for people who love libraries and want to support them.

Statewide advocacy – interesting breakthrough: “No Child Left Behind should be called Every Library Left Behind,” for the first time ever we've been able to document the first ever drop in support for school libraries. It's also been found that if a public library is closed, many friends groups and library supporters are there to fight for them, school libraries don't usually have “friends” groups to fight for them. Exception: Spokane Moms, a group of moms in Spokane, WA who fought for their school libraries and got $4 million through state legislator.

In Conclusion:

Given the forces against us: recession - ideas of privatization and "thinking outside the box" are going to become stronger. It might be easy to become discouraged, but don't believe them for a minute.

Libraries are busier than ever and more popular than ever. Sitting in front of the computer at home just isn't the same and it shows. Libraries are a place where there is community and socialization, things you can't get online.

"Libraries are the only place you can converse with a person with an advanced degree for no charge."

-Sarah C.