PLA Blog

Who are you visiting or writing to on National Library Legislative Day? What are the major advocacy issues you plan to address? Keep us updated in the comments on this post, or send us email and let us know what you’re up to.

As you prepare for the upcoming days of advocacy, here is a message from ALA president Loriene Roy:

Although you may not be able to join the hundreds of librarians and library supporters across the country in visiting legislators in Washington, D.C., you can support your colleagues and all types of libraries by adding your voice through participation in “Virtual Library Legislative Day!”

As you know, in tough times libraries and librarians are needed more than ever!

On May 13, I will send you a message asking you to join thousands of librarians, library workers, trustees, and library users supporting your colleagues on Capitol Hill.

It only takes 10-15 minutes with ALA’s Legislative Action Center to compose your own personal message and send it to “all” of your representatives. The Action Center will provide you with talking points and sample messaging that you can incorporate into your own voice.

The ALA Washington Office has also created a helpful podcast highlighting the major issues.

Let’s make sure Congress hears us!

Sincerely,

Loriene Roy
ALA President

Whether you’re visiting your legislative representatives in person or communicating with them digitally, be sure to go prepared! The ALA Washington Office presented two webinars hosted by advocacy “guru” Stephanie Vance that you can review before you begin voicing your concerns for your library:

• Video: Advocacy Webinar #1 & [Congressional] Visit Packet (March 14, 2008)
• Video: Advocacy Webinar #2 (April 17, 2008)

You can also review Stephanie Vance’s podcasts on Advocacy: Part 1 and Part 2.

Let your voice be heard!