mile advocacy may 2011
DESCRIPTION
MLA Institute for Leadership ExcellenceTRANSCRIPT
M I L E M AY 2 0 1 1
M I C H A E L S C O TT, S E L S / S E L C OM L A L E G I S L AT I V E C H A I R
A N N WA L K E R S M A L L E Y, M E T R O N E TM E M O L E G I S L AT I V E C O - C H A I R
Library Advocacy Whose Job Is It Anyway?
What is Advocacy?
“Active support of a cause or course of action.”
vs. Lobbying
“Lobbying is the intention of influencing decisions made by legislators and government officials.”
A lobbyist is a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest.
A regulated activity.
Why Advocate for Libraries?
Make the case about the value of all types of libraries
Build community support for librariesStay in front of funders, users, othersAvoid a crisis because no one knows your
valueNo one else is going to do itOther reasons?
FEDERALSTATELOCAL
Advocate in the right venue
US CapitolSenator Amy Klobuchar
Senator Al Franken
Congressional Representatives•First District-Tim Walz
•Second District-John Kline
•Third District-Erick Paulsen
•Fourth District- Betty McCollum
•Fifth District-Keith Ellison
•Sixth District-Michele Bachmann
•Seventh District-Colin Peterson
•Eighth District-Chip Cravaak
Federal Legislative Issues
Who Lobbies for Libraries
IMLSLSTAESEACopyrightNet NeutralityPatriot Act/PrivacyMore
ALA Washington Office
National Library Legislative Day-May 10
You via calls, letters, emails
National Library Issues
Minnesota State Capitol
http://www.leg.state.mn.us/
How many members are in the Minnesota House of Representatives?
134
Issues More Issues
Funding for library systems Multicounty Multitype Regional Public
Library System Support (RBLSS)
• Minitex/ELM/MnLink/MDL
• Telecommunications
Library Legacy FundingLibrary Accessibility &
Improvement GrantsLibrary Maintenance of
EffortIssues they arise
Filtering Intellectual Freedom
State Level Library Advocacy
Elaine Keefe, Capitol Hill AssociatesMLA/MEMO Lobbyist
Who is this woman and why is she important?
Library directorsLibrary staffFriendsBoardsMLA/MEMOMultitype DirectorsRPLS Directors
You Calls Emails Letters Visits
Who Advocates for State Issues?
Local Libraries
Some Issues Who Advocates
Library Funding City County School District Academic
AdministrationLibrary BuildingsPrivacyIntellectual
Freedom
Library DirectorLibrary BoardLibrary usersFriendsStudents,
faculty,staff
Local Library Advocacy
MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT
What is MOE?
Types of Advocacy
Direct Advocacy
Positioning the library within the city/county, college/university, or school/school district
Focus on legislators/elected officials/decision-makers
Frontline/Day-to-Day Advocacy
Every library staff person is a frontline advocateArticulate the value of their
respective libraries and their value to their communities.
Improve the quality of resources and services in their library environment.
WE ALL MUST ADVOCATE FOR THE VALUE OF OUR LIBRARIES
ALL OF US MUST ALSO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE OUR VALUE AS LIBRARY
EMPLOYEES
Who’s Job Is It?
LIBRARY USERSFACULTY, STAFF, TEACHERS…
FAMILYFRIENDS
COMMUNITYEVERYONE
You are the face of the library
We can help
Keeping Up
http://mnlibraryassociation.org/advocacy-legislation/
THE LISTSRV FOR KEEPING UP WITH MINNESOTA LIBRARY LEGISLATION
What is MnLibLeg
Bonus
Who knows what the latest message said?
Learning
http://mnlibsadvocates.blogspot.com/
SPEAKER OF THE MINNESOTA HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
Who is Kurt Zellers?
Taking Part
http://mnlibraryassociation.org/committees-subunits/legislative-committee/
In the House?
Do you know who represents you?
In the Senate?
Empowering Yourself as an Advocate
◦ Create your message
◦ Match the message with the venues and delivery methods
◦ Create scripts and/or “cheat sheets”
◦ Practice
Day-to-Day
Know your library’s issuesKnow what you can say about the issues—Know your opportunitiesKnow your patrons!Respond and follow-up with patrons’ interestLearn to tell your story
Prepare to Meet a Powerbroker
Make appointmentDefine meeting goalsHave a lead spokespersonDetermine the messageHave data that supports your messagePrepare information packet
At the Meeting
Introduce those presentHave spokesperson provide brief summary of
why you are hereExplain your library messageAsk powerbroker to share their views &
willingness to helpQ &A
Who are these people?And what are they doing?
Rep. Jim Davnie & his constituent jenny sippel on Legislative Day 2011
After the Meeting
Provide any promised follow-upWrite thank you notes
Thanks are important. It is not always about asking!
Other Ways to Advocate
LettersCallsEmailsInvitations to library events
THE KEY IS TO DO IT
AND
DO IT OFTEN
You know this
MICHELLE L. FISCHBACH
Who is President of the Minnesota Senate?
Weak Excuses
“My library (public, school, college/university, special) doesn’t allow me to lobby.”
“I’m shy.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
More Excuses
“My library job doesn’t put me in direct contact with library customers.”
“What difference could I make?”
“There are already people who do this.”
FOR ALL LIBRARIESFOR SYSTEMS
FOR THEIR LIBRARYFOR THEIR STAFFBUT MOST OF ALL
Leaders Advocate
FREE ACCESS TO INFORMATION
RESOURCESBUILDINGSINTERNETTRAINING
MORE
For their Users
IT’S EVERYBODY’S JOB!
EVERY VOICE MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
Library Advocacy?
Over to you
At your tables – come up with a list of your local stakeholders - between eight and ten individuals or organizations
On your own – write your elevator pitch
20 minutes for both exercises
The elevator pitch
An elevator pitch is an overview of your service and is designed to just get a conversation started
Keep it short – around 200 to 250 wordsHave a hook, e.g. an interesting statistic that you
can compare to something easy to understand Make it clear – no acronyms or jargonEnsure it is credible – how can you add value?Practice so you remember it
What should you say?
Write your elevator speechPrepare your pitch:
What have you done locally What would you like to do? What can the person you are talking to do to help?
Be clear about what you are asking them to do, e.g. increase (not cut) library/system funding, ELM, new building, more staff…..
Feedback
One person per table – share the list you can take with you to get you started
One elevator pitch at random from each table
