Through providing access to information, libraries have a key role in opening eyes and broadening horizons. In schools, they can complement classroom work by promoting wider reading. In universities, they make it possible for students to build up a deeper, wider idea of the state of knowledge in their fields. Beyond, they enable people to […]
Read moreAdvocacy is not always easy. Through this series, we have shared 50 ideas of what you can do in 10 minutes to become a more effective advocate. Together, that’s over eight hours of activity. Of course in reality you may spend longer in order to think, plan, and do things, and to meet the medium-term […]
Read moreAdvocacy is about building support. It relies on convincing other people of the need to speak, and to act, for libraries. They, in turn, are the ones who can make a difference for you in your work. Successful advocacy may rely on a whole network – from those in power (see Exercise #6) to journalists […]
Read moreAdvocacy is about getting noticed and staying noticed. You need something that will stay in the head of the person you’re talking to. We’ve already talked about surprising facts (Exercise #46) or statistics (Exercise #4), but you also need your message to stick. Advertisers and politicians have long known this when planning a campaign. A […]
Read moreAdvocacy is stronger when it comes with references! Being able to back up what you’re saying with stories, statistics or studies makes you more convincing. We’ve already talked about individual elements – an example (Exercise #9), a fact (Exercise #46) a number (Exercise #4), or a quote (Exercise #17). But given that you may need […]
Read moreThe need for library advocacy is clear. But it’s not always easy to tell how effective it has been. Changes in opinion or levels of support are not always easy to count. But it’s far from impossible! When you set goals, it’s worth taking a few minutes at least to look at how you know […]
Read moreTo have an impact in your advocacy, you need to be memorable. Decision-makers will have lots of people coming to see them, making them to do things. You need to ensure that what you say and do remains in their minds, and so that they bear you in mind when making choices about laws or […]
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