Realising our potential through advocacy Realising our potential

Realising our potential through advocacy

Realising our potential • Advocacy is 1 of 10 enablers in our shared vision for Queensland public libraries • The enabler asks us to be bold about sharing our stories and achievements

Session outline 1. 2. 3. 4. Defining advocacy Developing your advocacy goal Identifying target audiences Creating library advocacy messages

1. Defining advocacy In this section, we will define public library advocacy and discuss why it is important for library sustainability. We will also learn about different types of advocacy tactics.

Discussion: What is advocacy?

Defining advocacy The actions individuals or organisations undertake to influence decision-making at the local, regional, state, national, and international level that can help create a desired policy or funding change in support of public libraries

Advocacy: who, why, where, when • • Who do you think advocates? Why do people advocate? Where does advocacy occur? When does advocacy occur?

Advocacy tactics Activities that help change the hearts and minds of decision makers to support your public library. Tactics are the steps to take to achieve your advocacy goal.

2. Developing your advocacy goal In this section, we will discuss advocacy goals and objectives, and you will develop an advocacy goal for your library.

What is an advocacy goal? Describes the specific change or action you want decision-makers to make to help create the desired policy or funding change you seek to support the sustainability of your library

Developing an advocacy goal • • What is a need in the community that the library can help fill? What is preventing the library from filling this community need? What can we do to change this/ what solution will help the library overcome that barrier? What solutions are possible when decision-makers are involved? This determines your advocacy goal

Advocacy goal example Community need Access to opportunity through internet Library offering Library offers public internet access Problem/ Barrier Outdated computer & internet services

Advocacy goal example (cont) Possible solution 1: The local government increases the public library’s annual budget to cover the cost of updating computers and internet services. Possible solution 2: Library has a technology maintenance and replacement schedule to ensure its technology services remain up-to-date for users. Advocacy goal: By June of next year, the local government increases the public library’s annual budget by 2%.

Advocacy objectives The measurable and more immediately available milestones that bring you closer to your advocacy goal and provide the structure of your Advocacy Action Plan.

Advocacy objective examples Advocacy goal: By June of next year, the local government increases the public library’s annual budget by 2%. 1. 2. 3. The library’s chief supporter on council once again urges continued funding of the library. The majority of council members are aware of the ways in which public internet access at the library is benefiting the community. The council proposes a new resolution that positions public internet access as a core library service and recommends an annual budget increase.

Building toward your advocacy goal Advocacy Goal • What we want to achieve that will help sustain the library. Objectives • Changes or achievements that make our goal possible. Objectives should be measurable. Tactics • Actions and tools we will use to execute the objectives.

Activity: Develop your library advocacy goal

3. Identifying target audiences In this section, we will discuss different target audiences and how to identify the right individuals or groups that help the library achieve its advocacy goals.

Who are our target audiences? Decision-makers: A person or group of people who can change policies or provide funding that a library needs to meet its advocacy goals. Influencers: An individual or group of people who can influence the decision-makers. Community allies: An individual, organisation, business or other partner that can help promote the value of the library in the community and build community support.

Activity: Identifying and understanding target audiences

4. Creating library advocacy messages This session is about developing advocacy messages to communicate who can help you achieve your library advocacy goal.

Why are messages important to advocacy? Effective messages provide people outside of the library with a clear understanding of how the library can benefit the community and a way for them to help

What is an advocacy message? An advocacy message is your opportunity to persuade your target audience to take action on behalf of your library.

What is a core message? A core message is the message you want your target audience to remember above everything else, what you want your audience to do, why they should care.

Using the supporting messages The supporting messages share library information, data and stories that are relevant to your specific audience or that will address specific misconceptions or barriers your audiences may have about the public library.

6 advocacy message questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. What is the community need that your library advocacy goal seeks to fill? How will life be better in your community if you reach your advocacy goal? Why should your audience take action to help? What actions can your target audience take to reach your advocacy goal? Are there relevant statistics or examples that would help persuade your audience to act? If your audience has a misperception about the library and its services, what supporting statistics or examples would help correct it?

The core message The local public library offers important services and programs that are helping address community unemployment. You can help by supporting an increase in the library budget to make sure the library can provide more computers and training services to meet community demand help our citizens find employment.

Supporting messages 1. The library offers valuable resources to the community, including helping people search and apply for jobs, continue their education, and learn new skills and access information that can help them become more prepared for employment, but we do not have enough funding to meet the demand for these services.

Supporting messages 2. By helping people find jobs, we are improving people’s lives and helping them contribute to the economic prosperity of our community. Last year, 50 people joined library training classes to learn how to search for jobs online. We have heard back from several community members who found jobs after taking a class and using job search resources at the library.

Supporting messages 3. Library visits have increased by 50 percent in the last year and there is always a waiting list for visitors to use the computers and Internet connections. We need computers to meet the demand. The last time we were able to add new computers or upgrade our current computers was six years ago.

Tailoring your message 1 The local public library offers important services and programs that are expanding educational opportunities in the community. You can help by supporting an increase in the library budget to make sure the library can provide more computers and training services to help students of all ages.

Tailoring your message 2 The local public library offers important services and programs that are helping address community unemployment. You can help by writing to your council member and urging them to increase in the library budget to make sure the library can provide more computers and training services to meet community demand help our citizens find employment.

Activity: Creating your library advocacy messages