All Sessions

Has your library stalled in its attempt to develop a fundraising strategy? Are you trying to raise the community's awareness of the value of your library? Two years ago, the New Jersey State Library launched a public awareness campaign with famous athletes and authors serving as Library Champions, and with the help of marketing and development teams, leveraged those champions into an effective fund raising vehicle. Workshop participants will learn 1) how to recruit celebrity champions and local heroes to promote your library; 2) how to leverage library champions, build a donor database and raise big money for your library; 3) how to build a donor development strategy for everyone in your library; and 4) the essential publications your library must produce to secure funders.

Turning the Page 2.0 addresses core issues of advocacy, communications and relationship building in a convenient blended-learning format. This half-day kickoff introduces librarians and supporters to the 6-week course, which will include virtual classroom sessions and self-paced online work aimed at completing an individual advocacy work plan. Attendance at this meeting is encouraged but not mandatory for the 6-week course. Please learn more about the course before registering for this preconference by clicking here:http://www.ala.org/pla/education/turningthepage. Free preconference; advance registration required.

The Chapter Leaders Forum, presented by the ALA Chapter Relations Committee at each ALA Midwinter and Annual, provides a great opportunity for Chapter Leaders (especially incoming leaders) to meet and discuss a full agenda on topics to help prepare them to lead an association. Topics have included Membership Development and Retention, New Revenue Ideas, Social Media, and Advocacy. This event requires advance registration and includes lunch.

ALTAFF’s popular Nuts & Bolts is jam-packed to inspire Trustees, Friends, and Foundations. Coffee begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by topics including engaging volunteers for you library and Friends group, advocacy, social media, and inspiring success stories. Lunch on your own. The afternoon session begins with David Levinson, author of “Everyone Helps, Everyone Wins.” Deborah Stone from ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom will talk about current hot topics followed by the popular roundtable discussions. Please RSVP to altaff@ala.org if you plan to attend.

Booth # 1608 - Gail Bush, Author - Activism and the School Librarian: Tools for Advocacy and Survival

Booth # 1608 - Christie Kaaland, Author - Activism and the School Librarian: Tools for Advocacy and Survival

Booth # 1608 - Deb Kachel, Author - Activism and the School Librarian: Tools for Advocacy and Survival

Booth # 1608 - Deborah D. Levitov, Author - Activism and the School Librarian: Tools for Advocacy and Survival

Booth # 1608 - Ann Martin, Author - Activism and the School Librarian: Tools for Advocacy and Survival

A sub meeting of the PLA All Committees Meeting.

A demonstration and discussion of ACRL Metrics for current and prospective subscribers. Presentation will highlight how it can be used for advocacy, budget defense, and demonstrating value. New features and capabilities will be showcased.

Come learn how to create leaders not only able to adapt to change but also efficient in developing and implementing brand-new ideas and concepts for the betterment of your association.

This session focuses on how public libraries in regionally, economically, and ethnically diverse communities deliver, promote, fund, and sustain essential literacy services for adult learners -- native English speakers and English language learners . This broad examination of library literacy services will illustrate the importance of establishing the public library as a literacy partner and community asset, resource, and advocate. Attendees will have access to print, digital resources including toolkits, assessment tools, and tips sheets. Sponsored by ALA’s Committee on Literacy in collaboration with California Library Literacy Services (CLLS), a service of the California State Library.

With the 2012 elections right around the corner, listen to the “Advocacy Guru” Stephanie Vance explain ways to use the elections as an opportunity to advocate for libraries. The session will cover getting politicians in your library, ways to engage the public, creating your own advocacy strategy during election season and much more.

The UC San Diego Libraries created a Flickr account in 2008 to use as a student-focused participatory outreach tool, and to act as a depository for images. Staff usage of the site was stagnant due to internal guidelines, including a picture release form required for every image with people it in. Staff noticed that students were taking pictures of themselves and others in the library and posting them to their public Twitter, FourSquare, and Facebook accounts, so it seemed current students were comfortable with sharing images of themselves online. After reviewing the literature in 2010, the Libraries adopted a Web 2.0 sensibility that translated into an increased use of the account. As more images were uploaded, the account generated more activity (comments and favorites). Using images from our account, this poster will highlight the ways in which the Libraries use Flickr: to promote exhibits and events, to highlight past events, and as a tool for library advocacy, virtual tours, image storage, etc. It will share our informal ground rules that guide our practice. This poster will also present findings of a literature review that examines privacy issues and Libraries posting images of their users on Flickr or other photo sharing sites.

Library Lovers' Month is a month-long celebration of school, public, and private libraries of all types. This is a time for everyone, especially library support groups, to recognize the value of libraries and to work to assure that the Nation's libraries will continue to serve. Library supporters create a celebration of their very own in honor of libraries. For the past 12 years, the Friends of the Library, Montgomery County MD, Trustees and Staff have shown elected officials and their community how much we value our libraries. See and hear some ideas you can bring home to create your own “Library Lovers Month.”

February Should be Your “Library Lovers Month” is part of the Advocacy Corner, a series of short discussions, workshops and Q&A sessions designed to improve advocacy skills and to showcase current advocacy initiatives from all facets of the profession. Join expert library advocates from across the association for face-to-face conversations about the latest issues affecting libraries and ways to deal with them in the ALA Membership Pavilion (Booth #1939) in the Anaheim Convention Center. The event takes place from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 23 and from Noon to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 24.

Join expert library advocates for face-to-face conversations about the latest issues affecting libraries and ways to deal with them. A series of short discussions , workshops and Q&A sessions will take place, designed to improve advocacy skills and to showcase current advocacy initiatives from all facets of the profession. Location: ALA Member Pavilion, Exhibits Floor

February Should be Your “Library Lovers Month”
Noon – 12:30 p.m.
Susan Schmidt, Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF) Division Councilor, Friends of the Library Montgomery County (MD)
Library Lovers' Month is a month-long celebration of school, public, and private libraries of all types. This is a time for everyone, especially library support groups, to recognize the value of libraries and to work to assure that the Nation's libraries will continue to serve.    Library supporters create a celebration of their very own in honor of libraries.  For the past 12 years, the Friends of the Library, Montgomery County MD, Trustees and Staff have shown elected officials and their community how much we value our libraries.  See and hear some ideas you can bring home to create your own “Library Lovers Month.” Sponsor: ALTAFF

Influencing Opinion Leaders: Practical Strategies for Library Board Trustees
12:30 – 1 p.m.
Jenny Benedict, Directory of Library Services, West Vancouver Memorial Library
In this time of shrinking dollars and increasing competition, how can Library Board Trustees improve the likelihood of securing the funding your library needs?  This session will present the principles of influence and share practical strategies for communicating with opinion leaders and key stakeholders. Sponsor: Committee on Library Advocacy (COLA)

Learn about Turning the Page 2.0, Public Library Association’s (PLA) free advocacy training program
1:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Lynn Slawsky, Program Officer, PLA, and Stephanie Gerding, Turning the Page 2.0 facilitator and independent library consultant
Turning the Page 2.0 is a free advocacy training offered by PLA with generous support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In up to 18 hours spread over 6 weeks, participants in Turning the Page 2.0 learn about advocacy and develop Advocacy Work Plans. In this 30-minute informational session at the Advocacy Corner, attendees will hear an overview of the course, including how our facilitators will help you plan an advocacy project. Attendees can then request to be contacted when registration opens for the autumn course, which will run the weeks of Sept. 24 – Oct. 29. Sponsor: PLA

National Statistics for Local Advocacy? You Betcha!
1:30 – 2 p.m.
Judy Hoffman, Project Manager, Office for Research & Statistics
Combining national/state statistics, your library’s statistics, and real-life examples provide the basis for truly powerful stories. Since 2007, local and state libraries across the nation have utilized national and state data from the Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study to help craft effective advocacy and marketing messages.  Learn how to interpret the data, access new advocacy and marketing tools and make your library’s case to elected officials and community stakeholders. The Study is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ALA. Check it out at www.ala.org/plinternetfunding. Sponsor: ORS 

Winning the Influence Game: 10 D.C. Insider Strategies for Making a Difference for Libraries
2 – 2:30 p.m.
Stephanie Vance, Advocacy Associates
Listen to the “Advocacy Guru” share valuable tips on getting legislators to listen to your message. Learn the most important tactics for communicating effectively with your elected officials and tips on what staffers hate to hear the most.
Sponsor: ALA’s Office of Government Relations (OGR)

Power of Persuasion 
2:30 – 3 p.m.
Dr. Ken Haycock, Research Professor of Management and Organization, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California
Six research-based principles have been proven to work in studies of library funding. Our advocacy efforts may be off base.

A Guided Tour of AASL's Advocacy Resources 
3 - 3:30 p.m.
Judi Repman, AASL Advocacy Committee Chair, Professor of Instructional Technology at Georgia Southern and other members of the Advocacy Committee
Join members of the AASL Advocacy Committee for a tour of AASL’s Advocacy Resources and share ideas for how these resources can be used. Sponsor: AASL

Unleash Advocacy for Your Library 
3:30 - 4 p.m.
Linden Renner, Deputy Director of Libraries, Alexandria Library, Alexandria, VA and Joan S. Weeks, Sr. Instruction Librarian, Library of Congress and Adjunct Faculty at the Catholic University School of Library and Information Science
Bring the challenges facing your library to this interactive networking session facilitated by ALA’s Committee on Library Advocacy (COLA) members Joan Weeks and Linden Renner. Learn how you can tap into ALA’s Advocacy University, which provides information, courses and tools to help library advocates at the local level.  Share your success stories to inspire and empower others. Sponsor: COLA

An Annual Grassroots Advocacy Campaign that Keeps Public $ Strong 
4– 4:30 p.m.
Peter Pearson, President, the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library
Peter Pearson will describe a process used for 18 years, which uses citizens to lobby for increased funding for the St. Paul Public Library. The process is simple and effective. Sponsor: ALTAFF

The ALA Membership Pavilion is booth 1939 in the Anaheim Convention Center. The event takes place from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 23 and from Noon to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 24.

In this time of shrinking dollars and increasing competition, how can Library Board Trustees improve the likelihood of securing the funding your library needs? This session will present the principles of influence and share practical strategies for communicating with opinion leaders and key stakeholders.

Influencing Opinion Leaders: Practical Strategies for Library Board Trustees is part of the Advocacy Corner, a series of short discussions, workshops and Q&A sessions designed to improve advocacy skills and to showcase current advocacy initiatives from all facets of the profession. Join expert library advocates from across the association for face-to-face conversations about the latest issues affecting libraries and ways to deal with them in the ALA Membership Pavilion (Booth #1939) in the Anaheim Convention Center. The event takes place from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 23 and from Noon to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 24.