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How the West Was Won!!! ( Sorta )

How the West Was Won!!! ( Sorta ). Library Advocacy in Western Massachusetts John Ramsay and Eric Poulin. The backstory……. Advocacy isn’t anything new—it was happening long before us!. The perception…. In the West, we feel like we have to fight harder to get what we need. And that’s okay!.

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How the West Was Won!!! ( Sorta )

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  1. How the West Was Won!!! (Sorta) Library Advocacy in Western Massachusetts John Ramsay and Eric Poulin

  2. The backstory…….

  3. Advocacy isn’t anything new—it was happening long before us!

  4. The perception…..

  5. In the West, we feel like we have to fight harder to get what we need • And that’s okay!

  6. Everybody is going to be fighting for a piece of a diminishing pie • (Even for our very existence!) • Is your library important? Then fight for it!

  7. Wait—fighting? I’m not into that!

  8. Fighting for your Library is fun!!!

  9. It’s up to us to do it! • We CHOSE to be Librarians and Library Supporters!! • Fighting for your library is GOOD CITIZENSHIP

  10. What do we mean by “fighting”?

  11. Legislative Breakfasts have been happening for nearly 20 years! • They are an opportunity to meet your legislators and aides in a more informal setting • Legislators are real people too! And they are part of the greater library community. • They work for us! They get that.

  12. An hour of your year drinking coffee helps create a community!! • It can’t just be a one-time thing • Ongoing communication with your legislators on behalf of our libraries is not optional at this point—it’s essential!

  13. Can you commit to attending one breakfast this year? • Consider hosting one • They are a bit more work, but they’re a great way to show off your great efforts and create community around YOUR library. • Be proud!!!!

  14. Other ways • Project Alert! • Newsletters • Photo opportunities • Legislative Day • Newspapers/radio/traditional media • Social Media • At the corner store • Invite them to your Library • Other ways?

  15. Host a special event!

  16. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a community.

  17. By doing a little bit every year, you build relationships you can tap into when you really need them! • Springfield • Greenfield

  18. 3 Branches Closed—people brought them back!

  19. Who is this?

  20. Greenfield

  21. We see….

  22. Mayor Martin saw…

  23. We, as Librarians and supporters, tend to be accommodating by nature

  24. Another Greenfield story…

  25. We need to be a little bit like this…

  26. Talk about how decisions affect YOU and YOUR community • Decision-makers need to hear outcome-based information about how effectively dollars are spent • Be able to articulate it quickly and effectively

  27. It’s okay to be unpopular!

  28. Because advocacy had happened for years, a community had been built • We fought for more funding for the Regional Library Systems • Our Legislators knew us already and tried to help the best they could • It may have seemed like we were fighting against the rest of the state—but we felt like we were fighting on behalf of them

  29. Don’t wait for a crisis! • Being active on an ongoing basis might seem pointless, but you are building a community for when you really need it • Every little bit counts

  30. Get a central message and stick to it • Social Media is great—but unpredictable Dare to be bold!

  31. Story time! • What success stories have you had?

  32. Why not us???

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