Tag Archives: Library advocacy

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #30: Get Your Opening Lines Right!

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #30: Get Your Opening Lines Right!

Good advocacy can take place in seconds.

This can be because you only have a very short period of time to talk with someone.

But it can also be because the person you’re talking to starts to make up their mind very quickly.

For someone busy, this is natural.

You need to make sure that they get the best impression of you and libraries from the beginning.

So for our 30th 10-Minute Library Advocate Exercise, get your opening lines right.

Practice it – setting out who you are, and what you want to talk about, and why it matters.

You may need to use it without much warning, so it’s good to have it in your head.

It can also help build your confidence for the rest of the conversation!

Good luck!

 

See the introduction and previous posts in our 10-Minute Library Advocate series and join the discussion in social media using the #EveryLibrarianAnAdvocate hashtag!

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #28: Celebrate an International Day

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #28: Celebrate an International Day

Advocacy about showing your relevance.

In a number of previous editions, we’ve talked about how do identify relevant subjects, and how to react to them.

But sometimes you don’t need to search.

The United Nations and its agencies have identified a number of key days where there is a focus on a specific issue – think International Women’s Day for example.

On these days, many governments and others will be talking about that issue.

Libraries can too!

So for our 28th 10-Minute Library Exercise, celebrate an international day!

Of course, some are more relevant than others.

The International Literacy Day (10 September), International Day for the Universal Access to Information (28 September), or Human Rights Day (10 December) are particularly good ones though!

You can do this by downloading a poster or leaflet, making a post in social media, or even writing a blog or article.

Doing so shows that you and your library are part of a global conversation, and can make people think about libraries in a new way.

Good luck!

 

See the introduction and previous posts in our 10-Minute Library Advocate series and join the discussion in social media using the #EveryLibrarianAnAdvocate hashtag!

 

 

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #27: Follow Up!

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #27: Follow Up!

Advocacy is about building relationships.

While it’s an important first step to talk to a politician, funder or influencer, and get their business card, you can’t stop there.

Indeed, the more important they are, the busier they are likely to be. They need to be reminded of the time you met.

And of course, a strong relation only comes from repeated contact.

So for our 27th 10-Minute Library Advocate, exercise, follow-up with someone you met recently at an event, a visit, or another occasion.

Send them an e-mail, or even a letter (this can be powerful, given that physical letters are quite rare now!).

Remind them of your conversation, perhaps send on some (but not too much!) more information.

It can even be an opportunity to give your arguments more effectively than in person if you didn’t have time!

Good luck!

 

See the introduction and previous posts in our 10-Minute Library Advocate series and join the discussion in social media using the #EveryLibrarianAnAdvocate hashtag!

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #26: Join the Debate!

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #26: Join the Debate!

Advocacy is about engaging people.

This is easier when talking with people who are already interested in a subject, and discussing it, either in person or online.

Maybe there’s a big meeting, a consultation, or lots of talk online following a big news story.

This can be an opportunity to make people think about how libraries help!

So for our 26th 10-Minute Library Exercise, join the debate!

If you’ve only got a little time, do a social media post – see our 18th 10-Minute Library Advocate exercise for more! Make the link between the subject of the discussion.

If you have more, write a blog explaining the library angle, respond to a consultation, or even go to a public event.

This week in particular, you can join the discussion around the SDGs, using the hashtags #SDGs, #HLPF and #Lib4Dev!

Good luck!

 

See the introduction and previous posts in our 10-Minute Library Advocate series and join the discussion in social media using the #EveryLibrarianAnAdvocate hashtag!

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #25: Be Passionate About Your Job

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #25: Be Passionate About Your Job

Successful advocacy is not just about talking – it’s also about doing.

Great speeches, presentations or social media posts can of course help guarantee support for your work.

But unless this is backed up by committed people, then the messages will not work forever.

There is little more convincing than someone who is focused on providing a great service, be it to people in a local area or the staff and students at a university or school.

So for our 25th 10-Minute Library Advocate exercise, be passionate about your job!

Clearly this is a full-time task. But if you take just 10 minutes, you can think about how you can show your motivation to your users and visitors.

Go that little bit further, and people around you will see that by supporting libraries, they are supporting people who are doing the best they can for the community.

Good luck!

 

See the introduction and previous posts in our 10-Minute Library Advocate series and join the discussion in social media using the #EveryLibrarianAnAdvocate hashtag!

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #24: Think What Your Audience Wants to Hear

The 10 Minute Library Advocate number 24 - Think What Your Audience Wants to Hear. Picture of a person speaking at a lecternAdvocacy is about getting people to agree with you.

When you talk with someone, you want them to understand that you have shared goals, and that you can help them.

Especially for decision-makers, who often have to face problems, libraries should look like a solution.

To do this, you need to adapt your arguments, and select or prioritise them. But how to do this?

For our 24th 10-Minute Library Advocate Exercise, think what your audience wants to hear.

You can do this by looking at the issues they care about.

For example, a K-12 education ministry official wants children who are ready for class.

A health official wants people who can learn about how to live healthier lifestyles.

Parents may just want help in keeping children entertained and helping them develop their skills.

So pick someone – or a group of people – you want to talk to and think what they want to hear!

Good luck!

 

See the introduction and previous posts in our 10-Minute Library Advocate series and join the discussion in social media using the #EveryLibrarianAnAdvocate hashtag!

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #23: Find – and Use – Buzzwords

The 10-Minute Library Advocate #23: Find – and Use – Buzzwords

Choosing the right words can make a difference.

They can help people make connections in their heads with other issues, placing libraries in a broader context.

They can make your message seem more relevant to wider public debate.

For example, see our ‘Words of the SDGs’ series that explains some of the most used words at the United Nations!

So for our 23rd 10-Minute Library Advocate Exercise, find – and use – buzzwords.

A ‘buzzword’ is a word that is fashionable at a given moment.

Think about the words that journalists and politicians keep on using in articles and speeches.

If over-used, a buzzword can become a cliché, so be careful!

Share your ideas and good luck!

 

See the introduction and previous posts in our 10-Minute Library Advocate series and join the discussion in social media using the #EveryLibrarianAnAdvocate hashtag!