To help ALA advocates “speak up” about the library message, the ALA Washington Office is offering a series of new resources in the coming months, including webinars, podcasts, online classes and materials to make your federal grassroots lobbying experience as easy and painless as possible. Join us for our first “Speaking Up!” webinar on Thursday March 6th at 4:00pm eastern. You can learn more and register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/442300631.
Why get involved?
Well, did you know that the ALA Washington Office monitors or actively lobbies for hundreds of bills that could impact the day-to-day work of all types of libraries around the country?
Or how about this: as of Feb. 18th, 2008 over 275 bills mentioning the word "library" have been introduced in this session of the U.S.
Congress?
Or, perhaps most important, that the most common question in any Member of Congress' office is, "how does this impact my district?"
Your ALA Washington Office is comprised of experienced professionals who understand the legislative process as well as the potential impact of proposed bills on the library community. They know the difference between a conference committee and a markup, a Suspension bill and a Senator, or a concurrent resolution and a special order.
But with all their knowledge, they often lack one important ingredient for success, the answer to the most important question of all, "how do proposed federal policies impact individual congressional districts and states?"
In fact, that question can best be answered by you: the individual members of ALA. We need your stories, your local expertise and your active participation to influence federal policy.
At the same time, we understand that the modern librarian plays a number of
roles: business person, advisor, community developer-even baby sitter!
Believe
it or not, learning the ins and outs of effective advocacy will make each and every one of these roles easier to manage. Whether you have five minutes, one hour or three days to devote to advocacy, you'll see its positive impact in all the work you do.
The good news is that the ALA Washington Office stands ready to assist.
Following are the top 10 things you can do to be an effective grassroots advocate – if we can help you implement any of these ideas, let us know!
1. Sign up for Library Legislative Day (more information at:
www.ala.org/nlld
2. If you can't come to DC, sign up for Virtual Library Legislative Day (more information at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/washevents/nlld/virtuallibrarylegislativeday/vlld.cfm)
Before Library Legislative Day, participate in one of our webinars (or download the recording after):
March 6th: Advocacy and the Modern Librarian: ALA Resources and Events to Help YOU Go Forth and Advocate (register at
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/442300631)
April 16th: Preparing for Leg Day: Whether In DC or At Home, You too can be an Effective Advocate
4. Goto our online action center at http://www.capwiz.com/ala and respond to an action alert. It takes FIVE minutes!
If you aren't sure how, attend our March 6th session or download the post-session recording.
5. Take our online advocacy class at http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/gettinginvolved/onlineadvocacy/OnlineAdvocacy.cfm
6. If you haven't already, join FLLAN, the Federal Library Legislative and Advocacy Network. More information at http://www.ala.org/fllan
7. Sign up to receive notices from the District Dispatch or ALAWON Newsletter at http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/washnews/news.cfm.
If you prefer podcasts, have no fear-there will be plenty of them coming your way!
8. Join us after Legislative Day for more webinars on topics ranging from Building Long Term Relationships with Elected Officials to Creating Local Advocacy Campaigns to Arranging Library Tours and Visits.
9. Identify opportunities for your library to get involved in the elections-from President to your local city council there will likely be some changes. Wouldn't it be great to have library friendly folks in office? Get started by encouraging friends, trustees and board members to register to vote at www.rockthevote.org
10. Check out the resources and materials at ALA's own "Advocacy Institute." More information at http://www.ala.org/ala/issues/issuesadvocacy.htm
Why you? Only you can help Members of Congress understand that the crazy things they do in Washington,DC, directly and sometimes negatively impact local libraries.
Why now? Changes in the makeup of the U.S. Congress offer both opportunities and challenges for libraries. We will reap the benefits of opportunities (and minimize the challenges) if we all speak up-not tomorrow, not next week, not next year but now.
So what are you waiting for-get out there and advocate for libraries! You'll be glad you did.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS EMAIL WIDELY.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Host Sunshine Week Webcast @ your library
For the past several years, ALA has participated in a national Sunshine Week dialogue and webcast on access to government information, organized byOpenTheGovernment.org. This year’s webcast - Government Secrecy: CensoringYour Right to Know – will take place on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, 1:00 -2:30pm (EDT), and features a panel on privacy in the Executive Branch and a panel on how citizens can find the information they need.
To view this post in its entirety, please follow the link below: http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=379
To view this post in its entirety, please follow the link below: http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=379
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
National Library Legislative Day
Interested in speaking up for libraries? Why not go the extra mile for libraries and participate in National Library Legislative Day ?
What is National Library Legislative Day?
NLLD is a two-day event, held in Washington, DC, during which people who care about libraries participate in advocacy and issue training sessions, interact with Capitol Hill insiders, and visit with their Senators and Representatives to ask them to pass legislation that supports libraries.
When is National Library Legislative Day?
National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) 2008 is approaching fast; it’s May 13 and 14! (There’s also a pre-conference entitled, “Introduction to National Library Legislative Day: Why Your Participation Is Important; What to Do and How to Do it”)
Who to Contact if You Want More Information or Want to Get Involved?
Please contact:
Shelley Walchak, Colorado Chapter Councilor
swalchak@gmail.com 970-375-2510
There is financial support available for attendees.
What is National Library Legislative Day?
NLLD is a two-day event, held in Washington, DC, during which people who care about libraries participate in advocacy and issue training sessions, interact with Capitol Hill insiders, and visit with their Senators and Representatives to ask them to pass legislation that supports libraries.
When is National Library Legislative Day?
National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) 2008 is approaching fast; it’s May 13 and 14! (There’s also a pre-conference entitled, “Introduction to National Library Legislative Day: Why Your Participation Is Important; What to Do and How to Do it”)
Who to Contact if You Want More Information or Want to Get Involved?
Please contact:
Shelley Walchak, Colorado Chapter Councilor
swalchak@gmail.com 970-375-2510
There is financial support available for attendees.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
2008 Financial Assistance for Library Studies
Need additional financial assistance? The 2008 Financial Assistance for Library and Information Studies Directory is an annual directory of awards from state library agencies, national and state library associations, local libraries, academic institutions and foundations that give some form of financial assistance for undergraduate and/or graduate education programs in library and information studies. The directory is available online at http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=Scholarships&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=167618.For information on Scholarships available through ALA, visit www.ala.org/scholarships or call the ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse at (800) 545-2433, ext. 4279.
PLA Virtual Conference - March 27-28
The Public Library Association will hold its first-ever Virtual Conference March 27-28 during the association's 12th National Conference in Minneapolis. The Virtual Conference will provide public librarians and public library workers who can't make the trip an opportunity to participate in all the excitement surrounding a PLA Conference.The Virtual Conference will include many familiar elements of the live conference, including high-quality educational programming, poster sessions and networking opportunities with colleagues. Each day will feature five live programs - the same programs available to in-person conference attendees. In addition, it will feature special events, such as "A Conversation with Nancy Pearl," an interactive question-and-answer session with the living model for the librarian action figure, and "Inside the Author's Studio," a daily chat with well-known authors.Registration for the Virtual Conference is now open. Individuals who register to attend PLA 2008 in Minneapolis will automatically receive access to the Virtual Conference as part of their registration. Register for the PLA 2008 Virtual Conference at www.placonference.org.
Celebrate Teen Tech Week - March 2 - 8
The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest-growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), has given grant money to two Coloradoans to help during their celebration of Teen Tech Week:
Gigi Yang, Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library, Broomfield, Colo.
Julie Richards, Eagle Valley Library District, Gypsum, Colo.
For more information on Teen Tech Week, please visit:
"Let's Talk About It" Grant Program
The ALA Public Programs Office, in collaboration with the Fetzer Institute's Campaign for Love & Forgiveness, is now accepting applications for "Let's Talk About It: Love & Forgiveness," a theme-based reading and discussion program. Complete application information, including program guidelines and reading lists, can be found at www.ala.org/letstalk. The deadline for applications is July 15.
"Let's Talk About It: Love and Forgiveness" will follow the well-established ALA reading and discussion series format "Let's Talk About It," using classic and contemporary literature to explore stimulating and relevant themes. Project themes and books were chosen by national project scholar Betty Sue Flowers, Ph.D., director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum and former Kelleher professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin.
Following a competitive application process, 30 public libraries will be selected to receive:
* A grant of $2,500, to be used to support program costs and scholar honoraria.
* Program materials, which include introductory literature and essays on each of the themes, selections for additional reading and template promotional materials.
* Training for the library project director at a national workshop, where they will hear from the project scholar, expert librarians and organizers and receive a program planning guide, materials and ideas.
Successful applicants will be notified of their status by the end of August. For more information on "Let's Talk About It: Love & Forgiveness," visit www.ala.org/letstalk or www.loveandforgive.org.
**********************************
ALA Public Programs Office
www.ala.org/publicprograms
publicprograms@ala.org
800/545-2433, extension 5045
"Let's Talk About It: Love and Forgiveness" will follow the well-established ALA reading and discussion series format "Let's Talk About It," using classic and contemporary literature to explore stimulating and relevant themes. Project themes and books were chosen by national project scholar Betty Sue Flowers, Ph.D., director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum and former Kelleher professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin.
Following a competitive application process, 30 public libraries will be selected to receive:
* A grant of $2,500, to be used to support program costs and scholar honoraria.
* Program materials, which include introductory literature and essays on each of the themes, selections for additional reading and template promotional materials.
* Training for the library project director at a national workshop, where they will hear from the project scholar, expert librarians and organizers and receive a program planning guide, materials and ideas.
Successful applicants will be notified of their status by the end of August. For more information on "Let's Talk About It: Love & Forgiveness," visit www.ala.org/letstalk or www.loveandforgive.org.
**********************************
ALA Public Programs Office
www.ala.org/publicprograms
publicprograms@ala.org
800/545-2433, extension 5045
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