What is Advocacy Training? creating a common agenda with school and education decision-makers delivering the right message to the right person lobbying effectively in a different political and economic environment community partnerships and collaboration

Why is Advocacy Training Needed? School library services are being de-valued in the current educational environment. There are misconceptions about the internet and its role in information delivery.

Why is Advocacy Training Needed? There is a technology bandwagon in Education, but there isn’t always a coherent plan for introducing it, maintaining or upgrading it. The library’s role in implementing technology and providing training is not clear.

What is ... Public Relations Getting the library’s message across This is who we are and what we do, this is when and where we do it and for whom...

What is... Marketing finding out what the customer needs who are you, and what do you need, how, where and when can we best deliver it to you [and what are you willing to pay?]

Advocacy is: telling a library story creating conditions that allow others to act on your behalf expanding someone’s consciousness evoking or creating memories confirming your identity enhancing awareness, appreciation, support an exercise in creativity and initiative an art and a science creating relationships, partnerships, coalitions respecting other people’s views, priorities and reasons a responsibility of leaders about potential and the future: the survival of school libraries

Roles in Advocacy Advocacy is built and sustained over a time and requires the effort of many people at many levels. It’s not the amount but the consistency of the effort, and the consistency of the message. many issues which, if allowed to continue, will actually prevent students from becoming information literate and from becoming lifelong learners. Because Student Achievement Is the Bottom Line. Do we all agree on the message?

Issues SLMS not included in curriculum planning outdated image of SMLS decision-makers lack understanding of technology and information literacy skills site-base decision-making diffuses support for school libraries money goes to technology school library professionals being replaced lack of support staff internet seen as panacea lack of on-site technical support lack of technology training library facilities outdated

The Advocacy Plan Advocacy is about RESPECT

The Advocacy Plan Do we all have the same understanding of the issue? Do we all agree that action must be taken? Do we have the time to dedicate to a serious planning effort? Will we make the time?

The 5-step Advocacy Plan Objective: have a clear, measurable objective. Target Group(s): know who is important in the achieving of your objective.

The 5-step Advocacy Plan Strategies What? the obstacles When? Where? Who? How? the message

The 5-step Advocacy Plan Communication Tools: never start your planning with the communication tool. It’s Step # 4. Evaluation: make it an integral part of the planning process from the outset

Summary An effective advocate: knows how to access and use necessary resources knows how to contact key decision-makers writes an effective letter to a decision-maker gets the right information to the decision-maker knows who can get to the key decision-makers understands the environment of the decision-maker says “thank you”.... often understands the importance of timing is never a lone wolf and never cries “wolf”

Acknowledgements These slides were developed to accompany a training manual used as part of the AASL Information Power Training Institute, July 1998. AASL acknowledges the contributions of: the American Library Association, the Canadian Library Association, the Leadership Learning Center, Pat Cavill Consulting and Ken Haycock and Associates to the development of these materials.