1. Advocacy Everyday
Welcome

2. Who we are & Why we are here.
Who’s in the room.

3. Advocating for Libraries
Advocacy
WHAT:
Advocacy is a strategy to influence policy makers as they make rules and laws that affect people's lives.
Advocacy is NOT LOBBYING.
Lobbying is specific to a given piece of legislation.
Advocacy is education. Lobbying is seeking to influence.
Everyone has a decision maker above them.
Everyone has someone to influence – someone to advocate with.
NYLA.org

4. Advocating for Libraries
What library directors and trustees are allowed to do as advocates.
Education & Advocacy vs. Lobbying
Promoting the Library Vote is okay.
Promoting a ‘Yes’ vote is not.
The Friends, or Foundation CAN promote a ‘Yes’ vote.
An individual always retains their rights to free speech – but must not speak for the organization.
(Letter to the editor.)
NYLA.org

5. What you need to advocate for Libraries (or anything):
Advocating for Libraries
What you need to advocate for Libraries (or anything):
Message: what are you trying to accomplish
Opportunity: know where, when and how
Persistence: Advocacy is an ongoing process – don’t give up!
NYLA.org

6. Advocating for Libraries
Message: Tell Stories. Stories beat Stats.
NYLA.org

7. One Size Does NOT fit all.
Customize your message for your audience – every time.

8. Make your own OPPORTUNITIES
- Seek out place to promote what libraries do.

9. It NEVER ends.
There is no final victory, no time to celebrate.
One session ends and the next begins.
Build in leadership development and succession planning to ensure that your infrastructure remains healthy over the long haul.

10. How we do what we do in Albany.

11. Influence is based on Votes and Money.
The library community commands neither.
Persistent and consistent messaging is key.

12. LIBRARIES ARE EDUCATION
Two years in – this is resonating.
State level message, tying library funding to education funding.

13. $16,000,000
Increased funding since 2008.
$95.6M currently

14. NYS Library Aid Programs
Adult Literacy Services
Central Library Aid
Conservation/Preservation
Construction
Coordinated Collection Development for Academic Libraries
Coordinated Outreach to Special Populations
Family Literacy Library Services
Hospital/Medical Library Services
Indian Libraries
Institution Library Services
Regional Bibliographic Databases and Interlibrary Resources Sharing
Services to Blind and Handicapped Readers
State Aid for Summer Reading Programs
Library Aid = $91.6M
Where Does It Go?
25 Aid Programs Library Systems – 757 Public Libraries

15. 2016 Legislative Agenda
2016 Legislative Priorities
Review Packet

16. What can you do – locally?

17. Spread the word.
Tell everyone.

18. Use MOPS to get your piece of the funding pie.
Remember that funding is finite and an increase for you likely means a cut somewhere else.

19. Never be complacent.
Identify champions and advocates.

20. Advocating for Libraries
Shameless Plug
Shameless Plug
Remind attendees that NYLA depends on the support of membership dollars to advance its mission, and to support library advocacy.
NYLA.org

21. Jeremy Johannesen director@nyla.org Mike Neppl advocate@nyla.org