ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


78 /  C&RL News

A LA  m o b ilize s lib r a r y  a d v o ca te s

“Thanks f o r  th e most 
entertaining, in fo r m a ­
tive session I ’ve ev er a t ­
ten ded. ”

“I  a m  ex cited  a b o u t 
this. We must b e  selling 
o u r  p ro g r a m  to sc h o o l 

boards, legislators a n d  th e p u b lic. ”
“This is the m ost im portan t a n d  poten tially  

p o w e r fu l thing ALA is d o in g !”
Those are among the comments of partici­

pants in Library Advocacy Now!, a new initia­
tive sponsored by ALA to build a nationwide 
network o f library advocates.

Library Advocacy Now! workshops will be 
offered at many ALA state-chapter and other 
library conferences throughout 1995. The train­
ing program, developed with a World Book/ 
ALA Goal Award, is intended for trustees and 
other friends of libraries, as well as library staff.

The focus is on helping everyone who cares 
about libraries to become effective advocates 
using contacts with the media, legislators, and 
other forums to build the case for library sup­

port at the local, state, and national levels.
“Other interests have claims that they advo­

cate forcefully in the media, in executive cham­
bers, and legislative halls,” ALA President Arthur 
Curley explained. “The library community must 
also speak out and be aggressive about getting 
others to speak out on our behalf.”

Curley noted that several pieces o f legisla­
tion and policy critical to libraries will come 
before Congress in the coming year. These in­
clude reauthorization of the Library Services and 
Construction Act (LSCA), new funding for school 
libraries authorized in the Elementary and Sec­
ondary School Library Media Act, intellectual 
property rights, and other issues related to the 
information superhighway.

Those interested in scheduling a local Li­
brary Advocacy Now! training session should 
contact Gerald Hodges, director o f ALA Mem­
bership, at (800) 545-2433, ext. 4285; fax: (312) 
944-2461; e-mail: gerald.hodges@ala.org.

Curley has appointed a Special Committee 
on Public Awareness to lead the mobilization 
effort. Patricia Glass Schuman, a past-president 

of ALA and member o f the 
New York Library Association 
Public Awareness Committee, 
is chair. Margo Crist, assistant 
director for public services at 
the University of Michigan, 
Ann A rbo r, and C h arle s 
Beard, director of West Geor­
gia C o lle g e  L ib ra rie s in 
Carrollton, are cochairs.

A Library Advocacy Now! 
A ction P ack (# 5 9 0 0 -9 6 0 0 ) 
with tips for being an effec­
tive library advocate, dealing 
with the media, and contact­
ing legislators, and a sample 
speech, news release, letter 
to the editor, and more, is 
available from ALA Graphics 
for $10 plus $4 for shipping 
and handling. Send a check 

n  to ALA Order Department, 50 
E. Huron St., C hicago, IL 

io n 606 11. Orders o f $30 or more 
can be called in to (800) 545- 
2433, press 7.

“ A
s a child, I lo ved  to  

 b o o k s . T h e  lib rary 

 a w in d o w  t o  th e  

ld , a p ath w ay  t o  

ld s  an d  p e o p le  fa r 

 m y n e ig h b o rh o o d  in 

adelphia. A n d  even 

y, as I travel arou nd  

w o r ld , I o fte n  visit 

es I u se d  t o  dream  

t b e c a u s e  o f  the 

k s  I'd read ."

radley, 
dcast journalist

read

w a s

w o r

w o r

fro m

Phil

tod a

th e  

p lac

a b o u

b o o

E d  B
broa

A m e rica
Lib rary 
A s so ciat

Jo u rn a lis t Ed B radley w as o n e  o f  m a n y  p eop le w h o  re s p o n d e d  to 
ALA’s “L ibraries C hange Lives” testim o n ial ca m p aig n .

mailto:gerald.hodges@ala.org