ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries M edia flips: W hat to do when flflie media calls . . . 1. A sk q u e s t io n s . D eterm ine the n am e o f the ublication o r netw ork. Find o u t w h at th e story s about, th e re p o rter’s angle, w h e n the d e a d ­ ine is. If you d o n ’t feel qualified to an sw er or re uncomfortable with the approach, feel free to uggest o th e r angles o r sources of inform ation. . B e c le a r a b o u t w h o y o u are r e p r e s e n t­ n g —yourself, yo u r library, th e A m erican Li­ rary A ssociation, or state chapter. . Be prepared to an sw er th e standard Who- hat-When-Where-Why-and-How qu estion s. ave supporting facts and examples available. . B ew a re o f m a n ip u la tio n . Som e reporters ay ask le a d in g q u e stio n s, s o m e th in g like W ould y o u say that … ” o r “Isn’t it true … ” ollow ed by a n idea for y o u r agreem ent. Make o u r o w n statem ent. . T hink fir s t Think about the subject, your audi­ nce, and w hat message you w ant to convey. D on’t e pressured into responding. If you need more ime, tell the reporter you’ll call back. . P a u s e b e f o r e a n s w e r in g q u e s t io n s to hink a b o u t w h at you w an t to say an d the best p i l a s 2 i b 3 W H 4 m “ f y 5 e b t 6 t w ay to say it. D o n o t rep eat a negative. Make re y o u r com m ents are positive. . Be brief, to th e p o in t If the reporter wants to now more, he or she will ask. This is even more portant with the broadcast media w hen you may ave only 20 seconds to respond. . N e v e r s a y “N o c o m m e n t .” M aintain an p e n , positive attitude. If you are w aiting for irection from y o u r b o ard o r n e e d time to study e issue, say so. . R em em b er, it’s o k a y to ad m it y o u d o n ’t n ow . “I don’t know ” is a legitimate answer. Re­ orters w ould rather have no answer than the wrong swer. Tell them you’ll get the information and ll back. Or, refer them to som eone else. 0. B e su r e to ta lk ab ou t lib ra ria n s. Librar­ s d o n ’t h a p p e n by them selves. Make clear at there are professionals w h o design an d rovide th ese services. 1. A lert t h e ALA P u b lic I n fo r m a tio n O f­ c e if th ere is an issue o r incident that yo u feel erits com m ent, research, o r additional brief­ g material from ALA. su 7 k im h 8 o d th 9 k p an ca 1 ie th p 1 fi m in . . . and some quotes yo R em em ber, it’s n o t just w h at yo u say b u t h o w y o u say it. S om ething colorful an d to th e p o in t is m o re likely to b e q u o te d i m ed ia— a n d re m e m b e re d b y y o u r listeners. K eep th is list o n h a n d fo r q u o tin g to re p o rt­ ers, in s p e e c h e s , in co n v ersatio n . U se it for in s p ira tio n in c reatin g y o u r o w n “q u o ta b le q u o te s .” A national treasure • T here are m ore libraries (100,000+) in th e U nited States th an there are McDonalds. • Libraries help business to flourish, doctors to heal, children to read, scientists to discover. • Libraries serve p e o p le o f all ages an d ur audience w ill love n th b a c k g ro u n d s— a n d yo u d o n ’t h av e to b e in chool, broke, o r in trouble to benefit. e • More children participate in library sum ­ er reading program s (est. 700,000+) th a n in ittle League baseball. • More th a n 14.2 m illion students, faculty a n d public) use college a n d university librar­ es each w e e k — m ore th an w atch th e top-rated V netw ork. our right to k n o w • Academic librarians answ er m ore than 1.6 illion reference q uestions each w e e k — th a t’s 66 qu estio n s every m inute. • College a n d university libraries circulate s m L ( i T Y m 6 3 2 6 / C&RL News m o re th a n 154 m illion b o o k s a n d o th e r item s e a c h year. • Librarians m a k e it h a p p e n . • T h e m o st v alu ab le reso u rce o f an y library g o e s h o m e ev ery night. • L ibrarianship is th e o n ly p ro fessio n d e d i­ ca te d to th e Right to K now. • Librarians m ak e inform ation affordable, available, an d accessible. • Librarians p u t th e “k n o w ” in k n o w led g e. Save m o n e y /fu n d libraries • Libraries will get y o u r th ro u g h tim es o f n o m o n e y b e tte r th a n m o n e y w ill g e t y o u th ro u g h tim es o f n o libraries. • In 24 years, federal fu n d in g fo r libraries totals less th a n th e co st o f o n e aircraft carrier (est. $3-5 billion). • P ublic libraries cost tax p ay e rs a n aver­ age o f $15.10 a n n u ally p e r capita— less th a n d in n e r for tw o at a m o d e ra te restaurant. • Libraries save b u sin ess leaders, scientists, a n d en g in ee rs a n e stim ated $19 billion a y e a r in inform ation resources. M o re inspiration • “Libraries are n o t basic— th e y ’re e s s e n ­ tial. If politicians w a n t to sav e m o n ey , th ey s h o u l d f u n d l i b r a r i e s . ”— P a t r i c i a G la ss S c h u m a n , p resid en t, ALA • “T h e library is to th e rest o f th e college w h a t th e so u l is to th e rest o f th e b o d y .”— J o sh u a Stein, professor, R oger W illiam s College • “… it’s hypocritical, stu p id , a n d ridicu­ lous to talk a b o u t th e im p o rtan ce o f quality e d u c a tio n w h e n th e y ’re closing libraries.”— U.S. Rep. M a jo r O w ens (D -N Y) • “D efen d y o u r local library as if y o u r fre e ­ d o m d e p e n d e d o n it.”—J o h n Jakes, a u th o r • “It is virtually im possible to co n ceiv e o f a literate a n d civilized society w ith o u t librar­ ies.’’— U.S. Sen. A la n Sim p so n (R-??) • “T h e service re n d e re d b y libraries is as n ecessary as th a t o f th e press, th e colleges, o r th e schools. In less political and more philosophi­ cal terms, w e exist to serve freedom.”— Timothy Healy, president, N ew York Public Library • “T h e library is central to o u r free society. It is a critical e le m e n t in th e free ex c h a n g e o f in fo rm atio n at th e h e a rt o f o u r d em o cracy .”— V artan G regorian, fo r m e r p resident, N ew York U niversity E d note: These tips a re rep rin ted w ith p e r m is ­ sio n f r o m the h a n d o u ts p r e p a r e d b y ALA f o r a m e d ia tr a in in g w orkshop. ■ M ay 1992 / 3 2 7