Advocacy
Being able to demonstrate the impact your library is having on the community can convince decision makers, funders and voters to support your library. Find resources to help gather evidence, use data, and tell the stories that demonstrate the value of the library and show the return on investment it brings to the community. Learn how to amplify your library's value so that you may continue to make a difference in people's lives.
Explore the Advocacy in Action section to learn more about the vital role of public libraries and how to educate the public about the critical funding issues many libraries face. Materials, resources and support are available to libraries who want to engage the support of local community members through fun and innovative campaigns.
Self-paced courses and webinar recordings on this topic are freely available in the WebJunction Course Catalog.
Most Recently Added
Community Engagement as a Mindset
Webinar / Last Modified: 17 September 2019
Hear from three library leaders who are redefining community engagement.
The Engaged and Embedded Library
News / Last Modified: 13 September 2019
Civic engagement is not a new concept for libraries, which have long been active community hubs. However, in this age of library transformation, it is time to escalate the scale of community engagement. On one level, it is survival; it is also the na...
Advocacy 101: When Advocacy Becomes Second Nature
Webinar / Last Modified: 12 September 2019
A webinar hosted in collaboration with ARSL on the basics of library advocacy and how to integrate advocacy into your everyday and into your community relationships.
Geek the Library: Impact and Outcomes
Webinar / Last Modified: 09 September 2019
Join us for this webinar to learn about the impacts and outcomes of Geek the Library, the national public awareness campaign that has increased public support and funding for libraries around the country.
IMLS Survey Report: Public Libraries in FY2012
News / Last Modified: 05 September 2019
This week, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) released the report for the Public Libraries in the United States Survey: Fiscal Year 2012, an analysis of the most comprehensive annual data collection of U.S. public library statistics....
IMLS FY 2013 Public Libraries Survey Reveals Increase in Participation
News / Last Modified: 04 September 2019
This week the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) released the report Public Libraries in the United States Survey: Fiscal Year 2013, which found shifts in Americans' interaction with public library materials, programs and services. <...
Telling the Library Story
Webinar / Last Modified: 04 September 2019
Archive and related resources for a webinar presented on August 23 by Jamie LaRue which focuses on turning the evidence of our daily patron encounters into short, compelling, and memorable messages that build support.
Voter Perceptions of Libraries: Getting From Awareness to Funding in 2018
Webinar / Last Modified: 04 September 2019
A webinar presenting the results of a new study investigating voter perceptions and support for public libraries, with comparisons to similar research conducted 10 years ago.
Outside the Lines: Libraries Reintroduced
News / Last Modified: 04 September 2019
Libraries and library staff are skilled in their ability to adapt to meet the changing needs of their communities. Step into today's library, and you might find expanded collections that include everything from telescopes to fishing poles to sewing m...
Always Be Listening: How Public Libraries are Approaching Community Engagement as a Mindset
News / Last Modified: 16 July 2019
ALA Annual is always overflowing with sessions to help library staff take a step back and think about their libraries, services, and approach to their communities. This year was no exception, and there were many stand-out sessions dedicated to rethin...
