Free Advocacy Webinar

“Ask the Advocate” webinar provides opportunity to talk to ALA experts and learn about ALA advocacy resources

CHICAGO –“Ask the Advocate: Find What You Need to Make the Case” will be the topic of a free webinar on Wednesday, February 29, from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. CST.

Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions pertaining to advocacy issues at their library, as well as learn who resources are available to help make the case for libraries.

Patricia Tumulty, Chair, ALA’s Committee on Library Advocacy (COLA), and Marci Merola, Director, ALA’s Office for Library Advocacy (OLA) will take questions from attendees during this open forum style webinar and share their expertise on successful advocacy efforts. They will highlight ALA’s Advocacy University, which provides information, courses and tools to help library advocates make the case at the local level.

Registration is mandatory.  Visit https://ala.ilinc.com/register/bfhjyyt to sign up today. 

Jaclyn Finneke, Communications Specialist

Office for Library Advocacy

American Library Association

50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611

312.280.2428; 800.545.2433, x2428

jfinneke@ala.org

ALA President's Award for Advocacy

Applications for the ALA President’s Award for Advocacy, sponsored by ALTAFF, due March 15

PHILADELPHIA - Applications for the American Library Association (ALA) President’s Award for Advocacy, sponsored by the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF), a division of ALA, are due March 15, 2012.

This award honors and recognizes statewide advocacy for libraries with $1,000, to be used for the development of a program or programs for Friends and Trustees at the state library association conference. The winner will receive honorable mention by the ALA president at the Opening General Session of the 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif.

The winning campaign will have been successfully implemented during 2010 or 2011 and will have engaged citizens and librarians from across the state to make the case for state library funding. The campaign must also use Capwiz (http://capwiz.com/ala/home) or a similar interactive database to communicate with state legislators.

In 2009, the first ALA President’s Award for Advocacy, sponsored by ALTAFF, went to the Florida Library Association for its quick response to a proposal to eliminate all state aid to libraries, as well as its ongoing public awareness campaign. In 2010, the award was given to the New Jersey State Library for its Snapshot Day program, which has been adopted by ALA as an initiative. More than 30 states have used Snapshot Day to provide visible evidence of the way libraries change lives every day.

For more information, visit http://www.ala.org/altaff and click on “Awards & Grants.”

ALTAFF is a division of the American Library Association that supports citizens who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries. ALTAFF brings together library Trustees, advocates, Friends, and Foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/altaff, or contact Jillian Kalonick at (312) 280-2161 or jkalonick@ala.org.