2006 Supplement 1
Sally Reed - Revitalizing your Friends group
Pros and cons of having a Friends group
Reenergize / Recruitment of ACTIVE members /How to get new thinking
How to develop Junior/Teen Friends
North American Friends @ your library – conference poster online
“We have to begin to educate our public and our community, about the unique role libraries have played and continue to play,” said Sally. “We have to raise ourselves above the commercial.”
We can use policy issues such as ownership of information vs. fair use, intellectual freedom, threats to publicly funded libraries, budget cuts, and access to information. Sally told librarian Friends can help you if you let them know ahead of time what you need. “We haven’t exploited them enough,” said Sally, noting an uneducated citizenry will not rise up and support you. Friends have many avenues to demonstrate how important the library is to the community.
Talk about why the library matters to city leaders. Help them see what the city would look like without a library. Deliver an educational message, explaining and demonstrating what we have and why it matters. “Friends have a huge role to play in reaching out to the community and explaining why that matters to that community, ” said Sally.
We can use studies to defend the need for a particular program and why it matters. Sally used the example of a summer program intended to get kids into library during summer, because studies show kids who don’t read over the summer lose 30% of the previous education, and may spend subsequent years in remedial learning.
Friends are the ones to convince your politicians that they must fund your library. Friends are taxpayers. They are the constituents that have power in their voices. Librarians can coach to engage your Friends in advocacy. “Word of mouth is not a bad marketing tool,” said Sally.
Friends can take out advertisements and write letters to the editor. Everyone can keep to the same talking points but everyone’s voice will sound different. You can use tip sheets and outline major talking points. Letter writing or telephone campaigns can help to change a politicians vote to Yes.
Sally provided a definition of advocacy - turning passive support into educated action. She outlined methods of reaching out to your community, using newsletters, press releases, mailing lists and advertisements, school outreach, external committees, to demonstrate the library’s contribution to the community and to build its credibility.
Use technology to educate instantly on issues. Have a PowerPoint presentation that can be used for council and community clubs. Use press releases – people don’t know and they won’t know if you don’t tell them! Create a ten point list on why the library matters or distribute copies of your annual report that demonstrates why your library matters.
Sally Reed - Revitalizing your Friends group
Sally Reed’s “Revitalizing your Friends group” session at the Ontario Library Association conference answered many of the questions posed by her audience. She facilitated a free-flow of dialogue about major issues.
The Ontario Library Boards' Association sponsored the Friday sessions.
For a more complete report please visit our website (http://www.accessola.com/focal/Conferences/OLA-2006/OLA-2006.htm)
Pros and cons of having a Friends group
“If it functions there is no con,” said Sally. “Friends are a lay group who have nothing to gain but a better library enhanced programs and facilities. Their major fundraising campaigns are absolutely invaluable.”
She described an “extreme example of how badly things can go” in telling Friends not to use the Friends mantle to pursue a political issue. “If you cannot support the library get out,” she said. “Run for the Trustee position as they are the ones who have the governance.”
She went on to say an understanding of the Friends role the Librarians role and the Trustees role is critical. Both Friends and Trustees will respect expertise of librarian.
She advised Librarians and Trustees to include friends group in the planning from the very beginning. “Once a year at the beginning of the year meet with friends and staff and talk about your vision for the next year,” said Sally. “Where are you going and why.” If you educate your Friends you are all on the same page, and Friends will look at how they see themselves playing into the realization of these goals.
Friends will be informed ambassadors in the community. She also suggested input from your Friends be accepted, as they are a ready-made focus group. It is important that they hear the decisions being made and understand why.
“FOLUSA recommends that there is always a Friends liaison,” said Sally. The liaison is a non-voting member of the Library Board and is included on each agenda of the Board and the Friends meetings to update. It gives Friends a heads up on the issues and enables them to decide how to fit into the picture and support the library
Reenergize / Recruitment of ACTIVE members
/How to get new thinking
Recruitment
Structure for sustainability
How to develop Junior/Teen Friends
Sally suggested you treat teens as peers, and give them
jobs that will appeal. Junior Friends can do fundraising on children’s services,
or they can be an advisory board. She described a group had a collection
development committee and a facility planning committee. Each committee was
given a budget, and one read reviews and selected books based on budget they
had, while the other went shopping to pick out furniture within budget. The
library became a place for kids to hang out, and they brought their friends.
North American Friends @ your library – conference
poster online
– conference poster online
Abstract: Friends @ your library have a significant role to play as partners in advocacy, marketing, programming, volunteerism and support. Learn how national Friends of Libraries associations in Canada and the United States motivate and support local Friends groups in their efforts to preserve and strengthen libraries, by providing a support and resource network. Pick up their newsletters, and collect new program and promotional success stories from across the continent.
(http://www.accessola.com/focal/Conferences/OLA-2006/folusa-focal-poster.ppt)
North American Friends @ your library
Val Marshall, Glen White,
Peggy Hiscock
and Jami van Haaften at our poster in the
exhibit hall.
Sally Reed is joined by
Wiarton Friends Patti Roberts and Lynn Swatsky.
Friends of the St. Marys
Public Library
David Crawford and Dr. Gary
Austin
2005 Honourable Award winner
Random House of Canada Friend of the Year Award.
Sally was the guest of
honour at an evening wine and cheese reception.
Many took the opportunity to
meet with
FOCAL President Peggy Hiscock
Harry Campbell, Past
President, Ex Libris,
Is joined by Trustees Maria
Robinson of Oakville and Stephanie MacGregor of West Gwillimbury.
