When Royce Kitts, Director of the Tonganoxie Public Library, received his copy of the 2009 Kansas Library Association Pushcard for the upcoming legislative session, he wrote a guest column for the Tonganoxie Mirror, “More than just books.” The pushcard’s purpose is to remind our Legislators, and the public, that when economic times are bad, people depend on library services more than ever!
According to Royce, “The relationship we have with our local paper is great. I get my library column included twice a month (our paper only comes out on Wednesdays) and they put a photo from a library event in the paper on average once a month. They also have come to rely on us for information about the community and some of the local history resources we have here. Just yesterday the sports writer came in to get pictures for the 50th anniversary of a local basketball tournament. I showed him how our copier was able to scan these pictures to email. He was very pleased.” Have you approached your local paper about contributing a “Library Corner” column once or twice a month?
Once you’ve written an article, post it to the Web site. Royce posted a copy of the article to www.tonganoxielibrary.org for those who don’t subscribe to the paper. He also has every library computer Web browser set to start at the Library’s home page!
Another Web-based resource that can help with library advocacy is the just-relased toolkit “Advocating in a Tough Economy” from the American Library Association: www.ala.org/tougheconomytoolkit.
The Public Library Section 2009 Fall Retreat will continue with this theme, as well, providing two days of programming on advocacy, staff management, no-cost and low-cost programs and services, and help for job seekers.
As the pushcard reminds us, “libraries can get communities through these tough times.”
-Sharon Moreland
