Advocacy

Libraries are popping up in the news, but the news may not be good. As libraries come to terms with difficult economic times, those who love libraries are stepping up, being vocal, and becoming advocates.

Library Advocate Steve Lopez directs our attention to the value of libraries. His column in the Los Angeles Times  last week was a pointed defense of the purpose and usefulness of libraries in our communities.



checking out the Mac

 Advocacy is one of the best ways of keeping a library and its message crisp, viable and visible. Library advocates can bring fresh eyes to the scene, capture marketing opportunities and suggest new services and resources.



Some of the LAC members

 Here at Prep, we have a student advocacy group called the Library Advisory Council (LAC). A powerful force, with both vision and follow-through, their suggestions show innovation and creativity. This fall, LAC completed a major goal , introducing two circulating Apple MacBook Pros to the library.  It seems fitting, as Thanksgiving approaches, to mention how thankful I am for their presence at Prep. The group's positive energy brightens our library. More than once I’ve been swept away, along with them, in a current of positive energy. That’s the beauty of advocacy: it pushes forward the essential message. And that helps our library stay crisp, viable and visible.