coral sheldon-hess coral@sheldon-hess sheldon-hess/coral @web_librarian
DESCRIPTION
+. Librarians Build Communities Advocacy through volunteerism. Coral Sheldon-Hess [email protected] http://sheldon-hess.org/coral @web_librarian. +. 2. Agenda. Why do we need LBC? What is LBC? History Upcoming projects How do you implement your own LBC?. +. 3. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Coral [email protected]://sheldon-hess.org/coral@web_librarian
Librarians Build CommunitiesAdvocacy through volunteerism
2+Agenda
Why do we need LBC?
What is LBC? History Upcoming projects
How do you implement your own LBC?
3+Library funding is on the decrease
Source: ala.org
4+Librarians have a PR problem
Source: mashable.com
5+“So you get to read books all day?”
6+“Jobs for Loners”
“Jobs for Loners,” CNBC.com, Daniel Bukszpan, posted May 7, 2012. Slide 2. http://www.cnbc.com/id/47341964/Jobs_for_Loners?slide=2
7+Library advocacy
8+Librarian advocacy?
( )
9+But does the message get out?
Source: news.cnet.com
(This is an echo chamber.)
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We need community engagement
Sources: constantcontact.com, bgparkdistrict.org
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Skills-based volunteering
Sources: volunteerfairfax.org, handsonblog.org, onegooddeedchicago.wordpress.com
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Agenda
Why do we need LBC?
What is LBC? History Upcoming projects
How do you implement your own LBC?
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What is Librarians Build Communities?
A program run at the regional, state, and local level
One day of volunteering
Librarians* use library skills (research, teaching, technology, organization, preservation, etc.) to help local non-profits
Press releases are sent to local news outlets
* In the same sense as our patrons use the word; any library workers.
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Where did this idea come from?
Started in 2006, in New Orleans, as “Libraries Build Communities” (sort of)
2007 - Washington, DC
2008 - Anaheim, CA
2009 - Chicago, IL
2010 - Washington, DC
Work was done in libraries, primarily, with a few other non-profits participating.
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In 2011… ALA’s Chapter Relations
Office tasked a group of Emerging Leaders* with developing LBC into a program that could be run at the ALA Chapter (state) level.
They returned it to its original name. (Librarians, not Libraries)
They made progress, but there was still work left to do.
*If you would like to know more about the EL program, ask during Q&A!
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In 2012
A second group of ELs tackled the program.
Emphasized advocacy
Scoped LBC back down to one day (for now)
Scoped up to be run regionally, at the state level, or at the local level.
(We commissioned a new logo, too.)
Logo byEric Conrad
Source: ALA Flickr stream
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Also in 2012
We created a new website at librariansbuildcommunities.org: A primer for running your
own LBC day Templates and graphics Information about the
program A blog for celebrating
successful volunteering projects
Our final report is available under . This presentation will be there, too.
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The LBC website
Most important feature is the LBC Primer
Based largely on the Snapshot Day website (Marci Merola let us interview her)
Built in WordPress
Will hopefully find a home on the ALA website in…
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2013!
A new class of ELs will take on LBC.
They are tasked with finding LBC a home within ALA.
We hope they can expand the program beyond one day.
This will be their mentor, Ingrid Abrams.
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Upcoming LBC projects
Source: newspaper.li/united-states-map
• LaCrosse, WI – 10/12• Seattle, WA – 01/13?• Valdez, AK – 03/13• Boise, ID – 08/13?
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Boise? Isn’t that the next PNLA conference location?
Yes.
Gina Persichini (of ICfL; also a mentor to my EL group) and I are hoping to pull together a committee.
Get in touch with one of us if you’d like to help! (Or if you know the best way
to pitch this to the PNLA Board.)
Source: skywatch-media.com
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Alaskan Librarians Build Communities
We have a wiki - http://aklbc.pbworks.com
Our committee (currently) consists of four people. Contact me to join!
We’re planning to hold our LBC day immediately before our annual conference in Valdez, next March.
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Wisconsin and Seattle?
Wisconsin got the jump on all of us! (One of the 2011 ELs, Easter DiGiangi, was from WI. She was also our other mentor, this year.)
WI librarian-volunteers will be helping the LaCrosse Friends of the Public Library with selection/deselection of gifts.
Jaime Hammond has offered to run LBC for the next ALA Midwinter conference, in Seattle. (Want to be on her committee? Email her at [email protected]!)
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Agenda
Why do we need LBC?
What is LBC? History Upcoming projects
How do you implement your own LBC?
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How to host a murder mystery LBC day
Pitch it to your association’s board
Put together a committee
Choose a day (immediately before or after a conference is an easy one)
Create a website for easy reference
Find librarian volunteers
Find community organizations to partner with
Publicize your successful volunteer day
Source: voices.yahoo.com
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Pitching it to your board
Both Alaska’s and Wisconsin’s boards were very receptive; yours probably will be, too
You can see the documents submitted to each board under the LBC Primer’s Templates & Graphics section.
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A word of (hard-earned) advice
Whenever pitching this program, whether to your board or to a potential volunteer, list the benefits first
“Know your audience” – what problems will LBC solve, what good will it do for the people you’re talking to?
Source: exhilarateevents.com
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Your committee (theoretically)
A chair, or co-chairs
Someone from the host city
Someone from your library association
Someone from each type of library – public, academic, school, special
(Not actually 7 people; these roles hopefully overlap!)
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Alaska’s committee
Public, Academic, School, and Special are all represented!
But nobody local to Valdez.
Chair/Liaison to National LBC
Volunteer Recruiter
PR Czar
Logistics Czar
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Choosing a day At the state or regional level, no-brainer: pre- or post-
conference!
Doing a local version of LBC? (You should!) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - http://mlkday.gov/ National Volunteer Week (same in Canada and US, usually
the third week of April) Anniversary of the founding of your library association Local volunteer day
Source: winona.edu
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Creating a website
You guys, this is so easy.
I promise.
Step 1: Get an account with PBWorks It’s free Their interface is WYSIWYG
Step 2: Go steal Alaska’s! (Just like everyone doing Snapshot Day stole NJLA’s website,
including Alaska.)
Step 3: Customize for your particular setup. If nobody will make you a logo, go get Lily from the LBC website!
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Get librarian volunteers
Ask on mailing lists
Ask your colleagues, individually
Remind everyone that this is advocacy
Remind everyone that they’re helping organizations that need them.
Remind everyone that it’s only a few hours.
If all else fails…
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Appeal to their self-interest!
Volunteering is good for you! Networking Resume/CV Learning new skills Leadership experience “Practice on someone
else’s stuff.” Sense of accomplishment
Pro-volunteering discussion points are available on the LBC website
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Find community organizations
Your local committee member may have ideas
United Way is known for keeping lists of local non-profit organizations
The Rotary, the AARP, and the Lions Club may also have ideas or projects for you
There’s a sample letter at the LBC website.
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Take pictures, get quotes, and publicize!
There’s a form on the LBC website for submitting blog posts and photos to the LBC blog.
Sample Press Releases are available in the Templates & Graphics section, as well!
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Other things to consider
“Logistics” - Depending on location, this may be optional. Getting volunteers to and from the
volunteer location. T-shirts, or no? Feeding the volunteers, or no?
Remembering to send thank-you notes after the event.
Source: wikipedia.org
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And that’s really it!
Now you know how to run LBC yourself!
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Thank you!
Coral [email protected]://sheldon-hess.org/coral@web_librarian
Questions?Comments?
Website tour?
@librariansbuild
LibrariansBuildCommunities.org