Tuesday 27 February 2018

Advocacy in the Library - Thing 20

A lot done, more to do...


This was a huge lesson with a vast amount of information (maybe too much) so in response I’ve a huge blog about it. I managed to do 8 out of 9 of the exercises.

Exercise 1: Name three detrimental effects to a local community when a public library is closed.

Many areas of our community suffer if a library is closed or even when the library hours are shortened. These include:

1a. Literacy and reading ability in children. When children are deprived of free access to books there reading levels drop. This is why there is such an emphasis on the summer reading challenge, keeping children reading during the summer. The “Summer Slide” affects those children from disadvantaged areas, who can least afford a reduction in their reading ability and studies in America (Cooper, Nye, Charlton, Lindsay, & Greathouse, 1996) show that a child can lose a staggeringly one and a half years worth of reading ability during 6 years of primary education during the summer holidays. This would be made worse if libraries closed and the problem would be compounded in disadvantaged areas.



1b. The library is a social hub of the community. During the best of times and the worst of times the library is the hub of any community. With the very mundane (we are 2 days away from landfall of Storm Emma) the library is a place for people to congregate, get warm and charge their mobile phones. Then we have essential links the library provide for those people who are lonely, unemployed, in education (both first timers and those returning) and every other aspect of everyday life, the library is one of the only places left for the community to get together and share time and ideas with each other.


(image courtesy of Carnegie Trust)

1c. IT facilities and skills. The library is an essential link to the vast & growing world of technologies. We provide free access to the internet (essential in many areas in Ireland outside of the “The Pale”) especially in areas without a decent broadband connection. But take a step back, one objective of the library in Wexford to have a base level of physical equipment in all our branches and to continually provide basic IT skills (classes and workshops) to those in need. Ensuring an IT literate population and workforce, is, in my opinion one of the most important things the library can do to help the community, particularly for the vast numbers of unemployed. (Wexford has the 3rd lowest number of people going to third level education and one of the highest levels of unemployment in Ireland). Closing the libraries in Wexford would be devastating for the future prospects of Wexford’s workforce. Through the Work Matters program the Library is also playing a key role in tackling the unemployment problems in Wexford.


   
Exercise 2: Find a Library Strategic Plan in Ireland or beyond for a library of any size.  Identify three ways in which the strategic plan also advocates for the Library Service.

This is a silly exercise, if the strategic plan has been done properly; taking into consideration all National and Local plans & initiatives coupled with the needs of each community the Library supports, well then the whole plan should advocate for the Library Service. Surely, they should be one in the same.

Anyway, I looked at the Hamilton Library and the Strategic Plan because New Zealand is comparable to Ireland in lots of ways plus they have a current up-to-date plan, i.e. 2015-2025. In Ireland lots of counties are waiting for the new National Plan before publishing their own. It can be found HERE 

Three projects they hope to work on that helps advocate for the library are:

2a. CONTINUE TO BUILD THE DIGITAL AND PRINT COLLECTIONS AND SUPPORT LIBRARY USERS TO ACCESS THEM. This helps meet the current needs of the community, increases peoples IT skills and builds the digital collection which is of course a direct link to the manner in which we access information (i.e. digitally rather than on paper)

2b. DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A MARKETING PLAN FOR THE LIBRARIES. This speaks for itself, a comprehensive communications plan constantly (and consistently across all mediums) promotes what the library does.

2c. IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE SYSTEMS TO ENSURE THE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND REPUTATION OF OUR LIBRARIES. If done properly, this guarantees the future of the service but also keeps the library to the forefront of people’s minds (especially elected representatives). Rather than being reactive to a threat in the service, constantly seeking for and gaining recognition for the work the library does should stop any threats from even being mooted..

Exercise 3: Name three ways in which you can demonstrate the impact and value of the library service that you work in or use.

This is more difficult and problematic. Rather like Ray Bradbury’s intrinsic quote of “finding oneself” it’s hard to quantify. We know that education and literacy skills are the golden key. We know that having access to books, historical documents and computers/internet are really important but how to demonstrate it is a different matter. For example, I cannot unequivocally state that of the 100’s of people who attend IT skills workshops, and of those that get a new job, this is purely because of the course we provided. 

But, on further investigation, I have found some good ways to measure the value of reading & literacy (see slideshare , Presentation by Carol Tenopir)




3a. Implied Value. By providing statistics to library use we can infer a knowledge gain by the community. From children’s literacy to a local business developing their long term plans, thus growing their business and employing more staff to the knowledge gained when new academic work is published, these are all things facilitated by the library. In fact some of these gains may never occur without both the facilities and staff in the library.

3b. Explicit Value. How much would it cost a private company or someone to provide the books, facilities and building of a library? Wexford library has about 388,000 items in stock. This would cost millions to replace and that’s not even considering the buildings, equipment and staff.

3c. Derived Value. This is more difficult to show as it touches more on long-term gain and intrinsic value, these impacts can be shown with the results from surveys and the open-ended questions library users are asked. Having regular and well publicised surveys and questionnaires, are, in themselves a great way to get people to realise how good a service we provide. Examples in Wexford (survey December 2016 of 1,195 responses) are;

·       Fantastic staff in library, always available and offering help to everyone.
·       Our library is a very valuable asset and serves the community very well
·       Your services have improved so much over the years and you have some wonderful passionate staff working in the libraries. Younger members need to see this passion! Continue the good work and strive to be better
·       Don't introduce a librarian free library. Good Librarians are the heart of the library service. Machines can't take the place of a person.
·       Staff excellent, very good customer service particularly with computer assistance and local knowledge and advice.
·       I think the service is excellent. I studied as a mature student and was so impressed by your academic books.
·       The library has been a wonderful resource for me since I arrived in Wexford 2 years ago. I have participated in many of your courses. I was living in London before I retired here and saw the library service being decimated so I really hope you can continue to carry on this excellent service.

Exercise 4: Identify three key people (name their role) outside of the library in the wider organisation/community that you need to network with in order to advance the development of the Library Service.

4a. Kevin Lewis, chief executive of Waterford & Waterford Education and Training Board. Link up with the WWETB to provide and promote a wide variety of courses to meet the educational and training needs of Wexford people.

4b. Enda Kavanagh, chief executive Wexford Chamber of Commerce – co-ordinate and provide a wide variety of services with existing local business & potential start-ups.

4c. Minister Brendan Howlin, (only Wexford TD to ever do anything good for Wexford).

Exercise 5: Write down in 200 words or less an idea for Library Ireland Week for a library you work in or use.

I skipped this question. When you look at the LAI’s website the most up-to-date information is for the 2016 week. There is no information on dates, topics or themes. The only thing there is information on is who is on the board. (HERE). I have no previous knowledge or experience of Library Ireland Week to guide me.

Exercise 6: In your opinion what are the three best features of the My Library, My Right Campaign and why?

6a. I think having a co-ordinated plan and the possible result of hundreds of people tweeting, emailing and letter writing with the same message has the potential to really impact the decision makers. A similar example to this is during the Marriage Equality referendum in Ireland in 2015, there was a clear message plan provided for all the YES Equality teams around the country to combat propaganda and have a cohesive message at the same time. Remember the videos everyone started posting like “Ask you Granny” and the #HometoVote campaign?

6b. There is great information put together under “The Value of Public Libraries” to help people understand and advocate for the service especially the infographic on “What makes a great library service for the 21st century” HERE 

6c. I also liked the poster with the call for action (i.e. #MyLibraryByRight ) HERE 

Exercise 7: In 200 words or less, describe a new area of librarianship that you are passionate about. How would you go about promoting it within the library that you work in and/or the wider library profession?

I want to help develop the LGBT resources we have. I say resources rather than books. Young LGBT people need to be able to locate the books they need themselves, they should have access to information on support groups and social groups. The staff also needs awareness training and if there are any LGBT staff in libraries it would be great if they were out and able to provide support. Following Thing 17, I have identified a deficit in both our collection and the manner in which we catalogue same. I plan on reading as many LGBT titles as possible, reviewing them and providing that list to every library in Ireland. I have also contacted the Irish Queer Archive and offered my extensive knowledge and expertise in digitising the collection. I am going to identify the LGBT titles that could be better catalogued and provide a buying list for libraries. Once I develop my ideas better I will approach my line manager to discuss them. I am also fascinated by the recent launch by UCD of their new Gender Identity and Expression Policy and am going to investigate how we can approach the issue. This is a huge area for staff awareness training.

Exercise 8: Choose an area of library practice that you feels requires debate.

Developing LGBT resources and better cataloguing the available stock. Have a display in their branches during Pride Month.

Exercise 9: Open up the ALA Frontline Advocacy Plan. Complete the plan for a real/fictional advocacy campaign.

What is your goal?
 Improve the LGBT resources the library provides

What are your objectives?
·       Most importantly – PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE FOR LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE.
·       Have more resources that are easier to find.
·       Help LGBT people feel more part of their community.
·       Visibility of LGBT resources with awareness & normalise the idea of LGBT people in the community. 
·       Increasing awareness and education.

·       Have a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment, make LGBT staff and users of the service feel more welcome and protected.
  
What are your strategies?
·       Identify existing stock and how it is catalogued.
·       Suggest updates to catalogue.
·       Identify stock that needs replacing.
·       Review new LGBT books and create a recommended list (used for purchasing material and also libraries can publish the list).
·       Provide a comprehensive list of resources for LGBT people.
·       During Pride month (June) have displays and exhibitions details the history of LGBT people in Ireland and around the World and available resources in the library and community
·       Particular attention needs to be paid to the older LGBT population, particularly in rural areas where isolation is a huge problem. 

What is your message?
Improving the lives of LGBT people in Wexford and provide them with a safe space.

What data (or stories) support this message?
The fact that if you google; LGBT & Library & Ireland you get very few results is an indication in itself that much work needs to be done. At a minimum, there should be at list of titles for people to read, services, facilities and events of interest to the LGBT community. The internet is the first port of call for any young people these days, therefore this lack of information sends a really bad message.

We need to understand the history of the LGBT rights movement and the irish perspective - http://www.dailyedge.ie/politicize-pride-3451448-Jun2017/

We should have a day to celebrate LGBT history - HERE

Whilst by law, we have equality and protection in Ireland, this is not the case around the World and we need a forum to remind people about this - HERE

Similar to how Ray Bradbury found himself in the library, we have a similar quote by Jerry Kosinski - “Here was one place where I could find out who I was and what I was going to become. And that was the public library.” - HERE 

Here is an interesting article from the ALA - HERE  


Who is your target audience? 
·       LGBT Population, their families & friends
 
Why should they care?
They need reliable, up-to-date information, books and resources that is provided in a non-judgemental way in a safe environment.

How are you going to reach them? What will be your best tools?
·       Use all forms of social media & websites.
·       Provide information to schools, youth groups & community centres of the resources we have. (email, newsletter and posters)
·       Displays and exhibitns during Pride month
·       Better catalogued stock


Wow, that’s it. I read through this Thing 3 times before I even attempted doing it. It could have been broken up a little. Anyway, that was fun. A lot done, more to do.




Toodles for now.

John The Captain Ryan











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