Encourage Your Patrons to Speak Up for the Library
The "Libraries Step Up" Toolkit
The Libraries Step Up Toolkit includes extensive links to Canva templates, sample language, and further information for our 2021 advocacy campaign. You can customize all pieces in Canva with your library’s photos, colors, and logo.
Download the “Libraries Step Up” Toolkit
See below for more information!
What We're Doing
Libraries Step Up is a collaboration between OWLS, Bridges, IFLS, and Nicolet library systems to draw attention to all the work that libraries did in 2020.
The campaign is optional and will run throughout the spring of 2021 (before the 2021 state budget is approved). The message theme is “Libraries Step Up” and will encourage patrons to advocate for their libraries by telling how the library helped them in 2020.
We’ve developed postcards and a toolkit of customizable communications resources (see below).
Why We're Doing It
This effort is to counter the misperception that libraries have been closed during the pandemic. We want your excellent work to be communicated loud and clear! Empowering your community members to speak up for libraries is a great way to amplify this message to elected officials.
What To Do
Make the postcards available.
Identify your key advocates, trustees, Friends, and fans and ask them personally to get and send a postcard. There’s an email template in the Toolkit.
Give people a way to request postcards or stuff curbside bags with the postcards and bag-stuffer instructions. Alternatively, make a display with poster, instructions and postcards located where people pick up their holds.
Encourage community members on social media to get and send postcards, or send an email to local officials.
- Include the campaign in your newsletters and on your website.
The Toolkit
The toolkit was created by Chad Glamann (OWLS) and customized for Bridges Library System by Jill Fuller.
The Toolkit includes extensive links to Canva templates, sample language, and further information. You can customize all pieces in Canva with your library’s photos, colors, and logo.
Jill will be printing and sending out postcards to each library.
