PREPARING FOR LIBRARY LEGISLATIVE DAY

Now that you’ve registered for Library Legislative Day, take time to prepare what you’ll say to your legislators.

This is our chance to let legislators know how we’ve adapted and responded to our community needs during the pandemic—safely and effectively. More than ever, state support for libraries directly helps communities survive and thrive—we need to tell legislators how we’re helping people now, thanks to state and local support.

Talking Points for Legislative Day

  1. Share your name, where you live, and your connection to your library.
  2. “Thank you, Legislator Name, for your time today and continued support of libraries.”
  3. “I want to share a specific example of how our library positively impacts the community.”
    1. Brief (2 sentence summary) of program
    2. Task: what was the goal you wanted to reach
    3. Action: Describe how your program impacted the community in terms of event attendance, testimonial, workforce development, literacy goal, etc.
    4. Result: What was the end result? How did people feel after this program? Will you continue the program?
    5. What’s the best way for us to stay in touch?
    6. If your library offers public meeting space, remind your legislator that you can host town hall forums or other events.
    7. Thank the legislator again for their time.

Consider Making a Short Video to Share with a Legislator

An easy way to share your library story is to show your legislator a short video during your meeting. You can use your phone, tablet, or laptop. Your video or presentation doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply record a patron telling us why they need your library. Connect what the patron says to a strategic priority of your library or how funding impacts the service they describe.

Tips for filming:

  • We recommend finding a quiet place to film or take a photo.
  • Make sure there are not distracting noises or objects in your story.
  • Find a patron who can answer a simple sentence: I support my library because…
  • Make it specific. We like when the stories can be specific to your library rather than about libraries in general.

Here are some video examples:

You can take an easy video or photo on your phone:

 

Or, you can use a video editing software to produce a short message about your library.

 

Questions about how to make the most of Library Legislative Day?

Contact us if you have questions!

Pete Loeffel, WLA Library Legislative Day Chair