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Resources

Tools and resources for library advocacy

TLA has thousands of members from school, public, academic, and special libraries, as well as countless lay supporters, parents, educators, and business partners who promote library issues. Additionally, all types of libraries enjoy enormous local support from parent groups, the local community, student organizations, and countless other stakeholders who join in statewide efforts to strengthen libraries. With libraries – school, academic, public, or special – located in almost every political jurisdiction in the state, the grassroots support for libraries is broad and deep.

Building relationships with your local, state and national elected officials is essential to advocacy. How to begin?

  • Find out who represents you in the Texas Legislature
  • Learn more about them. Visit their website. What committees do they serve on? What is their profession? How do their interests and experiences intersect with your library’s services?
  • Connect with the legislative office. Sign up to receive their newsletters, follow them on social media.
  • Attend town hall meetings and other local events to show that libraries are important stakeholders in communities, and so that they can put a face with the name on your communications.
  • Invite them (and their staff) to visit your library for a tour, or to participate in an event or program.
  • Become familiar with TLA’s legislative priorities

Resources

Advocacy Action Plan Workbook

ALA State Legislative Tool Kit

State of America’s Libraries Report