VIRTUAL LIBRARY LEGISLATIVE DAY

Kris Adams Wendt, Director of the Rhinelander District Library, and one of the Co-Chairs of Library Legislative Day advises that it is not too late to do your part regarding LLD. She passes on the following information:

Greetings, colleagues and friends!

Those of us who attended LLD on January 23rd need your help! Even if you could not join us, you can still be an important cog in the library advocacy process!

Please write a letter to your state senator and assembly representative in support of libraries and on behalf of the people - THEIR constituents - that you serve. That's TWO letters. They can be identical. You can do this! Having those letters on legislators' desks shortly after Library Legislative Day will be a tremendous help to your colleagues who made face-to-face connections. Actual letters carry more weight than emails and will be noted for future reference. Visualize a thick folder of library letters! Make it happen!

(An overview of current issues was posted to this blog yesterday. You can also go to the WLA website at http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/issues.htm
For legislative names and addresses go to http://waml.legis.state.wi.us/ and enter your home address)

Recipe for a letter:

First Paragraph: Identify yourself as a librarian, trustee or library supporter. Tell where you work or most frequently access library services. Explain that although you could not attend Library Legislative Day on 1/23, you are writing in support of the Wisconsin Library Association 2007 Library Legislative Agenda (or equivalent for WEMA).
Second Paragraph: Encourage the legislator and his/her staff to visit the WLA website for an overview of the issues and budgetary items of particular concern. Give the address: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/priorities.htm
Third Paragraph: Write a couple of sentences about the way all types of libraries work together and how this cooperation stretches tax dollars as well as saving money for individual citizens personally on a daily basis OR write a couple of sentences about one item on the legislative agenda that is particularly important to you and your library.
Fourth paragraph: Personalize the letter with one (1) very brief actual story about a customer to whom your library made a difference. Of course no names are mentioned (what happens in the library stays in the library); you're looking to put a face on why our work is important and letting the legislator picture this satisfied citizen as one of his/her voters. You can do this! We are word persons; we tell stories every day!
Fifth and final paragraph: Invite the legislator to stop by your library for a tour the next time he/she is in the area. Thank him/her for his/her support of libraries in the past. (no need to go into detail as to HOW - the assumption of friendliness and support will contribute to a self-fulfilling prophesy!) Indicate you look forward to contacting him/her in the future and would be happy to act as a resource for him/her in your community.
Sign your name! You're done!

Remember that big wheels are set in motion by all the little wheels they come in contact with!

Write those letters! Do it today!