CPD 23 Thing 16: Advocacy, speaking up for the profession and getting published

Thing 16: Advocacy, speaking up for the profession and getting published looked at what can be done to stop library closures and to underline libraries importance in an information economy. Laura discussed such area as the #savethelibraries hashtag, the Voices for the Library and CILIP amongst others. Laura also pointed out:-

Unfortunately it's very hard for public library staff to campaign for their own sector without risking their jobs, so it's very important for people outside of public libraries (and within, where possible) to shout about the role of public libraries and talk about why they're more relevant than ever.

She then looked at what might be needed to become an advocate such as a campaigning toolkit amongst other things.

She also looked at things to Do to become an advocate. Her recommendations where :-

There's plenty you can do to incorporate advocacy into your day-to-day life; the hardest part is working out how. For this Thing:

Consider why it's important to advocate for the section of library and information sector that you work for or want to work in.
Have a think about what advocacy you've been involved in. Give examples so we can pool resources and inspire others to do the same. Or, give an example of some advocacy that you think has been particularly effective – library-related or otherwise.
If you haven't been involved in advocacy, reflect on what your skills are (or which you want to develop), what you're most passionate about and think about what you might be able to do.
If you're passionate about public libraries and want to help – let Voices for the Library know! We're keen to get more people involved with things like asking organisations and well-known figures for supporting statements, securing sponsorship, liaising with other campaigning bodies and representing us at events.
If you've got any potential content for That's Not Online! let Jacqueline know.
Think about where advocacy fits in with professionalism – maybe comment on Johanna's blog post about Activism, Advocacy and Professional Identity or if you can get hold of any, look at some job descriptions and identify where you think the advocacy might fit within the requirements of the roles.


Ihave done some advocacy. Very lazy advocacy. This was setting up voices for the library wikipedia page.