...ALA President Cindy Hohl said, “Many library advocates are rightfully concerned about what the next four years hold for our nation’s libraries. Libraries – and many people we serve – are facing unprecedented challenges and uncertainty.
“The Show Up for Our Libraries campaign is a deliberate and well-thought-out plan that calls us to move from awareness to action. Our call is not a knee-jerk response to imminent threats. We must face whatever threats come our way by showing up together – library workers and public supporters in our communities – to advocate for our patrons, our profession and our core values.”...
The American Library Association released the following statement in response to the January 24th announcement that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is arbitrarily dismissing student and parent complaints arising out of public schools’ documented acts of censorship and discrimination:
In their cruel and headlong effort to terminate protections from discrimination for LGBTQIA+ students and students of color, the Department of Education advances the demonstrably false claim that book bans are not real...
ADVOCACY CENTER
Sign Up with the Virginia Library Association as an Advocate!
Click HEREand sign up for the VLA Advocacy Center Mailing List to make sure you're receiving Virginia action alerts and updates on policy issues related to the library field. This will help you keep abreast of legislation that could affect your local library and community.
UNITED FOR LIBRARIES RESOURCES
Virginia library staff and stakeholders (folks like you!) have access to a whole host of resources from United for Libraries.
Given the increasing national scrutiny of public libraries, strong Friends organizations that are steadfast in defending intellectual freedom and are proactively advocating on behalf of the libraries we support are more crucial than ever. Through this program, you will learn how a longstanding Friends organization evolved beyond book sales, created clarity and excitement where fear of the word "advocacy" once existed, and developed a simple framework for library advocacy that any group can put to use.
Opportunity-driven advocacy considers people, place, and platforms. Learn how to best understand and address the needs of state and local legislators, staffers, community organizers, and influencers and engage with or create library supporters—highlighting the library as an invaluable resource that gains community support and funding dollars.
Friends groups make a lasting difference for their libraries. Learn how to ensure your library Friends have a bright future and strategic direction in the areas of recruitment, succession planning, board development, advocacy, and membership. Find out how resources from United for Libraries can help as you grow and strengthen your Friends group. Scalable ideas will be shared for libraries and communities of all sizes. The program will include panel presentations, activities, and idea sharing.
Agenda/Topics
Part 1 – All Ages Welcome: Recruiting Friends (presentation and breakout activity)
Part 2 – The Changing Role of Friends Groups: Friends & Advocacy (panel discussion)
Part 3 – Breakout - Planning next steps for Advocacy and Friends
Part 4 – Lightning Round - Short presentations on recruitment, succession planning, board development, advocacy, and/or membership.
SAVE THE DATE: July 29-31, 2025
This interactive three-day virtual event will feature expert speakers on current topics facing library Trustees, Friends, Foundations, and staff who work with them.
Participate in live Q&A sessions with presenters.
Enjoy exclusive access to keynote speakers and authors.
Receive a certificate of attendance (for live participation or on-demand viewing).
Free registration for Virginia library stakeholders courtesy of the Library of Virginia -- opens in April 2025.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
The Next Step in Grants: Effective Post-Award Management
Managing a grant doesn’t end once you’ve received the award—in fact, it’s often the beginning of your new journey as a grantor. That’s why effective subrecipient management is critical to ensuring that your project runs smoothly, remains compliant, and meets expectations.
From Insight to Action: Using Public Library Data for Decision-Making, Strategic Planning, and Advocacy
From the Research Institute for Public Libraries’ (RIPL).
In this webinar – the final in the 12 Months to Better Library Data webinar series – we will focus on the last step by learning about how three public library workers have used data for decision-making, strategic planning, and advocacy:
Turning Strategy into Action with Theory of Change
You're getting ready to implement a change at your library, from a new strategic plan to a major project. How do you get your staff, partners, or community to understand and align with this new direction? Theory of Change is a powerful tool to help you define a shared vision that everyone can strive for together, while allowing flexibility and autonomy in how they get there. In this webinar, you’ll learn how one library is using Theory of Change to drive strategic alignment while reducing bureaucracy.
Please note, if you register with a non-library issued e-mail address, someone from the Library of Virginia will follow up with you to confirm that you are affiliated with a Virginia library before you can access the content.
BOOKS
titles
Click on the image to learn more about each title, and then use your local library to request them from the Library of Virginia.
QUOTED
"Politicians invested in libraries after [World War II] because they understood it to be an act of American patriotism and a vision for American national security. They had learned, the hard way, the value of having strategic book reserves. Today, some 80 years after the Allied victory, we've forgotten that lesson. Those who argue that our underfunded libraries are obsolete in the age of artificial intelligence and digitized books are ignoring just how vulnerable these new technologies are."
This newsletter is brought to you by the Library Development & Networking Division of the Library of Virginia. Funding for this is provided through the Virginia General Assembly and the Institute for Museum and Library Studies (IMLS).
