You might think that library directors make the best advocates, since no one understands the library’s budget and needs better than they do. But the library director is going to be viewed as self serving when s/he asks the local elected officials for a larger budget. The same is true of any other department head or the staff from these publicly funded institutions. But what if that message is carried by a respected citizen or business owner in the community? Then the elected officials take notice. Do library staff have any role in supporting the institution they love? Of course they do! Citizens who advocate on behalf of the library need to be educated and organized to do effective lobbying. The library director needs to be sure that citizen advocates have the right information about the library’s services, budget, and needs for serving the community.
-Peter Pearson
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