Legislative Training For Library Workers

Library Legislative Day has the potential to be one of the most effective and politically powerful days of the year. This is an excellent opportunity to meet with your state’s leaders and advocate for renewed interest in funding libraries at the state level, build support for pieces of legislation that are favorable to libraries, and to cultivate political power to fight against anti-library legislation. However, the success of your legislative day is dependent upon being prepared and understanding the desired goals and outcomes in order to will set you up for a year of political success.


For more information about my presentations and workshops, visit pcsweeney.com/speaking

1. LEGISLATIVETRAININGPatrick “PC” Sweeney
pcsweeney.com
everylibrary.org
@pcsweeney
@everylibrary

2. ABOUT THISPRESENTATION

3. EveryLibrary
about

4. LIBRARYECOSYSTEM
about

5. WHY ARE WETALKING TO
POLITICIANS?

6. BUT LIBRARIANS CAN’T
BE POLITICAL!

7. 2. Pew, May 2013
3 and 4. Harris Interactive | ALA, January 2011
CIVIC ATTITUDES
the
data
‣94% of Parents say libraries are important for
their children. 79% say “very important”.2
‣58% of Americans have a library card.3
‣62% of card holders have visited the library in
the last year at least once.4

12. POLITICALPARTYDOESN’TMATTER
the data

13. WHAT DOES MATTER?
the data

14. YOUWHATDOES THAT MEAN?
strategy

15. SELF REFLECTION
strategy

17. POLITICAL ACTIVISTS HAVE
THREE RESOURCES

18. WHAT INFLUENCES
POLITICS?
strategy

19. WHAT CANWEGET?
strategy

20. SUCCESSFUL LEGISLATIVE VISITS AND MEETINGS

22. “WE GOT IT BECAUSE WE
ASKED”

23. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT NOW?

25. HAYCOCKRULE

26. DREAD PIRATE ROBERTS

27. RICK PERRY’S GLASSES

28. —it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we
think it should be. That means working in the system.”
SAUL ALINSKY

29. LANGUAGE

30. STORIES NOT STATS

34. DON’T FORCE YOUR VIEWS ON THEM

38. HOMEWORK

39. WHO ARE THEIR DONORS?

40. ORGANIZATIONS?

41. WHAT COMMITTEES?

42. LIBRARY VOTING HISTORY

43. UNDERSTAND THEIR DISTRICT AND ISSUES

44. Building voter support for libraries
WHAT IS THEIR PLATFORM?

45. WHERE CAN
WE
FIND THIS
INFORMATION?
1) Campaign Websites
2) State Legislator Websites
3) Their Social Media
4) Email Lists
5) Ask them!

46. MEETING THE LEGISLATOR

47. STAFFER
‣First person you meet
‣Makes the appointments
‣Puts you on the agenda

48. BEFORE YOU WALK IN

49. TAKE A BREATH

50. YOU ARE JUDGED IN THE FIRST 30 SECONDS

51. FIRST IMPRESSIONS

52. HANDSHAKES

53. YOUR ATTITUDE MATTERS
SMILE
BE POSITIVE
FRIENDLY

54. MAKE EYE CONTACT

55. MEETING POSTURE

56. PHYSICAL AND VERBAL CUES

57. ASK
OPEN-ENDED
QUESTIONS
1) What do you think of libraries?
2) What can libraries do for you
and your position?
3) What can we do to support your
work?
4) What are you working on
right now?

58. WITH THIS
INFORMATION….

59. PRESENT YOUR
“ASK” AS A
SOLUTION TO THEIR
PROBLEMS

69. THIS IS NOT THE END….

70. KEEP YOUR
RELATIONSHIP!

73. INVITE THEM IN

74. GIVE THEM A OPPORTUNITIES

75. GIVE THEM A PLACE

76. TALK ABOUT THEM

77. CONTINUOUSLY REINFORCE YOUR
ROLE IN THEIR AGENDA!

78. GET PERSONAL!

82. LEGISLATIVETRAININGPatrick “PC” Sweeney
pcsweeney.com
everylibrary.org
@pcsweeney
@everylibrary