Advocacy

From ALA Chapters

Chapters and Advocacy

ALA’s Efforts

The following are links to several of ALA’s library advocacy efforts:

See also ALA’s Office for Library Advocacy.

Connecting with local governments

Beginning this fall ALA has been taking the library value message directly to local government officials, and soon to school administrators, the decision makers on majority of funding received by public and school libraries. See also Showing Library Value to Local Government, from the Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit.

ALA provides online grassroots advocacy program (Capwiz) to Chapters

As a result of the efforts of the Chapter Relations Office, and in collaboration with the ALA Washington Office, 43 ALA Chapters maintain their own Capwiz websites (ALA provides online grassroots advocacy program to Chapters). This allows visitors to a Chapter websites to contact both state and federal members of Congress.

Take Action, through ALA's Legislative Action Center pages, employs Capwiz. See also Select Capwiz Sites, which features sites using Capwiz for advocacy, and which may provide ideas to enhance your own Capwiz sites.

Directly below are links to the legislation and advocacy pages of chapters participating through Capwiz. (Only Maine and Ohio have opted not to participate. Their pages link to their websites.)

Chapters and I Love Libraries

ILoveLibraries.org is a Web site designed for the people who use and love libraries, and for taking action on behalf of libraries. Members of ALA Chapters are encouraged to send their news stories, essays, articles, and other writings to lovelibraries.org.

Ilovelibraries is particularly looking for written, feature articles of 500-1500 words, and Library Showcase featurettes of 300-500 words, as well as accompanying artwork, if possible. Further details are found on its Editorial Guidelines page.

Want to share ILoveLibraries.org with the world? Download our badges for your website!

Lobbyists

Job Description

Question(Massachusetts, October 2005): I am gathering job descriptions for lobbyist positions of library associations.

Answers:

Oklahoma:

Oklahoma uses the following contract letter to contract with our lobbyist:

This letter will serve as a formal agreement for your position as the lobbyist for the Oklahoma Library Association. On August 20, 2004 the OLA Executive Board approved $10,000 as compensation for your services. The fee will be paid to you in two equal payments in March and May 2005.

Contract Period: January - May 2005

Lobbyist duties:

§ Meet with the OLA Legislative Committee monthly

§ Present a legislative update at the annual OLA Legislative Day

§ Identify issues and concerns during the legislative session of interest to librarians and libraries. Be available to advise the Legislative Committee co-chairs as contact persons for the Association during the legislative session. Keep them informed about legislative issues to communicate to Association members and committees

§ Assist the Legislative co-chairs in setting up appointments as needed with key members of the legislature

§ Before July 1, following the end of the 2005 Legislative Session, submit a short written report summarizing your activities in promoting library-related legislation and recommendations for the coming legislative session.

If this contract is acceptable, please sign both copies, return one to Kay Boies, OLA, 300 Hardy Drive, Edmond, OK 73013, and keep one copy for your files. If you have questions, please contact me. Thank you for your dedication to and support of Oklahoma Libraries.

Missouri:

The Missouri Library Association Handbook directs the following:

6.2.1 Guidelines on the hiring and retention of a Legislative Advocate

1. The term of the contract of a Legislative Advocate shall generally be for 12 months

2. The performance of the Legislative Advocate shall be reviewed by the MLA officers after ten months of each annual contract to determine his/her retention.

3. A contract shall be entered into by MLA and the Legislative Advocate, the terms of which shall be approved by the Executive Board of MLA.

4. Any contract shall include specific terms for the dissolution of said contract.

5. The amount of remuneration to the Legislative Advocate shall be approved by the Executive Board of MLA.

6. The Legislative Advocate will be required to deliver a report to the membership of MLA at the Annual Conference.

We are about to renegotiate our legislative advocate contract and we are working on the current draft, which reads as follows:

Legislative Advocacy Agreement

10.4.05 Draft

This Agreement is made and entered into on the day of _____________, 200 , between the Assn and Lobbyist, doing business as Lobbyist.

Assn desires to employ Lobbyist as a registered lobbyist with the understanding that Lobbyist has a number of years of experience in governmental affairs, has represented clients before the Legislature, and wishes to represent and register as a lobbyist on behalf of Assn.

1.Assn hereby employs Lobbyist as a registered lobbyist and legislative representative (governmental consultant) for a self-renewing period of one year, unless otherwise terminated, beginning January 1, 200 and ending December 31, 200 .

2.Lobbyist duties include the following:

A.Lobbyist shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of Assn Legislative Committee and shall perform such duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by Assn President or his or her designee, including contracting for an Advocacy Day reception, acquiring an award trophy, and making personal appearances and giving legislative updates to groups other than Assn such as xxx and xxx. At the discretion of the President or his or her designee, such duties may be assigned by the Chair of Assn Legislative Committee.

B.Lobbyist shall monitor all legislation directly affecting Assn and represent Assn’s legislative interests to members of the Legislature, House and Senate committees, the State Library, and agencies and organizations and their representatives with interests common to Assn’s.

C.Lobbyist shall provide Assn with an Annual Report of Activities Treated as Lobbying Under Section 162(e) of the Internal Revenue Code.

D.Lobbyist shall provide in-person reports to Assn membership at the Annual Membership Meeting conducted each year in conjunction with Assn Annual Conference and shall report to the Executive Board at least one time each year as requested

E.Lobbyist shall provide periodic written reports to Assn Legislative Committee via the legislate electronic distribution list and report in-person to the Committee upon notice of scheduled meetings.

F.Lobbyist shall provide an annual written report of activities and outcomes following his annual presentation to the membership.

3.In compensation for any and all service Lobbyist may provide to Assn, Assn shall pay Lobbyist $$ per year, payable in twelve equal monthly installments of $$ per month, payable on the last day of each month during the term of the agreement.

4.In the event of Lobbyist death during the term of this agreement, this agreement shall terminate on the last day of the month during with the death occurred. Either party may, upon thirty days notice, terminate the working relationship. Termination for cause shall be initiated upon discovery of a substantial failure to perform duties as described in Section 2 above.

5.Assn and Lobbyist agree that Lobbyist shall be reimbursed for his reasonable and necessary expenses including copies, phone charges, project related postage, reception charges, trophy costs, and the like. Reimbursable expense shall be documented, and Assn payment based upon receipt of original invoices and actual receipts, and shall not exceed $$ without prior written approval.

6.Agreement terms are approved by Assn’s Executive Board. Review and pre-approval of expenses is the responsibility of the Assn President or his or her designee.

7.Assn’s Executive Committee in conjunction with the Assn’s Legislative Committee Chair shall review Lobbyist’s performance during month ten (October) of this twelve month agreement in order to determine his retention for the coming year.

Finding the terms of this agreement acceptable the parties or their authorized representatives have signed below.

Association

By

                                                                       , President

Lobbyist

By

     Lobbyist

Washington:

WLA LEGISLATIVE LOBBYIST JOB DESCRIPTION

A.Directs on a year-round basis a full-scale legislative program utilizing all available government relations tools and implements policies set forth by the WLA Executive Board through the Association's Legislative Planning Committee. Government relations activities may include, but not be limited to:

1.Drafts or otherwise prepares legislation;

2.Seeks out legislative sponsors in both parties for bills to be introduced by WLA; takes all necessary action within the legislature to obtain passage of bills;

3.Contacts and confers with members of the legislative and executive branches to persuade them to support legislation favorable to WLA's legislative priorities;

4.Studies proposed legislation to determine possible effects on libraries;
5.Confers with legislators and staff of legislative committees as appropriate, emphasizing weaknesses or merits of specific bills to influence passage, defeat or amendment of bills.

B.Meets with local librarians to identify problems which may be solvable through legislative action.

C.Educates and assists local librarians, trustees and library employees in the fundamentals of grass-roots lobbying.

D.Organizes meetings between librarians and legislators; assists in planning Library Legislative Day.

E.Identifies issues for the Legislative Planning Committee and develops proposed positions on these issues; writes and distributes position papers on current issues for legislators and grass-roots lobbying.

F.Monitors and recommends positions on issues which do not directly affect libraries.

G.Interacts with departments of the executive branch of state government to seek inclusion of WLA legislation in their packages of legislation as appropriate; interacts with allied professional and trade associations to develop coalitions to advance WLA's legislative priorities.

H.Prepares, produces and distributes a newsletter (the OLYMPIA REPORT) on legislative events and the current status of bills of interest to the library community during the legislative session, adds pertinent legislative information to the Washington Library Website during and between sessions, disseminates library related bills to designated Legislative Committee Co-Chair for analysis and distribution to the appropriate Legislative Committee member(s),and distributes copies of committee rosters and other documents.

I.Meets with local groups to present the library position on issues resulting from legislation affecting libraries.

J.Plans with the Legislative Co-Chairpersons for testimony of individual librarians, friends of the library, trustees and/or others who can testify at legislative hearings in support of WLA's position on a particular issue.

K.Registers with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission and provides the WLA Treasurer with copies of the Lobbyist Registration Form, L-1, and the monthly Report of Expenditures, Form L-2, which are filed with the Commission; assists in preparing the PDC, Form L-3, Annual Lobbyist Employer's Report.

L.Attends meetings of, and reports to, the Legislative Planning Committee, Executive Board, and the membership at the annual WLA conference, and other meetings upon request by the Legislative Co-Chairpersons.

M.Alerts both Legislative Co-Chairpersons to notify librarians, friends groups, trustees and others, as appropriate, to communicate with members of the legislature.

N.Immediate supervision will be provided by the Legislative Co-Chairpersons with ultimate supervision residing in the WLA President.

O.Arrange weekly e-mail, conference call or other method to communicate legislative updates to the President, Vice President, Legislative Committee Co-Chair, and PR Committee Chair during legislative session. Arrange monthly e-mail, conference call or other method to communicate strategy related information to the same individuals between sessions.

Advocacy

From ALA Chapters

Contents

Chapters and Advocacy

ALA’s Efforts

Connecting with local governments

ALA provides online grassroots advocacy program (Capwiz) to Chapters

Chapters and I Love Libraries

Lobbyists

Job Description

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