Libraries As Agencies of Impact

Last night I drove an hour each way to stand with my colleagues in the Illinois Library community to support a Director and a Board who are standing strong against hate. 

This library is in my personal system-- Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) and representatives from RAILS and ILA leadership were there last night, as well as a half dozen others, plus representatives from the LGBTQ community.

We filled the room with love and support. No one on the other side was there (despite their constant harassment) and the Board President told us there have never been so many people to a Board meeting ever.

This is what happens when you show up for a library-- even if it isn't yours. None of us are part of this library, but we are all part of the library community. The Board, who were already standing strong for inclusion and respect (and after training from Robin and I had followed all the rules and had everything in writing before anything happened), were so happy to see the support. Every member of the Board publicly said so. 

Now they have literally seen the love. When the negative chirping keeps reverberating from a few, they can recall us filling out their program room to show we disagree,

We all need to do this more. And back to my specific library system, RAILS. They have done more than show up at meetings, they are trying to set an example for all IL libraries and, by posting their work online for free, the entire library community, through their report Libraries as Agencies of Impact.

You can go here to read the entire report but here is the introduction:

Message from RAILS

At RAILS, our mission statement, "We Connect Libraries," reflects our belief in the transformative power of libraries. We go beyond brick-and-mortar walls, fostering collaboration and resource-sharing to empower libraries of all types and sizes.

This guide dives deep into the quantifiable impact of Illinois libraries, equipping you with data to demonstrate their value to your stakeholders. Whether you're a librarian, a board member, or a community advocate, this information will help you showcase:

• Return on Investment: Explore data revealing the tangible benefits libraries deliver in exchange for their operational costs.
• Staffing Expertise: Understand the qualifications and dedication of library professionals, highlighting their unique contribution to communities.
• Community Reach: Discover the extensive reach of libraries, showcasing how they serve diverse populations and bridge information gaps.

This information is crucial for everyone invested in the future of Let's turn the page and discover the undeniable value of Illinois libraries.

Monica Harris, Executive Director

At this link you can read the entire report in a text only version or go here to see a presentation version. These are posted online and for free so that you can share this in IL, or anywhere really in America, to show why our libraries are vital to communities, and as a result, our entire country

RAILS has also created talking point PDFs for each library type with instructions on how to engage the public in these conversations. You can see all of them here, but as an example I took a screen shot of the top half of the Public Library one.

At that page on their My Library Is... advocacy blog, they also have this encouragement:

Using Talking Points

It’s likely that there will never be a time when you can cover all of these points in one conversation, and not all may apply to you or your audience, specifically. Instead, choose items that work for you, the topics that will be of greatest interest to the person you are speaking with, and the talking points you are most comfortable addressing.

Don’t feel obligated to recite these talking points verbatim. Instead of memorizing, it may be more helpful to use your own words and add your own personal experience in order to make them your own and create a memorable story that will leave a lasting impression.

Finally, don’t forget to practice, among friends and colleagues and those in your library. This gets easier with repetition. The most important thing is to feel comfortable in what you are saying and to get the conversation started.

Back to me and last night. It was not easy, even for me, to stand up and address people (who were present) who doubled down on their anger at being told they cannot actively spew hate and still be welcome to be a part of their library's book discussion group. But I did it because the Library is an agency of impact, it is an example of what is best about America and its citizen, and it is worth fighting for.

Every single one of us, who work in or use our libraries, needs to take a look at the data driven reports RAILS has gathered. Make sure that you are not waiting for something to happen in your community, but rather, be proactive by advocating for libraries as agencies of impact. Get in front of the issue and be the first to speak out. Set the agenda; don't wait for others to define us as things we are not. 

And here are the tools to help you get started thanks to RAILS.