The Power of Advocacy to Promote Service
As future librarians, we are ever mindful of our
responsibility to the public. The ethic
of service is the polestar of our profession from which all other rights and
duties flow. Whether we are engaging
patrons at our local public library, educating college students at the USF
library, or assisting health professionals create innovative treatment
techniques, our commitment to service is an aspect of our profession that comes
naturally to us. It is our raison d'être.
In order to serve the community, however, we need help from
those who furnish the budgets that keep our libraries alive. This is not an easy task, especially in light
of today’s economic environment. As local
governments look to cut costs due to shrinking revenues, it is important that
librarians advocate for themselves in order to explain to our communities the
necessity of libraries.
Advocacy, however, is a difficult skill. It takes years to acquire and master. It also requires a receptive audience. Fortunately, for us in the State of Florida, we
have people who are effective advocates for our profession.
This year I was able to participate in the Florida Library
Association’s “Legislative Day” at the state capitol in Tallahassee. I, along with other eager graduate assistants
and students in the MLIS program, travelled to the capital and joined the Tampa
Bay Library Consortium as we shadowed library leaders during their advocacy
rounds with politicians and policy makers.
I was fortunate to be paired with Barbara Gubbins and Brenda Simmons
from the Jacksonville public library system.
Having met the night before, I was welcomed into their delegation as we
walked the halls of the capitol talking to legislative leaders about this year’s
budget.
I was amazed and inspired by their advocacy. I was also encouraged by the support we
received from people such as Senator Audrey Gibson and Representative Janet Adkins
from Jacksonville, both strong and effective voices on behalf of our profession.
To them, we didn’t have to answer the question ”why they should help us.” Instead, they were concerned with what they
could do and how could they help us succeed.
Our day concluded with a trip to the Florida Archives at the
R.A. Gray building. There we were
greeted by archivists and state library administrators. We learned much about the important work that
is done on our behalf by the Division of Library and Administration Services.
By the time we left that day, we all had truly learned the
power and necessity of advocacy in support of our commitment to service.