Advocacy

Championing Children's Services Toolkit
A project of the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) Public Awareness Committee, this toolkit is an advocacy tool for children’s library workers, along with additional resources to help you make the case for the work you do. The toolkit is only 8 pages long (plus a cover page). It is truly digestible in a single sitting and easy to act upon.

Everyday Advocacy
An initiative of ALSC, Everyday Advocacy offers a collection of resources designed to empower library staff to take action in their libraries, communities, and beyond. Advocacy is so important, but that doesn't mean it has to be intimidating. Everyday Advocacy highlights ideas and tips that are quick, easy to implement, and highly doable. The site's goal is to develop powerful advocates for children and library service to children.

ALA: Advocacy, Legislation, & Issues
This page from the American Library Association brings together a wealth of information and resources for library advocacy, on an array of issues related to library service. 

Ohio Library Council Advocacy Resources
The OLC makes available various resources including a Return on Investment calculator, talking points for communication with state and local elected officials, and downloadable fact sheets. The Ohio Library Council Government Relations Committee is dedicated to enhancing the role of public libraries as advocates for library services and library patrons.

Groundwork Ohio
A nonpartisan advocacy organization, Groundwork Ohio works to educate key decision makers in our state about the importance of quality, early learning and healthy development.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children: Build Your Advocacy Skills
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) provides many useful tools and informational resources about advocacy. Note that the NAEYC materials are oriented toward individuals associated with 501(c)(3) organizations.

Reading Rockets Advocacy Research
A listing of recent research and reports to support advocacy for young children and education from Reading Rockets, a national multimedia project supporting reading acquisition.

Zero to Three Policy Center
Zero to Three is a national nonprofit organization that informs, trains and supports professionals, policymakers and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of young children. This page features articles and tools on all of Zero to Three’s policy advocacy efforts to support babies and toddlers.

The National Center for Families Learning
The National Center for Families Learning provides online learning and literacy communities, as well as early literacy research and support to address the growing educational needs of low-income and ethnically diverse families.

Growing Young Minds: How Museums and Libraries Create Lifelong Learners (PDF)
A report released in June 2013 by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and the Institute of Museum and Library Services affirms that libraries and museums are key to early learning, and calls upon policymakers, practitioners, and parents to make full use of libraries and museums, and the skills and talents of those who work in them, to close knowledge and opportunity gaps and give all children a strong start in learning.

Ohio Library Council                    State Library of Ohio