Thing 16: Advocacy, speaking up for the profession and getting published

Libraries have always needed advocacy, yet in today's economic turmoil the need to advocate libraries has become a necessity. From the many library closings, budget cuts, program cuts, etc. that we see all around us it is clear that the fundamental advocacy librarians need to do is that of the importance and usefulness of libraries to society. While there are many topics needed to be advocated for libraries, such as the importance of each and every program they offer, we need to start with the most basic of arguments about the place libraries have in society. We librarians need to learn how to best market ourselves and libraries as valuable and necessary services not only to administrative and government leaders, but most importantly to our users and potential users. One great marketing campaign example is from Troy Library where they sparked outrage in the community about the closing of the library by linking the closing of the library to the idea of book burning.