HomeSAL Sample Media Advisory

SAMPLE RALLY MEDIA ADVISORY

NOTE: Media advisories should be no more than one page long and must have a date and contact name and phone number for reporters.

SAMPLE Media Advisory Contacts: [NAME/PHONE NUMBER & AFTER HOURS PHONE NUMBER IF DIFFERENT]

[DATE]

WHAT: [YOUR LIBRARY] will publicly rally to bring attention to the Campaign to Save America's Libraries -- a public awareness effort focused on the impact of library funding cuts nationwide.

WHO: [LIST OF KEY SPEAKERS] and library advocates from across the [CITY/STATE] will speak out against cuts in school, public and academic libraries.

WHEN: [DAY OF WEEK, DATE, and TIME]

WHERE: [LOCATION with ROOM NUMBER and SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS]

WHY: Our library isn't alone. The three libraries serving Salinas, California, are slated to close this year. Buffalo & Erie County Public Libraries in New York narrowly avoided closing its 52 libraries, but is still facing $2.5 million in cuts. Only two Oregon school libraries have enough staff and funding to meet the state's Quality Education Model. We [TELL YOUR GENERAL STORY IN A TIGHT PHRASE.] And the list goes on.

Millions of Americans pass through libraries each year, but without adequate support, these resources may not be there when students, families, senior citizens, professors, business people and others need them most.

((PUBLIC LIBRARIES)) In a recent national survey, two-thirds of respondents said access to a local public library was "very valuable," and another 27 percent rated it "valuable." Sixty-three percent support increasing taxes for public library services. Public library use and circulation of library materials continue to climb well over 1 billion each year.

((SCHOOL LIBRARIES)) Research shows the highest achieving students attend schools with good library media centers, and students visit their school library media centers almost 1.5 billion times during te school year. Yet, Americans spend seven times as much money on home video games as they do on school library materials.

((ACADEMIC LIBRARIES)) While college and research libraries are an important part of the learning community, they receive less than three cents of every dollar spent on higher education.

HIGHLIGHTS:

LIST YOUR SPEAKERS HERE, AND WHERE THEY ARE FROM

For more information, or to schedule an interview, call [YOUR MEDIA CONTACT] (THE MEDIA CONTACT NUMBER, E-MAIL ADDRESS AND CELL NUMBER).