Turning the Page 2.0
Invest In Your Library's Future
Turning the Page 2.0 is a FREE library advocacy training course developed and presented by the Public Library Association (PLA) with generous support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
In this six-week, facilitated online course, library staff and supporters will learn how to create and tell their library's story, deliver effective presentations, develop a compelling case for support, and build and sustain partnerships along the way.
Participants are encouraged to come with a specific, self-determined advocacy goal for their library. At the end of six weeks, you’ll have a complete Advocacy Work Plan to guide your efforts.
Turning the Page 2.0 consists of the following components:
- In-person kick-off (optional)
- Facilitator-led virtual classroom sessions (1 hour each week for 6 weeks)
- Independent work on Turning the Page online modules (about 1 hour each week)
- Online community for discussion (optional)
- Completion of an Advocacy Work Plan (about 1 hour each week)
- One-on-one feedback via email from professional facilitators (free consultancy)
Previous participants have told PLA that they spend on average three hours per week (18 hours total) on this course. ALA membership is not required to participate.
This course may be eligible for Continuing Education credits in your state. Please check with your state library regarding continuing education credit. PLA is not authorized to issue credits. However, at the end of the course you will receive a certificate indicating which components you completed (virtual classroom session attendance, homework, Advocacy Work Plan) for a possible total of 18 hours. You can then use this certificate to apply for CEUs.
Schedule
Please note: Participants must register separately for the optional in-person kick-off and the online portion of the course. There will be two morning, two afternoon, two evening and one Saturday morning sessions offered. Following your registration and survey, in which you'll indicate your scheduling preferences, PLA will place you in a cohort and send you a class schedule.See How do I register? for more information.
Remaining Dates
|
2012 Optional In-Person Kick-Off Event |
Corresponding 2012 Online Course Dates |
|---|---|
| March 13, 2012 PLA Conference, Philadelphia, Pa. REGISTER NOW! (advance registration closes February 10) |
Week of March 19–Week of April 23, 2012 REGISTER NOW! (registration closes March 7) |
|
June 22, 2012 |
Week of June 25–Week of August 6, 2012 Registration opens May 14, 2012. Check back here then. |
Topics Covered
Week 1: Public Perceptions
Learn recent national research on how voters and elected officials perceive public libraries, and why they support them.
Week 2: Telling Your Story
Apply data to create your own library story.
Week 3: You As a Leader
Develop your own leadership skills to become a more confident advocate in your community.
Week 4: Building Relationships
Learn how to build community networks and relationships to leverage your resources.
Week 5: The “Big Ask”
Focus on effective funding requests.
Week 6: So What's Next?
Lay the foundation for future steps of putting your Advocacy Work Plan into action.
About the Advocacy Work Plan
The Advocacy Work Plan is the cornerstone of Turning the Page 2.0. Participants will choose an advocacy goal for their library and then be guided through the creation of an Advocacy Work Plan during the six-week course.
After completing the online modules and participating in the virtual classroom sessions each week, participants will be ready to work on a couple sections each week of their own Advocacy Work Plan. Facilitators will be available to provide feedback throughout the six weeks, or at the end of the course if preferred. By the end of six weeks, participants will have a road map for making a tangible difference at their library.
Getting Started
- Review the required tech specifications to ensure that you will be able to take this course. A test for the virtual classroom session can be run by clicking this link: http://admin.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm.
- Register for the online portion of the course. Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive an email with a survey that includes a question about your preferred times for the weekly virtual classroom sessions. Following your response, PLA will place you in a cohort and contact you with program information and your schedule.
- Get your computer microphone ready! The virtual classroom sessions rely on your participation, so make sure your computer's microphone is working. Often these are inside your computer, or part of a webcam attached to your computer. If you do not own a microphone, please invest in one for this course. You can get a good one for $5 to $20.
- We know it's tempting, but please do not begin work on Turning the Page online until you have heard from your facilitator, which will be one week before the course begins. This will help you get the most out of the program.
Additional Information
- Who can participate and can I watch a clip from a virtual classroom session?
- What do previous participants think about the course and what are some success stories?
- Who are the facilitators?
- What if I already participated in Turning the Page as part of the Opportunity Online hardware grant?
- How do I register?
- Technical requirements
- FAQ
- Use this flyer to recruit others to your advocacy planning team.
For more information about Turning the Page 2.0, please email Lynn Slawsky at lslawsky@ala.org.
ALA members can still register for the self-paced, unfacilitated version of Turning the Page online. For this version, you will need your ALA membership credentials to register (for the facilitated version you do not).
