Crafting ethical narratives for advocacy and impact

CHICAGO — In today’s polarized landscape, libraries face two key challenges: the difficulty of turning raw data into narratives that effectively advocate for libraries, and the ethical complexities of representing communities in these stories. Kate McDowell’s “Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries: Crafting Ethical Narratives for Advocacy and Impact,” published by ALA Neal-Schuman as the newest volume in the Critical Cultural Information Studies series, is a vital toolkit that empowers librarians and information professionals to transform data into ethical, compelling narratives that connect with communities and advocate for their organizations. This book teaches both the practicalities of data storytelling and introduces critical approaches that ensure stories are inclusive, socially just, and impactful. Readers will find the book essential for communicating library value to help secure funding, resources, and community support. Applying theory to real-world scenarios, chapters cover:

• the dynamic interrelationships between storyteller, audience, and story which lie at the heart of storytelling;
• ways to mesh library data collection processes with long-term storytelling potential, prioritizing interaction over transaction;
• three time-honored and effective narrative strategies for organizing the informational and emotional content of library data stories, easily adaptable for any situation;
• approaches for emphasizing inclusivity and justice to ensure that library advocates can tell stories that challenge stereotypes, promote equity, and align their efforts with broader ethical and social goals;
• audience attitudes as challenges and opportunities for library data communication; and
• strategies for maintaining open and transparent public communication in the face of rampant misinformation and active disinformation campaigns.

2022 recipient of the ASIS&T Outstanding Information Science Teacher Award, McDowell regularly teaches both storytelling and data storytelling courses, and has worked with regional, national, and international nonprofits, including the Pan-American Health Organization, the Public Library Association, and the Research Institute for Public Libraries. Her nationally funded project, the Data Storytelling Toolkit for Libraries, with co-PI Matthew Turk, is currently under development. McDowell’s storytelling research has involved training collaborations with both the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois system (Chicago, Springfield); storytelling consulting work for multiple nonprofits (including the 50th anniversary of the statewide Prairie Rivers Network that protects Illinois waterways); and regular storytelling workshops for the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois. She formerly served as the interim associate dean for academic affairs and as assistant dean for student affairs at the iSchool and has led multiple transformative projects there.

ALA Neal-Schuman’s Critical Cultural Information Studies series is edited by Dr. Nicole A. Cooke, Augusta Baker Endowed Chair and Associate Professor at The School of Information Science, University of South Carolina.

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