ALA to co-sponsor two advocacy programs during 2007 TLA Annual Conference
Contact: Marci Merola
PR Specialist, Advocacy
312-280-2431
mmerola@ala.org
John Amundsen
PR Assistant, Advocacy
312-280-5041
jamundsen@ala.org
For Immediate Release
April 3, 2007
ALA to co-sponsor two advocacy programs during 2007 TLA Annual Conference
CHICAGO - In partnership with Texas Library Association (TLA) and Texas Woman's University (TWU), The American Library Association (ALA) will co-sponsor two advocacy programs on Thursday, April 12, during TLA's 2007 Annual Conference held April 11-14, in San Antonio. The programs are part of ALA's Advocacy Institute initiative.
The TLA Library Friends, Trustees and Advocates Round Table will present "The ABC's of Advocacy," at 4p.m. at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center. As elected officials continue to make decisions that impact libraries of all types, there is a renewed need for informed and proactive advocates. Keynote speaker Sally Reed, executive director, Friends of Libraries USA (FOLUSA), will discuss arming advocates with the means to influence decision makers on legislative issues. Attendance to this program is included with TLA conference registration.
Also, The School of Library and Information Studies of Texas Woman's University will present "Creating Advocacy Leaders: An Advocacy Institute Program," from 4 - 5 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. This program will focus on the need to create advocacy leaders to advance the library message and organize library supporters at the grassroots level. Carol Brey-Casiano, chair of the Library Advocacy Now! subcommittee of the ALA Public Awareness Committee, director of the El Paso (Texas) Public Library and ALA past president will moderate the training, as well as host a breakout session on organizing communities.
"As we look to the future of library advocacy," said Brey-Casiano. "The need to create advocacy leaders who will take our message forward, organizing library supporters at the grassroots level, becomes increasingly critical. Join us to learn how you can be part of future efforts to mobilize library supporters across our nation, as part of the Library Advocacy Now! Network." There is no fee to attend the TWU program, and registration at the TLA conference is not required. For more information, please visit
http://www.txla.org/conference/conf.html.
The Advocacy Institute is coordinated by the Advocacy Institute Task Force of the Public Awareness Committee in cooperation with The Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA), The Chapter Relations Committee, The Committee on Legislation and Friends of Libraries USA (FOLUSA).
For more information, visit
www.ala.org/advocacyinstitute . The Advocacy Institute is made possible by a grant from the Ford Foundation. For more information, visit
www.fordfound.org .
