Media coverage continues to highlight the surge in library visits during tough economic times
Contact: Jennifer Petersen
ALA PR Coordinator
312-280-5043
NEWS
For Immediate Release
June 30, 2009
CHICAGO -The American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Information Office (PIO) continues to obtain coverage about the surge in library usage during tough economic times.
More than 900 placements on this topic have appeared on TV, radio, Web sites and in print. More than 800 million people have seen, heard or read stories about the surge since fall of 2008, when PIO began its media outreach efforts.
Recently, the PIO worked with NBC’s “Today” show on a segment entitled “Libraries lend a hand in tough times,” which ran on June 11, and encouraged other NBC affiliates to run the story. The segment highlights the increase in public library use and the role libraries play in helping American’s find work. It can be viewed at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31237988#31237988Ã Ã
Other stories include the
NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News on
Dec. 31 and
Feb. 2,
CNN as it appeared on Los Angeles’s KCAL-TV,
National Public Radio (NPR),
Chicago Sun Times,
Washington Post,
Parade Magazine,
Huffington Post and The New York Times blog
Freakonomics,
The PIO also has developed tools to help librarians publicize the surge in visits in their communities. Press releases, talking points and an FAQ can be found in the “Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit” at
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/advocacyuniversity/toolkit/index.cfm