Advocacy & Issues

Advocacy Resources
Advocacy, the process of acting on behalf of the public library to increase public funds and ensure that it has the resources needed to be up to date, is critical to the success of libraries. Through tools, training, and education, PLA is committed to providing you with information and resources to help you become an even better advocate for your library.

E-Book Advocacy 
PLA is joining with national public library organizations representing the vast majority of public libraries in North America to call for change in e-book pricing models to improve access to digital content.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice
PLA advocates for equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice in order to enable every member, library, and community group to fully and equally participate in a society mutually shaped to meet their needs.

Intellectual Freedom
ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom has a wealth of resources to support libraries preparing for or experiencing challenges. Unite Against Book Bans is ALA's national initiative to empower readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship. In addition to these free resources, the PLA Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships Committee has compiled a list of additional resources, specifically relevant to public libraries.

Opioid Crisis Response
As the impact of the opioid epidemic has been felt across the country, public libraries have joined with other community organizations to address new needs and demands related to the crisis. In 2018, PLA began its collaboration with OCLC to collect and share knowledge and resources to support public libraries and their partners in addressing the opioid crisis.

Workforce Development
From connecting job seekers with employers, to educating and advancing the work of the next generation of entrepreneurs, libraries are established centers for learning and advancement. PLA’s advocacy and programming help libraries nationwide respond to these critical community needs strengthened workforce collaborations and expanded services.