Raising awareness of public libraries
Readers of eNews may be interested to hear of work that is currently being undertaken across the Atlantic to raise the profile of public libraries during challenging economic times.
In countries where recession has hit hardest, libraries are inevitably a target for cutbacks, in the competition for scarce resources. Yet evidence shows that public library visitation is also increasing in this difficult period as citizens make economies at home and choose to use free communal resources at the library instead.
To counter the effects of the economic downturn in the US, OCLC has partnered with the Gates Foundation to develop a public information campaign that will help public library leaders heighten awareness of the needs of local libraries and increase support for their services. Later in the year, OCLC will make available community awareness campaign materials and other guides to assist leaders throughout the US in their efforts to strengthen support for local libraries.
The news comes on the back of a report that was published in 2008, entitled "From Awareness to Funding". The findings of this report make interesting reading for anyone involved in advocacy work with public libraries. For instance:
"Most US residents are aware of the traditional 'informational' library services, such as books, newspapers, magazines and internet access. Far fewer know about the many value-added and 'transformational' services provided by their libraries, such as teen programs, computer training and 'English as a second language' (ESL) classes."
The report goes on to conclude that libraries need to focus on conveying the message that they are a service with the power to transform lives, to secure funding for the future.
Read the full press release on the OCLC initiative with the Gates Foundation.