Category Archives: advocacy

July 24, 2010 · 2:32 pm

Arizona Library Association Annual Conference

The Information Activist Librarian will be the keynote speaker for this year’s Arizona Library Association’s Annual Conference.

Location: Scottsdale, AZ

Date: Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

Time: 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM

Title: Pushing it Forward: Social Justice, Civic Librarianship and Information Activism

Description: While libraries and library staff contribute to the profession and the world, we sometimes forget about our own communities.  Anthony Molaro will share his story and ideas on how libraries and librarians can create a more just world.  If knowledge is power, but inaccessible, what good is it?  It is time for us to reunite information and people.

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Filed under advocacy, information activist, presentation, publications

July 12, 2010 · 5:53 pm

Chicago Public Library Under Fire

Our local Fox news affiliate ran an inflammatory and libelous assault on Chicago Public Library’s on June 28th with a piece titled “Are libraries necessary, or a waste of tax money?”  The piece was poorly done.  The reporter showed a non-circulating periodical stacks area to “show the library is not used” among other slanderous untruths.  The Commissioner, Mary Dempsey, respond with a firm but elegant response. In this beautiful crafted letter, Commissioner Dempsey refutes the reporters claim line by line.

The amazing thing about this story is that the majority of comments on the story or the Commissioner’s response seem to indicate STRONG PUBLIC support for the library.  I hope we librarians capitalize on the groundswell of support we are getting from the public’s outcry over stories like this and slashes to our budget.

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Filed under advocacy, Chicago

March 25, 2010 · 6:19 pm

A great post on library advocates

My friend Leah over at La De Da has published a great post on the Importance of Library Advocates .  We all know that these tough times threaten the very existence of libraries.  But it’s post like these that give us hope.  I suggest checking it out to remind yourself of the importance of advocacy!!!

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Filed under advocacy, information activist