Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Wisconsin public library directors: Your post-election day to-do list

1.  Call the newly elected members of your city council/village board and your county board to offer your congratulations.  Extend the same courtesy to a newly elected mayor, village president, etc.

2.  Invite them to visit the library.

3.  If possible, schedule the visit at a time when the library is busy.

(Better yet, attend the council/board meeting at which new officials are sworn in and extend the invitation in person. This is a particularly effective approach at the local level.  Admittedly, it can be unwieldy to attempt this type of contact before or after a county board meeting.)

Why is this important?

On average, your municipality and county provide 81% of your library's revenue.


And then be sure to keep everyone in the loop throughout the year.  An email distribution list works well.  More traditionally, Retiring Guy used to place monthly reports and newsletters into the council members' (paper) in-boxes on the day before a council meeting.  Whatever works. (And whatever options are available.)

1 comment:

Unknown said...

What a great list, Paul! A wonderful reminder and an easy-tod-list for novices. Following your advice will put us all on the right path to great relationships with our elected officials. Thanks for putting this together.