Friday, October 5, 2012

Library Legislative Day Video Promotions (and Related Library Advocacy Activities)

Kentucky Public Library Association.  (2010)
1,238 views.

Generally, the video provides information in 3 parts
  • Kentucky Public Library Legislative Day (my emphasis), including the steps to contact your legislator
    • Find out who represents you
    • Buddy up
    • Make that call!
  • When you arrive at the capitol (e.g., badges are required to access legislators' offices)
    • D.I.Y. advice
      • Dress comfortable
      • Bring ID ("They check everybody!"  Need to walk through metal detector.)
      • Wear yellow clothing
    • F.U.N. advice
      • Find us first (specific room in the capitol)
      • Understand the issues
      • Never accept excuses
  • How nonattendees can participate
    • Postcards (pre-printed)
    • 1-800 message line ("You're gonna talk to a live person, a friendly person, I promise you."
    • Email through state website

The general format uses 5 "talking heads" with lots of quick-cut editing.

At 7:02, more time that most people would care to invest in a video explanation.  (Note: Kentucky attendees set up their own appointments.)

Kentucky Public Library Association Legislative Day (2012)

A couple of familiar faces from the 2012 video, but mostly new faces are allowed to speak -- at length.  The chop/chop/chop editing style has been abandoned and soothing acoustic guitar music is played in the background.  It's a big improvement over the 2010 effort.  Starting around the 3:30 mark, the speaker provides encouragement to those who have never attended.

Watching this video, you'll get a sense of the effectiveness of attendees wearing a particular color -- yellow, in this case.  Even the ugly tie works for me!



Related advocacy stuff

California Library Association.   This video explains the general advocacy resources provided by the organization.  Not a promo for legislative day, but I thought the approach was instructive.




The Florida Library Association has a Friends of Florida Libraries Honor Roll Fundraising Campaign to support -- or enhance? it's not clear -- legislative advocacy activities.









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