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Persistence Pays! Ideas for Connecting with Lawmakers At Home

An ALA Washington Office Advocacy Webinar. Call In! 800-441-0042640715#

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Who’s Speaking?

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About the Webinar

What’s Happening? Is there Sound? (Call In! See Below) Questions Follow-Up Materials Recording

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Topics

Why Persistence Works Top 7 Ideas for Being Persistent (without

being irritating) What Will You Do TODAY?

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Where are we starting from?

Let’s go to the poll…

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Breaking News!

Report on Citizen Engagement with Congress

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What is Persistence?

To hold firmly and steadfastly to a purpose, state, or undertaking…

… despite obstacles, warnings, or setbacks (that’s the hard part, right?)

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Barriers to Persistence

Why do we “give up”? Let’s go to the poll!

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Barriers to Persistence

Not enough time

I forget

Don’t want to be a pest

Don’t think it will work

Quick and Easy Ideas

Subscribe to ALA Pubs

Everyone else is!

Let’s see…

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Will it Work? Why Legislators Don’t Respond

The legislator forgets about your first (or second, or third) ask

The legislator needs time to form an opinion about your ask

The legislator wants to know how bad you want it

Surprisingly, it’s not often because they don’t agree with you. If they don’t agree, they’ll usually say so.

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Persistence Solves all these Problems

We remind the legislator what we want

We help the legislator make a decision

We let the legislator know we’re serious!

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Top 7 Ideas

Ranging from about 5 hours to less than 5 minutes!

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Number 7: Ask again!

What did you ask for during Leg Day? What have you asked your local legislators

for recently? Call, write or use the

ALA Legislative Action Center Timing: Approximately 15 minutes

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Number 6: Site Visit

What is it? What can you do?

– Van ride along?– Summer reading program?– See ALA’s Top 10 Ideas for Library Site Visits

How to put one together Timing: about five hours to put together and

conduct

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Number 5: Try ONE New Outreach Tool (here are THREE to consider)

Google Blog Search and Comment (five minutes)

Take READ Posters of Legislators and post on Flickr (to arrange, about one hour. To post, five minutes).

Is your elected official on Facebook? If so, sign up as a supporter / friend and post a friendly message. (Five minutes)

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Number 4: Attend a town hall meeting

What are they? Why are they good to go to? How can you find out about

them?– Try the legislator’s website

or call the district office When might they be?

– See the House and Senate schedules

Timing: Approximately one hour

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Number 3: Combine an “Ask” with a “Thank You”

PALS Example– Ask: Will you pose for our

“Read” poster? – Thank You: Have library

supporters sign a copy and send to the legislator!

What Can You Do?– Ask: Will you visit our

library?– Thank you: Dedicate a

book Others?

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Number 2: Participate in the Annual Conference “Virtual Hill Day!”

On July 1st from 8am to 12pm the ALA OGR staff will be hosting a “Virtual Hill Day” at the exhibit hall.

All computers will be available for attendees to send messages through CapWiz

Volunteers needed! See District Dispatch for more information Timing: For volunteer up to 2 hours. For participant,

no more than 10 minutes.

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Number 1: Get Involved in the Elections

Top Three Ideas: Voter Drive (See ALA’s Rock the Vote Site) Host a candidate forum at your library Utilize ALA’s Scorecard Timing: Register / review scorecard – no more than 10 minutes; Host a candidate forum – about five hours

Want more ideas? Join our webinar on this topic later in the year.

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What next?

What are you going to do in the next six months to be more persistent?

Let’s go to the poll!