Library Advocacy Day Is Almost Here: What Is It and How to Get There!!

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The ALA Washington Office will host Library Advocacy Day featuring a rally at 11 a.m. June 29, 2010, on the U.S. Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C. As of June 1, the Washington Office reports that over 1200 people are registered for the rally.

All library supporters are invited to participate in this opportunity during ALA Annual Conference. LAD is a chance for us all to join together to demonstrate support for libraries and for first-time advocates to get involved. After the rally, which is free and open to the public, ALA members will meet with their members of Congress and their staffs to talk about the needs and concerns of the libraries in their communities.

Go to Library Advocacy Day to learn more about the event, including how to register and identify your state coordinator to get involved with the Congressional meetings. See also Join Us at Library Advocacy Day and Library Advocacy Day: How to Get There Plus!.

This memorandum describes, among other things, how to get to the rally.

For example, starting at 10 a.m., Gale Cengage Learning will provide buses from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center to the rally departing from the busing location (where participants would take the buses to get to the hotels). After the rally, buses will take those who are not attending meetings back to the convention center.

The rally will last approximately 45 minutes. Gale is also providing free t-shirts for rally participants; if you would prefer not to wear a t-shirt, please wear red in solidarity for library advocacy day. At the rally, there will be a variety of prominent speakers, so come ready to cheer on libraries! After the rally, every participant will be given a card with the key library issues, as well as space for you to write your contact information.

Following the rally, participants who have signed up to attend Congressional meetings will meet with their Library Advocacy Day state coordinator for their next steps. If you have not signed up for a meeting with your state coordinator, please feel free to fill out your library issues card and drop it off at your Senators and Representatives’ office, but be aware that you may not be able to get an impromptu meeting with your members of Congress or their staff.

See you there!

Can’t participate at the rally? Take Five Minutes to Make a Difference for Libraries!