The Friday Follow-up: Images – Real People Real Dollars

Friday Follow-up:
a message from Brian M. Hildreth, STLS Executive Director

 

Images – Real People Real Dollars

“Book clubbers” at the David A. Howe Public Library demonstrate library savings through our library system-wide social media campaign, “Real People Real Dollars“. The campaign was created by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich and the Mid-Hudson Library System in 2016. STLS was asked to participate in 2017 as a pilot project for future advocacy efforts. See below for all other campaign images. It is really cool!

There is still time to advocate to our elected officials. Visit our Advocacy Resources page to send your message. It takes 60-seconds. You can also visit our STLS Facebook Page to read the Real People Real Dollar’s narratives.

 

Absolute pride is what I feel when I think of the Southern Tier Library System. It is a community that I sincerely love and have been heavily involved in since 2005. So, it is no surprise to me when I reach out to our membership for support, and the response is tremendous.
Library advocacy has consumed the bulk of my time the last six weeks. It can’t happen in just one sitting. It is spread over time through planning, strategizing, organizing, writing, talking, walking and listening. I believe this year has been the most active due to the governor’s 4 percent cut to library aid. I also think our message is being received.
To date, our membership has connected with our elected officials thousands of times via phone, email, letter writing, in-person meetings and social media. All 48 library communities have reached out to state leadership in some way to express genuine concern over the disinvestment in Southern Tier libraries.

 

Next week we will drive into Albany to be heard one more time. 27 advocates have signed-up to represent the interests of our region’s libraries. Most years we are fortunate to have 10 to 12 advocates attend. It is downright impressive when a symbolic 56 percent of member libraries will be represented on Library Advocacy Day.

 

At my last writing I talked about this year’s social media campaign to bring community awareness to the value of Southern Tier libraries. The campaign is a pilot project created by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich and the Mid-Hudson Library System. STLS along with a few other library systems were selected to participate. The campaign is called, “Real People Real Dollars“.

 

Below you will find images that have popped-up on member libraries’ Facebook pages over the last two weeks. You are encouraged to visit STLS’ Facebook Page to see all of them, which includes their narratives. Each post tells a story.

 

I want to thank Alfred Box of Books Library, Chemung County Library District, Cohocton Public Library, Cuba Circulating Library, David A. Howe Public Library, Dormann Library, Penn Yan Public Library, Southeast Steuben County Library, Wayland Free Library and Wide Awake Club Library for participating in this initiative (If I missed your library please let me know. There were many posts to track). The campaign generated thousands of Likes, Shares and Comments. And all posts were passed along to our elected officials.

I hope you enjoy the images as they are the result of our membership’s efforts. Most importantly, please take a moment to connect with the community members willing to have their pictures taken. Public advocacy isn’t always easy, so it gives you a strong sense of appreciation when patrons are willing to publically stick-up for their library.

 

 

Have a great February weekend, STLS.

Kindest Regards,

Brian Hildreth, Executive Director
Southern Tier Library System

Read past Friday Follow-ups: http://www.stls.org/blog

Follow me on Twitter: @comlibpartner