ADVOCACY - Election Strategies

What Can We Accomplish?

Elections, whether they are local, provincial or federal offer unique opportunities to advocate for public libraries. For trustees it may be the single greatest opportunity to increase awareness about this important community service, both in its successes and its challenges.  At election time, at forums and through the media, trustees can:

• Reach large numbers of the public through questions to candidates and personal contact;
• Determine candidate vision, knowledge and support for public libraries;
• Raise the profile of individual trustees and boards through their participation in the election process;
• Acknowledge the commitment to/record of government regarding public libraries;
• Provide those running for office with current information regarding public libraries.

How Do We Accomplish This?

The following are a few suggested ways to raise the profile of libraries and library issues during political campaigns. 

The approach taken by your board does not need to be complex.  It can be as simple as identifying questions for candidates, assigning trustees to present these questions at all-candidates' meetings and reporting back to the board. 

Ideally, questions should be presented at all candidates’ meetings as this will increase the exposure of your topic and the candidate’s response. 

If there are no forums being organized, you may wish to take the initiative to organize one, especially if there are political decisions upcoming in relation to your library.   If a meeting or open forum is not your style, try hosting a more informal “Tea with the Candidates” event in the library.
Another method to keep library issues in the public eye is to indicate to the media that you would like them to include responses to library topics in interviews for newspapers, radio or TV.

If an all candidates' meeting or forum is not possible, you can still collect very good information by inviting the candidates to a regular or special board meeting.  Alternatively, ask your questions by way of a letter or email to all candidates (see sample below):

To:       All Candidates for the Office of _________
From:    ___________Public Library Board

Good day,

This message is being sent to all candidates running in the upcoming local [substitute provincial or federal as appropriate] election. In order to understand your views on public libraries, we are asking that you take a moment to reply to this message with your responses to the questions noted below. 

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
_____________

Chair,   _____________ Public Library Board

[Add your specific questions here.]

You may also wish to publish candidate responses and post them in your library, distribute them at future all candidates' meetings or share them with the press.  If you plan to do this, be sure to indicate your intentions in your initial letter.

General Guidelines and Sample Questions:

The following are some sample questions that you may wish to use or modify.  Whatever your questions, you should always keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Be respectful; and
• Focus on the candidate’s realm of responsibility.

Sample Questions:

The Provincial Strategic Plan for Public Libraries encourages library boards to pursue additional fundraising activities.  Do you agree? 
It is suggested that boards partner with the private sector and/or NGOs and other library organizations. Do you see any issues arising from such initiatives? Could this lessen a government’s responsibility to adequately fund public libraries?  Where does this leave small communities that lack corporate presence?

Did you know that public libraries in BC are facing a substantial infrastructure deficit?  Would you support increased government investment in library infrastructure to meet the current and future needs of British Columbians?

As an elected official, what would you be willing to do to increase, or encourage the provincial government to increase its share of funding for public libraries (per capita grants)?

How familiar are you with the provincial government’s Strategic Plan for Public Libraries – Libraries Without Walls, the World Within Your Reach?  What are your feelings about the Strategic Plan?

Are you aware of the ongoing campaign to maintain the Canada Post book rate for libraries? Are you prepared to support an expansion of the “book rate” to include other library items, such as DVDs, CDs, etc.

Are you aware of possible changes to the federal Copyright Act and how these might impact public libraries?

Are you aware that the provincial government has initiated a review of BC’s Library Act?  Are there any provisions you would like to see changed, maintained, or added to the Library Act?

What library services and programs do you find most helpful/useful? 

What was the last book you read?   [This may tell you more about who the candidates are than all the other questions asked.]