Being a Teen Library Services Advocate

Most librarians have major concerns and questions about teen services advocacy: What is advocacy and why would I want to get involved in it? How do I find advocacy activities in which to get involved? How do I know what others have already done that's been successful? What’s the difference between marketing programs and services and advocating for them? What are the barriers to advocating and how do I move past them?

Here are YALSA’s answers to those questions. Former YALSA President Linda Braun covers what advocacy is and isn’t, what it takes to be an effective advocate for teens, how to practice advocacy skills and techniques, how to be a day-to-day advocate for teens, and setup a successful long-term library teen services advocacy initiative. Front-line public and school librarians working in young adult services will find the volume useful as they will be able to use the information included every day to successfully advocate with administrators, colleagues, community members, and government officials. You get examples of advocacy campaigns from inside and outside of the library world that demonstrate basic principles of successful advocacy efforts, and learn to navigate the barriers of time and funding.

Chapter coverage includes: Building Community Advocacy Collaborations, Day-to-Day Advocacy, Developing an Advocacy Initiative, Teens as Library Advocates, Going Beyond Your Library: State, Regional, and National Advocacy. You’ll also find: Tips for Writing a Successful Elevator Pitch, Tips for Speaking Up, and an Advocacy Campaign Template. The only way to make sure that teens around the country have the services they need is for all librarians to stand up and speak out for the age group. Being a Teen Services Advocate gives every librarian the information required in order to advocate for teens and as a result improve library services, the value of the library in the community, and the lives of young adults.