The Library A to Z:crowd-sourced advocacy

Gary Green

Voices for the Library &

Digital Services Lead, Surrey Libraries.

2015 CILIP Cymru WalesLibrary and Information Conference

What is the Library A to Z?

• Visual A to Z of library services

• Advocacy & promotional material

• Highlights continued value of libraries

Addresses comments such as…

• What’s the point of libraries, when:• you can just Google stuff?• books are so cheap to buy from Amazon?• we could give everyone in the country an

e-reader instead?

Evolution of the A to Z

• Library Camp East (Sept 2013) - A to Z list of library services & benefits

• Library Camp, Birmingham (Autumn 2013) -discussed doing something creative with list

• Kickstarter (April/May 2014) - 155 backers raised £4,500 to fund project

• Launch (Nov 2014)

Crowd-sourced advocacy

• Original A to Z list

• Kickstarter backers

• Supporters of fund-raising drive

• A to Z content

• Supporters of launch

• Those who continue to use A to Z materials

The Kickstarter

• Online fundraising drive

• Stated our aims & goals - people then knew what they were supporting

• Asked for pledges via many networks

• Gave people rewards for funding it

• Kept people informed of project progress

What did the Kickstarter fund?

• Full colour alphabet of illustrations

• Production of full colour book & other materials

• All materials free for anyone to download & use

• Distribution of packs to 100+ key influencers & 30 media & press organisations

Organising the project

• Setup Kickstarter

• Find illustrator

• Decide on physical materials to produce & how

• Promotion of Kickstarter

• Produce written content for book and cards

• Decision makers, media & supporters to target?

• Setup website (place to download materials from)

E is for Example

Ebook readers; ebooks; education; email (access to); employability; enquiry service; entertainment; equality; escape; events; everyone (is welcome); exciting; exhibitions; expression.

A year or two ago I was visiting one of our housebound readers; an 84 year old, she told me how the library service had saved her life. My colleagues had given her access to a laptop and taught her to use the internet and email. When her daughter died, she had the means to keep in touch with all her family wherever they lived and that was critical in helping her cope with the loss.

Launching the A to Z

• Big social media & mailing list push

• Sent 100+ packs to key library influencers

• Sent 30+ packs to media & press

• Benefits of physical & online launch

• Speak Up For Libraries conference

Materials available

• Illustrations by Josh Filhol

• Book (print & e-book)

• Greetings cards

• Editable posters

• Original A to Z list

• All freely available from http://libraryatoz.org/

Plans for the future

• Initial aim met - fund materials & use• Materials for anyone to build on & develop• Re-use under a C.C. licence – can adapt• Use so far includes:

• Social media promotions• Promos in libraries• Advocated to local politicians & stakeholders• Used to earn Blue Peter badge• April A to Z challenge

The Library A to Z:crowd-sourced advocacy

Thank you

Website: http://libraryatoz.org/

2015 CILIP Cymru WalesLibrary and Information Conference