Strategies

Results oriented thinking and planning can position your library for victory. The techniques shared in this section have proven effective and can increase the impact of your campaign. Review them and see how you can weave them into your overall campaign.

Strategy Options

• Work regularly to increase community support. {Before and after a public vote campaign.}
• Gather community input and feedback. These techniques can be useful in refining your service, creating a case for your vote, and in providing you with the opportunity to say the community asked for something and the library will deliver it if the vote is approved. Some methods for gathering feedback:
  
  • Focus group facilitation [Contact MHLS for a consultation on focus groups.]
  • Conducting a survey
    
• Collect patron/advocate email addresses so they can be used for communications surrounding your campaign.
• Produce an Annual Report to the Community to raise awareness about the library's contribution to the quality of life within the community.
  • A nice example: Annual Report Bookmark from Bethlehem Public Library.
• Analyze patron and voter groups in your community to know how many supporters you already have and to determine groups you would like to target for their support. The"Magic Quadrant"is a great tool for this analysis.
• Create a Campaign Plan or Outline to act as a roadmap for your public vote efforts.
• Facilitate voter registration among library patrons/supporters.
• Form a Friends & Allies group.
• Use Friends & Donors to help with your campaign.
• Use the Web
  • Use your library's website to post information about the vote. This might include Frequently Asked Questions about the vote, voter registration information and materials, date/time/location of the vote etc.
  • Consider creating a campaign website to advocate for the library.(*Note: A site such as this, which advocates, cannot be paid for by library funds. It must be supported through donations of some kind.)
    
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Helpful Resource:

• ALA Toolkit: Strategies for Winning Support