Advocacy
Course
Collecting and Communicating Data [13:38]
https://players.brightcove.net/2566261579001/HyuWsfFhb_default/index.html?videoId=6317182273112
About
- Learn about different sources and types of data to use in your advocacy efforts.
- Learn several approaches for communicating your data.
- Learn some tips for making the best use of your time.
Transcript
Once you have identified who you need to talk to, the values of your decision makers and how to align their values with the needs of the library, you can start to collect the data that you will share with those decision makers during your advocacy efforts.
Determining who you will be approaching. And what they care about is the first step toward determining the data you need. An elementary school principal who cares about reading achievement will be persuaded by different data than a school board member whose main focus is protecting young people.
You will want to locate and pull together data that is relevant to your specific audience. Think about the student grade level, the type of school, the socioeconomic status of the school, and other factors that make the school unique.
Data should consist of both qualitative and quantitative results. Qualitative data will include anecdotes about the impact the library has on your community in a way that is relevant to the priorities of your audience. If you would like to change the circulation policies to remove checkout limits, for example, you would collect stories from learners, parents and other educators about the positive impact of having unlimited book checkout and the negative impact of having a limit.
Quantitative measures will consist of relevant library statistics. This will vary depending on your advocacy goal, but may include circulation statistics, usage counts, incidents of collaboration, diversity audits, age of the collection, number of overdue or lost books, et cetera. When possible, collect data across a variety of time points. So that you can track and demonstrate change over time. Collecting this data may be a matter of using the report functions in your library management software, or it may require manual collection. Either way, some planning ahead will be necessary.
You will likely want a mix of different kinds of data. Audiences are often swayed more by emotional appeals through anecdotal stories than they are from quantitative measures or research. But research is still an important component of a well rounded argument. You must back up your claims with theory and examples.
You can obtain research through library periodicals, through the American Association of School Librarians website and other publications, and through research focused databases which may be available to you through your state library or state funded University.
I recommend keeping a research journal where you can collect quotes, statistics, and other facts that you can use in your advocacy efforts. Be sure to cite all your sources once you have collected data that is relevant and specific to your goal, your audience, and your audiences positions. You will want to decide the best way to communicate that data.
There are lots of ways to display data from visual charts and graphs to text based statistics. Being intentional about how you display your data can help you make a more effective case. Be careful about how you frame your message. If you present your argument as us versus them, or as an either/or proposition, you leave no room for compromise. Remember, your goal may be to have a certified librarian in every school, but it may take time to get there. And any step in the direction of your goal is a positive one. Don't close off the possibility of gaining some ground by framing your argument as all or nothing.
You will also want to phrase your argument positively rather than saying, we don't want to lose librarians. You want to make the case that each school deserves to have a qualified school librarian. If your audience shares reasons why they disagree with your statement, you may refute them, but do so in a positive way and try to avoid a spiraling back and forth argument. Restating your position and sharing another reason why it's a positive choice is always a good fallback. For example, if you were addressing a school board member and they said x school doesn't have a certified librarian and their students do just fine, you might say ensuring that each school has access to a certified librarian will help ensure equity across schools. So that all learners, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographical location, have equal resources.
Social math involves translating statistics in a form that is meaningful to the audience. This typically involves reframing numbers or using analogies. Consider the difference between the phrases one in 3 families and 33% of families. Although they provide the same statistic, one feels more powerful than the other.
When you share a book budget, do you share that it is x dollars total or that it is x per student? For example, a $3,500 budget in a school of 700 learners would be $5 per student, which is more powerful $3,500 or $5 per student. You could also translate this into its buying power. If the average cost of a book is $21, you could say that your $3,500 budget is 167 books per year, which is 0.24 books per student per year.
Translating your numbers into various visual forms such as infographics, charts and graphs provide a different way to view information and allow for visual comparison across time, schools, populations, etc., these comparisons can be used meaningfully to bolster your message. In 2018, Robert Cialdini suggests six principles of influence in his article "Harnessing the Science of Persuasion," using these strategies when developing your message can help you to increase and maintain your influence and persuasive power. The principles include liking people like those who like them, uncover real similarities and offer genuine praise. Reciprocity people. Repay in-kind. Give what you want to receive. Social proof. People follow the lead of others. Use peer power when it's available. Consistency people align with their clear commitments. Make their commitments active, public and voluntary authority. People defer to experts. Expose your expertise. Don't assume it's self evident. Scarcity people want more of what they can have less of, highlight unique benefits and exclusive information.
You will not use all of these simultaneously, but may find one or two to be particularly useful depending on the situation. For example, your superintendent most likely meets with their department coordinators in regular administrative meetings. You may be aware of several of these people who have been around a long time and have the superintendent's ear using the principle of social proof. You could convince one of these people of the validity of your advocacy goal and encourage them to speak up at the next team meeting. Hearing from a peer is likely to be much more effective.
No matter how you present your data or what data you present, be sure to tailor your message to your specific audience and your advocacy goal.
Although we often hope we can spend an hour making our case, the reality is that most of the time we have far less time to make an impression. Whether you are presenting at a school board meeting, writing a letter to your city council, waiting in line to speak to an elected official after a town Hall meeting or meeting with one of your members of Congress. You are likely to only have a few minutes, therefore condense your message into several succinct bullet points. Be prepared for common arguments and questions. And practice what you want to say.
Being prepared with a clear, compelling message will allow you to take advantage of the opportunities you have and pivot as needed rather than scrambling to come up with something meaningful to say. Although advocacy is often a planned event, you may find yourself faced with a decision maker when you least expect it, or find that you have more or less time than you originally planned. A well crafted summary of your advocacy goal will allow you to practice your messaging no matter who you encounter, which still provides flexibility to customize to your audience when you can plan.
Meetings with decision makers are often unpredictable. A 30 minute meeting may become a 5 minute presentation and 20 minutes of questions or a 15 minute conversation then being ushered out the door. You may end up being asked to shift times, start early or start late. Don't take these unpredicted shifts personally or negatively. They are the natural consequence of a busy schedule.
You may also find that you are cut off if you start to talk for too long. Again, don't take it personally. Instead, be prepared to be brief and to the point. If you make a compelling case, they will ask questions or engage you in conversation around the topic that will provide you with an opening to say more.
A meeting with a decision maker should be just as much about listening as it is about talking, particularly when faced with someone who you don't know very well. Advocacy is a conversation, not a presentation. Make sure you provide opportunities to listen to your audience's reactions, questions and ideas. This not only opens the door for cooperation, but provides you with an opportunity to better understand the values and positions of your audience. Next time, you will be able to better align your message to the priorities of that decision maker.
As librarians, we know that humans respond to stories. Tell the story of your library, of your advocacy goal share stories that demonstrate how librarians, educators and learners interact with the library and its resources. Remember that no matter how knowledgeable your audience is, they are not as knowledgeable as you when it comes to your library and your advocacy goal. As an advocate, you are a voice for your learners and your community. Be sure to tell their stories.
Whether you have to 10 or 20 minutes. Remember to plan your message and practice delivering it. Make sure that it is a clear, concise and compelling message. Don't be offended if your meeting is not exactly what you expected. Be sure to listen and tell the story of your community. If you do all these things, you'll be sure to have used your time wisely and be one step closer to your goal.
Activities
Talking points are an important tool in your advocacy toolkit. They will allow you to adjust on the fly when you are given a chance to meet with a decision maker. It is also something that your advocacy committee can help you develop as they talk to supporters. Making sure your advocates all have the same clear concise message will only strengthen your advocacy message. Review the SLC articles included in the Resources below and then complete the Reflect and Practice activity below.
Once you have completed your research to support your advocacy goal, it is time to start communicating your message to your decision makers. In this lesson, we learned several different methods to sharing your message. As Deborah Rinio points out, "being intentional about how you display your data can help you make a more effective case." After reading the SLC articles above, use the chart on page 6 of the Course Packet (found in the Resources above), and create a set of talking points to back up your message as you discuss it with your decision makers. Ideally, this will be a living document that you add to as the conversation continues.
Entry ID: 2295448
Being prepared is a crucial part of being a strong advocate. You never know when you will find yourself in front of a decision maker or given a chance to spread your advocacy goal message and having a well-crafted summary of your advocacy goal allows you to practice your messaging and be prepared no matter who you find yourself in front of. Review the SLC article included in the Resources and then complete the Reflect and Practice activity below.
In this lesson, we learned the importance of practicing your message to make sure that you are prepared. Read the SLC article included above and reflect on how well you deliver a clear, concise message. Ask a friend or colleague to help role play a 15-minute conversation with a decision maker. Remember, sometimes, 15 minutes is all you get! Using the chart on page 7 of the Course Packet (included in the Resources above), reflect on the experience. How did preparing your message help? If you were to talk to this decision maker again, how might you change your message? What questions did your colleague ask that you had no answers for? Is there any feedback for something you need to work on in your message?
Entry ID: 2295451
Additional Resources
About the Author
Select Citation Style:
MLA Citation
Rinio, Deborah. "Advocacy. Collecting and Communicating Data [13:38]." School Library Connection, ABC-CLIO, December 2022, schoollibraryconnection.com/content/course/2295000?learningModuleId=2293921&topicCenterId=2247902.
Chicago Citation
Rinio, Deborah. "Advocacy. Collecting and Communicating Data [13:38]." School Library Connection video. December 2022. https://schoollibraryconnection.com/content/course/2295000?learningModuleId=2293921&topicCenterId=2247902.
APA Citation
Rinio, D. (2022, December). Advocacy. Collecting and communicating data [13:38] [Video]. School Library Connection. https://schoollibraryconnection.com/content/course/2295000?learningModuleId=2293921&topicCenterId=2247902
https://schoollibraryconnection.com/content/course/2295000?learningModuleId=2293921&topicCenterId=2247902
Entry ID: 2295000