Time to stand up...

Advocacy for libraries is another post from the Rudaí23 course and looks to highlight different organisations and campaigns that help promote, develop and assist in the fight to maintain library services throughout the world.  It's an interesting topic and one that should be relevant to all of us librarians regardless of sector.  In one sense it's sad to see these campaigns as it's shows how much Government and those in Authority really value the contributions libraries and librarians make to society.  Interesting also to note that they are UK and America based and not one for Ireland.

Report after report issues statements about 'literacy' and the importance of tackling the problem. We are encouraged to assist those who are marginalised because of their lack of skills and help them engage with the 'new information society'.  New taskforces, partnerships and media campaigns are created using great buzz words showing that Government understands the problems.
These same Governments cut spending to libraries, close libraries in areas of social disadvantage, put in place staff embargos and undermine the profession as whole. These same Governments think that libraries are customer service centres for the local authorities.  While we are information providers, we are so much more and the most important element to our profession is our ability to engage with our communities and we have very successful outreach programs.  We are pro-active in identifying, addressing and engaging with people who haven't the confidence, skills or ability to be part of the information society.
I work in a library that is based in an area of social disadvantage and I see on a daily basis the difficulties many people face in trying to participate in society.  I've had an elderly woman who had her credit card details stolen and the bank told her to go online and fill in a particular form, the lady hadn't even been on a computer in her life, to a young mother who wanted to apply for a course as she had no formal education and was nervous completing the form, these are the citizens that are affected by Governmental decisions, cutbacks and Organisational change.

We are lucky to have a great team of staff in my library with many varied skillsets, we actively promote literacy in the local maternity hospital through our 'Start Now' project, we have shared readings sessions with literacy tutors, reading aloud sessions with teenagers, we most recently launched our 121 digital program assisting those who want to learn more about technology engage with the younger generation who grew up with it. We also deliver music workshops with live music performances throughout the year.  We love what we do. Imagine what we could achieve if we had the money, support and staff to allow us meet our communities needs??

The previous topic of the Rudai23 course was Augmented Reality, I've never used this but I've seen it in action as part of our summer reading challenge when my colleague Niamh developed some beautiful posters to complement the theme of bees.  Kids really enjoyed wandering around the library and scanning the posters to see what would happen.  It added a new welcome dimension to the program. 
Wouldn't it be lovely if you could do a poster campaign with Augmented Reality that would include details of projects running in your area relating to literacy? Or have details of your library events at your fingertips?
Or as we face the cutbacks and financial difficulties and have to fight for our libraries we could use AR to inform our public about book fund cuts, staff embargos, closures..

Maybe it's time for Advocacy for Libraries to rear its' head in Ireland before it's too late..