PLA 2010 Conference: Tough Decisions in Tough Times

As budget troubles persist, Queens Library CEO says advocacy must be a constant

Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 04/20/2010

• No silver bullet
• Give elected officials opportunities to shine
• Foundations may help

What’s the best way to ensure public support for a library? Consistent advocacy, in good times and bad, according to Tom Galante, CEO of the Queens Library, the 2009 Gale/LJ Library of the Year.

Galante spoke about “Tough Decisions in Tough Times” at panels last month at the Public Library Association National Conference in Portland, OR.

“What we're going through is not unique in the world,” Galante told the audience, offering a global perspective based on contacts with library directors on other continents. (His library, along with the other two public libraries in New York City, faces proposed major cuts; click here for coverage.)

Stay consistent
“Throughout whatever you're doing, make sure you focus on meeting the needs of your community,” he advised. “Advocacy is not something you just turn on and turn off. It's something that you build,” he said, noting it is important to build and maintain relationships with a variety of people, including elected officials, board members, funders, and Friends groups.

“Contact contact contact,” he said. “Show up in their communities. Say ‘Thank you.’” He said to invite stakeholders to use the library space: “Elected officials like their picture taken and written up in the newspaper. I've been on roofs in 100-degree weather because a councilman funded a local roof.”

Libraries, he said, must stay politically neutral and plan “for the brighter future.” By citing previous accomplishments, he said, “Give decision makers faith in the future strength of the organization.”

New opportunities
While Galante allowed there was no silver bullet, he gave an example of a new opportunity for support, from foundations like the Revson Foundation.

That foundation's president, Julie Sandorf, wrote an op-ed in the March 26 New York Daily News suggesting that foundations and philanthropists should “create a multimillion-dollar social investment fund to open the digital age to everyone,” involving materials and training for libraries, and “public library kiosks in train stations and hospital lobbies.”

“We didn't prompt this,” Galante said, “but I do know her well. A year ago, libraries were not on her radar.”