Championing the Cause: Public Librarians' Advocacy Perceptions, Strategies, and Impact

• Main Author: Tansiongco, Kevin Conrad
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2024
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_dlsplc/2024/schedule/5
• Institution: De La Salle University

ABSTRACT Purpose/objectives: Public libraries are essential institutions that support literacy growth, lifelong learning, and societal enrichment. But even with their inherent value, these libraries often face extremely difficult circumstances, such as insufficient funding, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of public acceptance, even with the protection of Republic Act 7743's legal framework. Library advocacy initiatives, which work to strengthen public libraries in the National Capital Region (NCR) through means like resource endowment, policy influence, stakeholder mobilization, and awareness campaigns, are essential to addressing these issues. This paper takes a stand at this. The purpose of this paper is to explore how public libraries are utilizing library advocacies to champion causes in their respective communities and showcase potential of the public libraries that will influence the support from their local officials, partners and stakeholders. The research objective is to investigate the perception, participation, impact and effective advocacy strategies on the promotion and in gaining support for their public libraries. The researchers specifically aim to find answers to the following questions: 1) to what extent do librarians in Philippine public libraries participate in and perceive the value of advocacy initiatives?, 2) how do library advocacy efforts in the Philippines impact a. resource allocation, b. policy support, and c. community engagement in public libraries? and 3) from the perspective of librarians, what advocacy strategies are most effective in promoting the importance of public libraries in the Philippines? Design, methodology, approach: This study used an email-based asynchronous remote interviewing method as part of a qualitative exploratory research methodology. The study covered National Capital Region public library participants who won the 2024 Gawad Pampublikong Aklatan from the National Library of the Philippines. Awardees and public libraries were made more visible to the community through recognitions such as this, and some were accorded the necessary support from LGUs, including financial and resource support. (NLP, 2024). Findings: Findings of this study will be beneficial to public libraries, LIS students, future researchers and for policy makers. The findings will also enable a comprehensive understanding of the impact of library advocacy on public libraries. This study not only clarifies the complex dynamics of library advocacy but also underscores the main importance of continuous investment and advocacy efforts in ensuring the sustained presence of public libraries as strongholds of knowledge dissemination, cultural enrichment, and societal empowerment across NCR. Keywords: library advocacy, public library, community engagement, Philippine librarianship