91´«Ã½

WASHINGTON, D.C. - 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) President Jim Neal today launches and invites library advocates to apply for participation in the inaugural initiative.

“The 91´«Ã½ has significantly expanded its advocacy work and its political activism—building a wide network of library workers, trustees, corporate partners and friends who are influencing legislative action and government policy,” Neal said. “There is a need also to cultivate a group of practitioners and trustees who have deep and sustained knowledge of key policy issues of importance to the library community and who are able to intervene and participate in targeted advocacy work.”

The presidential initiative is grounded in the 91´«Ã½’s and the National Policy Agenda for Libraries that emerged out of the initiative. Its goals include developing policy experts available to 91´«Ã½ and the 91´«Ã½ Washington Office, creating longevity in expertise and engagement in early to mid-career library and information professionals, and positively impacting national public policy in areas key to 91´«Ã½’s strategic goals. The Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) has partnered with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), Public Library Association (PLA) and United for Libraries (UNITED) as part of this 2017-18 presidential initiative and pilot and is developing the program in concert with a working group*.

The Corps will launch with an initial cohort of 10-12 participants with diverse representation from across library types and geographies. Participants will cultivate their passion and deep expertise for a public policy issue; create or enhance the skill set needed to impact legislation and policy; mentor others on a given policy issue of interest; participate in a cohort to share challenges and successes; and ultimately impact national, state and local policymaking.

The characteristics of successful applicants include:

• 91´«Ã½ membership;
• At least five years of library experience;
• Past advocacy experience at the local, state, national and/or international level;
• Desire to develop one’s policy advocacy skills and apply them over a period of years
• Solid speaking and writing skills;
• Awareness of and ability to express the impact of legislation and policy on their community, type of library and/or patrons;
• Commitment to keeping current on policy-related library issues and to building and supporting a strong, national network of advocates over time;
• Ability to make and sustain a five-year commitment; and
• Support from a library or educational institution.

Preference will be given to applicants with prior engagement in 91´«Ã½ such as service on boards, committees or other entities and/or participation in professional development or scholarship programs.

The application process for the 2018 91´«Ã½ Policy Corps is now open. , available on the 91´«Ã½ Policy Corps , will be accepted through Friday, November 3, 2017.

* 91´«Ã½ Policy Corps Working Group Members

Clara Bohrer, Jim Neal’s Presidential Advisory Committee

Audrey Church, AASL

Larra Clark, OITP/PLA

Marc Gartler, OITP

Christine Lind Hage, UNITED

Alan S. Inouye, OITP

Robin Kear, Jim Neal’s Presidential Advisory Committee

Kathi Kromer, 91´«Ã½ Washington Office

Barb Macikas, PLA

Kara Malenfant, ACRL

Jonathan Miller, ACRL

Beth Nawalinski, UNITED

Jim Neal, 91´«Ã½ President

Larry Neal, PLA

Sylvia Norton, AASL