Areas for Improvement in Medical Library Advocacy: In Our Own Words

Abstract

Closures of medical libraries continue despite availability of a copious amount of literature on the subject of library advocacy and advocacy in general. Yet this trend might be arrested if the medical library profession can make inroads into critically examining its own role in less-than-successful advocacy efforts. This article attempts to present an overview of some of the components to successful advocacy, and it explores librarians' perceptions of what has and hasn't worked when they have been involved in advocacy efforts in the field.

Keywords:

• advocacy
• legislators
• libraries
• library
• lobbying
• marketing
• medical
• political
• politics
• public relations
• surveys