Library users are the best advocates

Recent economic hardship has seen local and national governments around the world target libraries as a cost cutting measure. It may be tempting in these straitened times to spend time lobbying government for more money, or to cut back opening hours or services in the hope of demonstrating a more concrete return on investment. Rather than attempting to please or convince government, however, we are better served by focusing on another group: library users. And to have users who will advocate for libraries, we need to offer something to users that they value enough to speak out in support.