October 2019 531 C&RL News

Kathi Kromer is associate executive director at ALA’s 
Washington Office, email: kkromer@alawash.org

W a s h i n g t o n  H o t l i n eKathi Kromer

In September, ALA announced the save-
the-date for the 45th annual National Li-
brary Legislative Day (NLLD), May 4 and 
May 5, 2020. NLLD is a pillar of ALA’s 
year-round approach to advocacy. It is 
also the cornerstone of our relationship-
oriented training program, which focuses 
on supporting and motivating all ALA 
advocates to develop strong connections 
with elected officials and community 
leaders at every level of government.

As in the past, our 45th NLLD will be a 
two-day event where hundreds of library 
workers, trustees, supporters, leaders, 
users, and community stakeholders from 
across the country, will gather in Wash-
ington, D.C., to learn from policy experts, 
to exchange best practices, and to raise 
awareness among federal legislators about 
libraries and their value. 

We understand and appreciate that 
NLLD attendees come with a range of 
experiences and knowledge. That’s why 
one of our biggest goals going forward is 
to provide an inclusive setting that nurtures 
the novice and builds on the knowledge 
base of those who are seasoned advocates. 
From our veteran advocates like the chief 
officers of state library agencies, to those 
who are fresh out of library school, we are 
designing NLLD to serve the gamut. 

The face-to-face meetings with mem-
bers of Congress during NLLD are our 
biggest opportunity. These meetings will 

continue to strengthen the relationships 
ALA members have been building since the 
start of the 116th Congress. We are eager 
to bring diverse library stories to the Hill 
from as many congressional districts as 
we can on the same day, so we have the 
greatest impact. These stories are vital to 
cultivating meaningful relationships with 
legislators, step by step over time.

Advocacy is a different tactical and stra-
tegic challenge compared to when I first 
came to D.C. in the 1990s. A few decades 
ago, I could make calls to the chairs of 
my key committees and trust the message 
was heard. The process today is far more 
dynamic, with social media, grassroots, and 
the influx of communications to the Hill. 
In this changing landscape, ALA advocates 
must pull all the levers we can. I can tell 
you this: everyone else who is effectively 
working in advocacy is doing the same.

What hasn’t changed is the ALA Public 
Policy and Advocacy team’s commitment to 
working in partnership with libraries rather 
than on behalf of them. We see all library 
workers and supporters acting in alignment 
with ALA’s mission “to provide leader-
ship for the development, promotion, and 
improvement of library and information 
services and the profession of librarianship 
in order to enhance learning and ensure 
access to information for all.” 

Registration for NLLD will open later 
this fall. For more information, visit ala.org 
/nlld. To follow the conversation on social 
media, use #NLLD2020 and #ALAadvocacy. 
For other questions, email: nlld@alawash.
org. 

mailto:kkromer%40alawash.org?subject=
http://nlld@alawash.org
http://nlld@alawash.org