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Advocacy groups of all types use social media to reach their constituents. However, are messages of library advocacy disseminated through social media reaching those who can become allies in the quest to save libraries? How far reaching are library advocacy messages? This study addresses the use of Twitter for library advocacy. A review of the literature outlining social network analysis and the use of Twitter for advocacy, procedures for using NodeXL (a software package for social media analysis), and a taxonomy of Twitter conversations are provided. An analysis of the spread of the hashtags #savelibraries and #getESEAright through Twitter is then given. Findings suggest that both hashtags had moderate success by spreading beyond the 'echo chamber'. Finally, recommendations for libraries, librarians, and advocacy groups are outlined., Introduction Advocacy groups of all types use social media to reach their constituents. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Tumblr are among the popular options for these [...]

As a result of eliminations in school librarian positions due to funding reductions in schools and school districts across the United States, library associations encourage school librarians to advocate for the profession. A U.S. national survey of 381 school librarians investigated present advocacy efforts, needs, obstacles, and successful methods. An overwhelming majority of school librarians believe that advocacy for the profession is important. Only half of the respondents reported engaging in advocacy activities. Respondents who reported position or funding threats were more likely to advocate and perceive a greater level of success in their advocacy efforts. The most frequent obstacles to advocacy were lack of time and lack of awareness. Future research should investigate advocacy impact on decision-making. Library associations are challenged to motivate school librarians to engage in the process of advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]