Si, se puede! (Yes, we can!)

Si, se puede!” (Yes, we can!) was the rallying cry of the Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers for many years. It still is. This is a cry of hope and of action! I remember farm workers carrying Chavez in a cot every night, who was fasting in support of the plight of farm workers. This nightly rally in Phoenix was held for all of the volunteers from all over the country working to register voters in the greater Phoenix area. I remember Ted Kennedy and Coretta Scott King coming to the rallies in support of the efffort.

And, now, we have a president-elect who successfully used that rallying cry in his campaign and his acceptance speech last night – YES, WE CAN!

Today I woke up with mixed feelings. I went to bed with the “Yes, we can” rallying cry coming from over 100,000 folks in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. I woke up this morning to find that in that same state, all 10 library-related referendums failed. (I must also admit that in my own county, Douglas County, the library referendum failed again.)

There is some good news — The library-related referendums passed in Fulton County (GA), New Mexico (first time for tribal libraries), Clackamas County (OR), Walpole, Brockton (MA), Fairfield County (PA). These are the ones we have heard of so far.

Yes, we can – This should also be our rallying cry.

• Yes, we can – provide the information necessary for our users to make informed decisions affecting their daily lives — employment, education, recreation, lifelong learning, and literacy.
• Yes, we can – advocate the value of all our libraries, no matter the type.
• Yes, we can – advocate the value of all librarians and library staff.
• Yes, we can – advocate for all types of literacy because a literate populace is an informed populace.
• Yes, we can – have an affect on our democracy.
• Yes, we can — enlist all levels of ALA membership to use various types of technology to get the word out about libraries!

President-elect Obama’s campaign will be my model for ALA. It was so successful because he enlisted the grassroots of this country to get involved and vote. His success was not only enlisting young voters but also getting them to vote! The timing is just right for us in ALA.

My initiative is to have more of an impact on our communities (however we define our communities) through member-driven (aka grassroots) advocacy for libraries and library personnel.

• Imagine this — preparing any front line librarian and library staff member to talk about the impact (value) libraries have on the lives of their neighbors, friends, and relatives.
• Imagine this — having these same library employees articulate this value at the same time that library administrators are doing the same with decision-makers/legislators.
• Imagine this — presenting a united front where the same mantra of value is repeated to many different audiences such that people are willing to support ($$$) their libraries — public, academic, and school.

Only then can we be successful in informing our populace that libraries can make a difference in their lives! It can’t be and shouldn’t be just the work of library administrators. We have a vast human resource of ALA members who can get involved at the grassroots level. Think about the Obama machine’s success - Yes, we can! (Si, se puede!) rallying grassroots ALA members to get involved. We have a national model to follow!

To prepare ALA grassroots members to get involved, I have formed two groups of ALA members to develop an advocacy program (that includes advocacy for all types of literacy) that is not necessarily tied to one’s ability to attend conferences; that empowers ALA members to get involved with the tools necessary to do so; that utilizes the latest technology and social networking techniques to engage our young librarians; and that ultimately makes a difference in people’s lives.

Si, se puede!

CAMILA – Pumped in Colorado!!!

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