Committee Community Page

Committee Charge

The Ursula Meyer Advocacy Fund Training Committee shall work with the CLA Library Advocacy Training Project manager to:

1. Develop and coordinate a statewide political advocacy training program for library workers and supporters at all possible levels (i.e., from experienced advocates to those who are completely new to advocacy) throughout California. (See the full list of Ursula Meyer Advocacy Training sessions)
2. Identify and utilize best practices from existing models of advocacy training to produce engaging, results-based learning opportunities for its constituents.
3. Ensure that training opportunities meet the needs of a variety of target audiences, including front-line library workers, literacy workers, supervisors and administrators, and library supporters including, but not limited to, Friends, workers, literacy workers, supervisors and administrators, and library supporters including, but not limited to, Friends, Foundation members, and Board or Commission members.
4. Ensure that training opportunities are appropriate for and accessible to all California libraries, workers, and supporters, including those in urban/suburban/rural settings; and small, medium, and large libraries.
5. Ensure that training incorporates concepts of equity, diversity, and inclusion wherever possible.

Background

Activities are funded from the Ursula Meyer Endowment Fund, established in 2019 in memory of Ursula Meyer through a generous bequest from the estate of Mae Benne. California Library Hall of Fame inductee Ursula Meyer was 1977-78 CLA President, longtime director of the Stockton-San Joaquin Public Library, and a fierce advocate for library services and intellectual freedom. The Fund supports the training of librarians in all stages of their careers, and library supporters, in political advocacy and political action, in honor of Ursula’s belief that librarians need effective political skills to advocate for library support at all levels of government. The finances of the endowment fund are managed by the CLA Treasurer and Board, not by the Ursula Meyer Advocacy Fund Training Committee.

Composition

Five committee members are appointed by the President to serve staggered two year terms.

Committee Members

Deborah Doyle, Sonoma County Library, Chair (2023-2025)
Nichole Brown, Oakland Public (2023-2025)
Vicki Cervantes, Kings County Library (2024-2026)
Essra Nawar, Chapman College (2023-2025)
Amreet Sandhu, Sacramento Law Library (2023-2025)
Paul Signorelli Project Coordinator ex officio member
Beth Wrenn-Estes Executive Director ex officio member

Contact

Deborah Doyle, (Chair), Sonoma County Library