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Education Program

Programs and Services

Library Advocacy: Leveraging the United Nations SDGs to benefit local libraries

Monday, June 30, 2025
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM EDT
Location: Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 105
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a framework for libraries to apply, one which many libraries globally already use. This can be used in libraries for planning, prioritizing, and guiding their work, as well as for educating and sharing how the library is supporting its community locally and globally. Libraries often develop their work plans in coordination with wider community, district or local strategic plans and goals. A SDGs roadmap can be applied in libraries for internal planning and assessment work by diving into each goal’s targets and indicators Mapping to this globally recognized framework will help achieve strategic planning initiatives while also sharing visually engaging stories. Hear how some libraries are using SDG to advocate for the work their libraries are already doing and plan to accomplish to support the community they serve.

Supporting links: https://www.ala.org/news/2024/09/ala-active-79th-session-united-nations-general-assembly
https://sdgs.un.org/goals

Learning Objectives:

  • Attendees will understand what the SDGs are and how they can be used to share stories and advocate for libraries.
  • Attendees will reflect on how mapping their libraries goals, priorities, programs and services to the SDG framework will assist their library in sharing their services.
  • Attendees will complete an exercise as a group reflecting on their own library and which goals they are already accomplishing and how to use it to advocate for the library.