Need input on Libraryseeds

[Col Barrett]

Fellow Appleseeders,

Can I please get some feedback from yall as to who is leading the efforts on Libraryseeds in your state?

I have already done a couple of these and have found they are rather simple and not extremely time demanding. The event itself is typically no more than an hour and a half to share the three strikes, a power liberty benediction and a pitch for Appleseed. As for advertising for the event, you can download the cool 3 strikes poster here: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=2077.msg174789#msg174789 , or request some copies be added to your shoot boss's shoot box at the next shoot. These can be posted at a minimum on the bulletin board at the library, over water fountains or maybe beside the door of the meeting room.

In addition to the posters, see if the library has a newsletter that our event can be added to. Try and have a second event in place so that you can tell your audience if they appreciated the message and thought others should hear it, then they should bring someone next month on x date. Also, a small ad can be run in local papers announcing the event, try and have this done at least once two weeks before, if not 2-3 times if the paper will allow. A sample of the press release can be found here: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=2077.msg22285#msg22285 Remember, most newspapers need something to fill their pages so it doesn't look empty and the nonprofit angle is a good way to get in the paper for free. Don't forget to invite the librarians, their families, home school groups and your neighbors!

Once you invest the hours of getting templates together and contacts at the local newspapers then this becomes pretty easy stuff. I don't think it is out of the question that each member could share the story AT LEAST once a month at one library, if not once at two libraries a month. This will exponentially increase our exposure and get more people to hear the real story behind our program.

Please let me know who in your state has already made efforts or plans to on this front and what they have found does/does not work. I would like to collect info on this and see what kind of difference this makes in our program.

Remember, these can spin off from the libraries and requests may come to speak at senior living centers, church groups, home school groups, tea party meetings etc.

Please post here or PM me with any questions.

[Puma Mami]

I'm not "leading it" but I am planning to do LibrarySeeds/LibertySeeds in the Twin Cities metro area.

I haven't done one yet, and I'm on an extensive road trip until about July 10th, so it will be a while before I can do one. I'm planning to do 1 or 2 a month at libraries, and I'm also planning to get something going with local homeschoolers this fall/winter as far as a telling of the strikes and maybe a more extensive class, too. If I can get Boy Scout groups to listen, I'll do that, too, starting with my son's.

I'm with AppleCore and I haven't told the strikes before. So I'll need to read up on TIPS and practice doing it. I'm planning to arrange events NW, SW, NE, SE of the cities, maybe on a rotation, to try to cover more areas and reach more people. My home area is SE. So I'll start there. And I have a friend in the NW, so that will be next.

Anyone who would like to join me or help out at any events is most welcome!!!! If anyone wants to take an area or beat me to it, you are most welcome!!!! Having two or more Appleseed people there would be ideal. Maybe it will be easy for instructors to show up and tell some stories once I get events set up? I'm thinking Thursday evenings, and trying to coincide with upcoming AS events where they have 1.5 weeks or so before it.

[sparks1]

Count me in! I love the history. Which reminds me...I have to contact Anoka libraries!!!