Analog Advocacy

Note: This article was originally published September 18, 2015. It has been updated with consent of the author to reflect 2016’s Speak Up For Ohio Museums Day event.

Speak Up for Ohio Museums Day (Monday, October 3) is right around the corner! There’s been a lot of buzz about how to make an impact with tweets, likes and re-posts on social media. But what if you aren’t on Tumblr or Twitter or Facebook- can you still be a part of Speak Up for Ohio Museums day?


Of course! While it may seem that everyone these days is just a click away, the truth is there are lots of folks like myself who may prefer an interaction IRL (‘in real life’) or who may not even have social media accounts. Not only can everyone participate in analog advocacy, you can also help others to do the same. Here are three things you can do (without even a computer!) to help spread the word about what makes your institution great:

  • Speak!See if you can articulatewhatit is that you love about your museum. Is it your amazing collection? The great coffee? Take time out of your day to not only put this into words but to share it with those you see during the day! You may feel silly saying to your colleagues ‘You know what I love about this place? The beautiful bathrooms!’, but positivity is contagious, and sometimes your willingness to speak up can inspire others to do the same, either with you or even with other people. You could start a positivity chain reaction.
  • Listen!So, maybe you aren’t the type to shout your thoughts from the rooftops (this might even be why you’re not on social media)- that’s okay too. Instead, take a moment to ask your coworkers, friends, family and neighbors about their own positive experiences. Have they ever had a particularly good experience at an Ohio museum? What was it that made that time so enjoyable? Don’t just ask-really listen! Conversations like this may be hard to ‘like’ or ‘repost’, but they do help us to slow down and be more human (just like a good museum experience can do).
  • Share! Memorize the hashtag (#SpeakUpOhio) and let other people know (especially if you’re proclaiming your love for your own institution or initiating heart to hearts about museums in general). Even ifyou(or your visitors) don’t use social media, odds are good they know someone who does. Let them know about Speak Up for Ohio Museums Day, and ask them to share whattheylove about their favorite Ohio museum with the hashtag. (a side note: don’t assume that age = a determinant of internet savvy. My mother-in-law facebooks all the time while I, a certified millennial, can barely use email.)
  • And, of course, don’t write off (PUN INTENDED) the oldest social media tool- the pen! Not only can you write to an elected official (see OMA’s fabulousadvocacy pagefor detailed how-tos and evensample letters) you could also informally write to your colleagues, your director or even a friend about why you love your museum. Even in (or rather, especially in) today’s digital world, taking 5 minutes to hand-write a note can really mean a lot to the person who receives it.

Whatever your preferred method of communication, I look forward to celebrating our state’s wonderful museums, and the impacts they have on our communities together on Monday, October 3 during Speak Up for Ohio Museums Day!

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