I need your help! I wanted to do something to bring awareness to infertility during National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) April 24th - 30th, to bring more awareness to infertility. The idea started as me contacting my local library and asking them to feature books relating to infertility during NIAW this year. As the idea started to grow and I really wanted to try to get as many libraries on board as possible.... but I can't do it alone. I figured I would tap into this amazing community for help! I cannot do this by myself, BUT with you, we can!
Please take a few minutes of your time to contact your local library and ask them to feature books during National Infertility Awareness Week. I have created a sample letter that you may copy or send your own version. I could not find a directory of email addresses for public libraries so you may have to click around to get an email address or take a minute or two and pick up the phone to contact them directly. http://lists.webjunction.org/libweb/Public_main.html
I contacted my local branch library and they were very accommodating. Instead of contacting each individual branch within my county, my local branch gave me the contact number for the person at the county that coordinates these things. I will be contacting her next week. If you have a few extra minutes, please consider doing the same thing to get even more coverage for you county for National Infertility Awareness Week.
If you get a response from your letter, please add it to the google document link with the state, county and library branch (if applicable). There is also a place for you to list your blog, facebook and twitter, if you choose.
My goal is to have representation in each state and even internationally. Please post this link to your FB status or twitter or write a blog post about it to get more people involved.
Together, we can make a difference!
Sample Letter
National Infertility Awareness Week is April 24th - 30th. Infertility affects 1 in 8 couples. Please consider featuring infertility related books at your library during National Infertility Awareness Week to raise awareness. In turn, your library will be listed on the My Hopeful Journey facebook page and twitter (@hopeful_journey).
Here is a link to a PDF document created by Resolve, The National Infertility Association, entitled Infertility 101: Get the facts. You may want to print and display this flyer or make it available on your website.
Please reply to this email with the information that you want posted about your library and it will be added to the list of libraries that are supporting National Infertility Awareness Week.
With much hope and appreciation,
AWESOME - Really REALLY AWESOME. I feel a movement underway!
ReplyDeleteI will totally send this letter to my county library system. I'd also like to remind people that most library systems are under the umbrella of a City or a County. If you are not successful in reaching out directly to the Library staff, a phone call or letter to your elected representative (Mayor or Council-member, or County Supervisor) asking for their assistance is likely to result in action (with the added bonus of educating local policy makers about infertility.)
In fact I just might edit this letter and send it to my local policy makers to make sure that they are aware of NIAW and request that they consider passing a resolution in support of increased infertility awareness... (I wonder if RESOLVE has a draft resolution?)
Once again - You are AMAZING!!!
Could I suggest one correction to the letter? Where it says that infertility affects one in eight WOMEN - could that be changed to say that infertility affects one in eight COUPLES.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hijack your comments, but I was just wondering if you've contacted RESOLVE to share this idea. It would be really awesome if they could promote the library awareness project as part of NIAW too...
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ReplyDeleteHijack away.. no problem at all! I appreciate your enthusiasm. I did send this to Resolve over the weekend and I plan on posting it to their facebook wall also. I will also be tweeting about it and I put it on the stirrup queen’s Lost and Found Newsletter!!! Please share this and hopefully it will gain momentum.
ReplyDeleteI submitted the letter through the San Antonio Public Library "Ask a Librarian" link as a comment/suggestion. We'll see if anything comes from it!
ReplyDeleteAlso note, depending on your library's form/site, you may need to copy/paste the actual URL of the links. The SAPL site I used doesn't paste links in their form, so that content would be lost from the sample above with including the text of the URL. Hope that makes sense!
Finally, I signed my letter with my name and "mother of two, thanks to infertility treatments" so the reader knows it is personal, not just some random form letter.
Good luck!
Awesome idea! I wish I could make the whole world get it.
ReplyDelete-Elphaba
Heard back very quickly from SAPL:
ReplyDeleteDear Connie,
I would like to do something for National Fertility Awareness Week. I would like to check the collection first to see what we have and will have some information on our Health and Wellness Resources Guide. http://guides.mysapl.org/health
Sounds pretty positive to me!
I hope something is
What a great idea! I think I will send a letter to my local library branch too.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. I'll do my part, too!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your support.... please spread the word and get your friends to help too!
ReplyDeleteDropping by to let you know that I have awarded you a Blog Award. Take a peek at my blog post called: - I LOVE THESE BLOGS AWARD - when you get a chance! =)
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a great idea for the local libraries!
The C's
This is a really neat idea lady!! I am definitely going to look into it!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea! I will definitely contact some local libraries and I think bookstores should be contacted as well so they too can feature titles for the week. I've included a link to your blog and this idea in my piece on 5 Things You Can Do During National Infertility Awareness Week.
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea!
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