In the Autumn of 2000 I was inspired to approach local libraries with the suggestion of them having a display on permaculture. I had done this previously on a large scale when I worked for five years as a Campaigns Officer for N.A.V.S. & knew that this was a good opportunity to develop public awareness. I had later done the same on a smaller scale for F.R.E.S.H. & for the Vegan Society & in all three cases made the displays myself. On this occasion though a display already existed.

 I began by researching library addresses & using the free resources I had to hand (i.e the services I had access to as part of my self-employment training), I mailed out letters to libraries in my region. I also contacted the Permaculture Association's office to ask about borrowing the display for a while & they let me know who had it at the time so I could get it sent on to me.

 The display arrived in the post in good time from the person who had been using it & for my own purposes I added a few additional sheets. These covered details such as the library catalogue number under which to search for permaculture books & a list of titles (that I had previously researched) which were available to order from the region's libraries.

 I made a banner heading to go across the top to attract attention, as I felt that the red text on the title sheet wasn't very clear at all (see the photo); something to remedy in the future! I also left a lot of the Association's leaflets with each display, spread out on a small table in a fan shape to catch the eye. The Association's new bookmarks would be ideally suited for a library display!

 Though there was no charge for a display by a charitable organisation, I did have to cover the cost of travelling to & from each library myself.

 As far as bookings went, the bigger libraries sometimes had their diary full as much as a year ahead, whereas smaller ones were often much easier to book at short notice. Two weeks seemed to be the standard slot for a display, even in the bigger libraries, though I often had to arrange dropping off & collecting the display when it was most convenient for me.

 One thing that I initially overlooked was the fact that not all libraries have their own display boards. When I took the N.A.V.S. display around I also had display boards that I could use if necessary. This time I was reliant on what each library had available & that narrowed down my options.

 In the end I was able to get the display into six libraries (Exeter, Sherborne, Chard, Bridport, Topsham & Dawlish) for a total of 12 weeks between the beginning of November 2000 & the end of March 2001.

 Without the opportunity that I had for a free mailout, the cost of such a venture would clearly be a bit higher. However if you'd like to try this yourself, initially contacting the County Library Headquarters can provide you with a list of all their libraries & what display facilities each has available. This means that your enquiries can be targetted specifically at the libraries that have boards or other display space.

 I feel that libraries are a good opportunity for us to get our permaculture message across to the general public, perhaps even the kind of people who wouldn't normally come across our literature, but who need as much as anyone to hear what we have to say.

 I urge us all to get out into our regions & approach our local libraries & anywhere else where displays may be accepted. The Association could produce more such displays to tour the country, if the demand was there for them. Let's create that demand!