▁state ▁to ▁have ▁its ▁voice ▁heard ▁and ▁gain ▁financial ▁and ▁legisl ative ▁support . ▁ ▁State ▁library ▁associations ▁play ▁a ▁major ▁role ▁in ▁advoc ating ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁public ▁libraries ▁and ▁the ▁services ▁they ▁offer . ▁ ▁Such ▁associations ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁are ▁affili ated ▁with ▁the ▁American ▁Library ▁Association ▁( AL A ) ▁and ▁are ▁thus ▁considered ▁A LA ▁chap ters ▁representing ▁all ▁libraries ▁within ▁their ▁respective ▁ge ographic ▁coverage . ▁State ▁library ▁associations ▁facil itate ▁connections ▁between ▁libraries ▁and ▁state ▁government . ▁Their ▁websites ▁provide ▁contact ▁information ▁about ▁and ▁links ▁to ▁state ▁legisl ators . ▁Many ▁of ▁these ▁websites ▁also ▁use ▁Cap w iz , ▁an ▁online ▁advoc acy ▁tool ▁that ▁provides ▁a ▁means ▁to ▁learn ▁about ▁and ▁communicate ▁with ▁elected ▁officials ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁relevant ▁issues ▁in ▁government ▁and ▁of ▁relevant ▁news ▁in ▁the ▁media . ▁To ▁ensure ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁legisl ation ▁that ▁may ▁affect ▁libraries , ▁a ▁state ▁library ▁association ▁may ▁h ire ▁a ▁lo bb y ist ▁who ▁will ▁keep ▁a ▁close ▁eye ▁on ▁legisl ation ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁capit ol , ▁influence ▁legisl ators ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁libraries ▁state wide , ▁and ▁keep ▁the ▁association ▁updated ▁on ▁what ▁is ▁happening ▁in ▁state ▁government . ▁The ▁lo bb y ist , ▁however , ▁cannot ▁be ▁sole ly ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁lo bb ying ▁effort ; ▁thus , ▁state ▁library ▁associations ▁often ▁organ ize ▁legisl ative ▁comm itte es ▁head ed ▁by ▁li br ari ans ▁from ▁different ▁parts ▁of ▁each