ing , ▁developing ▁and ▁sust aining ▁library ▁and ▁information ▁services ▁for ▁all ▁people ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ". ▁A ▁branch ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁each ▁province ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁interest ▁groups ▁is ▁dedicated ▁to ▁public ▁and ▁community ▁libraries ▁and ▁lists ▁advoc acy ▁for ▁libraries ▁and ▁li br ari ans ▁as ▁two ▁of ▁its ▁object ives ▁in ▁its ▁constitution . ▁ ▁Sub ject s ▁of ▁advoc acy ▁ ▁Local ▁Adv oc acy ▁for ▁public ▁libraries ▁at ▁the ▁local ▁level ▁has ▁been ▁demonstrated ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁effective ▁partial ▁defense ▁against ▁library ▁cut s ▁and ▁clos ings . ▁ ▁Local ▁library ▁gover ning ▁bodies ▁are ▁at ▁the ▁mer cy ▁of ▁state ▁and ▁local ▁govern ments ▁with ▁regard ▁to ▁fund ing ▁and ▁thus ▁are ▁often ▁required ▁to ▁make ▁dec isions ▁based ▁on ▁factors ▁other ▁than ▁what ▁is ▁best ▁for ▁the ▁community ▁where ▁the ▁library ▁is ▁located . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁advoc acy ▁at ▁the ▁local ▁level ▁often ▁requires ▁a ▁three - pr ong ed ▁plan ▁of ▁attack ▁requiring ▁a ▁lo bb ying ▁effort ▁at ▁the ▁state , ▁local , ▁and ▁library ▁gover ning ▁body ▁level . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁several ▁ways ▁individuals ▁can ▁act ▁as ▁advoc ates ▁at ▁the ▁local ▁level . ▁These ▁include : ▁ ▁speaking ▁to ▁local ▁groups ▁about ▁library ▁needs ▁and ▁issues ; ▁ ▁talking ▁to ▁friends ▁about ▁the ▁library , ▁its ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁community , ▁and ▁its ▁needs ; ▁ ▁writing ▁letters ▁to ▁the ▁editor ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁newspaper ▁and ▁to ▁local ▁and ▁state ▁represent atives ; ▁