▁( AL TA FF ). ▁ ▁A LT A FF ▁provides ▁many ▁resources ▁for ▁Fri ends ▁groups ▁seeking ▁to ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁their ▁libraries ▁in ▁new ▁ways . ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁advoc acy ▁organizations ▁ ▁National ▁associations ▁for ▁public ▁libraries ▁ ▁American ▁Library ▁Association ▁ ▁The ▁American ▁Library ▁Association ▁( AL A ) ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁national ▁associations ▁which ▁advoc ates ▁for ▁public ▁libraries . ▁ ▁A LA ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁and ▁since ▁then ▁has ▁given ▁libraries ▁a ▁more ▁un ified ▁way ▁to ▁discuss , ▁plan , ▁and ▁develop ▁co oper ative ▁initi atives . ▁ ▁“ Ad v oc acy ▁for ▁library ▁support ▁at ▁local , ▁state , ▁and ▁national ▁levels ▁throughout ▁the ▁tw enti eth ▁century ▁was ▁orch estr ated ▁by ▁the ▁A LA ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Commission ▁on ▁L ibr aries ▁and ▁Information ▁Services , ▁with ▁count less ▁hours ▁contributed ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁associations ” ▁A LA ▁has ▁an ▁Office ▁for ▁Library ▁Adv oc acy ▁that ▁“ support s ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁advoc ates ▁seeking ▁to ▁improve ▁libraries ▁of ▁all ▁types ▁by ▁developing ▁resources , ▁a ▁peer - to - pe er ▁advoc acy ▁network , ▁and ▁training ▁for ▁advoc ates ▁at ▁the ▁local , ▁state ▁and ▁national ▁level ”. ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁A LA ▁started ▁its ▁public ▁aw aren ess ▁campaign ▁initi ative ▁called ▁The ▁Camp aign ▁for ▁America ’ s ▁L ibr aries ▁to ▁further ▁help ▁promote ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁libraries ▁and ▁li br ari ans