Call To Action! Advocate To Your Local School Board
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School Library Advocacy News
May 2016 by: Mary E. O'Hara
This is the time of year when school districts all over the country are making decisions about next year’s budget. We are fighting hard to make sure that school libraries are considered an important part of a school’s budget. But we can’t do it without you.
That’s why we launched an extremely powerful petition platform that we use to tell Local Education Agencies and Local Decision Makers to take a stand for their local school library. It doesn’t take much to stand up for these school libraries, just a few minutes to send them a message through our platform and a share on Facebook, Twitter, or in your other social networks and community listservs.
Fully Fund All School Libraries
Many schools across the country won’t have librarians next school year. Facing drastic cuts from state and local funding many schools are choosing to make cuts in school libraries and lay off school librarians. This petition is being sent to Local Education Agencies all over the country. Please sign it today to support the school in your area.
Trinity Area School District
Pennsylvania - In April, the Trinity Area School Board made the disastrous decision to eliminate the high school librarian position. They voted 7-1 to take this unprecedented action while also, that same night, voting to increase coaches’ and extracurricular sponsors’ salaries from $379,538 to $418,671, an increase of $39,133. Tell them that education should come before extracurricular activities with an email today.
East Aurora School District
New York - The adopted budget for the 2016-2017 school year includes a reduction of the Parkdale librarian position. This reduction was described in initial budget proposals as a reduction to "library support," which was deliberately deceptive. Don’t let them get away with silently cutting the school library.
All of Our Petitions
Besides fighting for school libraries, we are currently running petitions across a broad spectrum of libraries issues. For example, we have a petition supporting ALCTS and the LOC to fight against the terrible and racist Federal Legislation that would force the Library of Congress to maintain the “Illegal Aliens” subject heading. We also have a petition in Illinois to fight against the Koch Brothers supported legislation that would drastically negatively affect the way libraries are funded the state.
"EveryLibrary - Any Library Initiative Anywhere for Every Library Everywhere." EveryLibrary. Web. 17 May 2016
*For more information, click on the image below.
"Our school library took me to worlds I could only visit in my mind, but it exercised my imagination and shaped my dreams. I shall be forever grateful. Growing up in a home with no magazines and few books, Monday mornings became the highlight of the week."
Margaret H. Baroody
Taken from Library Quotes http://libraryquotes.org/quotes/contemporary-authors?page=16
The School Library Media Specialist and the Community.
Parents are the voice of the community; make sure that you know your parents and more importantly that they know you. Not only are you teaching their children, but they control the purse strings when they vote on the school budget.
1. At the beginning of the year send home a letter introducing yourself and let the parents know when their child is coming to the Library Media Center. Be sure to explain policies about overdue books and fines in the letter, but also give the parents information about the hours and programs in your media center. Include your phone extension and email address so that you are available to the parents.
2. At the beginning of the year offer to do a presentation at a PTA meeting and teach the parents how to use the VRC and other programs your district offers.
3. Be in the building at Meet the Teacher Night and Parent Teacher Conferences and have student work displayed throughout the building.
4. As we approach May (the school budget vote), present at another PTA or parent meeting, promote the summer reading Program or have the students showcase their work for the parents.
Creating Advocacy for Your Library - archived webinar
Parents are the voice of the community; make sure that you know your parents and more importantly that they know you. Not only are you teaching their children, but they control the purse strings when they vote on the school budget.
1. At the beginning of the year send home a letter introducing yourself and let the parents know when their child is coming to the Library Media Center. Be sure to explain policies about overdue books and fines in the letter, but also give the parents information about the hours and programs in your media center. Include your phone extension and email address so that you are available to the parents.
2. At the beginning of the year offer to do a presentation at a PTA meeting and teach the parents how to use the VRC and other programs your district offers.
3. Be in the building at Meet the Teacher Night and Parent Teacher Conferences and have student work displayed throughout the building.
4. As we approach May (the school budget vote), present at another PTA or parent meeting, promote the summer reading Program or have the students showcase their work for the parents.
Creating Advocacy for Your Library - archived webinar
Advocating with your Administrator:
Let’s face it, the School Principal can help make or break your program. So it’s important to have an open line of communication with your building administrator. Be sure to have dialogue with him or her on a regular basis. Find out what’s on the agenda for the school year. If there are new programs or initiatives on the calendar learn about them, order resources that will support the new curriculum. Go over any changes in your information literacy program with your principal, and accept any suggestions graciously. Make yourself available at staff meetings and common planning time, be insinck to the needs and culture of your building .Offer to present new technology or trends at faculty meetings. Go to your PTA meetings, show the parents what you are doing in the library media center and teach the parents how to access the VRC from home.
http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/job.html
Making the Principal connection:
http://www.slj.com/2013/01/librarians/the-same-difference-mark-ray-asserts-that-principals-and-librarians-have-a-lot-more-in-common-than-you-might-think-and-he-should-know/#_
The Principal Factor
http://www.librarymediaconnection.com/pdf/lmc/reviews_and_articles/featured_articles/church_may_june2009.pdf
Let’s face it, the School Principal can help make or break your program. So it’s important to have an open line of communication with your building administrator. Be sure to have dialogue with him or her on a regular basis. Find out what’s on the agenda for the school year. If there are new programs or initiatives on the calendar learn about them, order resources that will support the new curriculum. Go over any changes in your information literacy program with your principal, and accept any suggestions graciously. Make yourself available at staff meetings and common planning time, be insinck to the needs and culture of your building .Offer to present new technology or trends at faculty meetings. Go to your PTA meetings, show the parents what you are doing in the library media center and teach the parents how to access the VRC from home.
http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/job.html
Making the Principal connection:
http://www.slj.com/2013/01/librarians/the-same-difference-mark-ray-asserts-that-principals-and-librarians-have-a-lot-more-in-common-than-you-might-think-and-he-should-know/#_
The Principal Factor
http://www.librarymediaconnection.com/pdf/lmc/reviews_and_articles/featured_articles/church_may_june2009.pdf