If there were Ten Commandments of school librarianship, one would undoubtedly be: DO NOT ASSUME!
Whether you like it or not, a major part of your job will be to: promote the value of your school library and libraries in general, lobby for the resources you need to achieve your goals, and solicit the help of others to meet the challenges ahead. You must become an ADVOCATE!
What does an expert have to say about the importance of promoting library advocacy?
"As a long-time librarian, it gets tiring to always be an advocate but I look on it as my mission to educate people on the value of libraries and the need for increased service. There’s a great quote from Minneapolis financial and policy analyst Carol Becker on page 41 of this month’s (Dec. 2002) American Libraries: A library isn’t simply a Barnes and Noble, another store to meet consumers’ daily needs, a warehouse of books. A library is a place where everyone is equal, everyone is welcome; a place that provides knowledge and support for everyone. It ties our past to our future; is a place of permanence and strength in our community. It reflects our values. It is a place that defines who we are and who we will be. Minneapolis Star-Tribune, October 5, 2002. That’s a very powerful quote from a true library advocate who is not a librarian but obviously has spent a lot of time in libraries."
-- Sara Kelly Johns, Lake Placid Middle/Senior High Schools
So, where does a fledgling school media specialist start?
This website is designed to assist you as you become a library advocate. The three levels, Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master are organized in a manner that will help you access or find information resources pertinent to various activities you will undertake as you build an advocacy plan and network. Use the links below to familiarize yourself with the resources.
| APPRENTICE ADVOCATE | |
| JOURNEYMAN ADVOCATE | |
| MASTER ADVOCATE |
Learning how to be an effective library advocate takes time, patience, and planning. During your first few years on the job, no one expects you to hop on a bus and head to Albany for NYLA’s Lobby Day (you can if you want to)! Your first priority should be to educate yourself about library advocacy. Once you are familiar with the wide variety of resources available from professional organizations and library advocacy gurus, you can sit down and map out a long-term advocacy plan.
Join professional organizations and subscribe to helpful listservs. When you have questions about your advocacy campaign your local SLMS chapter or LM_NET are great places to look for answers.
As an advocate in training, take advantage of the toolkits provided by organizations. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the introductory materials found at both the ALA and AASL websites. These resources can help you organize both short and long-term action plans. DON’T become overwhelmed by their content! These resources are reference materials you will utilize for years!
Adcock, David, ed. A Planning Guide for Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning with School Library Media Program Assessment Rubric for the 21st Century. Chicago: American Library Association, 1999. This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to implement the planning process described in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. It includes a booklet to be used by administrators and school media specialists as a self-assessment tool and action plan in each library.
AASL Introduction to Advocacy and Advocacy Training Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, 2000. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/index.html This PowerPoint presentation provides a basic framework for launching an advocacy campaign on behalf of your school library program.
A Library Advocate’s Guide to Building Information Literate Communities Chicago: American Library Association, 2001. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/Content/ContentGroups/Advocacy/informationliteracy.pdf. This guide provides tips on defining and delivering your library’s message. It also provides sample publicity materials and supporting documentation. It emphasizes the importance of integrating Information Power’s Nine Information Literacy Standards.
Wallace, Linda K. Ed. Library Advocate’s Handbook. Chicago: American Library Association, 2000. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/Content/ContentGroups/Advocacy/libraryadvocateshandbook.pdf This handbook provides the advocacy novice with an overview on how to: create an action plan (includes defining a key message), succeed at public speaking, handle tough media questions, and deal with legislators. Includes a list of useful publications and training materials.
When you need data on how school libraries are supported or staffed across the country look to your professional organizations for the information. When you need hard evidence supporting the impact of school libraries on academic achievement look to other school districts that have already measured the impact and quantified their results.
What does an advocacy expert say about the usefulness of statistical studies?
"I use the 'Fast Facts' from the Colorado Study, particularly to show the impact flexible scheduling has on student test scores since the elementary school is attempting to implement a flex schedule."
-- Sara Kelly Johns, Lake Placid Middle/Senior High School
Facts and Figures. American Association of School Librarians. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/aasl/resources/figures.html AASL provides links to national reports and surveys that describe staffing trends across the United States.
Lance, Keith Curry and David V. Loertscher. Powering Achievement: School Library Media Programs Make a Difference: The Evidence. San Jose, CA: Hi Willow Publishing, 2001. This workbook assists library media specialists in making presentations about the effectiveness of library media programs. There are recommendations on how to implement existing LRS statistics into presentations. Book can be ordered from LRS website.
Library Research Service. 23 November 2002. University of Denver. 10 January 2004. http://www.lrs.org/html/about/school_studies.html. LRS is Keith Curry Lance’s statistical research firm. In partnership with the University of Denver, LRS gathers and packages data that can be used by clients, including school libraries, to promote their library programs. LRS conducted the Alaska, Colorado, and Pennsylvania studies in 2000. LRS’s website provides links to all reports as well as brochures that summarize each study’s results. LRS also publishes Fast Facts. These bulletins quantify data on many timely topics including: book pricing trends, staffing trends, budgeting, and resource sharing.
Student Achievement. American Association of School Librarians. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/aasl/resources/achievement.html. AASL also provides links to Keith Curry Lance’s reports on both the "Colorado Study" and the "Alaska Study".
As you plan your advocacy campaign you will need easy access to supporting documentation that you can hand out to the members of your network or members of the press.
By far, one of the most effective ways of communicating the value of your school library program is through construction of a website. Erin Dinneen at Clinton Middle/High School Libraries has create a website that not only provides her school community with access to information resources but also provides evidence of effective collaboration between school staff. Check it out at http://www.ccs.edu/mediacenter/.
The following pamphlets and short articles provide straightforward, to-the-point support of your campaign. These resources can be used as models for developing our own fact sheets, news articles, etc.
Herring, Mark. "10 Reasons Why the Internet Is No Substitute for a Library." American Libraries. April 2001. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/10reasons.html. This ALA article gives 10 convincing arguments for why libraries and librarians are sorely needed to assist users as they negotiate the Internet.
What do the experts have to say about this question: Is technology replacing the need for professional librarians?
"HA! Technology is ensuring our employment!!!"
-- Erin Dinneen, Clinton Middle/ Senior High Schools
"I believe we are needed more than ever. LMS are the experts in facilitating the teaching of information skills and strategies. That is a strength we bring to the teaching profession. Technology as a tool will need support that LMS can provide."
-- Judith Dzikowski, OCM BOCES School Library System
"If it’s someone I know, I laugh hysterically. If not, I’m much more dignified and use the analogy that the Internet is like a library with all the books on the floor. Librarians are needed to select the best resources for their students/patrons and teach information literacy, especially evaluation."
-- Sara Kelly Johns, Lake Placid Middle/Senior High Schools
"Quotable Facts." Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, 2002. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/facts.html. This AASL article provides good talking points or "sound bites" for school libraries.
Quotable Facts about America’s Libraries. Chicago: American Library Association, 2003. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Our_Association/Offices/Public_Information/Available_PIO_Materials/quotablefact.pdf. This ALA quote card provides good "sound bites" for school, public, and academic libraries. Example: "School library media centers spend an average of $7 per child on books -- less than half the average cost of one hardcover school library book."
"The School Library Media Center: What Parents Should Know." Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, 2002. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/parents.html. This AASL article asks parents to pay a visit to their child’s school library and ask questions about how the library impacts their child’s education. The article also calls on parents to get involved and become part of the school library’s advocacy team.
Stories of School Libraries and Librarians in the News. 19 December 2003. American Library Association. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Our_Association/Offices/Public_Information/Press_Kits2/AASL_National_Conference_Press_Kit/Stories. The ALA Public Information Office provides links to news articles from cities across the country that deal with school library issues and advocacy successes.
White House Conference on School Libraries. Institute of Museum and Library Services. 10 January 2004. http://www.imls.gov/pubs/whitehouse0602/whitehouse.htm. In June 2002, Laura Bush hosted a conference to discuss the latest research on libraries, student achievement, and successful local programs. The website contains links to papers presented by major school library advocates like Gary Hartzell and Keith Curry Lance.
Before you tackle any of your school library’s major issues you need to cultivate the support of your principal, faculty, students, parents, and volunteers. The place to start is with your principal; once you have the backing of our principal, getting support from other groups will be much easier.
One expert speaks about the effectiveness of librarian/principal collaboration but emphasizes that the continuing process can be slow going and require patience:
"The CCS district supports its two libraries well, both financially and in terms of staffing. In addition, we have a curriculum principal on the secondary level who is my immediate supervisor. She is great in promoting library services to teachers, and has helped me make many classroom connections in my four years here. I would say the biggest advocacy outreach I have right now is getting teaching colleagues to collaborate on lessons. It has been a slow but steady process, since secondary teachers are used to working in isolation. Middle School teachers are much more likely to collaborate."
Erin Dinneen, Clinton Middle/ Senior High Schools
The following resources explain the importance of the school librarian/principal collaboration and provide tools that will help you get your principal and other potential advocates on the bandwagon!
America’s Libraries Change Lives. Chicago: American Library Association, 2001. This uplifting video and accompanying tips sheet can be shown to school and community groups to promote the importance of libraries. Video shows how immigrants utilized libraries to realize their dreams.
Bush, Gail. Principal’s Manual. Chicago: American Association of School Librarians, 2000. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/aasl/principalsmanual.html. This brochure is designed to guide principals in assessing and planning for their school media programs. The brochure is available in PDF format or can be ordered from ALA Graphics.
Hartzell, Gary. Building Influence for the School Librarian. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing, 1994.
Hartzell, Gary. Capitalizing on the School Library’s Potential to Positively Impact Student Achievement: A Sampling of Resources for Administrators. University of Omaha. 10 January 2004. http://www.unocoe.unomaha.edu/ghartzell/library/. This is the complete paper Gary Hartzell presented at the White House Conference on School Libraries. Hartzell has compiled an impressive list of resources that can be used by school library media specialists and principals to promote improvements in their libraries. Resources include: research supporting collaboration, articles demonstrating the role of administrators in program development, and prepared presentations that can be used by administrators to convince school boards, faculty, etc. of the importance of the school library media program.
Hartzell, Gary. "What It Takes." White House Conference on School Libraries, June 2002. 10 January 2004. http://www.imls.gov/pubs/whitehouse0602/garyhartzell.htm.
Holland, S. "Teacher-librarians working with principals." The Canadian School Executive (1994): 28-31.
Johnson, Doug. Doug Johnson: Writing, Speaking, and Consulting on School Technology and Library Issues. 10 January 2004. http://www.doug-johnson.com/.
"His advice to set up an advisory committee (built-in cadre of advocates) and to tie budgeting to goals is great for advocacy and can be found in the handouts from his presentations."
-- Sara Kelly Johns, Lake Placid Middle/Senior High Schools
Johnson provides not only links to his presentations but also to his books and journal articles that cover a wide variety of library issues including filtering and budget planning.
Johnson, Doug. The Indispensable Librarian: Surviving (and Thriving) in School Media Centers. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing, 1997. Johnson covers planning, public relations, mission and beliefs, curriculum, budget, and policy issues. A must-have reference when dealing with administrators and legislators.
Synder, Timothy. Getting lead-bottomed administrators excited about school library media centers. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2000.
Once you have defined your goals, created an action plan, and developed an advocacy network, you can begin to research how you should evaluate your school media program so that you can provide evidence of the results of your advocacy campaign. You can also begin preparing yourself to extend your network through use of the media.
The following articles describe ways to assess your school library media program. Don’t forget to check out the evaluation resources at the LRS website.
Barron, Daniel. "Communicating what school library media specialists do: The evaluation process." School Library Journal 33 (1987): 95-99.
Everhart, Nancy. Evaluating your school library media program: Analysis Techniques and research practices. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1998.
Johnson, Doug. What Gets Measured Gets Done: A Step-by-Step Approach to Library Media Program Assessment and Improvement. 9 December 2002. 10 January 2004. http://www.doug-johnson.com/handouts/WGM.pdf.
NSSE (National Survey of School Evaluation). Program evaluation: Library media services. Schaumburg, IL: National Study of School Education, 1998.
The following resources will help you with speaking in front of the media, preparing for tough questions, and creating public relations documents appropriate for different media contacts. Don’t forget about A Library Advocate’s Guide to Building Information Literate Communities; it has sample publicity materials!
Flowers, Helen F. Public Relations for school media programs: 500 ways to influence people and win friends for your school library media center. New York: Neal-Schuman, 1998.
Karp, Rashelle, ed. Part-time public relations with full-time results: A PR Primer for libraries. Chicago: American Library Association, 1995.
Sample Letter to the Editor. Chicago: American Library Association, 2003. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AASL/Professional_Tools10/AASL_Advocacy_Toolkit/Sample_Letter. This sample letter uses the White House Conference on School Libraries to promote library advocacy.
Schuman, Patricia Glass. "Say the Right Thing! Winning Strategies for Talking to the Press." School Library Journal 44 (1998): 110-113. This article lists the Do’s and Don’ts on communicating with the media. As past president of ALA and co-founder of ALA’s Library Advocacy Now! Program, Schuman provides very helpful insights into being an effective spokesperson.
After your local advocacy campaign is solidly in place, you can turn your attention to state and national library issues. Be prepared to lobby in Albany and Washington!
"YOUR VOICE MATTERS!"
"It takes much time and a consistent effort to advocate but with combined strength we can influence decision makers."
-- Judith Dzikowski, OCM BOCES School Library System
The following resources provide links to state and national library campaigns that you should stay current on and get involved in.
ALAWON is ALA’s electronic newsline; it provides regular updates on legislative and policy issues from the ALA Washington Office. To subscribe, send email to listproc@ala.org and in the first line of the message type: SUBSCRIBE alawon Firstname Lastname.American Library Association -- Washington Office. American Library Association. 10 January 2004. http://www.ala.org/washoff/. This ALA site provides information on the latest legislative issues including: Intellectual Freedom, Filtering, Copyright, LSTA, and the Patriot Act. The website also provides tips on how to communicate with legislators.
New York State Library. 10 January 2004. New York State Education Department. 10 January 2004. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/index.html. This website will keep you current on important statewide library initiatives. Within its pages you will find links to New Century Libraries, the comprehensive initiative from the Board of Regents to improve library resources to all New Yorkers by providing additional state aid to all types of libraries -- public, school, academic, and special.
NYLA -- Legislation for Libraries in New York State 13 April 2003. New York Library Association. 10 January 2004. http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=4. NYLA provides information on state legislation and organizes its members to lobby at the state and federal level.
NYLINE -- New York’s Libraries Information is a discussion list for school media specialists; it provides up-to-date information about library legislation and news from the State Library. To subscribe, send email to listserv@listserv.nysed.gov and in the first line of the message type: SUBSCRIBE NYLINE FirstnameLastname.