School Library Systems – Advocacy Toolkit

Strategies for School Library Media Specialists

INFORM! MOTIVATE! DOCUMENT! SHARE!

School Library Media Specialists are at the heart of the School Library Systems Advocacy initiative.

SLMS have:

KNOWLEDGE
CONNECTIONS
POTENTIAL to ADVOCATE
POTENTIAL to MOTIVATE others to ADVOCATE

School Library Media Specialists are engaged with:

Students succeeding and achieving because of access to QUALITY information resources through School Library Systems
Teachers who are collaboratively implementing resource based learning experiences
Administrators
Educational organizations
Parents and parent advocacy groups like PTA
The Learning Community

School Library Media Specialists:

are on the ADVOCACY FRONTLINE
are dynamically and positively connected to all of the learning community by virtue of their proactive and collaborative roles
can FACILITATE and MOTIVATE local advocacy by many constituent groups with a minimal time commitment
will make the BIG DIFFERENCE
KNOW the value of ACCESS to information resources
Seek breadth, depth, scope and vigor in learning resources to optimize student achievement
Teach information literacy and contribute to the implementation of New York’s Learning Standards

“Remember what is important and act.” Chinese proverb

SLMS OUTLINE for ACTION:

Spend 15 minutes once a week:
- Reinforcing your rationale for maintaining NYS budget funds for SLS services
- Reviewing breaking research linking school media programs and access to quality resources WITH STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
- Reviewing the core concepts of Information Power
- Increasing awareness through professional ADVOCACY sites such as: AASL, NYLA, SLMS, ALA
- Strengthening your knowledge of legislative initiatives for libraries
- Exploring access to key legislative decision makers, governor etc.
- NETWORKING in the progress of your busy day with teachers and students who benefit from SLS access and resources
- Copying advocacy information or E-mail to administrators or colleagues to encourage their action
- Maintaining an ongoing record of SLS supported services. Keep statistics for interlibrary loan transactions, SLS supported database access, workshops offered, database searches. These will be needed for the SLS Member Plan and Annual Report.
- Focusing on individual SLS supported learning connections and document them for use in letters and advocacy activity.
- Mentioning to teachers and students who benefit from SLS service that resources were made possible by SLS. Encourage their advocacy.

30 minute COMMITMENT to ADVOCACY can cumulatively get BIG TIME results:
If SLMS across the state commit to the future of funding for SLS, a monumental body of evidence could be brought forward that is:
- REAL
- LEARNER CENTERED
- BROAD in scope
- Capable of influencing public opinion and legislative action.

What can you do??
- Print the forms available here for student, parent or teacher testimony regarding INFORMATION POWERFUL PROJECTS MADE POSSIBLE.
- Make copies and share them with your clients as they incorporate SLS supported resources in their successful plans, projects, information problem solving.
- Print the updated summary of 17 state studies correlating student achievement with school libraries - Learners and Libraries
- Print the one page flyer See Your School Library Media Specialist Today! and distribute it to teachers to encourage their advocacy.
- Print the brochures The Learning Connection or School Library Systems Advocacy available here to INFORM your learning community about SLS.
- Explore the Advocacy for School Library Systems in New York PowerPoint slides available here to take full advantage of this TOOLKIT.
- Watch for expanded access to other libraries a s a requirement for class assignments, thesis based research, literacy opportunities that merit the attention of budget developers
- Convey in letters, E-mail, phone calls what the learner and teacher have because of SLS and would not have without SLS.
- Document the joy and meaning of providing engaged students with just the right information resource or literature
- Demonstrate the WORTH of an expanded resource base that provides rigor, breadth, and depth

Just a sample from – THE LEARNING CONNECTION
(Share these ideas – Inform, motivate, document, share.)

“Learners build understanding through interacting with resources. Learners build meaning for themselves, processing new ideas and knowledge through application, practice, manipulation, conversation, hypothesis, analysis and experimentation. Learners build understanding from inflexible knowledge by seeing connections, by relating, questioning, exploring, expanding, synthesizing, evaluating, sharing and producing. The stage for so much of this passage is the school library. The tools for so much of this passage are quality information resources. Information Power, Building Partnerships for Learning by ALA and AECT emphasizes three core principles for increasing student success in the greater learning community:

constructivist method in which the student posits questions and finds individual meaning,
disciplined inquiry in which the learner solves problems with information resources of the highest quality,
connections beyond the classroom where real world links, processes, authentic products and the greater learning community are an integral framework for learning.

Simply engaging learners in the information problem solving process, in a safe and respectful environment, results in greater achievement. Information literacy results in enhanced ability to learn, to read, to think. Learners will achieve at a higher level in reading, local assessments and state assessments in an information rich environment, with a professional media specialist who teaches and collaborates, with technological resources that support instruction.”

Advocacy Matrix – WHO, WHAT, WHEN

WHO
- New York State Senators – Find yours by zip code. Addresses, phone numbers, E-mail addresses!
- New York State Senate – Find by name of senator
- New York State Assemblymen – Find yours by zip code or by name, addresses, phone numbers, E-mail addresses!
- Senate Majority Leader – Joseph Bruno
- Assembly Majority Leader – Sheldon Silver
- Find your assemblyman in New York City
- Find your senator in New York City
- Find your representatives in Long Island
- Governor Paterson – Address, E-mail link at the Office of the Governor
  - Mailing address:
    Governor David Paterson
    State Capitol
    Albany, New York 12224
- Track legislation, status and progress of legislation
- School Administrators
- Local business leaders in the learning community who would support information literacy. Don’t forget that the NYS Business Council was a major contributor to the initial Learning Standards reform.
- Parent Teacher Association leaders.
- Organizations within the school that promote quality learning opportunities.

WHAT
- Letters, personal, anecdotal, sincere
- E-mail
- Phone calls
- Sample projects
- Testimony from teachers, parents and learners that is genuine, immediate, specific and REAL
- Personal messages if access to key decision makers is possible

WHEN
- From September to January - focus on the Governor's office, Governor Paterson
- From January on - focus on the legislature, assemblymen, senators
- During the budget developing period from November through March
- When a Call for Action is presented!
- At public meetings when others are listening who might advocate as well
- When a student, teacher, School Library Media Specialist succeeds because of SLS service
- ANYTIME!


	School Library Systems - Advocacy Toolkit “It is not enough to care. You must act.” “In the budget equation, remember all learners.”


ALERT - Be part of the Sunflower Avalanche! ADVOCATE NOW! Sunflower Action Plan for School Library Systems 2008 ADVOCACY - Getting the ACTION started Introduction What are the Issues? Budget Hearing on Elementary and Secondary Education Contact NY Decision Makers How can I frame my message? School Libraries Do Make a Difference to KIDS Outcomes 21st Century Skills, the Workforce and School Libraries System Director's Legislative Visits Resources Brochures & Flyers Strategies Testimony Forms & Samples Advocacy Links AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner Survey Results of School Libraries Count!		Strategies for School Library Media Specialists INFORM! MOTIVATE! DOCUMENT! SHARE! School Library Media Specialists are at the heart of the School Library Systems Advocacy initiative. SLMS have: KNOWLEDGE CONNECTIONS POTENTIAL to ADVOCATE POTENTIAL to MOTIVATE others to ADVOCATE School Library Media Specialists are engaged with: Students succeeding and achieving because of access to QUALITY information resources through School Library Systems Teachers who are collaboratively implementing resource based learning experiences Administrators Educational organizations Parents and parent advocacy groups like PTA The Learning Community School Library Media Specialists: are on the ADVOCACY FRONTLINE are dynamically and positively connected to all of the learning community by virtue of their proactive and collaborative roles can FACILITATE and MOTIVATE local advocacy by many constituent groups with a minimal time commitment will make the BIG DIFFERENCE KNOW the value of ACCESS to information resources Seek breadth, depth, scope and vigor in learning resources to optimize student achievement Teach information literacy and contribute to the implementation of New York’s Learning Standards “Remember what is important and act.” Chinese proverb SLMS OUTLINE for ACTION: *Spend 15 minutes once a week:* Reinforcing your rationale for maintaining NYS budget funds for SLS services Reviewing breaking research linking school media programs and access to quality resources WITH STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Reviewing the core concepts of Information Power Increasing awareness through professional ADVOCACY sites such as: AASL, NYLA, SLMS, ALA Strengthening your knowledge of legislative initiatives for libraries Exploring access to key legislative decision makers, governor etc. NETWORKING in the progress of your busy day with teachers and students who benefit from SLS access and resources Copying advocacy information or E-mail to administrators or colleagues to encourage their action Maintaining an ongoing record of SLS supported services. Keep statistics for interlibrary loan transactions, SLS supported database access, workshops offered, database searches. These will be needed for the SLS Member Plan and Annual Report. Focusing on individual SLS supported learning connections and document them for use in letters and advocacy activity. Mentioning to teachers and students who benefit from SLS service that resources were made possible by SLS. Encourage their advocacy. *30 minute COMMITMENT to ADVOCACY can cumulatively get BIG TIME results:* If SLMS across the state commit to the future of funding for SLS, a monumental body of evidence could be brought forward that is: REAL LEARNER CENTERED BROAD in scope Capable of influencing public opinion and legislative action. What can you do?? Print the forms available here for student, parent or teacher testimony regarding INFORMATION POWERFUL PROJECTS MADE POSSIBLE. Make copies and share them with your clients as they incorporate SLS supported resources in their successful plans, projects, information problem solving. Print the updated summary of 17 state studies correlating student achievement with school libraries - Learners and Libraries Print the one page flyer See Your School Library Media Specialist Today! and distribute it to teachers to encourage their advocacy. Print the brochures The Learning Connection or School Library Systems Advocacy available here to INFORM your learning community about SLS. Explore the Advocacy for School Library Systems in New York PowerPoint slides available here to take full advantage of this TOOLKIT. Watch for expanded access to other libraries a s a requirement for class assignments, thesis based research, literacy opportunities that merit the attention of budget developers Convey in letters, E-mail, phone calls what the learner and teacher have because of SLS and would not have without SLS. Document the joy and meaning of providing engaged students with just the right information resource or literature Demonstrate the WORTH of an expanded resource base that provides rigor, breadth, and depth Just a sample from – THE LEARNING CONNECTION (Share these ideas – Inform, motivate, document, share.) “Learners build understanding through interacting with resources. Learners build meaning for themselves, processing new ideas and knowledge through application, practice, manipulation, conversation, hypothesis, analysis and experimentation. Learners build understanding from inflexible knowledge by seeing connections, by relating, questioning, exploring, expanding, synthesizing, evaluating, sharing and producing. The stage for so much of this passage is the school library. The tools for so much of this passage are quality information resources. Information Power, Building Partnerships for Learning by ALA and AECT emphasizes three core principles for increasing student success in the greater learning community: constructivist method in which the student posits questions and finds individual meaning, disciplined inquiry in which the learner solves problems with information resources of the highest quality, connections beyond the classroom where real world links, processes, authentic products and the greater learning community are an integral framework for learning. Simply engaging learners in the information problem solving process, in a safe and respectful environment, results in greater achievement. Information literacy results in enhanced ability to learn, to read, to think. Learners will achieve at a higher level in reading, local assessments and state assessments in an information rich environment, with a professional media specialist who teaches and collaborates, with technological resources that support instruction.” Advocacy Matrix – WHO, WHAT, WHEN WHO New York State Senators – Find yours by zip code. Addresses, phone numbers, E-mail addresses! New York State Senate – Find by name of senator New York State Assemblymen – Find yours by zip code or by name, addresses, phone numbers, E-mail addresses! Senate Majority Leader – Joseph Bruno Assembly Majority Leader – Sheldon Silver Find your assemblyman in New York City Find your senator in New York City Find your representatives in Long Island Governor Paterson – Address, E-mail link at the Office of the Governor Mailing address: Governor David Paterson State Capitol Albany, New York 12224 Track legislation, status and progress of legislation School Administrators Local business leaders in the learning community who would support information literacy. Don’t forget that the NYS Business Council was a major contributor to the initial Learning Standards reform. Parent Teacher Association leaders. Organizations within the school that promote quality learning opportunities. WHAT Letters, personal, anecdotal, sincere E-mail Phone calls Sample projects Testimony from teachers, parents and learners that is genuine, immediate, specific and REAL Personal messages if access to key decision makers is possible WHEN From September to January - focus on the Governor's office, Governor Paterson From January on - focus on the legislature, assemblymen, senators During the budget developing period from November through March When a Call for Action is presented! At public meetings when others are listening who might advocate as well When a student, teacher, School Library Media Specialist succeeds because of SLS service ANYTIME!

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