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 System Directors

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." Goethe

A matrix for advocacy:
INFORM, MOTIVATE, DOCUMENT, SHARE.

School Library Systems Directors have four key roles in this advocacy initiative.

1. To document and share the value of School Library Systems services to the learners and teachers of New York State. A real world picture of statistics, specifics, and scope of support to school libraries needs to be drawn and presented to key budget decision makers.
2. To inform school library media specialists of the Advocacy Toolkit and the importance of their commitment to action within their learning communities. Newsletters, e-mail, announcements at workshops, liaison meetings, and personal calls or visits may be effective mechanisms to spread the word.
3. To MOTIVATE school library media specialists to network with teachers, students, parents, administrators, and members of the learning community who are all potential advocates. This builds the base of support exponentially.
4. To monitor the advocacy activity in each SLS region and apprise system members of the progress of funding legislation. The consequences of loss of service may be a tool to get the attention of the inactive.

This ADVOCACY TOOLKIT is a platform for action. It includes easy access to:

• Customized advocacy strategies for key constituent groups. Ideas, ideas, ideas.
  
• Prepackaged and printable forms to share testimony or document valuable service.
• Rationale and links to important research to strengthen letters and appeals for funding
• Links to many ADVOCACY websites constructed by professional organizations such as AASL, NYLA, and SLMS.
• Core understandings about school library programs and student achievement.
• Comprehensive contact information for assemblymen, senators, the governor, and other budget decision makers.
• Model letters, E-mail and overview of persuasive points.
• A common ground for all who care about equitable access to quality information resources for New York's learners.
• A unified vision of the critical importance of School Library System services, clear, visible, direct.

Tools for System Directors:

• A list of legislators that serve your BOCES geographically, and a cross-referenced list of legislators shared by neighboring BOCES. Visiting or writing to a legislators in conjunction with another system director may have extra impact and bolster confidence or resolve.
• A comprehensive contact list linking you to the Regents, Legislature, governor.
• Printable testimony forms for teachers, parents, students or school library media specialists that directors can gather and pool to present to legislators.
• A POWERPOINT presentation on School Library Systems advocacy.
• A brochure in Microsoft Publisher that presents a rationale for School Library System funding and advocacy action.
• A number of advocacy activities that require only a brief time commitment.
• Digests of empowering research and research links that can be used to increase awareness in school library media specialists or the public.
  

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 Eliot 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!