Educate, communicate, evaluate: Library Advocacy 101

Presented by Shonda Brisco, Asst. Professor,

Oklahoma State UniversityEncyclo-Media 2010

Resource InformationThis presentation, a bibliography of resources used, and

online access to websites, articles, and books is available at:

www.library.okstate.edu/cml/advocate.html

What Are You Doing?Budgets are tight…

So how can you justify:

Your Work?Your Teaching?

Your Impact to Student Achievement?

Just WHAT are you doing?

How Do You Measure Your Program’s Impact?

Quantitative?Circulation?Collection numbers?Classes taught?

Qualitative?Student achievement?Test scores?Collaborative teaching?

Is that ENOUGH?

School Library AdvocacyProgramPeoplePotential

PROGRAM

Information LiteracyInformation Literacy Skills ---start early!Test students’ IL knowledge:

TRAILS 9TRAILS 6

Pre-Test before instruction—know the “gaps”

Post-Test after instruction—check resultsAsk for self-evaluation by studentsShare results with stakeholders!

CurriculumBecome part of the Curriculum

Development Team;Know what is being taught– have copies

of the textbooks for YOUR use;Provide information, resources, and

content to those instructors who need these resources;

Know how the school’s library correlates to the Instructional Curriculum—utilize National and State Standards.

Research

PEOPLE

StudentsLet the students provide their “personal

stories” about the library program;Create a Student Library Advisory

Committee to help “build their library programs;”

Teach students how to use 2.0 Tools and ways to use hand-held devices for research;

Allow students to select materials (with your guidance) and then ask them to promote them through podcasts, book trailers, etc.

TeachersCollaborate with teachers on lessons;Help teachers to re-work outdated

lessons that only encourage “cut and paste” assignments;

Ask for a “piece of the pie”—ask to grade a portion of the assignment (bibliography, etc.);

Be aware of what is being taught and when;

Map the collection to the curriculum.

AdministratorsBecome indispensible—know the curriculum

and how library skills can be embedded;Show your students’ growth in research

(TRAILS);Report your work with students and teachers;Show how you’ve SAVED $$$ for the District

through Digital Prairie databases, book fairs, etc.

Support your Administrators – praise them for their support at School Board Meetings, with Parents, etc.

AdministratorsKeep statistics --- but SHOW activities:

Library SNAPSHOT DayAuthor visitsBook FairsOpen House Activities“Dinner and Databases”--- dinner fund-raiser

coupled with an overview of the online databases;

“Donuts with Dad”– (ES)—host Dad’s visit to the library

“Muffins with Mom”- (ES)—host Mom’s visit to the library

Community MembersShare information about your school

library with:School Board MembersPublic LibraryAlternative Education ProgramsChurchesCareer-TechCommunity Education / Adult Education

ParentsConnect through NewslettersAsk to speak at PTO / PTA Meetings

Share library’s resources for reading (ES)Show how you assist with research skills

(MS)Show how you teach for college research

(HS)

Offer F2F time with ParentsUse parent-volunteers for the library

POTENTIAL

What’s the Potential?Know your MISSION Statement– if you

don’t have one, write one!Have TALKING POINTS ready to share;Know the TEST SCORES and how the

library program increases these;Know your demographics—search for

opportunities to meet needs;Know the economic factors—be willing to

write grants or find alternative $$$

Talking Points

AdvocateKnow how the Library Program has made

an impact:

In reading scoresIn research projectsIn test scoresIn meeting specific needsIn supporting the curriculum

Be A “Show-Off”Invite Legislators, Community Members,

and other stakeholders to your school library and share your success;

Showcase what is happening in your school’s library through newsletters, announcements, newspapers, and websites;

Demand some Real Estate--- Add the Library webpage link to the school’s HOME page.

Be a Visionary

Think “Beyond the Box”– then share!Don’t be afraid to try new things and

ideas---and then SHARE the successes!Become “embedded” within the

instructional curriculum---then teachers advocate for you!

Teach technology in NEW ways---using the cell phone as a method of research, digital cameras as visual literacy, PowerPoint as an “electronic book.”

Become PoliticalKnow WHO supports Libraries;THANK them for their support;Keep them on your email / phone list;Contact your Legislators and ask them to

support school libraries and school librarians….

Stay ProfessionalBe polite--- but know the facts;Agree to disagree;Ask for evidence;Offer alternatives –rather than the

library;Ask questions---”How will our students

be able to compete without the IL skills needed for jobs or college?”

Stay ConnectedDon’t remain isolated;Connect to a listserv to discuss the

issues:( OSU offers the LM-OSU listserv for

school librarians---everyone is allowed to discuss, share ideas, and offer ideas);

Join OKSL, OLA, AASL, or your local library organization;

Connect with like-minded school librarians for ideas.

It’s Not About YOU

In order to advocate effectively, it’s important to keep your message to be

about…

students and student learning.

It’s NOT about librarian jobs!