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Grass Roots Advocacy

Grass Roots Advocacy. Some tips and tricks for advocating for your school library within the school. All libraries and librarians are different. All schools reflect the needs and character of their school and their community One main goal - student achievement

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Grass Roots Advocacy

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  1. Grass Roots Advocacy Some tips and tricks for advocating for your school library within the school

  2. All libraries and librarians are different • All schools reflect the needs and character of their school and their community • One main goal - student achievement • You can aid this by raising your profile • Outline your usefulness • Be considered a professional

  3. Putting these ideas into Effect • Building relationships with staff • Identify yourself with staff • Sort out opportunities to collaborate • Use opportunities to help when classes are in the library • Build relationships with students • Remember that there is a fine line, many staff may wish to develop a collaborative approach, some may not

  4. Use opportunities to collaborate and assist staff • These can be added value things that may help the class use the library more efficiently • Lists of books about the subject, pertinent websites, assisting with information retrieval, helping a gifted and talented group use Epic, preparing material for students with special learning needs • Show that you are willing and able to be involved with the class

  5. Being A Presence in Your Library and School • Promote the library to both staff and students with activities and special events • Interact with the staff at interval, at meetings, and briefings • Taking part in larger school activities shows that you are part of the team • Offer library as place for staff, department and reading group meetings (this gets staff into the library to see what you do and have to offer!) • Don’t be afraid to ask for time in staff meetings to demonstrate new ideas , programmes or ideas that may encourage collaboration

  6. An Example: year Seven and Eight research • I’m involved with Year Seven and 8 Research Topics. • I work on this subject with the teacher and am involved in the planning and presentation of this material • I have a teaching and research presence in this unit. I present activities and background material. • I try to make time to see what they are doing in their classrooms as well as in their library periods. I help with presentation ideas and material. • I often attend the presentations of their work in class and display as much of it as I can

  7. Relationships with the community • Ask the PTA, Board etc to use the library for meetings. • If organisations have given you funds, invite them to see what you’ve done with them. Feedback is very important. • Invite local book clubs to meet in the library or to talk to senior students

  8. Professional issues • Be informed on professional library issues • Be informed on educational issues • Use the list serv. • Be part of SLANZA • Subscribe to RSS feeds of librarians who blog. But be selective, take only what you can use effectively. Its easy to get overwhelmed by the huge amount of information

  9. Collegial links • Be part of SLANZA • Be part of NZEI • Take advantage of PD ( National Library, LIANZA) ask for PD funds. Be willing to give up your time for PD • Observe the skills of other professionals and learn from them!

  10. But remember: • The purpose of advocacy is not just to raise the profile of SCHOOL librarians and libraries, but : HOW THEY IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT • Use research and anecdotal evidence in helping to show just what you contribute.

  11. Doug Johnson’s 4 Rules of advocacy • Johnson's 1st Rule of Advocacy: Don't depend on national studies, statistics or publications. • Johnson's 2nd Rule of Advocacy: Build relationships and inform so others will advocate for you.One parent telling a school board how important he thinks the library program is to his child is more powerful than a dozen AASL brochures. One teacher willing to tell the principal that library services have helped her class be more successful secures library funding better than any mandate. • Johnson's 3rd Rule of Advocacy: Never advocate for libraries or the librarian - only for library users. • Johnson's 4th Rule of Advocacy: Don't depend on the library supervisor to make your case. http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2011/9/12/4-rules-of-library-advocacy.html

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