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AASL Advocacy Toolkit

Because Student Achievement IS the Bottom Line

AASL Instructional Classification Toolkit

@ your library® School Library Campaign

Developed in collaboration with AASL, the school library component of the American Library Association's @ your library® campaign seeks to increase public awareness of the significant contributions made by school library media specialists through school library media programs to further the academic achievement and lifelong learning of students; strengthen a belief in the value of school library media programs and school library media specialists; and position school librarianship as a desirable career opportunity. Includes the @ your library® Toolkit for School Library Media Programs with messages, ideas and strategies for promoting the value of school library media programs and library media specialists in the 21st century.

Every Student Succeeds @ your library^TM

Strategic Marketing for School Library Media Centers (PowerPoint presentation)

AASL Introduction to Advocacy and Advocacy Training

This PowerPoint presentation provides a basic framework for launching an advocacy effort on behalf of your school library media program.

• Partner in Learning: The School Library Media Center
• The Key to Student Achievement
• NCES School and Staffing Survey
• Quotable Facts
• What Parents Should Know

Information from some of these talking points has been compiled as a Fact Sheet by the ALA Public Information Office. It is offered as part of a Press Kit highlighting ALA's involvement in the White House Conference on School Libraries. AASL encourages you to make your local newsmedia aware of this press kit.

Sample Letter to the Editor

Edit and submit this letter to the editor of the editorial or op-ed page of your daily newspaper.

ALA Resolution: School Libraries and Librarians are Critical to Educational Success

At its June 2003 meeting the Council of the American Library Association unanimously passed a resolution in support of school libraries and librarians. The resolution was initiated by ALA Councilor Cyndi Phillip, Library Media Specialist/Instructional Media Services Department Head, Grand Haven (Michigan) Public Schools, and the Immediate Past Chair of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Affiliate Assembly.

  "Preparing for the Planning Process" (PDF File)

This excerpt from AASL's A Planning Guide for Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning can help you increase awareness of your school library media program by including your principal, teachers, and other members of your education community in the planning process.

Capitalizing on the School Library’s Potential to Positively Affect Student Achievement: A Sampling of Resources for Administrators

Dr. Gary Hartzell's White House conference presentation. Includes a bibliography of 50 years' worth of studies showing school library impact, materials on the role of the principal in quality library media programs, and persuasion materials (links to PowerPoint presentations and other items).

"Tips For a Successful Meeting With Your Elected Officials"

The Teacher Leaders Network offers this list of tips (adapted from a publication of the United Advocates For Children of California) for having an effective personal meeting with elected officials.

State-level Advocacy Tools:

• Minnesota Educational Media Organization's (MEMO) promotional video,"Building Skills for Tomorrow: Minnesota School Library Media Programs Make a Difference"
  www.isd77.k12.mn.us/memo/memo.html

  The video can be downloaded in QuickTime format. A link to the script for the video (PDF) is also included. Handouts for principals and parents to accompany the video can be found.

• State Library of North Carolina's awareness campaign, "The Very Best Place to Start"
• Includes public service announcements and campaign tools and templates.
• ALA School Library Media Specialists: Issues & Advocacy

Other Support Materials:

• @ your library®:
  • Campaign for America's Libraries PowerPoint (PP)
  • Campaign Overview: Script for Presenters (Word)
• A Communications Handbook for Libraries (PDF)
• Libraries & the Internet Toolkit (ALA)
• A Library Advocate's Guide to Building Information Literate Communities (PDF)
• Library Advocate's Handbook (PDF)
• "10 Reasons Why the Internet Is No Substitute for a Library" (American Libraries April 2001)

Materials from AASL's Preconference "Transforming Your Program Through Advocacy" (June 2006)

• List of Advocacy Websites
• Advocacy Bibliography
• Advocacy Action Plan (Word)