Resources available from ALA
National School Library Standards (American Association for School Librarians)
Featuring an Integrated Framework, AASL's standards for learners, school librarians, and school libraries serve as a guide to effective, professional practice.
Crafting the Elevator Speech
Harness the power of data and story to influence decision makers and advocate for school libraries!
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaces the No Child Left Behind version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act with language that includes “effective school library programs.” The bill provides exciting new opportunities for funding school library programs. Visit the ESSA and School Libraries website for the latest updates, including a list of state workshops.
Identify the stakeholders and partners who can reach decision makers and convey the importance of school libraries.
Everyday Advocacy (Association for Library Services to Children)
Library services for children, and simple, effective ways to learn, share, and make a difference in your library community.
Act for School Libraries! (Young Adult Library Services Association)
Add It Up: Libraries Make the Difference in Youth Development and Education
Research and statistics to help advocates make the case for libraries at every stage of youth development and education.
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Advocacy
Advocacy resources collected by AASL specifically for school library media programs and school library media specialists.
"School Libraries Count!" aims to gather data on changes in the field to gain understanding of the state of school library media programs nationally.
Special Presidential Task Force on School Libraries
Provides data and advocacy content specific to threats to school library instructional programs.
Available from ALA Editions
The Power of Data: An Introduction to Using Local, State, and National Data to Support School Library Programs
The Power of Data discusses the use of data sets to establish goals for school library programs. Highlighting data available at the local, state, and national levels, the book takes a look at how school librarians can use available data to influence decisions at the local level. The Power of Data will increase the ability of school librarians to effectively use existing data and to articulate the analysis of that data to the people who need the information, including principals, superintendents, school boards, parents, teachers, and students.
Protecting Intellectual Freedom in Your School Library
Pat Scales uses her experience and expertise to offer an intellectual freedom title tailored to the school library environment. This title presents a number of scenarios in which intellectual freedom is at risk and includes case studies, easy and motivating ways to prepare new hires for handling intellectual freedom issues, sidebars throughout the book that offer sample policies, definitions of key terms, and analysis of important statutes and decisions.
Online Learning Opportunities
Connecting the Dots: A Look at the National School Library Standards for Policymakers
Participants will examine the National School Library Standards to mine shareable concepts for discussions with local school and/or state policymakers in order to inform them about the National School Library Standards and to advocate for standards adoption in their district or state. Use the AASL Message Box and learn how to frame conversations that will garner support for standards adoption.
Ask the Advocate: Find What You Need to Make the Case
Attendees asked questions pertaining to advocacy issues at their library, as well as learning what resources are available to help make the case for libraries.