Vol. 11 Issue 1 February 1, 2011

Advocate Advocate Advocate Advocate –––– verb verb verb verb ---- to recommend publicly, to support or vindicate, to plead in fa- to recommend publicly, to support or vindicate, to plead in fa- to recommend publicly, to support or vindicate, to plead in fa- to recommend publicly, to support or vindicate, to plead in fa-vor of, to defend by argument vor of, to defend by argument vor of, to defend by argument vor of, to defend by argument

The fall conference, 2020 Vision: Connect, Learn, Lead, energized and empow-

ered us as school librarians to think more honestly about our programs, our in-struction, and our own professional growth and to act more deliberately on our

efforts to promote and advocate for those same programs, instruction, and pro-

fessional growth. With the start of the new calendar year, we are encouraged to

reflect on our personal and professional goals, to do a mid-year evaluation of our

school year, and to readjust as necessary and to set new goals as appropriate.

One of our main goals for our individual library media programs and for our as-

sociation has to be to advocate for school libraries and school librarians. But in

order to do this effectively, we have to have an outline, definite action steps, to

meet our goals. Talking about our impact on student achievement, talking about the role of the school librarian to build literacy and information skills, talking

about the strong technology support school librarians provide are wonderful

places to start. However, if we are only talking to one another, then we are (Continued on page 2)

From our President, Deanna Harris

Connect, Lead, Learn:

Advocating for School Libraries

& School Librarians in the

New Year

Also in this Issue:Also in this Issue:Also in this Issue:Also in this Issue:

• Rallying the Troops: Rallying the Troops: Rallying the Troops: Rallying the Troops:

12 Tips for Turning Stake-12 Tips for Turning Stake-12 Tips for Turning Stake-12 Tips for Turning Stake-

holders in to Advocatesholders in to Advocatesholders in to Advocatesholders in to Advocates

• An Advocacy To Do ListAn Advocacy To Do ListAn Advocacy To Do ListAn Advocacy To Do List

• Show Me the ValueShow Me the ValueShow Me the ValueShow Me the Value

• ALA Library Snapshot Day: ALA Library Snapshot Day: ALA Library Snapshot Day: ALA Library Snapshot Day:

April 2011April 2011April 2011April 2011

• Is our Iceberg Melting?Is our Iceberg Melting?Is our Iceberg Melting?Is our Iceberg Melting?

• Advocacy: It’s Everyone’s JobAdvocacy: It’s Everyone’s JobAdvocacy: It’s Everyone’s JobAdvocacy: It’s Everyone’s Job

• Ten Advocacy Action StepsTen Advocacy Action StepsTen Advocacy Action StepsTen Advocacy Action Steps

Our Next Issue will be published Our Next Issue will be published Our Next Issue will be published Our Next Issue will be published

on April 1st about Assessment. on April 1st about Assessment. on April 1st about Assessment. on April 1st about Assessment.

2

preaching to the proverbial choir. We know the impact that effective programs,

strong instruction, and collaboration and planning have on our students, teach-

ers, and communities.

But are we truly advocating for school libraries and school librarians? And more But are we truly advocating for school libraries and school librarians? And more But are we truly advocating for school libraries and school librarians? And more But are we truly advocating for school libraries and school librarians? And more

importantly are we creating advocates, others who will vocally support us and importantly are we creating advocates, others who will vocally support us and importantly are we creating advocates, others who will vocally support us and importantly are we creating advocates, others who will vocally support us and

our instruction, our programs?our instruction, our programs?our instruction, our programs?our instruction, our programs?

Do we Do we Do we Do we recommend publiclyrecommend publiclyrecommend publiclyrecommend publicly???? Do we talk about school libraries and school librari-ans to our students, our teachers, to our parents? Sure, we do almost all the

time. But do we talk about school libraries and school librarians to our commu-

nities? Do 21st century learning and the role of school librarians come up in din-

ner conversations? Are these the subjects of presentations at local civic organi-

zations? Are we publicly blogging, tweeting, and posting about school libraries and school librarians?

Do we Do we Do we Do we support or vindicatesupport or vindicatesupport or vindicatesupport or vindicate? Do we truly vindicate our programs and ourselves;

do we prove that what we do is the right thing for students and teachers? Do we

provide the personal research to support our individual programs? Do others

support us at this same passionate level; would others share the research and

documentation to their own groups to vindicate school libraries and school li-

brarians?

Do we Do we Do we Do we plead in favor ofplead in favor ofplead in favor ofplead in favor of school libraries and school librarians? school libraries and school librarians? school libraries and school librarians? school libraries and school librarians? Do we make our cases known to those with the purse strings, those with the power to affect pol-

icy change, those leading education and 21st century learning? And again are

there others who will plead in favor of us and our programs with these same

leaders?

Do we Do we Do we Do we defend by argumentdefend by argumentdefend by argumentdefend by argument? Being advocates means standing up for ourselves,

defending ourselves and our beliefs, facing possible disagreements and counter-

arguments. Are we prepared to defend school libraries and school librarians?

Are we prepared to argue our impact on student achievement, our ability to ef-

fectively instruct, our passion and commitment to preparing 21st century learn-ers and leaders?

And ultimately are we prepared to build advocates for our school libraries and And ultimately are we prepared to build advocates for our school libraries and And ultimately are we prepared to build advocates for our school libraries and And ultimately are we prepared to build advocates for our school libraries and

school librarians? Will we have school and community advocates, others who school librarians? Will we have school and community advocates, others who school librarians? Will we have school and community advocates, others who school librarians? Will we have school and community advocates, others who

will be speak up for us and who will support and defend school libraries and will be speak up for us and who will support and defend school libraries and will be speak up for us and who will support and defend school libraries and will be speak up for us and who will support and defend school libraries and

school librarians? Or will we continue preaching to the choir?school librarians? Or will we continue preaching to the choir?school librarians? Or will we continue preaching to the choir?school librarians? Or will we continue preaching to the choir?

(Continued from page 1)

3

Rally the Troops: 12 Tips for Turning Stakeholders into

Advocates In uncertain times like these, it is espe-

cially important to devote at least some

time and energy in your week to highlight-

ing the unique contributions that you and

your program make to the learning envi-ronment in your school. One of the bene-

fits of having a targeted advocacy plan is

that you are able to create groups of ad-

vocates who can spread the message that

students need strong Library Media Spe-

cialists and Programs to succeed in the

21st Century.

The single most important thing that you

can do to convert stakeholders into advo-

cates is to create an environment in your

Library Media Center where guided and

independent learning are both visible and

constant. We must work diligently to

separate ourselves from the perceptions

that Library Media Centers have not

changed much in the last 30 years. Doing

so involves educating different stake-holder groups that Library Media Special-

ists who focus on research, technology,

critical thinking, and the ethical use of in-

formation are essential to learning and

teaching in the 21st Century.

Here are few tips you can use to target some of the different stakeholder groups

in your school community:

AdministratorsAdministratorsAdministratorsAdministrators

1. 1. 1. 1. Remove barriers to access. Principals love to walk in on a busy Library Media

Center. Examine your policies regarding

access to the Library Media Center and its

materials. Consider eliminating or relax-

ing policies that restrict or control. Allow

access to groups and individuals for read-

ing and independent work. Promote poli-

cies that encourage students just to be in

the Library Media Center (with boundaries and limits, of course). When our attitude

and atmosphere send the message to stu-

dents and teachers to “Keep Out,” they

will.

2. 2. 2. 2. Create a buzz of activity. What do your

administrators see when they walk into

your Library Media Center? When impor-

tant visitors tour the school, does your

principal make sure the Library Media Center is a stop on the tour? No matter

the situation, try to create an environment

where learning is always happening. Ar-

range your physical space to provide clear

spaces that will both enable and encour-

age different types of activities to occur

simultaneously. Most importantly, be visi-

ble. Let your principal and her visitors see

you out on the floor interacting with learn-

ers, talking with teachers, and teaching classes. The best way to be viewed as a

teacher is to act like one.

3. 3. 3. 3. Communicate success. Principals love

good news, so give some to yours. Brag

about successful collaboration. Invite him

in to see students excitedly learning with

technology. Prepare annual reports that

show more than circulation data: highlight

the learning taking place in your Library Media Center and back it up with data.

Above all, try to make your principal look

good. You’ll reap the rewards later. (Continued on page 4)

-Pete Caggia

4

TeachersTeachersTeachersTeachers

1. 1. 1. 1. Collaborate. Regardless of your setting

or the type of schedule you have, you

should make every effort to reinforce and

extend classroom learning through your

instruction. Try to attend department or

grade level planning meetings, ask for

copies of quarterly and year-long curricu-lum maps, and offer lessons and activities

that integrate Information and Technology

skills with classroom and content area in-

struction.

2. 2. 2. 2. Offer Professional Development. These

days, funding for professional develop-

ment in schools is practically zero. As a

leader in your school for 21st Century

learning and teaching, you can fulfill some of the professional development needs of

your teachers. Learn about new technolo-

gies and resources that are being used in

other schools and districts and share

them with your teachers. Offer training

sessions on new software and equipment

that comes into your school. Find out

what initiatives your teachers may be in-

terested in and plan training sessions where you can learn about them together.

You don’t have to know everything, but it

is important for the Library Media Spe-

cialist to be seen as the “Lead Learner” in

each school, modeling the same behav-

iors that our students will need through-

out their educational and professional ca-

reers.

3. 3. 3. 3. Share Resources. Get connected to other Library Media Specialists and

Technology Teachers to learn

about new and exciting re

sources that your teachers

can use to enrich their

(Continued from page 3) classroom instruction. Read blogs like

Free Technology for Teachers or Blogging

about the Web 2.0 Connected Classroom

for quick and easy access to some of the

best new technology tools available. Then, share selected resources with your whole

staff or just target specific departments,

grade levels, or individuals.

StudentsStudentsStudentsStudents

1. 1. 1. 1. Assess student work. When planning

projects and activities, be sure to provide

some form of assessment, evaluation, and

feedback for each student. If you are col-

laborating with a content area or class-

room teacher, be sure to develop a rubric

that assesses not only the work each stu-

dent produces, but the learning, thinking,

and research processes, as well. Then, offer to help the teacher assess student

performance.

2. 2. 2. 2. Collect feedback. Survey students at

the conclusion of research projects. Write

questions prompting them to reflect on

their learning and thinking throughout the

project. Don’t forget to include specific

questions about how students perceived your role as an educator during this proc-

ess. Even the youngest students can be

reflective. A simple questionnaire with re-

flection questions and an opportunity to

color or circle a smiley face or a frown

can provide useful data to show your im-

pact on student learning in your school.

3. 3. 3. 3. Let students tell the story. Quite possi-

bly the most overlooked stakeholder group, our students will have a lot to say

about our impact (or lack thereof) on their

learning. Hearing from this segment of

our community is vital: not only will they

be the most honest voice, their ongoing

5

feedback will help us ensure that our ef-

forts remain relevant and essential to the

way our students learn in the 21st cen-

tury. Create a video of students talking

about the impact their Library Media Spe-cialist has on their learning. Better yet, let

your students create it! There are many

online tools, such as Animoto and

VoiceThread, that make it easy to produce

content.

Parents and CommunityParents and CommunityParents and CommunityParents and Community

1. 1. 1. 1. Have a strong web presence. With ubiq-

uitous access to the Internet, there are

many opportunities to extend the reach of

your Library Media Center beyond the

walls of your physical space. Work to cre-

ate an online presence for your Library

Media Center that becomes the starting

point for all online learning in the class-

room and at home. Feature your subscrip-

tion databases (including NC Wise Owl) and selected links to high-quality, cur-

riculum-aligned resources. Be sure to in-

clude general information for parents

about the Library Media Specialist’s role

in supporting 21st Century learning and

teaching. Offer information and links to

Internet Safety sites like Common Sense

Media and Netsmartz. You could also pro-

vide an overview of the new Information &

Technology Essential Standards. There are many free and inexpensive tools offer-

ing ad-free webspace to educators. Try

Edublogs, Wikispaces, PBWorks, or

Google Sites for simple tools to get

started.

2. 2. 2. 2. Offer workshops. Reach out to parents

and help them support their children’s

learning in and out of the classroom. In-

vite parents into the Library Media Center

for workshops on choosing books for inde-

pendent reading or Internet Safety. Pro-

vide sessions explaining the research model used at your school so parents will

be able to reinforce and support students

when they bring projects at home. Don’t

forget to show off your Library Media Cen-

ter’s website as the best place to begin

for online learning.

3. 3. 3. 3. Talk to them. Seize every opportunity

you have to connect what you do in your

Library Media Program with student achievement and how it benefits student

learning. Like it or not, many in our com-

munities perceive that the Internet and, to

a lesser extent, e-books are making librar-

ies in schools obsolete and unnecessary.

School libraries in the 21st century are

not the same as they were when those in

our community went to school. We must

be relentless in communicating the mes-

sage that the learning that takes place in our Library Media Centers is critical to

academic success and being able to func-

tion as a literate citizen in the 21st cen-

tury.

As Library Media Specialists, we know we

can’t do everything, but we also admit that we should do more, especially when

it comes to advocacy. It can make a huge

difference if we all take a few of these

small steps. We know we are important

and we know why we are important. But,

we need others to understand and share

that message with us. Creating advocates

out of stakeholders increases the voice we

have for students who need Library Media

Specialists and strong, stable Library Me-dia Programs.

6

Advocacy, the theme for this issue is timely. Only Rip Van Winkle would be un-

aware of the economic pressures that have necessitated re-evaluation of every

penny in North Carolina’s state budget. As a school librarian, I take pride in my

role preparing students to be “effective users of ideas and information.” For this

reason, I want to ensure the budgetary decision-makers have as much valid, au-thoritative information as possible in order to make the best choices for NC’s

students. School librarians have access and methods to easily “reach out” with

the information that our decision-makers need.

I have created my own list of 2011 advocacy “rules of thumb” thanks to sessions I attended at our recent conference and tips from colleagues. These 6 guiding

principles have helped me to focus my efforts in 2011. Who better than school

librarians to organize, disseminate and substantiate the data necessary for our

lawmakers, state and local leaders, parents and students to prioritize the best

use of every penny? While I am “stepping outside my comfort zone,” I know that

“information is power” and without validity and timeliness, these decisions will

not be in our children’s best interest. If you find something new to use for your

program’s advocacy efforts, great! Let NCSLMA hear how you advocate for

school libraries by posting to our NCSLMA blog. We’ll add information to our as-

sociation advocacy web page, NCSLMA Facebook page and Twitter postings.

� Keep a focus on student learning. Publicize every instance of student learn-

ing that occurs in the media center. One way to document is a data wall, promi-

nently displayed and easily updated. Keep it current, interesting and easy to un-

derstand. Don’t limit it to numerical data. Put stories on the wall and be sure to

include how students benefited. If you are gathering this information for the data

wall, don’t forget to share it via your web page, newsletter, student paper, PTA,

staff meetings, etc. You don’t have a newsletter? Now is a great time to start

one. Whether it is electronic or published internally this is an excellent method

of communicating the media program in all its glory to decision-makers and stakeholders. Make it useful by including data relating to student and teacher

usage. With the new teacher evaluation instrument, a newsletter or data wall is

the perfect artifact for teacher documentation.

� Social networking is the 21st century “water cooler.” Web 2.0 tools allow

school librarians to ensure our work isn’t “behind the scenes.” Create a Face-

book page for your school library. Invite students, parents, school-board mem-

bers, all the people that need to know what their library provides to “like” your

page. This is your library “cheering section,” an avenue to provide continuous

information about day-to-day and special programming events. NCSLMA has its own Facebook page and will link to your school page, just send the information

7

to President Deanna Harris or President-elect Sarah Justice. Use Twitter as a

quick method to send information to stakeholders and decision-makers. Find

your local, state and national legislators on Facebook and Twitter and keep them

“in the loop” with Web 2.0 tools. Their postings will give you insight into their in-

terests and/or concerns. If you don’t have a library website, there’s no time like the present! Use it to provide instructional links for students and to promote the

library beyond the school walls.

� Make relationships. Get the decision-makers into the library. Invite legisla-

tors, school board members, district office staff, parents, community members,

teachers, administrators and students! Don’t wait for special programming. Every day is an opportunity to promote student learning. Record the event and

make sure to post online, in print, via all forms of media. This will provide a vir-

tual visit to decision-makers either electronically or in print. Don’t overlook stu-

dent produced media to promote the program including the newspaper, video

announcements, yearbook … be a news hog! Share something from the media

center at every opportunity: PTA, district newsletter, faculty meetings, etc. Make

sure professional development workshops are part of your programming. Use

the workshops you develop to reach teachers who are not collaborative partners,

YET.

� Collection is the library’s flesh-and-blood. Libraries are all about change! Pro-

vide a means (online or suggestion box) where students can give feedback about

what they want/need. Make sure the recommender is contacted first when the

change is made or the source is purchased. Promote the change and give the

student and/or teacher the credit for recommending the change. Weed, weed,

weed … less is more! (Especially if the more is dated, worn, damaged, wrong for your population). The collection, like a muscle, grows when it is used. Be pro-

active with staff by attending grade-level, team, and departmental meetings so

you can hear their instructional plans. Pass along information on resources to

accompany units (website, TV programming, podcasts, magazine articles, etc.)

These will provide opportunities for teacher conversations.

� Don’t allow yourself to be isolated, just because you are the only library pro-

fessional in the building. Read professional literature in print, online, blogs, via

RSS feeds, etc. Attend conferences and webinars. Join professional associations

and find out what your membership provides. AASL is the school librarian divi-

sion of ALA and provides webinars, online resources, legislative updates and

more to aid us in staying abreast of professional issues. NCSLMA has a website,

blog, Facebook page and Twitter posts. These provide a professional support

group, think tank, sounding board and cheering section. You are not alone!

-Tammy Young

8

Across the nation’s news headlines school districts are dealing with budget

issues that WILL require cuts in services and personnel. So how can school li-

brarians advocate their programs to show value? The answer lies in evidence-

based practice (EBP) because let’s face it; we are in a data driven profession

where test scores and teacher accountability are the bottom line on the budget statement!

In his lecture at the 2010 AASL Fall Forum in Portland, Oregon, Dr. Ross

Todd, director of Rutgers University’s Center for International Scholarship in

School Libraries (CISSL), talked about “the transformative role of school librar-

ies in 21st century schools” and the need for school librarians to participate in

evidence based practice in order to gather data as one means that supports and

advocates the value of school libraries. According to Dr. Todd, “without evi-

dence we are condemned to be oblivious. With it, we have a shot at being part

of the future.” Evidence based practice is a best practice that all school librari-ans should employ that will allow them to focus on the outcomes of student suc-

cess and effective teacher collaboration.

School librarians need to re-write their mission statements to ensure that the

emphasis is on what “the student will” do and not on what “the school library

will” do. Stakeholders need to see the school library as a dynamic experience

that advocates its evolving, transforming, changing, and integrating presence

within the 21st century.

So what is EBP? According to Dr. Ross Todd, “it is an approach that system-atically engages research-derived evidence, school librarian-observed evidence,

and user-reported evidence in the ongoing process of decision making develop-

ment, and continuous improvement to achieve the school’s mission and goals.

These goals typically center on student achievement and quality teaching and

learning.” School librarians need to start looking at how they and the programs

of the school library can fill the learning gaps in the school. Then they need to

systematically document the results that measures the value added in their con-

tribution to student achievement.

How does value get measured? What’s the data? Some examples include: student portfolios, surveys, collection/circulation statistics, documentation of

collaboration, interviews, formative rubrics of student work, recorded observa-

tion, feedback on technology training/workshops, and personal reflections to (Continued on page 9)

-Karen Van Vliet Show Me the Value Show Me the Value

9

ALA Library Snapshot Day: A Day in the Life of Your LibraryALA Library Snapshot Day: A Day in the Life of Your LibraryALA Library Snapshot Day: A Day in the Life of Your LibraryALA Library Snapshot Day: A Day in the Life of Your Library

April 2011April 2011April 2011April 2011

“Library Snapshot Day provides a way for libraries of all types across a state,

region, system or community to show what happens in a single day in their li-

braries. How many books are checked out? How many people receive help find-ing a job? Doing their taxes? Doing their homework? This initiative provides an

easy means to collect statistics, photos and stories that will enable library advo-

cates to prove the value of their libraries to decision-makers and increase public

awareness.” For more information: http://connect.ala.org/node/116569

This might be a good way of showcasing your library or working with other

librarians to highlight why libraries are important and how they make a differ-

ence for their patrons. New Hanover County school librarians in conjunction

with area librarians from the local colleges and public library are working on de-

veloping a short film of what happens in our libraries. It will combine short video clips and photos of activities happening in our libraries. We will be provid-

ing access to it during Library Week on the local county station and the school

system’s television station.

just name a few. From this data, the school librarian can make objective data-

driven decisions for their programs and school related goals.

In his presentation, Dr. Todd argued that by gathering data two questions will

be answered that document and advocate the value of the school librarian and the library. First, “what differences do my school library and its learning initia-

tives make to student learning outcomes?” And second, “what are the differ-

ences, the tangible learning outcomes, and learning benefits of my school li-

brary?”

If school librarians are to create understanding of what the environment

within today’s school libraries is like and be effective change agents in develop-

ing 21st century learners then they need to gather evidence that demonstrates

how they are working to provide and teach students the skills, disposition, re-

sponsibilities, and self-assessment strategies of the AASL standards. Once the data is collected school librarians can advocate the performance of the school

library and its programs to all stakeholders in order to gain active support and

understanding of their value!

Further Readings:

http://www.cissl.scils.rutgers.edu/impact_studies.html

http://eduscapes.com/sms/advocacy/advocacy.html

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6545434.html

10

As schools in North Carolina

move into the digital age, the

roles of both the teacher-

librarian and the media center

have been redefined. The posi-tion of teacher-librarian is more

important than ever as we pro-

vide guidance and direction

through this overwhelming flow

of information in the digital age.

But how do we advocate for our

positions and continue to be the

hub of learning and activities at

our schools? How do programs like Blab-

berize, Dropbox, BeFunky, FunnelBrain and Gliffy fit into the media center? What-

ever happened to basic book talks, oral

book reports and teaching research skills

using reference books? Is there a need

to redesign our physical space and our

teaching practices to reflect the preva-

lence of technology in our schools? The

overall size and shape of our iceberg

seems to be shrinking.

The digital age has arrived and our stu-

dents are leading it! Instead of tame

book talks, they want book talks pre-

sented in Xtranormal or Moviemasher.

Instead of boring oral book reports - they

want to use Prezi, Glogster Edu or

Voicethread . Instead of taking paper

notes from huge reference books that

can’t leave the library, they want to cre-

ate and use a digital folder in the EBSCO database that can be accessed 24/7 on

any computer with an Internet connec-

tion. More and more pieces of our com-

fortable iceberg are breaking off and

floating away. Just how will we manage

to stay afloat?

To understand these students and meet

them where they are, we need to change

-Cathy Wray -Cathy Wray

is our iceberg m e l t

i n g

?

how we conduct business and become as

familiar with these digital tools as we are

with books, periodicals and the Dewey

Decimal system. This may move us out

of our comfort zone but this change is necessary to keep our media iceberg

afloat in this digital age.

To provide for this cultural shift, we may

also need to redesign our physical space

away from whole group lessons to provid-

ing space for several different small

group activities happening simultane-

ously. We may need to provide better ac-

cess to electrical outlets for recharging batteries on the go in iPods, Netbooks

and laptops. We may need to create

small secluded areas equipped for creat-

ing multimedia presentations to provide

students with the tools and space needed

to use web 2.0 tools.

As more schools move to learning man-

agement systems such as Moodle and

Blackboard, we may need to create basic lessons for subjects such as research,

copyright , web evaluation and Internet

safety. These lessons can be stored digi-

tally on a web page, wiki or Google space

that can be accessed by students and

teachers anytime, anywhere. This adds

11

more weight and substance to our media

iceberg.

All of this change requires a substantive

plan or vision and a laser-like focus on creating an environment that is best for

the students and staff at our schools.

Identify a group of stakeholders that are

willing to become change agents. After

analyzing the data and determining the

direction that your school needs to go,

the team can work together to create a

vision of that change. Once the vision has

been created, your school may want to

use the Eight Step Process of Successful Change described in the book, Our Ice-Our Ice-Our Ice-Our Ice-

berg Is Melting berg Is Melting berg Is Melting berg Is Melting by John Kotter. This sim-

ple fable uses a penguin colony in Ant-

arctica to illustrate the eight steps neces-

sary to produce change in any sort of

group. Like playing The Change GameThe Change GameThe Change GameThe Change Game,

you can recognize many members of

your staff through the characters in the

fable.

Here is the eight step process of success-

ful change as explained by John Kotter:

Set the stage:Set the stage:Set the stage:Set the stage:

Create a sense of urgency – help oth-ers see the need for change and the importance of acting immedi-ately.

Pull together the guiding team – make sure there is a powerful group guiding the change – one with leadership skills, credibility, com-munications ability, authority, ana-lytical skills, and a sense of ur-gency.

Decide what to do:Decide what to do:Decide what to do:Decide what to do:

Develop the change vision and strat-egy – clarify how the future will be different from the past, and how you can make that future a reality.

Make it happen:Make it happen:Make it happen:Make it happen:

Communicate for understanding and buy in – make sure as many others as possible understand and accept the vision and the strategy.

Empower others to act – remove as many barriers as possible so that those who want to make the vision a reality can do so.

Produce short-term wins – create some visible, unambiguous suc-cesses as soon as possible.

Don’t let up – press harder and faster after the first successes. Be relent-less with initiating change after change until the vision is a reality.

Make it stick:Make it stick:Make it stick:Make it stick:

Create a new culture – hold on to the new ways of behaving, and make sure they succeed, until they be-come strong enough to replace old traditions.

Www.ouricebergismelting.com, John Kot-

ter’s website further explains the steps

necessary for change in any organization. The site includes character explanations,

video clips, tips from change leaders and

many other “Iceberg” resources.

The ability and willingness to lead

change in your school and community is

a leadership trait that teacher-librarians

would do well to embrace. Change is oc-

curring in our schools and in our world at

a very rapid pace, and we must of neces-

sity, change with it. To remain as leaders in our school and to keep our iceberg

from melting, we must embrace the fu-

ture and ride the tides of change. Change

is rarely easy, but when it is offered in a

positive, non-threatening environment it

can provide the impetus to totally redi-

rect your school. Be the leader of that

change and shore up your iceberg!

12

Like it or not, if you work in a library in the year 2011,

you are now a library advocate. And this is a bit of

a problem, not because school librarians aren’t

capable or talented advocates, it’s just that, to

many of us, advocacy doesn’t come naturally. Don’t get me wrong, most of us are pretty

good at advocating for our patrons or even

our programs, but very few of us are really

great at advocating for ourselves.

Last year, Dr. David Lankes, of Syracuse

University's School of Information Studies,

declared 2010 the “year of the librarian,”

charging everyone in our field to come

out of the library closet, so to speak, and start tooting our own horns.

Dr. Lankes posited that, to our detriment, librarians of

all stripes tend to let our work take center stage –

happy to sit in the shadows while a program or patron

gets all the attention. This has got to change.

In 2011, Joyce Valenza challenged all school librarians

to make this the “Year to be Fierce” but, frankly, I don’t

think we’re quite finished with Dr. Lankes’ 2010 call to

arms. This year, I’m planning to be “fierce” about a lot of things, but I think we all need to be fierce about

promoting ourselves as the engines that drive the

meaningful and impactful things that are happening in

our libraries every day.

So, this year, I’m challenging myself, and all of my

fellow school librarians out there, to remember the

following whenever we don our advocacy caps in 2011:

Advocacy:

-Jennifer LaGarde It’s Everyone’s Job

13

Speak in the first person: Speak in the first person: Speak in the first person: Speak in the first person:

Statements like “It’s really wonderful to work with such a

supportive staff” or “It’s been a real honor to be a part of this

program” are humble and polite, but they also allow others to

think that we are not the driving force behind

whatever program or accomplishment is worthy of their praise (or

funding, or support, or even a job!) Instead, when receiving

professional kudos, follow your gratitude with a statement that

acknowledges the necessity of a skilled librarian (you!) to the success

of the program. “Thank you. I’m glad to be able to put my training as a

specialist in 21st century technologies to work in a way that impacts

students.”

Education and advocacy are NOT the same thing:Education and advocacy are NOT the same thing:Education and advocacy are NOT the same thing:Education and advocacy are NOT the same thing:

Educating people about what you do is a good start, but it’s not enough. Those who make

decisions that impact libraries don’t simply need to know what you do, they must also be

convinced that what you do is an indispensable part of educating students in your district.

Pointing to our programs and then expecting others to connect the dots is unacceptable. We

must, at every opportunity, draw a clear and undeniable line between ourselves and student

learning. And if we can’t do that, we need to re-examine our practice.

YOU are your best advocateYOU are your best advocateYOU are your best advocateYOU are your best advocate:

In the end, it’s up to you to save your job. Everything you do, every day, is an opportunity to

prove your worth – or not. No one is going to swoop in and convince others that your job,

programs and library are worth saving. Only YOU can make sure that you are the answer to

your stakeholders’ problems. Only YOU can insure that your work is directly linked to

student achievement. And only YOU can make certain that those in power see you as an

indispensable player in educating the students of your district.

Truth be told, I think one of the reasons why advocacy can be so difficult is because, frankly,

much of it just seems to “go without saying.” After all, when you believe, unequivocally, in

what you are doing, having to convince others of its worth just seems, well… superfluous.

Besides, I don’t know a single librarian who went into this field seeking glory and recognition.

However, if there’s one thing this year has taught us it’s that when the going gets tough, the

tough reinvent themselves. So, whether you think of 2011 as the “year of the librarian” (take

II) or the “year to be fierce,” it’s time to step out of the shadows and start taking some of the

credit we deserve.

14

The next issue of Media

Connections will be

published online in

April. Assessment is our

theme: Articles may vary regarding subtopics.

We are looking for a variety of types of

assessment that you use in your library program

to assess student learning and the impact your

library has on the school community. Please

consider sharing your story and write for the

next issue. The writing deadline is March 10th.

Please send articles to Carolyn Vibbert at

cvibbert@gmail.com.

All stock photos were

used with permission from

stock.xchng.com

Book: Sanja Gjenero

Mouse: jaylopez

Megaphone Logo: A.

Hulme, Marcelo Barboza

Penguin: Blink DG

Post-it: BSK

Camera: Patrick Hajzler

Backgrounds: PLRANG

Images for design , Nima-

lan Tharmalingam, aaron

beall, Ivan Prole

Thank you to our contributors!

Joann Absi

Pete Caggia

Deanna Harris

Jennifer LaGarde

Karen Van Vliet

Tammy Young

Cathy Wray

Ten Advocacy Action Steps (Things You Could be Doing Right Now to Support School Libraries and School Librarians)

1. Talk about the impact on student achievement of

your school library program with non-educators

(parents, local businesses, even your hairstylist).

2. Design your message with the help of your Media

and Technology Advisory Committee (your advo-

cacy team) so that everyone is communicating

the same message.

3. Write about your school library program for your

PTA newsletter, your blog, the NCSLMA blog,

your local newspaper, or your school district’s

website, blog, or news.

4. Make your school library visible through your me-

dia website, your school’s website, and banners,

flyers, and posters throughout your school and

community.

5. Write announcements for others to read or be on

your school’s morning news each week promot-

ing the library.

6. Participate in professional learning teams with

other school librarians and fellow educators.

7. Record stories and comments about the impact

of your school library on students, teachers, and

parents to use in promotion and advocacy.

8. View your school library through the eyes of a

student or teacher and then make one change to

improve the look, the feel, the atmosphere.

9. Put out a suggestion box and welcome input from

students, teachers, staff, and parents.

10. Write thank you notes to five people who have

supported you and your program.

Based on Ten Action Steps for Frontline School Advocacy,

ALA Advocacy University, ALA. For more information,

visit ALA Advocacy University.