Going Beyond PR Library Advocacy Begins With You

Going Beyond PR… Library Advocacy Begins With You! 2002 TASL Conference Audrey P. Church 1

Advocacy, as defined in Webster’s New Collegiate n The act or process of advocating : SUPPORT n Advocate—”to plead in favor of” n Advocacy is directed at the people who make decisions about/who have influence over your program! 2

Some Statistics… n 1993 Wilson-Blake Study—Are principals knowledgeable about library media centers? n n 90% of 572 school library media specialists who responded answered, “No. ” 68% of 423 principals who responded answered, “No. ” 3

n Should principals-in-training learn more about the management of school libraries? n n 90% of library media specialists said, “Yes. ” 78% of principals said, “Yes. ” 4

1996 Wilson-Mac. Neil Survey of 250 Principal-Preparation programs at NCATE accredited U. S. universities: Over 75% said no instruction in school libraries was included in their programs! 5

Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning AASL and AECT, June 1998 6

“The mission of the school library media program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. ” 7

Information Power because Student Achievement is the Bottom Line! 8

“Colorado Study” (1993) The Impact of School Library Media Centers on Academic Achievement, Lance, Welborn, and Hamilton-Pennell 9

Seven Recent Statewide Studies n Information Empowered: The School Librarian as an Agent of Academic Achievement, Alaska, 1999, Lance et al. n Measuring Up to Standards: The Impact of School Library Programs & Information Literacy in Pennsylvania Schools, 2000, Lance, Rodney, Hamilton-Pennell n How School Librarians Help Kids Achieve Standards: The Second Colorado Study, 2000, Lance, Rodney, Hamilton-Pennell 10

n n School Libraries and MCAS Scores, Massachusetts, 2000, Baughman Good Schools Have School Librarians: Oregon School Librarians Collaborate to Improve Academic Achievement, 2001, Lance, Rodney, Hamilton. Pennell n n Texas School Libraries: Standards, Resources, Services, and Students’ Performance, 2001, Smith Make the Connection: Quality School Library Media Programs Impact Academic Achievement in Iowa, 2002, Rodney, Lance, Hamilton-Pennell 11

Common Findings of the Studies 12

Test scores are higher when the school has … n n A professionally trained, full-time library media specialist Adequate support staff in the library A strong collection (books, periodicals, online databases) that meets the needs of the school instructional program Student access to the library resources and information within and beyond the library 13

Test scores are higher when the school has a library media specialist who … n n Is knowledgeable about school curriculum Assists teachers in using information technology (Internet, subscription databases, etc. ) Communicates, cooperatively plans, and collaborates with teachers Teaches students information literacy skills, integrated with subject area content 14

How much do test scores go up? The second Colorado study reports that “CSAP [Colorado Student Assessment Program] reading scores tend to run 18 percent higher in fourth grade and 10 to 15 percent higher in seventh” when library media predictors are maximized. 15

The Pennsylvania study reports that “PSSA [Pennsylvania System of School Assessment] reading scores tend to run 10 to 15 points higher” when library media predictors are maximized. 16

June 4, 2002 n White House Conference on School Libraries n n Speakers such as Dr. Susan Neuman, Dr. Keith Curry Lance, Dr. Gary Hartzell; School principals Faye Pharr, Chattanooga, TN and Kathleen Smith, Greenwood, CO; School superintendent Steve Wisely, Medford, OR Video available from C-SPAN, http: //store. yahoo. com/c-spanstore/170381. html or by calling 1 -877 -662 -7726 17

School Library Journal, September, 2002 n “What Does Your Boss Think About You? ” Debra Lau n 242 principals responded to an SLJ survey sent out, mid-April, to 2000 principals across the nation üEight out of ten say they “strongly believe the media center plays a positive role in the overall value of the school. ” 18

“BUT…when asked to back up that statement, n n only 47 percent say there’s a direct link between an effective media center and increased academic achievement, and just 41 percent say the school library has a positive impact on students’ standardized test scores. ” 19

Gary Hartzell notes, n “expressing support for the media center is the ‘socially preferred answer. ’ But if you dig a little deeper, the truth comes out. ‘[Principals] think they should say that, but they don’t back it up with a budget or appropriate staffing. ” “What Does Your Boss Think of You? ”School Library Journal, 9 -02 20

Other facts to note: n n n Only 37% said their school librarians familiarize them with current research on library media programs and student achievement. Only 35% say their librarians inform them about current research on reading development. Only a little over 33% said their librarians take a proactive role in their schools. 21

POINT: Administrators and teachers don’t know about the critical role, the value and potential, of the library? WHY? 22

Gary Hartzell, Remarks at White House Conference on School Libraries 1. 2. 3. 4. Average of school administrators today Lack of training in administrator and teacher preparation programs The very nature of the library and librarian’s work Librarians haven’t told them 23

“Unless the library is forcibly brought to the attention of teachers and administrators, it is likely to go unnoticed and undervalued. ” Gary Hartzell 24

As a profession, we must to build. . . Visibility n Relationships n Influence n 25

n Visibility for ourselves, our programs, our profession n Relationships with students, teachers, parents, administrators 26

“Influence derives from other’s perceptions of what someone can do for them, with them, or to them. ” Gary Hartzell 27

Are you “the invisible school librarian” OR a “highly effective media specialist? ” 28

We must change perceptions, n become the “indispensable librarian, ” n be perceived as integral to the success of the teaching and learning that occurs in our schools! n 29

Advocacy with Evidence! Collaborative Partnerships Promote Academic Achievement! 30

Three Steps 1. Consciously strive to build influence where you work. ü Reshape perceptions in your immediate environment. ü Be sure your teachers and your principal know the difference you make instructionally! 31

2. Write articles and make presentations for educators other than librarians ü Conduct inservice in your school or district. ü Offer to speak for university classes. Invite future teachers and administrators to your library. 32

3. Become active in state and national school library associations. üCommunicate feelings and needs. üSpeak with a collective voice. 33

Tools to Help n Awesome AASL Advocacy Toolkit http: //www. ala. org/aasl/advocacy/index. html n Lance, Keith Curry and David V. Loertscher. (2001) Powering Achievement: School Library Media Programs Make a Difference: The Evidence. San Jose, CA: Hi. Willow. 34

More Tools to Help n Documents to use with administrators n “School Library Media Program Assessment” rubric, from A Planning Guide for Information Power n n n “The Principal’s Manual for Your School Library Media Program” brochure Virginia Department of Education “Academic Success @your library ” brochures Documents to use with teachers n Virginia Department of Education “Powerful Partnerships” brochures 35

Helen Adams “Paper the State” n n From “The White House Conference on School Libraries and What YOU Can Do!” “You can each write a letter to your local newspaper citing the link between student achievement and well stocked, staffed, and funded school libraries. School library media specialists can “paper the state” with letters about the value of school libraries. For ideas, check out the sample letter by La. Crosse [Wisconsin] elementary media specialist, Catherine Beyers, posted on the AASL website under AASL Advocacy Toolkit at http: //www. ala. org/aasl/advocacy/index. html. 36

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Media Specialists Donna Baumbach 37

1. Be proactive. 2. Begin with the end in mind. 3. Put first things first. 4. Think win/win. 38

5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. 6. Synergize. 7. Sharpen your saw. 39

Our goal. . . “Make the role and contributions of school librarians visible to those who have the power to make a difference. ” Gary Hartzell 40

Library Advocacy… Beyond PR! Advocacy Begins With You! 41

Audrey Church Instructor/Coordinator, School Library Media Program Longwood University Hull 234, Farmville, VA 23909 434. 395. 2682 achurch@longwood. edu 42