Category Archives: Advocacy

Advocacy, Children's services, School Media Specialist

Fight for School Libraries

We are fans of school libraries. This, of course, is not even a teeny bit radical – literally every single person should be in favor of good school libraries, because we all benefit from well educated students and graduates! Plus, as we are in the profession, we have an added emphasis to want all our libraries to be good for the communities they serve!

Check out this article from American Libraries magazine: Fight for School Libraries: Student success depends on them By l. 

“Libraries constitute an ecology of educational, research, and community services. In this environment of inter­dependency, we, as a family of libraries, must embrace advocacy for school libraries as foundational to the success of our collective work for students who love to read, as we prepare them for college, career, and life.

We must all fight the closing of school libraries, the reductions in professional staffing, the erosion of budgets for resources and technology, and the consequent weakening of the librarian–teacher partnership in the classroom. We must advocate for the federal funding that supports network access in schools. We must continue to document and demonstrate the powerful link between student success, educational enrichment, and well-supported school libraries.

We all want students who know how to look for information, evaluate sources, organize research results, present ideas and conclusions, and document their work. These are lifelong skills. They strengthen communities and promote civic engagement. They enrich lives. They transform learning. They enable public libraries and academic libraries to be more effective.

School libraries are about reading and understanding, about critical thinking and problem solving. They are about research and writing, the ability to evaluate sources, and the exploration of diverse perspectives and experiences.

School libraries are about active learning, the ability to analyze, synthesize, and work collaboratively. They are about information skills in context and about a shared information vocabulary. They are about working online, using technology appropriately, and making good choices.

School libraries are about innovative technologies and creative spaces. Through school libraries, students understand issues like privacy, confidentiality, intellectual freedom, open access, fair use, and how these relate to their work as learners. Students view libraries as a positive and essential part of their lives.

The American Library Association’s American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries provides integrated frameworks essential to these and other core competencies. The Common Beliefs are:

  • The school library is a unique and essential part of a learning community.
  • Qualified school librarians lead effective school libraries.
  • Learners should be prepared for college, career, and life.
  • Reading is the core of personal and academic competency.
  • Intellectual freedom is every learner’s right.
  • Information technologies must be appropriately integrated and equitably available.

Steven Yates, 2017–2018 AASL president, in his January/February column for AASL’s journal Knowledge Quest, calls for expanded and robust collaboration to advance and enrich the work of school libraries, including strengthening relationships with other ALA divisions that work with children and youth, as well as working more closely with the ALA Washington Office. As Yates writes, “these partnerships are built on the belief that we can change the world every day.”

I propose to convene a meeting in Chicago of representatives from across the school, public, and academic library communities, as well as teachers, school administrators, and students. The focus will be on the state of school libraries, the work to demonstrate value and impact, and an outline to expand strategy that builds community-wide articulation, investment, and advocacy.

I am interested in your comments. ­Contact me at jneal0@columbia.edu.”

Advocacy, CMLE

Tuesday! Library Legislative Day! Let’s Talk Libraries!!

House Chamber, Minnesota State CapitolIf you didn’t already know that we are really excited about libraries, and love to talk about them, then: Hello! Welcome to your very first day with CMLE!! We’re into libraries here, and we hope you are too!

The Minnesota Library Association (MLA) organizes Library Legislative Day each year. This year, it is Tuesday, March 6.

Check out this MLA/ITEM Legislative Legwork Committee site – new this year with a TON of great info!! If you have ever wanted to know even the smallest detail of what it’s like to go to Legislative Day (spoiler: it’s fun!), it is here!

If you would like to attend Legislative Day, CMLE members can apply for scholarships to cover the costs of finding a sub, traveling, or other costs associated with your attendance. We will give you a scholarship for this event, even if you have already received one this year or are planning to attend something else. Legislative Day is important to libraries, and we want to support you in attending!

BUT!!!! AND!!!!

What if you can’t make it to this very good event? No worries – the MLA/ITEM site has you covered there too!

There is a bunch of information about being part of Virtual Library Legislative Day activities! You can participate all week long, from your desk, at night after the kids go to sleep, in the morning while you wait for coffee to brew – whenever is best for you!

CMLE knows we have members who are not able to attend, but want to advocate for their libraries and for their library systems. We will host an in-person event at our Headquarters on Tuesday, March 6. From 9:00 to 3:00 that day we will be in our Headquarters (570 1st Street SE – next door to Target), advocating for libraries. Join us!!

  • We will provide postcards, a computer, a phone, pens – all the tools for communication.
  • We will have information on the 2018 MLA/ITEM Legislative Platform and the 2018 Key Messages.
  • We will have email and physical addresses of legislators.
  • We may possibly also have Lady Grey in house, to provide support and encouragement. (She’s a big library supporter!)

What will happen?

  • Send an email to your legislator. Get a cookie.
  • Call to support one of the bills. Get a cookie.
  • Tweet to legislators. Get a cookie.
  • Write out a postcard to a stakeholder for us to mail. Get a cookie.

You are seeing how this works, right?? We are unashamedly buying your library advocacy efforts in the hopes that you will get some experience in quickly sharing the message of “Yay Libraries!” with stakeholders – and that you feel comfortable doing so!! Advocacy is just telling people about libraries; and really – that’s always fun!

(Note: there will be other rewards for people who are not currently eating cookies, and want to support libraries. We support your healthy choices!)

People like libraries. They (generally) want to help us! It’s just our job to tell them what we need.

REGISTER TODAY!!!!

Be sure that MLA and ITEM know you are on the job and ready to advocate! Whether you go to the in-person event (it’s really fun!!!!!), or attend the CMLE Virtual Event, or participate virtually on your own – numbers matter. Let everyone know that you are ready to support libraries in Minnesota!!

Advocacy, Communication

Minnesota Library Legislative Day

House Chamber, Minnesota State CapitolIf you didn’t already know that we are really excited about libraries, and love to talk about them, then: Hello! Welcome to your very first day with CMLE!! We’re into libraries here, and we hope you are too!

The Minnesota Library Association (MLA) organizes Library Legislative Day each year. This year, it is Tuesday, March 6.

Check out this MLA/ITEM Legislative Legwork Committee site – new this year with a TON of great info!! If you have ever wanted to know even the smallest detail of what it’s like to go to Legislative Day (spoiler: it’s fun!), it is here!

If you would like to attend Legislative Day, CMLE members can apply for scholarships to cover the costs of finding a sub, traveling, or other costs associated with your attendance. We will give you a scholarship for this event, even if you have already received one this year or are planning to attend something else. Legislative Day is important to libraries, and we want to support you in attending!

BUT!!!! AND!!!!

What if you can’t make it to this very good event? No worries – the MLA/ITEM site has you covered there too!

There is a bunch of information about being part of Virtual Library Legislative Day activities! You can participate all week long, from your desk, at night after the kids go to sleep, in the morning while you wait for coffee to brew – whenever is best for you!

CMLE knows we have members who are not able to attend, but want to advocate for their libraries and for their library systems. We will host an in-person event at our Headquarters on Tuesday, March 6. From 9:00 to 3:00 that day we will be in our Headquarters (570 1st Street SE – next door to Target), advocating for libraries. Join us!!

  • We will provide postcards, a computer, a phone, pens – all the tools for communication.
  • We will have information on the 2018 MLA/ITEM Legislative Platform and the 2018 Key Messages.
  • We will have email and physical addresses of legislators.
  • We may possibly also have Lady Grey in house, to provide support and encouragement. (She’s a big library supporter!)

What will happen?

  • Send an email to your legislator. Get a cookie.
  • Call to support one of the bills. Get a cookie.
  • Tweet to legislators. Get a cookie.
  • Write out a postcard to a stakeholder for us to mail. Get a cookie.

You are seeing how this works, right?? We are unashamedly buying your library advocacy efforts in the hopes that you will get some experience in quickly sharing the message of “Yay Libraries!” with stakeholders – and that you feel comfortable doing so!! Advocacy is just telling people about libraries; and really – that’s always fun!

(Note: there will be other rewards for people who are not currently eating cookies, and want to support libraries. We support your healthy choices!)

People like libraries. They (generally) want to help us! It’s just our job to tell them what we need.

REGISTER TODAY!!!!

Be sure that MLA and ITEM know you are on the job and ready to advocate! Whether you go to the in-person event (it’s really fun!!!!!), or attend the CMLE Virtual Event, or participate virtually on your own – numbers matter. Let everyone know that you are ready to support libraries in Minnesota!!

Advocacy, Communication

New ALA Statement Affirms Net Neutrality is Essential to Intellectual Freedom

NetNeutrality logo

From the ALA:

“At the 2018 ALA Midwinter Meeting, ALA Council adopted the statement “Net Neutrality: An Intellectual Freedom Issue.” Written by the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, the document affirms that Net Neutrality is essential to the promotion and practice of intellectual freedom and the free exercise of democracy.

The document’s origins date back to June, when ALA President Jim Neal requested a Net Neutrality position paper written from an intellectual freedom perspective. On Dec. 14, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal Net Neutrality; the repeal will take effect on April 23, 2018. The Intellectual Freedom Committee structured the paper to respond to arguments in the anticipated fight to preserve Net Neutrality.

“The Net Neutrality statement is timeless, reflecting the core values of ALA and its members,” said IFC Chair Helen Adams.

The document makes clear connections between Net Neutrality and libraries, democracy, intellectual freedom, and equitable access. It also recognizes the work of the ALA Washington Office and other ALA advocacy efforts to defend Net Neutrality.

“There are many forms of censorship. Tilting the playing field toward a few players is one of them,” said Office for Intellectual Freedom Director James LaRue.

The statement is endorsed by the Committee on Legislation, Intellectual Freedom Round Table, Committee on Professional Ethics, the American Association of School Librarians, Library Information Technology Association and IFC Privacy Subcommittee.”

Advocacy

Spotlight News: IMLS is in trouble (Yes – again!)

https://www.imls.gov/

I am so, so very tired of writing this same article. But, here we are again!! Usually it’s Paul Ryan who tries to destroy federal funding of libraries; but this time the budget comes from the White House, and yes – eliminates the IMLS and federal funding for libraries.

I AM LITERALLY SO FURIOUS ABOUT HAVING TO KEEP HAVING THIS CONVERSATION OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT I AM SCREAMING AS I TYPE! I would really like to stop doing this. I would like to have the kind of world where libraries, and their amazing contributions to their communities, are just automatically funded. Where libraries are not treated as if they are some kind of disposable indulgence that can be waved away on a whim. Where we get money because our ROI is pretty darn fantastic!!!

We will never tell you who to vote for – that is always your important choice, and a decision you make  for yourself. But we know libraries are important in your life. You can see how libraries make a difference in the lives of your patrons. You know that the communities you serve, however they are defined, are better because your library is there.

You know this. I know this.

But once again, we need you to go tell some politicians this basic truth.

You might not receive money directly from the IMLS; but know that the power of our federal agency does impact on your library and your work. When we have no voice in Washington – then what? How easy will it be to think all libraries are just meaningless? That your library, and your job, can just be waved away? Too easy.

And of course, we all benefit directly from IMLS money to Minnesota. Nearly $3 million dollars each year comes to us from IMLS; read all about it here.

CMLE is hosting a Virtual Library Legislative day event on March 6, to mirror the in-person Legislative Day happening in St. Paul. We would love it if you could go to the in-person event – and we will give members scholarship money to go tell legislators about the value of your library! If you can’t go, we want you to come to us that day; we will feed you cookies as you tell your stakeholders about the value of the library.

I say this all the time, but it’s so true. Who is standing up for your library, for your patrons, and for your community? You just have us; we just have you. We both need to get on this, and to overwhelm these bozos who do not understand the value of libraries, so I can stop writing this same thing every year!!

Here is a press release from ALA:

Advocacy Alert: Federal Library Funding

Send an Email  Tweet at Congress 

What Happened

This week, the White House released its budget proposal for FY2019. As we anticipated, the budget proposed a significant cut to federal library funding. The administration’s budget proposal eliminates the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which provides approximately $183 million in direct funding to libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). The budget proposal also eliminates the $27 million Innovative Approaches to Literacy program administered by the Department of Education.

Why It Matters

These proposed cuts would impact many libraries across the country. While public and school libraries would see the largest effects, academic libraries with state-funded databases are also implicated. Since each state is required to match one-third of their federal LSTA grants, any cut to LSTA in the FY2019 budget is likely to lead to a cut on the state level. In addition, the cuts to IAL specifically target school library funding, which will make it harder for vulnerable schools to acquire the books, resources, and training needed to provide high-quality literacy programs for their students. 

Wait, What Happened to the FY 2018 Budget?

Last week, Congress passed and the president signed an FY2018 budget deal that will likely include at least level funding for federal library programs at FY 2017 levels. While this budget agreement is a positive step towards resolving the FY 2018 budget, Congress will still be working on the final spending bill for a few more weeks. The ALA Washington Office will continue to monitor progress on the bill.  

What You Can Do Now

Congress will have the final say on budget allocations for these programs in the FY2019 budget. Now is the time to let them know how important federal library funding is to their constituents. Use the ALA Action Center to send your Representatives an email  and ask for their public support of library funding throughout the FY2019 appropriations cycle.

This will be a many-step process and we will need your help at key times along the way. Stay tuned for updates.

 Send an Email  Tweet at Congress 

Need More Information?

Visit District Dispatch for up-to-date news from the ALA Washington Office or and find additional resources on our website.

Here is a press release from the Corporate Committee for Library  Investment Issues:

“The Corporate Committee for Library Investment (CCLI), an organization of more than 90 U.S. corporations united to support federal library funding, believes that the proposed cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) damage critical economic and educational infrastructure. We urge Congress to restore full federal funding for America’s libraries in the FY2019 budget.

Like last year, CCLI’s message to members of Congress remains the same: libraries are worth the investment. Libraries and library businesses themselves spend more than $8 billion on goods and services provided by thousands of businesses. They bring leaders, experts, entrepreneurs, veterans, students and other community members together to solve difficult problems— from access to opportunity and academic success, to work-readiness and literacy. Furthermore, they launch careers, spark passions and offer countless materials, programs and services to bolster the overall health and wellness of the communities which they, and CCLI companies, serve.

CCLI does business in every state in the nation, collectively gener­ating several billion dollars in annual revenue, employing thousands of people and financially enabling scores of other businesses in our supply and service chains to hire thousands more. The health of our businesses, our workers and all of our communities is inseparable from the health of libraries and their full federal funding.”

Right now, I’m going to go flop on my couch, feel sorry for myself and for libraries, and maybe have some healing Ben and Jerry’s. Tomorrow, I’ll be ready to dive back in and ADVOCATE for libraries!!! Join me!!!