Kaitlyn Brinsfield

Cindy Keller

SLM 501

7 July 2019

Assignment 2: Advocacy Plan

Introduction

School libraries have increasingly been faced with the serious challenge of budget cuts

causing the loss of qualified school library media specialists, loss of utilization of school library

services, and even the loss of school library spaces altogether! A perfect example of this fact is

the loss of all secondary library media specialists in Allegany County Public Schools. According

to the AASL Advocacy Toolkit, “Some reasons the school community may not value the school

library include:

● They are unaware of the benefits the school library program has to offer

● Stakeholders and decision makers cannot articulate the roles and responsibilities of the

school librarian

● Others in the school building, including school administrators, lack knowledge about the

school library program” (2).

As the world moves away from the use of print resources and toward more widely available

digital resources the traditional school library may be seen as obsolete, however, school library

services have adapted to keep up with 21st century technology and ideals, and it is imperative that

these services are put forward through advocacy efforts, lest we risk losing school libraries

forever.

The following advocacy plan was developed to support the library program services at South

Penn Elementary School. The plan was created using strategies suggested by experts in the field
of school library media, all while keeping in mind alignment with school improvement goals, and

the needs of all stakeholders.

School Library Description

South Penn Elementary School has a population of almost 600 students in prekindergarten

(3 year old program) through 5th grade, and the majority of students come from low

socio-economic backgrounds. The school exists in a tight-knit city community where nearly

everyone knows each other. The community is consistently involved in events hosted by the

school, and the school staff members constantly reach out to the families of students. The school

community is consists of over 40 teachers and support staff led by a team of one part-time and

two full-time administrators.

I have been the media specialist in this school for three years, and have made many

changes during my time in the library. I have introduced new technology tools, restructured the

library curriculum to include 21st century teaching tools, and opened an area of the library devoted

to makerspaces that encourage creation/production of information. I am devoted to providing my

students and staff with engaging learning opportunities that expand their technology literacy as

well as their enthusiasm for learning. I feel that even with these changes, much of the staff, and

even administration, miss so many of the services that the library provides. Many of them still see

the library as the traditionally quiet space where users consume information from print sources.

What’s more concerning is that I am often seen as a planning time, with a fixed schedule that

changes to fit the needs of teacher planning schedules. Beyond the occasional book check out or

(if I’m lucky enough to persuade a teacher) collaborative lessons, teachers rarely use the library

services.
 I recently interviewed an elementary/secondary librarian in my district who has been an

excellent mentor for me when I have questions about new technologies or materials. She runs the

library as a part time elementary, and part time middle school librarian. I asked her where she

finds her advocacy needs the greatest, to which she replied that she feels middle school teachers

utilize services most often, compared to elementary school teachers who have less interaction

with the library. She said that she thinks the reason for this is that the middle school English

teachers are required to visit the library with their students, so they consistently communicate and

co-teach with her. The teachers are constantly supporting the use of library services by students,

as well as by other staff members at the middle school level. Another big factor in this

relationship is that the school librarian works with the English teachers during curriculum

planning. As for elementary school, her experiences were similar to mine: she is often seen as a

planning time.

I plan to use this information to help me identify the areas in which to focus my advocacy

efforts. My school’s improvement plan currently has a huge focus in increasing technology

literacy among our students. Another large area of focus is improving our students’ motivation to

read, thus increasing vocabulary acquisition and overall reading scores. These school

improvement goals have brought about a reading grant that allows for monthly all day reading

planning meetings of each grade-level team in the school, along with an extra reading specialist

position. I think that becoming involved in these meetings will help me build relationships with

teachers that may help to improve not only their use of library services, but also help to make

strides toward school improvement focuses. My goal in creating this advocacy plan is to increase

teacher and administrator awareness of library services by tailoring this advocacy campaign to

display how library services can support technology literacy and reading instruction.
Stakeholders

The five stakeholder groups that may have a strong interest in the school library program

are teachers, administrators, school reading specialists, students, and the local community

(particularly parents and families of students). These stakeholders are crucial to the success of this

advocacy plan, as they will support the planning process, activities, and programs of the

campaign.

Teachers are a key group in this advocacy campaign, through collaboration between

teachers and the school librarian, students will receive valuable instruction in 21st century learner

skills. Administrators are another important group when it comes to advocacy support. They want

to make sure that school improvement goals are being obtained. During this campaign, the school

librarian will be meeting with administration often in order to plan and deliver professional

development for staff, initiate and carry out special programs, as well as to communicate about

reading and technology literacy data. These consistent meetings will also be a piece to the

advocacy efforts as a way to ensure that administration sees the impact of library media services.

School reading specialists are another group that will be actively involved in these

advocacy activities. Reading specialists are directly involved in improving reading instruction and

achievement. The school librarian will be collaborating with them often in order to share reading

data, plan ways to assist teachers in reading instruction (especially in research skills), and

planning and delivering professional development for staff.

Students will be involved through participation in lessons that incorporate new

technologies both in the library media center and the classroom, collaborative lessons between the

school librarian and their teachers, and special programs. These activities will help to further

engage and motivate students in their learning.

 Finally, the local community will be involved in supporting students in their learning. The

community has a special interest in the success of our students not only because they are the

parents and families of these children, but also because they want these students to be successful

future citizens. The school librarian will partner with the public library to ensure that students

have access to technology that they may practice skills on outside of school hours. The parents

and families can support this advocacy campaign through participation in planning special events

during PTO meetings, and participating in special programs with their children.

Identifying the Agenda

Goal:

After one school year, teachers and administrators will have increased awareness,

comfort-level, and utilization of library services and materials as measured by a

staff feedback form, and impact on student data.

Target Audience:

Teachers and administrators

Teachers/Administrators Library Media Specialist

1. What is important to target audience? 1. What is important to the LMC goals?

● Improved reading and vocabulary skills of ● Staff utilization of school library materials

students and services

● Improved technology literacy (to waste less ● Staff and administration awareness of

time trying to work the tech, and more time library media services

using it to learn) ● Student technology literacy and reading

● Time to plan impactful lessons skills

2. What is foremost in their mind? 2. How can you fulfill LMC goals by linking to their

● Student achievement agenda?

● PARRC ELA scores ● Increasing student access to a variety of

● SLO data technology tools will increase their

3. How can you link up to their agenda? technology literacy, thus eliminating some

● Incorporate technology into collaborative struggles during computer testing.

lessons ● Partnering in collaborative lessons could

● Support reading goals through the use of support reading instruction and student

educational technology tools and programs achievement.

4. What can the LMS do to help move their agenda 3. What services can you provide?

forward? ● Professional development for technology

● Actively participate in reading planning tools

meetings to assist in incorporating ● Support in lesson planning, teaching, and

engaging technology tools, suggest library evaluation

materials and services to use along with ● Circulating materials and technology for

units, and plan collaborative units. student and staff use

● Initiate school-wide reading programs and 4. What resources do you have?

provide support in navigating the programs. ● Various technology tools such as Apple

● Suggest new and engaging technologies to IPads and accessories, robotics tools,

use in the classroom, and provide knowledge and resources about useful

professional development on its use. technology tools (such as websites and

5. How can you benefit them and their needs? databases), knowledge of quality teaching

● Provide support in the planning process

● Offer support in the use of new resources (such as children’s literature)

technologies that are available in the media center

● Assist in technology literacy instruction 5. What benefits can you provide?

● Collaborative lessons that incorporate

technology literacy and reading skills

● Assistance in planning resources for units

Advocacy Activities

● Actively participate in monthly reading planning meetings to assist in planning and

providing support for utilization of technology tools/library materials

● Plan collaborative lessons with grade level teams

● Communicate with reading specialists about reading data and instructional needs

● Collaborate with reading specialists and administration in implementing reading programs

such as Accelerated Reader, Book It, and Raz Kids

● Plan, organize, and participate in after school events such as literacy nights and STEM

nights.

● Send bi-weekly emails (tech Tuesdays) to showcase and provide instructions for

technology tools, websites, databases, etc.

● Lead instruction in the new computer science curriculum through providing focused

instruction to students, as well as professional development for teachers so that they may

follow-up on this instruction in the classroom.

● Participate in meetings of the reading leadership team, school leadership team, and family

engagement teams
Campaign Materials

● MVP Posters

● Tech Tuesday emails

● Reading planning meeting collaboration and notes sheet

● Special programming planning sheet

● Data meeting notes page

● New computer science curriculum professional development presentation

● Instructional collaboration with the school librarian professional development presentation

● Staff feedback form

Benefits

Teachers and administrators will have an increased awareness of library services, and be

more likely to utilize services on their own. As the school librarian collaborates with teachers,

they will build stronger relationships, in which teachers can feel comfortable approaching the

school librarian when they have a resource need. Teachers will also gain experience with

technology tools throughout the year, making it easier for them to select the ones that they prefer

to use in instruction. Administration will more readily support school library programs as they

gain experience planning programming together, and witness student data changes as a direct

result of focused instruction in technology literacy. Students will gain valuable research and

reading skills as teachers and reading specialists collaborate with the librarian to produce more

powerful lessons and projects. Students will also gain technology literacy skills as more

technology tools and computer science instruction is incorporated into daily instructional

activities.
Services

Teachers will receive support in reading instruction planning as the school librarian

collaborates on lessons, offers materials/resource suggestions, and incorporates instruction in

engaging technology tools. The school librarian will also provide professional development in

incorporating technology tools into daily instruction. School-wide reading programs will be

initiated to support reading instruction.

Evaluation

Two methods of data collection will be used to measure the effectiveness of these

advocacy activities. The first will be a Google Forms survey for teachers that will measure their

knowledge of technology tools and computer science instruction, as well as their comfort level in

planning and implementing lessons that incorporate technology literacy instruction. The second

will be analysis of student reading data (including PARCC testing data), as well as student

technology literacy data.

Key Message

The school library program and services, when organized and run by a qualified library

media specialist, can directly impact student achievement. By collaboratively planning and

teaching with the school librarian, incorporating library materials/resources into lessons, and

participating in school-wide reading and technology programs students can become proficient

technology and information users who have increased motivation for reading.

Future Advocacy Ideas

 It is important to continue advocacy activities in the future. According to AASL, as stated in

the AASL Advocacy Toolkit, advocacy is the “On-going process of building partnerships so that

others will act for and with you, turning passive support into educated action for the library

program” (2). This means that even though one planned advocacy campaign has ended, school

library advocacy activities and future campaigns must continue. Following is a table annotating

three advocacy activity ideas for the future:

Idea Source* Annotation

Share photos and videos of student AASL Advocacy Toolkit, page 4 Sharing photos and videos through
work, library programs, and social media and newsletters can
special events via social media help to further involve parents,
and newsletters families, and the community in the
school library programs and
services. Through advertising
these activities, the school library
may be able to gain more support
from the local community in order
to move forward and continue
with special reading and
technology literacy programs. This
support could also sway
administration to continue
collaborating with the school
library media specialist in
preparing these special programs
and events. Finally, teachers will
become encouraged to continue
collaborating with the school
librarian and seeking the library
services as a way to continue the
positive publicity.

Create a student advisory AASL Toolkit for Promoting Students are an important group to
committee School Library Programs, page 13 consider when preforming
advocacy activities, even in
elementary school. Who better to
voice what would engage students
in learning than students
themselves? This would also give
students an opportunity to take
ownership of their learning in the
 library and library-based
programs. With students meeting
once a month, they might be able
to converse about which resources
they enjoy using to learn, which
they are struggling with, and what
they want to see more of. A
student advocacy committee could
help students feel valued in the
school library program, thus
making them more excited to use
school library services which will
encourage the adults who are close
to them to take advantage of these
services as well.

Advertise special programs and
services
*see works cited page for full citation
ALA Library Advocate’s
Handbook, page 10
Advertising for school library
programs can be just as crucial as
it is to advocate for business
products and services. In order to
create an environment where all
feel welcome and comfortable in
the library and at school library
events, advertisements might help.
For example, sending out a flier
welcoming teachers to explore the
materials and resources at the
beginning of the year, along with a
short commercial over the loud
speaker may be what teachers
need to help them feel comfortable
enough to walk in and speak the
school librarian, or sign up for
help with learning about a
technology tool.

Conclusion

With the continued threat that budget cuts place on school libraries, it is crucial to
continually participate in advocacy activities such as those detailed in this plan to demonstrate the
benefits of school library services that are provided by qualified school library media specialists.
School libraries must remain at the heart of a school, so that we can ensure our future students can
become expert technology users, creators, and consumers/producers of information.
 Works Cited

“AASL Advocacy Toolkit: Educated Support for School Libraries and School Library

Professionals.” American Association of School Librarians (AASL), February 2018.

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslissues/toolkits/AASLAdvocacy

Toolkit_180209.pdf. Accessed 2 July 2019.

“Library Advocate’s Handbook.” American Library Association (ALA), 2008,

http://www.ala.org/aboutala/sites/ala.org.aboutala/files/content/ola/2008lah.pdf. Accessed

2 July 2019.

“Toolkit for Promoting School Library Programs.” American Association of School Librarians

(AASL), 8 June 2015, http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/tools/toolkits/promoting.

Accessed 2 July 2019.