To Advocate or Not Advocate, It's Not

Really a Question.
By Matthew Ploof

AccordingtoCoatney(2010),advocacyfortheschool/library
mediacenterisanongoingprocessthatrequiresleadership
skillstogarnerlastingsupportandleverage.Itisacomplex
processthatiscriticaltothesuccessoftheschool/librarymedia
center.

Whatdoyouthinkwouldbethemosteffectivemeansofincreasingawarenessofthe
relevancyofSLMSstolegislatorsandthecommunity?
Increasingawarenessoftheschool/librarymediacenteristheperfectwayto
increaseadvocacy.Themediaspecialiststhatwereinterviewedshareddifferent
waystoincreaseawareness.

1.Themediaspecialistshouldcommunicatedirectlywithstateleadersdirectly
throughlettersandopinions.

2.Themediaspecialistshouldbeamemberoflocal,state,andnationalschool
libraryassociations.

3.Themediaspecialistshouldassessstudentuseofthemediacenterand
correlateittostudentachievement.

4.Allowstateandlocalleaderstovisitmediacentersinordertoshowthevalue
ofprogramsofferedbytheschool/librarymediacenter.

Whataretwothingsthatyoucan/willdothisschoolyearandtwo
thingsyoucan/willdonextschoolyeartoadvocateforyour
presenceinthecommunityandtheschoolsettings?
AccordingtoCoatney(2010),creatingaplanforadvocacythattargetskeyplayersisanimportantpartofadvocacy.
Themediaspecialiststhatwereinterviewedsuggestedhelpfulandpracticalwaystoadvocateforthepresenceinthe
community.

1.Speakoutatfacultyandparentmeetingsaboutthebenefitsandresourcesofferedthroughthemediaprogram.Offer
communityinvolvementthroughspecialeventsbasedonthemediaprogram(bookfairs,authorvisits,ReadAcross
America,PoetryMonth,etc.)

2.Havemoreinserviceopportunitiesforpatronsandcollaboratemorewithstaff.Inaddition,createaneffectivevolunteer
program.

3.invitecommunitystakeholdersintotheschooltoseewhatsgoingoninthemediacenter.Allowforstakeholderstobea
partoftheschoolgovernanceteam,includingtheminthediscussionsoftheresourcesoftheschool,includingwhatwe
alreadyhaveaswellaswhatweneed.

 To Advocate or Not Advocate, It's Not

Really a Question.
Therearemanytoolsforadvocacythatareatthedisposal
oftoday'sschool/librarymediaspecialist.Coatney(2010)
suggeststhathavingawebpresenceiskeyintoday's
technologicalworld.Inaddition,amediaspecialistshould
partakeingrantwriting.Finally,amediaspecialistcan
becomeaninfluentialadvocatebyservingondifferent
committeesthathaveimpactontheSLMS.
WhatareyourfavoritetoolstouseforAdvocacy?

Onlytwomediaspecialistrespondedtothisquestion.Theygavetwo
suggestionsastothetoolstheyutilizeforadvocacy.

1.Ihavetriedtocommunicatetotheschoolviaemailswhatsnewand
happeninginthelibrary.
2.Onetoolthatneedstobeafavoriteishavingaschoollibrarywebsite.
Ofcourse,havinganeffectivewebsitetakestimeandeffort.

References
Coatney,S.(2010).TheManyfacesofschoollibraryleadership.Libraries
Unlimited,SantaBarbara,CA.
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TheSchoolLibrary
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