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Simply Indispensable: An Action Guide for School Librarians
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Simply Indispensable: An Action Guide for School Librarians
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Overview
Keeping a library program vital requires regular reflection about current practices and a willingness to implement changes that will position the library and library staff should they be threatened with elimination. Simply Indispensable: An Action Guide for School Librarians helps librarians do just that. The book begins with an explanation of the need to act and then offers a systematic approach to taking action. Each chapter is devoted to an active path: attracting patrons; interacting with teachers, parents, administrators, and the community; communicating; reacting to "situations;" working for reinstatement if the worst happens, and more.
The book covers advocacy—from the subtle exercise of developing excellent programs to the overt outreach of Legi-Days. Additionally, there is specific information about what to do when the RIF notice or pink slip arrives or if cuts are made, including how to properly close a library. After putting these actions into effect, school librarians will have a cadre of supporters ready to speak for them should the need arise.
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781591587996 |
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Publisher: | Bloomsbury Academic |
Publication date: | 08/13/2010 |
Pages: | 164 |
Product dimensions: | 6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.50(d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
1 Crisis in School Libraries 1
Secret Language of Impending Cuts 2
Advocacy Efforts and Toolkits 4
2 State Guidelines for School Libraries in the United States 7
3 The AttrACTive Librarian 21
Ten "AttrACTion" Action Items for Every School Librarian 21
Attraction Quiz 22
Setting Realistic Objectives 25
Challenging the Stereotype 27
Q & A 27
4 The InterACTive Librarian 33
Ten "InterACTion" Action Items for Every School Librarian 33
True or Not-So-True Quiz 34
Personality 37
Isolation and the Effect on School Librarians 39
Meetings in Schools 40
Teaching-Staff Meetings 40
Parent-Teacher Organizations 41
School Site Council 41
Grade Level or Departmental Meetings 42
Committees 42
Library Meetings 44
Professional Associations 45
5 The CollaborACTive Librarian 47
Ten "Collaboration" Action Items for Every School Librarian 47
Collaboration Quiz 48
Why Collaborate? 51
Public Library and School Library Collaboration 51
Getting Administrative Support on Campus 54
Building Relationships on Campus 54
Likely Candidates 55
Paraprofessionals 56
Collaborative Models 56
The Shared Planning Process 60
Assessment 60
What the Students Learned 60
What the Teacher Learned 61
What You Learned 61
6 The ImpACTive Librarian 63
Ten "ImpACT" Action Items for Every School Librarian 63
Two-Part Quiz: Do You Know Your Stakeholders? 64
School Librarians! Light that Fire! 67
Traditional Measurements 69
What We Aren't Measuring 70
Action Research and the School Library 72
Equity 74
7 The Librarian as BenefACTor 77
Ten "BenefACTor" Action Items for Every School Librarian 77
"No Way to Fail" Quiz 78
From First to Worst 80
Budget Cuts 82
Understanding Funding 84
Legislative Advocacy 85
Grants 86
Service Organizations 87
Fund-raising 87
Your School Library Budget 88
8 The ProACTive Librarian 91
Ten "ProACTive" Action Items for Every School Librarian 91
Proactive Quiz 92
The School Librarian: Agent of Change 95
Advocacy as a Planned Activity 97
Ten Good Ideas for Advocacy Meetings 99
Legislative Visits 99
Making Yourself Memorable 101
What Is Your Message? 101
Elevator Pitches 102
Letter-Writing Campaigns 103
Sample Letter 104
Letters to the Editor 105
Using Technology to Spread Your Message 105
Blogs 105
Book-Lover Sites 105
Listservs 106
Microblogging 106
Photo Sharing 106
Podcasting/Webcasting 106
Presentations 106
Social Networks 107
Wikis 107
Coalitions 107
9 The ReACTive Librarian 109
Ten "ReACTive" Action Items for Every School Librarian 109
Reactivity Quiz 110
Foreshadowing 110
Getting the Bad News 112
Contact Your Union 113
Activate Your Fan Base 113
Mobilization 114
Planning for the Short-Term Battle 115
Speaking at Meetings 117
Boards of Education 117
Community/Public Forums 117
10 DeACTivation 121
Ten "DeACTivation" Action Items for School Librarians Who Have Been Given Additional Duties or Who Have Been Reduced in Hours 121
Deactivation Quiz 122
Assessing the New Situation 123
Library Closed 123
Library Staff Eliminations 124
Additional Duties 125
Split Assignments 125
Reduction of Hours of Days 125
Bottom Line 126
Meeting Your Administrator to Set Priorities and Policies 126
Create the Stop-Doing List 127
Consider Changes in Policy and Communicate Those Changes 128
Maintain a Positive Attitude 129
Give Up Perfectionism for Your Health 130
Provide Value by Maintaining a Student Focus 130
Maintain and Grow Your Fan Base 131
Use Technology to Simplify 132
Keep Connected 132
Make Wish Lists and Be Ready for Reinstatement 132
Look for Alternative Opportunities 133
Moving Up and Out 133
11 The RetroACTive Librarian 135
Ten "ReACTivation" Action Items for School Librarians Who Return to a Library That Has Been Closed 135
Quiz: Matching-Pick the Best Answer 136
Safety 137
Inventory, Weeding, and Cataloging 137
Filling the Gaps Quickly 138
Get Patrons Back into the Library Habit 139
Eat Cake 140
Appendix A Fund-raising 141
Appendix B Station Teaching Examples 155
Index 157