Tag Archives: School Libraries

Please Sign School Library Petition Before Feb. 4 Deadline

Posted on January 26, 2012 by TWegner| 4 Comments

Time is running out to sign the White House petition asking for the inclusion of school libraries in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Indiana school librarian Carl Harvey posted the petition on January 5, 2012. To date, the petition has almost 15, 600 signatures. To qualify for an official response from the White House, 9,400 more signatures are needed by February 4, 2012. A big thank you to all the library supporters who have signed on thus far!

To download a step by step PowerPoint tutorial (with screenshots) of how to sign the petition, click here.

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Posted in Grassrooots & Advocacy, School Libraries

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U.S. House Introduces SKILLS Act

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Jacob Roberts| 1 Comment

Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva encourages library advocates before they meet with congressional lawmakers. Photo by Lauren Ann Donia

On January 17, U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ, 7th), along with Representatives Rush Holt (D-NJ, 12th) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA, 6th) introduced the Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries (SKILLS) Act. The SKILLS Act, numbered H.R. 3776 in the House, is a companion bill of S. 1328 that was introduced in the Senate by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Thad Cochran (R-MS) back on July 6, 2011.

Both the House and Senate version of the SKILLS Act would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to do the following:

  1. Defines an “effective school library program” to be staffed by a state-certified school librarian, have up-to-date materials including technology, teaches digital literacy skills, and finally, has regular collaboration between other education professionals over curriculum.
  2. Replaces Improving Literacy Through School Libraries with Improving Literacy and College and Career Readiness Through Effective School Library Programs which would award competitive grants to underserved local schools and school districts to develop an effective school library program.
  3. Allows school librarians access to professional development funds under Title II of ESEA.

H.R. 3776 was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. No further action has been announced for this legislation.

S. 1328 was introduced as an amendment to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee mark-up of the ESEA reauthorization in October 2011. That amendment was unfortunately withdrawn due to lack of support on the committee, and ESEA was reported from the HELP committee without a library provision.

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Posted in OGR, School Libraries

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Libraries: Please Share Digital Learning Day Activities

Posted on January 18, 2012 by mvisser| Leave a comment

The American Library Association (ALA) Digital Literacy Taskforce is calling on all libraries to put a social media megaphone to their activities planned for Digital Learning Day, February 1. As part of the taskforce’s efforts to raise awareness of libraries’ work in this arena and to capture stories and examples of this work, the taskforce asks library staff to tweet (using hashtag #DLDay), blog and even photograph (Flickr) and videotape (YouTube) digital literacy activities and testimonials throughout the day.

Digital Learning Day, which American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) are supporting as core partners, is a culminating event in a year-round national awareness campaign to improve teaching and learning for all children.

“Digital Learning Day is more than just a day” said Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, co-chair of Digital Learning Now and former governor of West Virginia. “It is about building a digital learning movement that truly provides a quality education for every child.”

Libraries also can share examples of how they are engaging learners on the showcase page of the Digital Learning Day website.

“Libraries are essential partners in digital learning and digital literacy,” said taskforce Chair Michael Borges. “Digital Learning Day is a great opportunity to gather examples to illustrate our work so that we may more effectively advocate and highlight current practices to stakeholders.”

 

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Posted in Events, Public Libraries, School Libraries, Technology, the Internet, and Telecommunications

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American Library Association Invites President Obama on a School Library Tour

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Jacob Roberts| 1 Comment

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at Browne Education Campus in Washington, D.C., before participating in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day service event with First Lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia, Jan. 16, 2012. January 16, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) The American Library Association commends the First Family for its service to a school library on Martin Luther King Day. On Monday January 16, President Obama and the First Lady helped build bookshelves, paint the walls, and construct a reading corner for students in the Browne Education Center’s school library in Washington, D.C.

ALA President, Molly Raphael said, “We’re thrilled that President Obama highlighted the importance of school libraries with his visit. School libraries are an essential component to a robust education and the President’s help makes one elementary school’s library an even more attractive place to learn. We hope he’ll continue to visit school libraries as part of his efforts to improve American education.”

The American Library Association (ALA) sent a letter (pdf) to President Obama and the First Lady thanking the First Family for their service work, and inviting the Obamas to tour an up-to-date, fully staffed, school library, so they can see first had what an important role school libraries play in today’s schools.

Emily Sheketoff, Executive Director of the ALA Washington Office wrote “It is quite fitting that your work at the Browne school library came on Martin Luther King Day, because a fully funded, up to date, school library is a place where children, regardless of background, can have equal access to all types of educational materials, furthering Dr. King’s legacy of justice and equality for all.”

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Posted in School Libraries

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Help Support School Libraries By Signing White House Petition

Posted on January 10, 2012 by TWegner| Leave a comment

As described in an earlier post, the Obama Administration has created a website that allows the public to petition the White House and receive answers. But to get a response, a petition needs to receive 25,000 signatures in 30 days.

Recently, Carl Harvey, a school librarian in Indiana, posted a petition asking that the re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provide dedicated funding to support effective school library programs.

To read the full petition and to sign on click here.

Here’s what you need to know in order to sign the petition.

1.) You must have whitehouse.gov account to sign the petition but it is very easy to obtain one.

2.)Simply click the ‘Create An Account” button. You will be asked your name and email.

3.)Upon entering that information, you will receive an email from whitehouse.gov with a link back to the petition.

4.)Once you click that link, your account will be verified and you can sign the petition.

*Note: We have heard from some users that the petition site server can become overwhelmed at times and may not work properly. If this should happen to you, please do not give up but try it again at another time.

The petition needs 25,000 signatures by February 4, 2012 to receive a response so please sign today!

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Posted in Grassrooots & Advocacy, Washington Office News

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