Did you know that the Iowa Library Association’s lobbyists, Amy
Campbell and Craig Patterson are out there advocating for school
libraries?
One of the points that Amy and Craig are currently focusing on is convincing
legislators to “Recognize the important role Iowa
teacher librarians play in developing 21st century information and digital
literacy skills” and to "ensure that teacher librarians remain part of the
education team in all Iowa schools.”
This statement is especially relevant to our role in
the implementation of the Common Core Curriculum Standards. While Teacher Librarians are not mentioned by
name in the new standards, we can certainly recognize ourselves and our capacity to
teach many of the 21st Century skills (find more in this SLJ article about where we fit).
But remember, we can’t leave all of the advocacy up to Craig and Amy. You can show your support for this
important statement and others being advanced by the ILA by participating in the
2013
ILA Lobby from Home Day. On Wednesday, February 6th, contact
your legislators by phone or email to show your support.
Imagine legislators opening their inboxes to
find hundreds of emails in support of Iowa’s libraries and phones ringing
consistently throughout the day with a message of the importance of library
programs in the lives of our students. What an impact we can make if we all
just do a little something! Find your legislator's contact info here.
Prepare your talking points and check out the ILA Legislative Agenda here.
Sample email here:
ReplyDeleteDear [Legislator],
I am writing to urge you to support the 2013 Iowa Library Association agenda. All Iowans, but especially students, greatly benefit from library programs and the services they offer.
It is important to recognize the role K-12 Teacher Librarians play in teaching 21st-century skills, especially in information and digital literacy. As experts in the field of Information literacy and leaders in our schools on technology, Teacher Librarians are instructional partners who collaborate with teachers, students, and staff to ensure that all students are best equipped to make a difference in our changing world. Our role in digital and information literacy, while it has always been important to student success, is even more so with the implementation of the Common Core standards. The Common Core calls for more focus on instruction that will allow our students to be effective and ethical users of information in our democratic society. A school library's role in this goal is undeniable, therefore it is vital that Teacher Librarians remain a part of the educational team at all schools across the state.
Thank you for your support of this important issue and the others that are being advanced by the Iowa Library Association this year.