School librarians are prepared to be leaders and can use their strengths to advocate for policy that benefits school libraries. This book will teach you how to engage elected officials to effect change that extends to your library.
Education and information policy has a direct impact on school libraries and is shaped by decisions at the local, state, and federal levels. School librarians are positioned uniquely to leverage their inside knowledge of effective school library programs to make a difference in education through civic engagement; however, a thorough understanding of both the explicit and "hidden" rules of government is necessary to be an effective advocate.
This compact book serves as a guide to advocating for effective programs, filling a gap in the practitioner literature regarding the policies that affect school library programs. Drawing on research-based best practices and the author's experience as the chairman of the ALA Legislation Committee and in political advocacy, this book explains the political process through concrete examples of both success and failure and analyzes these examples to show how librarians can move education policy in a positive direction.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
Students in school librarianship and practicing librarians-novices and veterans-will find support and inspiration in this highly readable book...Highly Recommended. * Arizona Library Association * ...the background information is useful for librarians. * Booklist *
Sprache
Verlagsort
Verlagsgruppe
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Zielgruppe
Maße
Höhe: 234 mm
Breite: 156 mm
Dicke: 8 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-1-4408-6388-2 (9781440863882)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Ann Dutton Ewbank is associate professor at Montana State University, Bozeman. She researches school library advocacy and is a member-leader in the American Library Association.
Foreword by Kathi Kromer
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1 Is School Librarianship Political?
Introduction: This We Believe...
You Have Knowledge and Expertise
You Are a Leader
Layers of the Onion: Education Policy at the Local, State, and Federal Levels
Explicit and Hidden Rules
Grassroots and Grasstops
Questions and Activities to Extend Your Learning
Chapter 2 What Is Political Advocacy?
Introduction
The Nature of Representative Democracy
Your Role in Government
Politicians Are People Too
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
Make a Difference
Conclusion: The Greater Good
Questions and Activities to Extend Your Learning
Chapter 3 The Power of Persuasion
Introduction: What Is Persuasion?
Persuasive Messages
Persuasion: Four Perspectives
The Relational Perspective
The Psychological Perspective
The Linguistic Perspective
The Systems Perspective
Political Behavior
The System
Increasing Your Ability to Persuade
A Continuum: Adversary-Indifference-Ally
A Note on Systems
Conclusion: Becoming Persuasive
Questions and Activities to Extend Your Learning
Chapter 4 A Primer on Education Governance
Introduction
Education Governance and the Tenth Amendment
Levels of Education Governance
Federal
State
Charter Schools
Local
Conclusion: Discover Your Context
Questions and Activities to Extend Your Learning
Chapter 5 Local Political Advocacy
Introduction
Public School Districts and Policy Generation
School Boards
The Intersection of School Boards and the District Superintendent
The Role of the Community
Parents
Community Members without Children
Site-Based Management
Resident and Nonresident Employees
Community Organizations
Businesses
Advocacy Groups
Leveraging Your Local Union or Professional Association
Unions
Professional Associations
Questions and Activities to Extend Your Learning: Case Studies
Case Study 1: School District Policy Change
Case Study 2: Collective Bargaining
Case Study 3: Bond Election
Chapter 6 State Political Advocacy
Introduction
Working with the Legislature
Legislators
Legislative Staff
Working with the Executive Branch
Governor's Office
State Departments of Education, State Libraries, and Other Agencies
Leveraging State Professional Associations
Coalitions
Strategies
Questions and Activities to Extend Your Learning: Case Studies
Case Study 1: Opposition to a Bill
Case Study 2: Administrative Rule Amendment
Case Study 3: Statewide Databases
Chapter 7 Federal Political Advocacy
Introduction
Working with Congress
House of Representatives
Senate
Checks and Balances
Capitol Hill Visits
Field Office Visits
Working with the Executive Branch
Office of the President
U.S. Department of Education
Institute of Education Sciences
Office of Educational Technology
Office of English Language Acquisition
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Other Federal Agencies
Bureau of Indian Education
Department of Defense Education Activity Office
Federal Communications Commission
National Professional Associations
Advocacy Agendas and Strategies
Lobbyists
Advocacy Alerts
Washington D.C. Legislative Days and Fly-Ins
Strategies
Conclusion
Questions and Activities to Extend Your Learning: Case Studies
Case Study 1: Federal Grants
Case Study 2: Nonlibrary Professional Association
Case Study 3: Appropriations Advocacy Alert
Chapter 8 Political School Library Advocacy: Success, Failure, and the Future
Introduction
Political Advocacy: A Long Game
Long-Range Planning
Successes and Failures: What to Do Next
Avoiding Burnout
Advocating for the Library Ecosystem
Public Libraries
Academic Libraries
Coalition Building
How Political Coalitions Develop and Operate
Core and Secondary Policy Beliefs: Negotiation and Compromise
Becoming a Boundary Spanner
Developing Political Advocates
Providing Professional Development
Incorporating Political Advocacy into School Librarian Preparation Programs
Conclusion
Questions and Activities to Extend Your Learning
References
Index
