You need to be visible, everywhere! Advocating for Portuguese school libraries Ana Novo UAb Advocacy for Libraries, 16-17 th September 2014

You need to be visible, everywhere!

Advocating for Portuguese school libraries

Ana NovoUAb

Advocacy for Libraries, 16-17th September 2014

Presentation plan

1. Some school library challenges2. RBE: brief overview3. SL impact student success4. What is SL advocacy and who should be an advocate

4.1 TL’s role in advocacy

5. Some steps/ways to advocate as a SL advocate6. Visibility: one of the key strategies

6.1 Physical visibility6.2 Virtual visibility

7. Portuguese SL virtual visibility8. Ontario School Library Association Video contestAna Novo Advocacy for Libraries, 16-17th September 2014 2

1. School library challenges

Society increasingly complex and competitive

Information and Knowledge society Students need skills – academic and

educational success Increase of information available Development of ICT Places of access to diverse

information/various formats Basic resources of the educational

process Key role: reading; ability to search,

select and use information; development of study methods

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2014 3

2. RBE – brief overview

Portuguese School Library Network – 1996/97 Help creating new SL and develop existing structures After 18 years:

more than 2400 SL: innovative learning spaces; staff specialized training: LLL courses, PG Diplomas and

Master degrees In 2009 – (Portaria 756/2009) – profile, competencies and

criteria for TL selection

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3. SL impact student achievement

Increase national SL research – number of Master thesis

Huge number of international studies – correlation between SL and student success:– USA, Canada and Australia – quantitative studies– UK – qualitative studies

The existence of a qualified TL impacts and increases students’ academic success, their performance and

learning in its broadest sense.


3. SL impact student achievement (cont.)

USA research:– Higher academic success in any king of school with a TL– SL staff devoted time to IL– True collaboration between TL and curriculum teachers– Teachers trainning in access to information– Students make frequent visits to the SL– Full time TL:

• More instruction activities - IL• SL open for a longer period• Build a strong relationship with Public Libraries


4. What is SL advocacy and who should be an advocate

“ Advocacy is a planned, deliberate, sustained effort to raise awareness of an issue. It’s an ongoing process in which support and understanding are built incrementally over an extended period of time and using a wide variety of marketing and public relations tools.”

(Canadian Association of Public Libraries, 2001)


4. What is SL advocacy and who should be an advocate (cont.)

There is a great need to advocate for SL - Risk of SL being left out when making decisions

SL advocacy:Promoting awareness and value of SL and TLEnsuring students have well stocked and well

staffed SL with strong collaborative programMaking a difference in student’s live as

learners


4. What is SL advocacy and who should be na advocate (cont.)

But a good program does not matter when money is tight and awareness is low

TL proactive promoting value of SL programs

Need to be visible, everywhere!Ana Novo Advocacy for Libraries, 16-17th September 2014 9

4. What is SL advocacy and who should be an advocate (cont.)

TL Teachers

School directors APBAD staff

BN staff Technology/Book vendors

Book/Magazine authors Publishers

Web developers

There is a role for everyone in SL advocacy!


4.1 TL role in advocacy

TL are key players:Provide access to books and online resourcesTeach students and teachers online research, cyber

safety skills and digital citizenshipAre IL specialistsReach thousands of students every yearAre teachers of the largest classroom in schoolPublicize that good SL impact student achievement


5. Steps to advocate as a SL advocate

1) Set goals2) Get organized3) Deliver your message4) Identify communication

strategies5) Select your

communications mechanisms

6) Speak out!7) Deal with bad news in a

positive way

8) Talk, talk, talk!9) Keep informed10) Work on your SL print or

online newsletter11) Make and distribute

handouts12) Plan a SL event13) Get press14) Build your network


5. Ways to advocate as a SL advocate (cont.)

Share your ideias Be on the alert for good SL user stories Use a SL message as part of your email signature Thank everyone involved – a thank you is powerful Don’t give up! Advocacy is about persistence Don’t wait for it to happen – Make it happen!


6. Visibility - physical visibility

Ways to increase TL physical visibility: a. Being involved in curriculum planningb. Attending parent association meetingsc. Contributing to school eventsd. SL is represented on local/district meetingse. Teach courses on using computers f. Must document all professional activities on a daily basis g. Monthly report – There is power in numbers!h. Meet regularly: address informational needs, identify concerns and

suggest remediesi. Assume leadership rolej. Writing for professional journals / educational newspapers


6. Visibility – virtual visibility

You can’t be everywhere…….Or can you? Use technology as much as you can to showcase the SL

program Virtual visibility extends 24 /7 /365 Some Web 2.0 tools for SL omnipresence:

SL virtual presence needs to be active + engaging + welcoming + with personality


6. Visibility – virtual visibility (cont.)

SL virtual presence can promote the library with little attention – it is a great time saver for busy TL

BUT…A.Put on a Happy Face on the SL website/blog


6. Visibility – virtual visibility (cont.)

B. Include photographs of friendly spaces

C. Include links to research on impact of SL on academic achievement


7. Portuguese SL virtual visibility

According to some academic national research: The portuguese panorama regarding the introduction of Web 2.0

tools in SL is not easy to characterize because there are no nationwide studies due to the complexity and size of the universe of study

SL virtual presence is still weak, being blogs the Web 2.0 tool most used and developed

RBE – SL videos


8. OSLA video contest

Across Canada and US SL are facing closures.OSLA wants people to tell their story about why

SL matters.One of the 2014 OSLA Video Contest Winners

Mohawk Gardens PS, Burlington, Ontariohttp://youtu.be/qBfQEe8fmPw


http://youtu.be/qBfQEe8fmPw


Thank you!

[email protected]

Documents

You need to be visible, everywhere! Advocating for Portuguese school libraries Ana Novo UAb Advocacy for Libraries, 16-17 th September 2014