Building the Advocacy Picture - Debra Kay Logan

Building the Advocacy Picture with Debra Kay Logan


Deb Logan is the librarian/media specialist at Mount Gilead High School. Her professional interests and activities include Web publishing, giving presentations, conducting workshops, and writing. She is the author of the book, Information Skills Toolkit: Collaborative Integrated Instruction for the Middle Grades and the co-author of K-12 Web Pages: Planning & Publishing Excellent School Web Sites. Her other writings include the got books? Turnkey Kit and a variety of articles. (text from her website Deb's Website)

Before the session began Ms. Logan went through the rows of seats and asked what levels people taught. (She later announces the results and says that advocacy fits in every arena.)

Slide on the screen while Judy Paradis introduces Ms. Logan: Welcome! While you are waiting... think about the recent messages you have been sending to your stakeholders.

What were the things you said the last time you went to an administrator or parent group with an ask? Schools are not in the business of libraries, schools are in the business of students and learning.

The BIG Questions: Why do we need advocacy? What is advocacy? - Advocacy is when stakeholders support our programs. People start from the wrong premise: People are going to the right things, right? So they're going to order brussel sprouts, not chips and salsa? Let's look at our stakeholder's groups and figure out what's it for them? The message isn't about libraries, it's about what libraries can do for the stakeholders.

P.R. - What's the message we are trying to send?
Marketing - Look at target groups and create something that will speak directly to them.
Advocacy is also about knowing your target groups, but it's about building relationships. We have to inform people we make relationships with to make sure they are making informed decisions.

"You win with people..." -Woody Hayes

What's valuable with our programs? What are the things that made you go into school librarianship? (think, pair, share in audience)

Some answers: The library is available to everyone, not just the smart kids or the troublemakers
Knowing that I've gotten a child into reading.
When teachers and students let us know they can see the difference.

We then collect all the cards and put them into envelopes, "treasure chests" to be sealed. - now we're going to leave our "treasure" in the chest and think about what our stakeholders need.

In groups, brainstorm issues that are important to stakeholder groups. What do teachers, parents, etc. think about when they drive to work, what keeps them up at night? Not about us, but what's in it for the target groups...

My group: Teachers (each idea gets a different thought)
Job Security, Testing, Grading, Lesson Planning, Students, Parents, Administration, Evaluation, School Accreditation, Budget, Supplies, Facilities, Personal Lives, Economy and Election (right now)

All the different group's ideas are put on the walls and everyone walks around to see them. Check Deb's website (link above) for all the results from this and this morning's session under Presentation Resources.

New slide on the screen: What do THEY want... NOT what WE want them to want.

We want the school to look good - it's not bragging, it's what they want. We want articles in the paper because the important people will see this and realize that the library is important in the community. Invite target group to be part of making decisions. Homework - Offer to do training on databases for PARENTS - get the parents in the library so they see what you're about (educating their students).

Switching Slides: Leaving Land O'Libraries. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck... We have been librarians in the world of educators and it's time to be educators. This means maybe turning in lesson plans.

Traditional Data Forms: Circulations, Reference Questions, Number of Students, Number of Classes - who of the target groups really cares about these things? We need to be measuring and documents the measure of our programs. Think about what connects to our stakeholders.

"Nobody buys a 1/4" drillbit because they want a 1/4" drill bit, but because they want a 1/4" hole." Doug Johnson

Connecting Points: Be a part of meeting stakeholder's needs! Using the cards again, think of things we could do to meet the needs of our target group (another think, pair, share).

Some of our results: Happy Hours, Co-teaching, Library is another room if you need the space, etc. (again the results will be put up on Deb's website)

Strategies and Resources
PR & Marketing, Evidence, Planning Sheets (think the Mom's in Spokane)

Evidence based practice - purpose of evidence-based practice (collect data) Deb does surveys after each big project to get feedback from the kids. When the teacher gets the results from the students it makes a bigger impact than if he gets it from you. Keep documentation of how it helps kids and it will help in decision making.

After a lesson on a card: what's something you've learned, how are you going to use it, what's something Ms. Logan can do to make it better, what was something you liked about this lesson. Use these to give to the teachers and to keep in mind before the next class comes in.

EBP Planning Steps: Why is data being collected? How will data be: Used, Collected, Managed, Shared?

Linking to Research: Know! No Bashing, Show Connection (Library Media Connection Aug/Sept. 2003)

Gathering the Data:
Assessment- Pre, Post, During...
Standardized tests, formal surveys, informal surveys/passports - ask for the results and be able to show the connection between the data we've collected and the standardized tests.

Sharing the Data: Lesson Plans, Calendar,

Deb's lesson plan sheet template


Some Thoughts:
SLJ - No Whining
"Libraries are an investment; not a cost." -Gary Hartzell