Once upon a time advocacy came from the soapbox: you know, the “You’d better like us because we’re good for you” approach. We’ve since learned that advocacy means demonstrating value, with clear evidence of the school library program’s impact on student learning. Action advocacy for school libraries, “Soapbox 3.0”, takes us a step further, with powerful and practical strategies for demonstrating program value, cultivating relationships to extend our influence, and positioning school libraries to lead learning for the future. Value, Influence, Positioning (VIP) moves from telling to participating, and to connecting with peers, influencers and decision-makers. In this session we’ll explore resources and tools to make connections at every level, starting at your school. Action advocacy is hands on, so be prepared to roll up your sleeves and collaborate on practical strategies to make the action advocacy VIP connection.
Outcomes:
– Insight into effective school library advocacy.
– Practical ideas to implement at the school level and beyond.
– Introduction to tools and networks for making the action advocacy connection.
