Now We Need to Promote Libraries More Than Ever

by Brooke King, Librarian at Atascocita Middle School, Humble ISD, TASL Legislative & Advocacy

The "Let's Promote Libraries!" social media campaign is more important than ever this year as we show how librarians support learning no matter what the school environment looks like.

This social media campaign encourages school librarians to show off what happens in their school libraries to stakeholders. The campaign began with the TxASL Legislative & Advocacy Committee with the hopes of encouraging school librarians to promote themselves, their programs, and their instruction. TxASL is continuing the campaign this school year as we chart into librarianship like we have never seen before.

Each month’s topic is still framed as a question organized around the revised Texas Library Standards. It begins with, “Did you know that school libraries…,” followed by one of the standards. I’m certain the standards may look a little different this year in how they are approached, but that will just show how innovative librarians are.

We will still tweet on the 1st of each month, and I will try my best to remember to tweet reminders! You can post on any social media outlet or even send an email to a stakeholder. We want to focus on local stakeholders first, and then at the state and national levels. This year is also important because we are approaching a legislative year in our state in 2021. We always want to be as proactive as possible.

Please use #TxASLTalks so it is easy for all of us school librarians to find and help share our messages. Then use #Txlege to share our message of the important role school libraries have with students and learning with our state legislators.

It’s easy to participate!

Step 1: Look at the current month’s question.

Step 2: Snap a photo and write your message showing how your library shows that standard.

Step 3: Post your message and photo on any/all platforms of social media.

Step 4: Be sure to use the hashtags #TxASLTalks and #Txlege along with other key hashtags.

Step 5: Repost/retweet/share


There are two infographics to guide you. One explains the full campaign. The other shows only the monthly topics.

Thank you for participating in this campaign and advocating for the work librarians do that contributes to the success of students and schools!

We're Still Promoting Libraries, But We Need Your Help!

by Brooke King, Middle School Librarian in Humble ISD, TxASLTalks Editorial Board Chair

The "Let's Promote Libraries!" social media campaign is back for the third year and better than ever! The campaign began with the TxASL Legislative & Advocacy Committee with the hopes of encouraging school librarians to promote themselves, their programs, and their instruction. TxASL is continuing the campaign this school year with a few minor changes.


It is still organized around the revised Texas Library Standards, and each month’s topic is framed as a question. Each question begins with, “Did you know that school libraries…,” followed by one of the standards.


The date has been changed to the 1st of each month in hopes that it will be easier to remember to participate. On the first day of each month, September through May,  we’re asking school librarians to send a social media message about what we do. You can post on any social media outlet or even send an email to a stakeholder. We want to focus on local stakeholders first, and then at the state and national levels.

The hashtags have also been simplified. Please use #TxASLTalks so it is easy for all of us school librarians to find and help share our messages. Then use #Txlege to share our message of the important role school libraries have with students and learning with our state legislators.


It’s easy to participate!


Step 1: Look at the current month’s question.


Step 2: Snap a photo and write your message showing how your library shows that standard.


Step 3: Post your message and photo on any/all platforms of social media.


Step 4: Be sure to use the hashtag #TxASLTalks and #Txlege along with other key hashtags.


Step 5: Repost/retweet/share


There are two infographics to guide you. One explains the full campaign. The other shows only the monthly topics.


So gear up and get ready to showcase those great programs, instruction, and collaboration that contributes to the success of students and your school!

Let's Promote Libraries (Again)!

by Brooke King, Middle School Librarian in Humble ISD, TxASLTalks Editorial Board Chair

Last school year, the TxASL Legislative & Advocacy Committee began a social media campaign, Let’s Promote Libraries!, with the hopes of encouraging school librarians to promote themselves, their programs, and their instruction. The campaign is back for the 2018-2019 year, and it has been tweaked and improved to help showcase all the fabulous happenings in school libraries.

It is organized around the revised Texas Library Standards, and each month’s topic is framed as a question. Each question begins with, “Did you know that school libraries…,” followed by one of the standards.

On the 17th of each month, we’re asking school librarians to send a social media message about what we do. You can post on any social media outlet or even send an email to a stakeholder. We want to focus on local stakeholders first, and then at the state and national levels.

It’s easy to participate!

Step 1: Look at the current month’s question.

Step 2: Snap a photo and write your message showing how your library shows that standard.

Step 3: Post your message and photo on any/all platforms of social media.

Step 4: Be sure to use the hashtag #txaslleg along with other key hashtags.

Step 5: Repost/retweet/share

There are two infographics to guide you. One explains the full campaign. The other only shows the monthly topics.

So gear up and get ready to showcase those great programs, instruction, and collaboration that contributes to the success of students and your school!

Postcards Persuade

by Dorcas Hand, TASLTalks Editorial Board

While I was in Chicago at the ALA conference, I attended a rally at the Illinois state House – people, carrying signs, talking about what mattered to us in a place where others could hear. If they listened.

  

But the most brilliant element to me was the postcards.

             

As we look at the Texas Legislature’s Special Session in our rear-view mirror - and think we can ignore them a while - I’d like to propose exactly the opposite. Find a postcard template you like online and make yourself a series of postcards to send your local legislators about exciting things happening in your library as the year goes along. Help them feel warm and fuzzy about school libraries. Help them understand how strong school libraries support many literacies and academic achievement, even test scores. Persuade them that the teaching you lead in the library is every bit as important as what happens in the classroom; repeat several times over the year.

Use pictures of project outlines, colorful student projects (without names, of course), creative bulletin boards or online displays – anything that brings attention to the fact that you are leading your campus to stronger student growth. You can show students working without ever showing a face. You can reflect diversity, too. Get creative. Or ask your students to draw the images that reflect why they think your library is important every day.

IMHO, the biggest challenge is making the initial template – so I’ll give you one for the front and one for the back. Or download another from the all-powerful internet… You just mark your calendar to send a postcard to all your legislators ever 2-3 weeks all year. You can print a few copies of each card, even pre-load the addresses… Card stock, or pre-cut postcard stock, is easy and pretty cheap.

Just remember – postcards persuade!

Discussion question: What do you want to feature first? What project do you think will make your legislator feel great about your library program???