Advocacy Doesn’t Stop When Retirement Begins

Jennifer Rike, Retired Librarian

In May 2020, I retired from my high school library position and have spent the past school year trying to figure out how to be retired.    During COVID, I stayed in touch with former colleagues, and realized my former peers were experiencing a hard time.  It wasn’t just Covid struggles, this went beyond that.  One friend could not even talk about it.  But sometimes, your gut just tells you to reach out to someone.  I’m so glad I did.

We began with a conversation about the past year.   But then came a shocker.  My friend mentioned that in April all elementary principals had been told it would be “okay” to put all their librarians in rotation.  My friend’s principal was going to follow that advice.  Sadly, the elementary librarians in my former district had no advocate at the district level.  My school district of 49 schools doesn’t have a library director.  And the person who had suggested rotation?  Their district level advocate.  

My anger and frustration at the situation forced me to step up.  This was a Thursday afternoon and the next school board meeting was the following Tuesday.  So there were about four days to pull together some sort of presentation for the board.  

So just how do you advocate when you are retired?  First, I recruited some other district retiree friends.  This allowed me to build a “brain hive”.  Secondly, I reached out to library administrators I had worked with through TLA and in advocacy work over the years.  This not-so-subtle plug reminds us of why we need to work with our professional organizations.   The Texas Library Association has been a large part of my professional development and advocacy training.  

The TLA hive was powerful as I prepared my presentation. My local hive helped craft and deliver the message.

The benefits of the hive included:

1. Help researching talking points 

2. Curating links to documents.

2. Perspective in what would resonate with the school board.

3. Valuable suggestions to improve my presentation.

The most valuable suggestion was never, ever surprise your superintendent.  Send an email with your intent to speak at the board meeting.

 Besides not surprising the superintendent, it gave her an opportunity to have an Area Superintendent and the Directors of Elementary Education to call me.  This allowed for a conversation.  While not extensive, it was a start.  

Next, I constructed 3 focused questions for the school board.  Then I sent an email to my school board with these questions.  This variation of the one sent to the superintendent shifted the focus to the board as the audience.  It also allowed for continuity of thought.  By sending the board an email prior to their meeting allowed them to “listen” more critically.  It also allowed me to provide resources for the board to review both prior to and after my presentation.

Lastly, another retired librarian and I spoke at the school board meeting.  We prepped dividing the information so we maximized our 3 minute speaking time.  We distributed to the school board, superintendent, top administrators copies of the advocacy piece created by Dorcas Hand.  I sent a follow-up email thanking everyone for the opportunity to speak.

How effective was this advocacy work?  One of the school board members spoke to the superintendent the next day for 30 minutes. Later, two additional school board members thanked me for letting them know what was going on.  Will that result in keeping the librarians from going into rotation?  I hope so.  

More importantly, I know that advocacy works.  Our school board and administrators know there are people in the community who are interested and knowledgeable about how librarians benefit learning and student outcomes.  And I have built a “hive” of support for the future.

My advice for current librarians includes:  

• Reach out to the TLA advocacy folks when you need them.  Ask them to become advocates or recommend options.  

• Cultivate your retired peers.  The more members of your hive you have, the better your response to the issue.  We care and there are no consequences to our job.  This is one perk of retirement.  

• Reach out to parents.  

• Lastly, remember you are not alone.  The phrase “the hive is powerful” is true.  

Together the hive can create a voice of advocacy.  Start building your hive today so it can spring into action when needed.  

Editor’s note:  As a District Level Supervisor I can attest that while district leadership will speak on your behalf, parents, retired librarians, and others speaking up through emails, petitions, and talking to Principals, Administrators, and School Board Members is more powerful.  Look to district leadership to provide guidance and help with statistics.  

Teacher Day @ TLA: Teachers + Librarians = Dynamic Duos

 by Joni Harris, School Librarian in Garland ISD, Garland, TX

Collaboration is an important part of every school librarian’s job description. While collaboration can take on many different forms, every form of collaboration has a goal of supporting and enriching learning opportunities for our students. However, collaboration with our teachers does not happen overnight. Spark a collaborative partnership and create a new dynamic duo with a teacher by attending the virtual Teacher Day at this year’s TLA conference! 

The TLA Annual Conference will be held virtually for the 2021 year, but will continue to be made up of books, authors, technology integration, makerspaces, curriculum connections, and supportive librarians. This is a teacher’s dream!  Connect with your teachers, encourage their innovation, inspire them to greater collaboration, and impact their instruction by inviting one or two of your teachers to join you at this year’s Teacher Day @ TLA!

Teacher Day @ TLA will take place on Saturday, April 24, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. through 12:00 p.m. This year's Teacher Day will provide classroom teachers with the opportunity to experience a special one-day event during the virtual TLA conference. With pricing designed for the teachers, they will have access to the full virtual conference experience. 

This is your chance to inspire your teachers and spark a new dynamic duo collaborative partnership! You, as the sponsoring librarian, will play a crucial role in identifying interested teachers, and helping them secure permission to attend and secure funding. You, the librarian, will also help guide them through the registration process and ensure that our guest teachers have a positive experience. 

The planning committee is already at work putting together a fun, interactive, virtual day for the teachers who attend, as well as the sponsoring librarians. Now is the time for librarians to put a plan in place to identify strong candidates among the educators they know to attend and experience the TLA annual conference.

The focus of Teacher Day is to provide an opportunity during the conference for educators to learn about strong school libraries and their potential impact. The goal is for the teachers that experience Teacher Day to return to their districts as library advocates - or perhaps even become librarians themselves. 

Details and application information can be found at www.txla.org/teacher-day. This event has become an annual highlight, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to increase collaboration on your campus. 

Teacher Day @ TLA - Teachers + Librarians = Dynamic Duos!

By Jennifer Eckert, Library Specialist in Northside ISD, San Antonio

Collaboration with teachers is a large part of any school librarian’s job. We are always looking for ways to inspire and encourage collaboration in order to meet all our students’ needs. Let that inspiration come from facilitating an experience at the Texas Library Association's 2020 Annual Conference!

The TLA Annual Conference – made up of books, authors, technology integration, makerspaces, curriculum connections, and supportive librarians – is the stuff of teachers’ dreams. Connect with your teachers, encourage their innovation, inspire them to greater collaboration, and impact their instruction by inviting your teachers to join you at this year’s Teacher Day @ TLA!

Teacher Day @ TLA, which will take place on Thursday, March 26, 2020, provides classroom teachers with the opportunity to experience a special one-day event during the TLA conference comprised of speakers, activities, and pricing designed just for them.

This is your chance to inspire your teachers and form a dynamic duo! You, as a sponsoring school librarian, will play a crucial role by identifying interested teachers, helping them secure permission and funding for their attendance, guiding them through the registration process, and ensuring our guest teachers have a positive experience.

The planning has begun for a fun, interactive day for the teachers who attend, as well as the librarians who sponsor them. Participants are welcome to stay for the full conference. Now is the time for interested librarians to:

a) identify motivated classroom teachers and

b) start to lay the groundwork for conference attendance and travel funding.

The focus of this program is for classroom teachers who experience a TLA conference to return to their districts as library advocates and collaborators - or perhaps become librarians themselves. Details and application information about Teacher Day @ TLA, an event that has become an annual highlight, can be found at http://www.txla.org/teacher-day. You can also follow us on social media for updates using the hashtag #TDTLA. Don’t miss this opportunity to increase collaboration on your campus!

Getting Creative: Collaborating With Your Fine Arts Department

by Nicole Cruz, Lead Librarian, Sharyland ISD

TCA Touring Artists pictured: Outspoken Bean-Slam Poet, Donna Ingham-Storyteller, and Ruby Nelda Perez-Actress. 

Sharyland High School Theatre Director Christopher Fernandez is pictured with the students in the bottom left corner.

On Thursday, September 5th, a joyous squeal was heard at the Penny Payte McLeaish LRC. A very happy librarian had just opened her email and read the following message: Congratulations! Your Arts Respond Performance Support application was reviewed by our board today and approved to receive this amount - $1,350. Grant number 85748 was funded. 

The mission of the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) is to advance our state economically and culturally by investing in a creative Texas. TCA supports a diverse and innovative arts community in Texas, throughout the nation and internationally by providing resources to enhance economic development, arts education, cultural tourism and artist sustainability initiatives. Even though this is not my first TCA Arts Respond Performance Support Grant, every time I read those words - grant funded, it is always a euphoric feeling. It means quality performers will be entertaining, informing, and connecting with the students and staff of the campuses that I serve. It means that successful teacher and librarian collaboration has been achieved. It means that the arts are alive and well at the school that I serve. Students will cultivate an appreciation of the arts when they are exposed to quality dancers, illustrators, musicians, storytellers, authors, and actors. The arts encourage creativity, innovation, and self-confidence—essential skills for a 21st century workforce. The Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster is comprised of talented and professional performers. 

The news was received in September, but the initial collaboration and planning was done in July to meet the August 1 deadline. This application was a collaborative effort between teacher and librarian. The Sharyland High School theatre director Christopher Fernandez and I have built a professional collaborative relationship over the course of four years. I credit Mr. Fernandez's successful theatre program as being the partner for the matching portion of each grant. In order to apply, applicants must commit to funding half or a little more than half of the total cost for performance fees, per diem, travel, and hotel expenses. School librarians can find partners through parent organizations like PTA or PTO; booster clubs, art department funds, principal accounts, or community organizations. I’m also grateful to have a supportive campus principal. Lori Ann Garza has provided the necessary approval and assistance with logistics, scheduling, and audience recruitment.

The fall round of grants were awarded to 111 sites across the state. Non-profit sites include community theatre programs, museums, symphonies, fine arts councils, public libraries, development boards, and schools. The total funded is just under 9 million. The TCA staff are supportive and helpful when it comes to questions during the application process, after receiving the award, and follow-up on necessary documentation at the close of the program. Anina Moore, Director of Communications for TCA, is a constant source of wisdom and support. 

How can you apply for a TCA Arts Respond Performance Support Grant? I want to encourage librarians to collaborate with art teachers, music or band directors, theatre directors, or dance instructors to bring quality performances to their campuses. The applications and attachments are due November 1, 2019. The application is straightforward and easy to complete online. Applications are for performances and activities by artists from the Texas Touring Roster occurring December 15, 2019 - March 14, 2020. Go to the TCA website to learn more or email Anina Moore at anina@arts.state.tx.us 

Why I'm Thankful

By Kristi Starr, Librarian at Coronado High School in Lubbock ISD

In between the stresses of a year that always brings the unexpected and leaves too much still to do at the end, we find ourselves in a season when it's common to pause for reflection. What is it that makes you most grateful when you contemplate your professional life? If nothing is coming to mind, consider these.

• I don't know about you, but I have the most amazing PLN. I work in a district with fabulous librarians and friends, and I network across the state - and even beyond - with remarkable women and men. If you haven't begun taking advantage of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook groups to expand your learning, it's time to give them a try! While it can seem overwhelming at first, you might be missing out on a professional game-changer. We are truly better together.
• As part of my PLN, I look forward each week to #txlchat and the opportunity to learn from and share with librarians at all grade levels and from different regions. Whether you join the Twitter-based chat on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM or check out the archives, you're in for a treat.
• We are part of a remarkable organization. I'm thankful for the leadership at TLA, for the advocacy conducted on our behalf, and for the folks who step up to lead and serve in divisions, on round tables, and with committees. It takes a huge number of volunteers to fill all the roles in TLA, and I appreciate everyone who sacrifices their time.
• There are so many opportunities to learn and grow! I can't imagine missing the annual conference. Annual Assembly is a time to connect and plan. Fall district meetings allow us to deepen the connections we have in our regions, both within our divisions and with librarians who work in other settings. The TALL Texans Institute provides in-depth leadership training, allows for relationship building, and opens doors to new avenues of service. And then there are the ESC-based sessions and conferences as well as a growing number of Edcamp Library events. It's enough to make any Muggle wish for a time turner and apparition abilities.
• I love working in a dynamic profession. So much is changing that we should never complain of boredom or stagnation. There are always new tech tools to learn, new students to teach, new teachers to work with, and new books to read. And each day, each week, is often different than the one before.
• We have the opportunity to work with everyone on our campuses. How many others can say that? Whether on-level or advances, special needs or gifted, students or teachers or administrators or parents, we have times when we can interact with any- and everyone.
• We are teachers first. Librarians don't leave the classroom, rather we move into bigger, different classrooms. We still teach. We help students engage and explore. Being a teacher isn't something we do, it's who we are. We love our students and we want what is best for them. We help provide physical spaces, resources, instruction, and support to help them succeed. We specialize in information literacy, inquiry, reading and digital learning - it's a one-stop shop! And even better, we love to collaborate.

So yes, I'm thankful for my job. I'm grateful to work alongside some amazing educators. I appreciate the support I get from my campus community, my PLN, and my professional organizations - especially TLA and TASL.

If you want to be the best advocate possible for your program, love what you do. Do what you can to the best of your ability. Others will take notice. Yes, there might still be a lot left on your to-do list, things you hoped to accomplish in 2018. The year isn't over and you still have time, but don't stress. Remember, you have the best job ever!

Teacher Day @ TLA - Take your collaboration to the next level!

By Jennifer Eckert, Library Specialist in Northside ISD, San Antonio

Collaboration with teachers is a large part of any school librarian’s job. We are always looking for ways to inspire our teachers to collaborate with us and utilize the library. Let that inspiration come from facilitating an experience at this year’s TLA Annual Conference!

Our annual conference – made up of books, authors, technology integration, makerspaces, curriculum connections, and supportive librarians – is the stuff of teachers’ dreams. Connect with your teachers, encourage their innovation, inspire them to greater collaboration, and impact their instruction by inviting your teachers to join you at this years’ Teacher Day @ TLA!

Teacher Day @ TLA, which will take place on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, provides classroom teachers with the opportunity to experience a special one-day event during the TLA conference, comprised of speakers, activities, and pricing designed just for them.

This is your chance to inspire your teachers! You, as a sponsoring school librarian, will play a crucial role by identifying interested teachers, helping them secure permission and funding for their attendance, guiding them through the registration process, and ensuring our guest teachers have a positive experience.

The planning has begun for a fun, interactive day for the teachers who attend, as well as the librarians who sponsor them. Participants are welcome to stay for the full conference. Now is the time for interested librarians to:


a) identify motivated classroom teachers and


b) start to lay the groundwork for conference attendance and travel funding.


The focus of this program is for classroom teachers who experience a TLA conference to return to their districts as library advocates and collaborators - or perhaps become librarians themselves. Details and application information about Teacher Day @ TLA, an event that has become an annual highlight, can be found at http://www.txla.org/teacher-day. Don’t miss this opportunity to increase collaboration on your campus!