Tales from a Loud Librarian

As I reflected on my last post, I realized that I had more to say about being a new school librarian. First, I want to talk about technology. I remember many years ago (in the 90's) one of my colleagues in my district told me that she did not need to learn how to use technology in her library. The building that she was in was built around the early 1900's, and she had only one electrical outlet in her library. At that time, my library was computerized. I still had the old card catalog card system, but circulation was all done by computer. I thought she was crazy because technology was changing my world. If I wanted to prepare students for the next step after they left me, I had to embrace the technology. If you are a techno-phobe, I don't think that you can be a good school librarian. You don't have to know all the answers, and you don't have to know everything there is to know about computers and programs. You do have to be a risk taker and willin...

Several years ago, the Advocacy Toolkit committee from AASL (American Association of School Librarians) called for members to submit stories with examples of library advocacy in their libraries. The toolkit was getting revised. I wrote a story about how the Louisiana school librarians fought the state board of education (BESE). The librarians were asking BESE not to revise the librarian section in the bulletin that outlines how superintendents and principals should govern K-12 schools. I submitted my story two years ago and forgot about it. I received an email earlier this summer asking for a picture because they had planned to publish my story. The toolkit was published on June 25, 2015.  Open here to read the Louisiana library success story and more; scroll down to the bottom of the page to find my story. 

There are have been op-ed pieces, news articles and blogs touting the wonderful job that the school librarians did in rallying the troops to oppose changes that would have opened the door to ridding schools of librarians and libraries. Here are some links from around the state of Louisiana that you might like to read. Here is a blog post from Robert Mann  explaining that librarians and counselors are not an option in schools. The local NPR station, WWNO in New Orleans, reported on the librarians win . Will Sentell of   The Advocate , in Baton Rouge, reported how unusual it is to turn around decisions that lawmakers want to make. This last article is about the state of school librarians across the US and was written by the president of ALA, Maureen Sullivan. If you want to read my blog post summing up the long process of convincing lawmakers not to mess with school librarians, open the link here .

This is all about school librarians, not just school libraries. Let me start by saying that you could have a school library without a librarian but what would be the point. I am a professional librarian. I have over 20 years of experience, a Master's degree and awards to prove it. The years that I have spent honing my skills could never be replaced by a paraprofessional, clerical, or parent volunteer. You could have those people running a library, but it would not be the same as what a professional can do in managing the library, developing a program, collaborating with administrators and teachers, teaching lessons, providing reader's advisory, planning events to celebrate libraries and literacy, and on and on and on and on . I have no clue why lawmakers and school administrators think that librarians are not indispensable to an exemplary school program. There are numerous studies that have illustrated how students' test scores go up in schools with a certified librarian a...

Students spoke and BESE listened, sort of. BESE received more letters from students than anyone else in support of school libraries in Louisiana. What a wonderful testament to the librarians who run those libraries. Students know how much they have to lose if their school libraries are shuttered. Open here to find section 1705 (with the most up to date revisions) of Bulletin 741, the Louisana handbook for school administrators. The sections marked in yellow are the additions that were made after BESE received letters from the public. The first page of this document is in regards to school counselors, scroll down to the second page to read about the school librarians. Open here to read the summary of public comments that BESE received regarding changes to school counselors and school librarians in Bulletin 741. Again, the counselors are mentioned first, and you must scroll down to read about the responses to the school librarians. Okay, the librarians did not exactly what they w...

I am a big fan of infographics. They tell a story quickly with research data, and as a visual learner, they make it easy for me to understand and remember what I am reading. There have been many created recently in the field of education. I haven't made my first one yet, but I certainly like to share them when I find a good one. The following infographic was created by the National Center for Literacy Education (NCLE) and was posted on the American Association of School Librarians' (AASL) website .  Collaboration is an important component of 21st Century Skills, and librarians are great models for collaboration as you can see below. Also, librarians engage in professional development for lifelong learning and share what they learn with other teachers. I love being part of a profession that values learning beyond the classroom, beyond the school building, beyond the district and so on. Visit AASL , and you can download your own copy of this infographic. 

In December, I posted some letters that students wrote telling BESE what they thought about the revisions to Bulletin 741 that would allow school administrators to eliminate school libraries. BESE is planning to talk about this issue at their next meeting. Some of the teachers decided to give an assignment that would combine preparation for standardized testing and writing a letter to BESE. The students were given a writing prompt to write a persuasive letter explaining why they want to keep their school libraries opened with a certified librarian at the helm. All of the students wrote a letter. Some even chose to take the other side. They thought is would be easier to argue even if they did not agree with it. I am going to mail some of the best letters to BESE, but I wanted to share a couple with you. These students were really thoughtful with their responses, and believe that the school librarian and library offer them a better education.  April 2, 2013 Dear BESE Members: ...

Below is the letter that I wrote to Louisiana's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) asking them not to revise Bulletin 741 which would allow school administrators to eliminate school libraries. Please write your own letter and let them know how you feel. All letters must be received in the Baton Rouge office by April 8th.  BESE Members Attn: Heather Cope, Executive Director  Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Box 94064 Capitol Station Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064 March 31, 2013 Dear BESE members,  I have been teaching in Louisiana schools for over 30 years, and I have been a librarian for two thirds of my teaching career. I am a nationally award winning school librarian who is as viable today in the classroom as I was when I began my career. It really saddens me that it has been a continuous fight at the local level and now the state level to keep school librarians in the schools. Yes, in a sense that fight is helping me t...

I have written in this blog before about the changes that the board which governs education in Louisiana, BESE, wants to make. BESE is working on amending Bulletin 741 , the Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators. Section 1705 refers to school librarians. BESE has altered the wording to make it easier for schools to eliminate or not create a librarian position. We need to tell our lawmakers that school libraries are not an option.  In the March issue of School Library Journal , there is an article explaining how the research shows that school librarians directly impact student achievement. You can read that article here .  The people who make decisions about our students need to hear from parents, students and constituents who care about school libraries. When I write a letter, it just looks like I am asking to keep my job. It is truly about the students not my job, but they don't see it that way.  Below is a copy of an email that I received imploring every...

Today I got an email from the president of the Louisiana Library Association (LLA). Of course, I wasn't the only one to receive it. She sent it out to all members of LLA who are subscribed to the listserv. During our fight in December and early January to ask BESE not to change the language about libraries in the Louisiana handbook for school administrators, Bulletin 741 , I was working with the Louisiana Association of School Librarians (LASL). I am glad to see LLA on board with the movement to keep librarians in all schools. The president of LLA wrote a great letter imploring all librarians to begin a grass roots effort to write to local newspapers and state legislators about the importance of librarians in schools.  I am posting it in its entirely here. If you live in Louisiana, we need your help to spread the good word about school librarians.  February 4, 2013 My dear colleagues, In lieu of LDOE and BESE recent actions, we have much work to do to get Lou...

Click the image above to enlarge and read the final revisions Yesterday, was the day. Unfortunately, the librarians did not get exactly what they wanted from BESE. The document, Bulletin 741, now states that secondary schools are required to have a librarian and the staffing numbers are based on student population. There is no provision to require schools to keep elementary and middle schools staffed with a full time librarian. This is so distressing. We can only hope that administrators will keep a professional librarian in every school. The above image shows the edits that BESE members voted to keep in Bulletin 741 at their meeting, January 16, 2013. The "new and improved" Bulletin 741 on librarians: 1705  School Library Media Programs A. Schools shall provide reputable and relevant digital and/or print resources for students to access literature and reference materials that relate directly to the educational program and provide opportunities to explore beyond the s...

BESE votes today in Baton Rouge on changes to Bulletin 741 which is the guide for all public school administrators. Over the holidays, I talked to journalist Sarah Tan about how the changes in Bulletin 741 could affect school libraries, librarians and students across the state of Louisiana. Her article was published today and she quoted me several times.  Click here to open the link .

BESE will be voting on changes to Bulletin 741, the handbook for school administrators, on January 16th. You still have a few days left to tell the members what you think. It is easy to follow this link from the Louisiana Federation of Teachers  (LFT) and send an email to all eleven members of BESE. We do not want BESE to amend the bulletin and take out language requiring schools to have a professional librarian on staff. We do want the public school students of Louisiana to get a good education. The schools need a librarian in every building for this to happen. Please support this cause and write to the lawmakers who make decisions about Louisiana schools. 

I have mentioned in several earlier posts that in January the Louisiana state board of education (BESE) wants to amend Bulletin 741 that guides all school districts. My main concern with their changes to this document is the language about school libraries. In essence the document would no longer require schools to have a certified librarian on staff nor will schools and districts be required to provide a budget for library resources. It will now be only recommended, and districts would no longer need a waiver from the state to dismantle school libraries. I have written my own letter to all the BESE members, but I also asked the parents of my school to write to the BESE member who represents them. A parent sent me a copy of her letter, and I couldn't believe how supportive it was. An English teacher was so upset about these possible changes that she asked her 8th graders to use what they learned about writing a persuasive essay with logical and emotional appeals and write their ow...

BESE. in Louisiana, wants to amend its bulletin that guides all school districts. In so doing, BESE will allow districts to decide if a library should be staffed and if it should be staffed by a certified librarian. We need to take action and ask BESE to require a certified librarian in every school. Please read what the Louisiana Association of School Librarians (LASL) has suggested on how you can help. Click here to open the LASL plan of action .

Just last week I blogged about the importance of being an advocate for your school library and in so doing you will be an advocate for all school libraries. Little did I know that less than seven days after writing that post the need for advocacy would reach a critical point in Louisiana. The Board of Elementary and State Education (BESE), which is the Louisiana state board of elected and appointed officials, has decided that they can help reform the schools by amending Bulletin 741. This is the handbook that the administrators in all districts must use as the guidelines for managing all public schools. The title page and forward is pictured below. Click the above image to enlarge Then the other day, a librarian in northern Louisiana sent out a link to Bulletin 741 with all the points in the document that BESE wants to cut. There are lines drawn through many of the resolutions, but it is Chapter 17, section 1705 that makes me sick. I have made a copy of this section for ...

One of my colleagues at school is a big proponent of teachers' rights and believes that the teachers' unions are crucial for good public schools. This is an idea that has gotten a lot of flak lately, but I agree with him. However, there is one point that we often discuss and always disagree. Advocacy. He is a classroom teacher and thinks that his good teaching stands on its own and that he doesn't need to prove how hard he works by talking about what goes on in his classroom. He doesn't know what I have gone through as a librarian over the last twenty years, and how important it has been to broadcast about what goes on in a school library.  Two PFTSTA students enjoying the library I explain to him that it is vital that librarians shout about all the wonderful activities happening in their library. I do just that with this blog, the library website , twitter , email blasts, discussions with my principal, notices in the daily memo and articles in the school mont...