Massachusetts School Library Association
            MEMBER PORTAL                
​Join or Renew     Member Directory​
  • Home
  • About Us
    • MSLA Leadership 2022-23
    • Executive Board Meetings
    • Joint Statements: MLA, MassCUE
    • Spotlight Archive
    • Strategic Plan 2016-22
    • MSLA Constitution
  • Membership
    • Member Portal
    • Join or Renew Your Membership
    • Members Map
    • Email List
    • Regions >
      • Boston
      • Northeast
      • Metrowest
      • Southeast
      • Central
      • West
  • Conference
    • MSLA and PDPs
  • Resources
    • DESE Rubric
    • Certification & Licensure
    • Program Standards & Rubrics
    • Job Description: School Librarian
    • Job Listings
    • MLS Strategic Planning
    • Intellectual Freedom
  • Advocacy
    • MA School Library Study for Equity & Access
    • Everyday Advocacy
    • ESSA
    • Exemplary Programs
  • Newsletter
    • 2023 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2023
    • 2022 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2022
      • May 2022
      • October 2022
    • 2021 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2021
      • May 2021
      • October 2021
    • 2020 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2020
      • May 2020
      • October 2020
    • 2019 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2019
      • May 2019
      • October 2019
    • 2018 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2018
      • May 2018
      • October 2018
    • 2017 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2017
      • May 2017
      • September 2017
      • October 2017
    • 2016 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2016
      • May 2016
      • October 2016
    • 2015 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • April 2015
      • November 2015
    • MSLA Forum 2002-2013
  • Awards
    • Judi Paradis Memorial Grant
    • Archive: History of Awards
    • 2019 Awards Pictures
    • 2018 Awards Pictures
    • 2017 Awards Pictures
    • 2016 Awards Pictures
    • 2015 Awards Pictures
  • Bookmark Contest
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 and 2018 Winners
    • 2016 and 2017 Winners
    • 2012 to 2015 Winners
    • 2009 to 2011 Winners
    • 2004 to 2008 Winners
    • Bookmark Judges

School Library Legislation -- Get Involved Now!

2/15/2017

0 Comments

 
Rachel Bouhanda is a library teacher at ​​Billerica Memorial High School
​I can assure you it is the time to be involved with School Library Legislative issues now more than ever. So please bear with me- there may be a chocolate chip cookie at the end of this article waiting for you.
According to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners current funding is at the same level as it was in 1998. Research Databases, Inter-Library Loan, and e-books are just some of the few areas that can be affected by a smaller budget. These are obviously areas that we need to keep up with and are crucial to the library infrastructure. I mean, can you imagine doing research without a database? Like, no thank you. On their website they have a .pdf poster that is customizable under FY 2018, giving an overview of the five reasons why this should matter for school libraries mblclegislativeagenda.com/files/pdfs/customizable/school-libraries.pdf.

​One of the best ways to get involved this year is to attend a Library Legislative Breakfast with other Librarians, trustees, friends, and patrons. The full schedule is available here:
http://www.masslib.org/page-1863001.  But why should all the fun end there when you can get behind the mic and speak yourself!? If you are interested in speaking (and I totally know you are) feel free to contact the library hosting the breakfast.  There is contact information for each Library on the MLA calendar page.  I recently attended a Legislative Breakfast at  the Peabody Institute Library as well.

Another option is to host a breakfast at your school next year.  Liz Phipps-Soeiro just recently hosted a breakfast at her school in Cambridge, MA with huge success and it was very well attended by local and state representatives.  If you are interested in hosting a breakfast (again, I totally know you are) you can contact Liz
esoeiro@maschoolibraries.org or myself rbouhanda@maschoolibraries.org,  your very own Legislation Co-Chairs for the Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA). The most important thing you'll learn at these breakfasts will be how funding is affected in the Libraries and of course how we can make a difference.  However other juicy gossip may also be covered like the current problems of “fake news” spreading in the media.


An email was recently sent out from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) that included a link to a customizable legislative agenda that you can adapt  to tell your story on state aid, how important the network is to your patrons, how much you rely on resource sharing, a special program you hold in your space, and how funding impacts your work and your community.  Once you’ve edited the customizable legislative agenda, your story can be saved and shared with Matthew Perry: Matthew.S.Perry@state.ma.us.

The last and most patriotic option is go to the State House in Boston on Library Legislation Day!  This year it will be held on March 7
th, 2017.  If you’ve never attended a Legislative Day before it is an amazing professional development experience.  You would begin your day by attending a short meeting of newcomers, this will give you an overview of the day.  Last year, I learned how important it is to stay in contact with your state and local representatives to let them know what is important to you.  Not enough people advocate for libraries and consequently the budget decreases instead of increasing.  Last year, a library showcase was introduced. Libraries all over the state submit a proposal to display what their library is doing.  Representatives are invited to walk around and talk to librarians and users of their program.  Students who won the MSLA bookmark completion will also receive recognition on this day.  In the afternoon you have an opportunity to locate your representatives and share stories of how  your patrons use your space, a highlighted program, or previous event. Most importantly a free lunch will be served.


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Forum Newsletter

    Co-Editors
    Reba Tierney and
    ​Luke Steere

    Reba is the School Librarian at Waltham High School; Luke is School Librarian at  Wilson Middle in Natick

    Click to set custom HTML

    Categories

    All
    AASL
    Academic
    Advocacy
    ALA
    Authors
    Book Bans
    Book Challenges
    Book Trailers
    Cataloging
    Censorship
    Column
    Conference
    Copyright
    Culture
    Databases
    Dewey
    Digital Citizenship
    E Books
    E-books
    Elementary
    ESSA
    Ethics
    Evaluation
    Graphic Books
    Graphic Novels
    Inquiry
    Leadership
    Learning Commons
    Legislation
    Literacy
    Maker Space
    Nonfiction
    Orientation
    Planning
    PLN
    President's Remarks
    Professional Development
    Reading
    Research
    Science
    Secondary
    Standards
    Technology
    Union
    Volunteers
    Weeding

    Archives

    February 2023
    October 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    April 2015

    MSLA Forum Past Issues:
    January 2015
    April 2015
    ​
    2002-2015 MSLA Forum
The Massachusetts School Library Association  works to ensure every school has a school library program that is fully integrated at all grade levels across the curriculum and has a significant and measurable impact on student achievement….Read more…..and Learn more about MSLA

Contact MSLA:
Emily Kristofek, Office Manager/Event Planner
P.O. Box 336. Wayland, MA 01778
ekristofek@maschoolibraries.org
​
508-276-1697 

Massachusetts School Library Association. All Rights Reserved.  Copyright 2023.