Archive for Advocacy

Formalisation Network ENSIL

June 5, 2008 at 12:43 am · Filed under Advocacy, School librarians, School libraries ·Tagged

In March 2003 the network ENSIL was founded in Amsterdam by twelve people from eight different European countries. Now, in June 2008, the network has almost 80 members in 21 European countries.

Lourense Das, the co-ordinator and chair, has advised ENSIL was formalised into a foundation. “This foundation, which is based in the Netherlands, has now been legally formalised and will be known as the ENSIL Foundation (Stichting ENSIL).”

The new ENSIL Foundation (Stichting ENSIL) has made the following statement about its goals: “Based on international research which shows that the quality of students’ learning outcomes is greatly enhanced by effective school libraries, ENSIL promotes the basic principle that all pupils in schools in each country of Europe are entitled to quality school libraries/media centres and services run by professional and accredited school librarians/information specialists.”

More information about ENSIL Foundation (Stichting ENSIL) can be found on the website http://www.ensil.eu

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International School Library Month (October)

March 21, 2008 at 12:43 am · Filed under Advocacy, ISLD, School librarians, School libraries

For nine years the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) celebrated International School Library Day (ISLD).  ISLD has just got a whole lot bigger.  It has grown into International School Library Month (ISLM).

This change was approved by the IASL Board in order to accommodate the many ways that school library personnel were celebrating ISLD.  It was decided that each country, province, state and even school can choose their own specific day, week or even the whole month of October to celebrate school libraries.

In the coming months the International School Library Month (ISLM) section of the IASL web site will be updated to reflect the change.

Rick Mulholland, ISLM coordinator, has announced that the ISLM Committee has chosen Literacy and Learning at your School Library as the 2008 ILSM theme.

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AASL releases report on first longitudinal survey

December 12, 2007 at 2:00 am · Filed under Advocacy, School librarians, School libraries, School library surveys

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has recently released the results of the first longitudinal survey, School Libraries Count!

The survey, conducted in early 2007, gathered data in a number of areas, such as library staff, collections, technology, class visits, and budgets.  AASL will be using the data to develop tools to help library media specialists advocate at the local, state and national level.

I’m sure the data will assist in the effective lobbying for the Strengthening Kids Interest in Learning & Libraries (SKILLS) Act.

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Politics and school libraries

November 29, 2007 at 6:15 am · Filed under Advocacy, School librarians, School libraries

Recently Australians went to the polls to vote on the national government for Australia. The result was a significant win to the Labor party who had been in the position of opposition party for 11 1/2 years. It did not take long for the Prime Minister Elect, Kevin Rudd, to make moves, especially on an election priority - Federal Labor’s Education Revolution. Within two days of accepting victory Mr Rudd and Labor’s Deputy Leader, Julia Gillard, where found in a school library advocating Labor’s digital education revolution.  Mr Rudd challenged his team of ministers to visit one public school and one independent school over the next couple of days.

Teacher librarians in Australia were encouraged to make sure that any visit to the school involved a visit to the school library. The Hub, a group campaigning for quality school libraries in Australia have been on the rumble!

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