From AZLA Planning Document
LEGISLATION
GOAL: THE LIBRARY COMMUNITY (AzLA MEMBERS, FRIENDS, AND USERS) STRONGLY ARTICULATE AND ACTIVELY PROMOTE THE AzLA LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AT BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS DEMONSTRATING OUR CONSTITUENCY’S POTENTIAL FOR INFLUENCING THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN ARIZONA.
I. OBJECTIVE: Develop and communicate the AzLA legislative agenda.
Current status: The legislative agenda is set at the beginning of each legislative session.
a. Identify bills to be supported or opposed by AzLA in coordination with other library organizations and recommend to AzLA.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Autumn and as bills are introduced
COMPLETE: End of Session
TLD 2007 Met with Kristen Bollini and Ann Ewbank at Madison Meadows Middle School to discuss: 1) the 65% of all school expenditures should be in the classroom. NCLB puts school libraries and teacher librarians in the administration expenditures not in the classroom and therefore teacher librarians and library services can be easily cut by administrators; 2) requested the Arizona Department of Education to place in the School's Report Card template, specific lines to fill in if there is a library media center, a librarian media specialist, the person's name, title and an email to help increase awareness of school libraries and teacher librarians in the state to gather statistics and information about the condition of these libraries; 3) make contact with the Governor's P-20 Council in order to include teacher librarians in the goal of increasing literacy among Arizona students. In August of 2007, Sally Roof had Erin Hart from the Governor's Office present what the P-20 Council is and its purpose. TLD invited and college, university, public librarians, and the State Librarian Wells attended and discussed the importance that librarians be on this Council. Judi Moreillon and Ann Ewbank formed a committee to communicate to TLD and AzLA information about the SKILLS Act addedum to the NoChild Left Behind legislation. A representative and senator from each state in the U. S. must sign this addendum for it to be attached to the NCLB. As of January, 2008, only 4 states have gained approval, but the NCLB Bill has been postponed because of the election change in the presidency andelection during 2008. In October, 2007 AzLA voted to support the SKILLS Act.
TLD 2008 1.Virtual legislative day http://www.azleg.gov/ars/15/00362.htm
A. The governing board of a school district may establish and maintain libraries. Such libraries shall be under control of the board. The board shall be accountable for the care of the libraries, but it may appoint district librarians, or it may put the libraries under direct charge of a teacher or other qualified person. When requested, the board shall report on the libraries to the county school superintendent on forms supplied by the superintendent of public instruction.
So there’s two things going on in ARS 15-362. First, School District Governing Boards have the power and authority to establish and maintain libraries, IF they wish. There is no state mandate to do so. (There are 227 school districts in AZ). Second, those Boards may put the libraries under the care of one of the following three individuals: district librarians, a teacher, or other qualified person. Notice how the statute does not define ”other qualified person”. That person could be anybody from a volunteer to a classified aide to a teacher without any certification in library media to a very qualified teacher with a certification in library media to a person with no teaching certification but an MLS. So, for the district, it’s “anything goes”. However, most of the time we see the teacher with a certification in library media being eliminated due to budget cuts and replaced with a classified aide. Or in the case of new school construction, we see a classified aide hired in lieu of a teacher with a certification in library media.
2.Rally at Mesa School District because it it the largest school district in Maricopa County. Mesa, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley, Grand Canyon Unified, Creighton, Tempe Elementary, Tempe Union High School District, Humboldt Unified, Tucson Unified are all cutting library services this year. Other districts, such as Scottsdale and Glendale Union have committed to strong libraries, despite deficits. Will you help us stand for strong literacy and technology in AZ schools? Sign our petition and tell lawmakers that you want strong school libraries. http://www.fundourfuturearizona.org or http://gopetition.com/online/18626.html
3. Nationally at at National Library Legislative Day May 17: TLD is organizing an advocacy campaign to make phone calls and write letters to urge senators to co-sponsor S. 1699 and representatives to co-sponsor H.R. 2864. (Note: It is important to ask your representatives not only to support this legislation but to go the extra step and show their support by signing onto these bills.) In addition to contacting your own family, friends, colleagues, parents, and students, you can volunteer to organize your professional group of teacher-librarians in order to maximize your impact! Link to the TLD SKILLs Act Web page: http://storytrail.com/TLD/skills_act.htm
b. Develop and distribute fact sheets for each bill to be supported/opposed through the AzLA web site.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Winter annually
COMPLETE: End of Session
c. Encourage libraries to invite a legislator into a local library for a tour. Identify and train a core group of library supporters to assist vbarious libraries in providing these opportunities. Highlight /focus on each type of library; public, school, college.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: 2007 Annual Meeting
COMPLETE: Ongoing
Develop information exchange and media opportunity. Provide a “helpful tips” sheet for libraries to use. Explore the idea of initiating a “Visit Your Library” month for legislators.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Yearly
COMPLETE: Annually
e. Determine how best to educate the membership on legislative issues through conference programs or workshops.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee, Conference Committee
BEGIN: Summer annually
COMPLETE: Ongoing
f. Prepare an article for the newsletter and membership email list describing the proposed legislative agenda. Solicit responses and additional legislative issues. Explore the idea of an AzLA Legislative Summit to ensure broad organizational participation in the formation of legislative goals.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Fall annually
COMPLETE: Ongoing
g. During the legislative sessions, provide regular (e.g., weekly or monthly) updates to AzLA members on legislative activities, to emphasize what the association is accomplishing. Explore the idea of a summary sent via email with links to more detailed information on the website.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Fall annually
COMPLETE: End of session annually
TLD 2007 Provided Kristen Bollini with Marci Mercola's listserv signup information as an example of how the American Library Association's Advocacy group communicates with members about current national legislation, issues and trends.
II. OBJECTIVE: Hold Legislative Day on an annual basis early in the legislative session to meet with members of the Legislature, network, and advance the interests of AzLA.
a. Plan and implement Legislative Day to be held early in the legislative session each year.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Summer annually
COMPLETE: Early in the session annually
b. Publicize Legislative Day in AzLA Newsletter and on the AzLA Web site.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee, AzLA President
BEGIN: Summer annually
COMPLETE: Winter annually
TLD 2007 sent many notices to listserv subscribers encouraging teacher librarians to attend. A change in the date resulted in no teacher librarians attending Legislative Day 2007.
c. Develop information packets for AzLA members
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Summer annually
COMPLETE: Winter annually
d. Develop information packets for legislators.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Summer annually
COMPLETE: Winter annually
III. OBJECTIVE: Continue statewide telephone/fax/email communication network to alert community during legislative emergency (either state or federal issues).
a. Share legislative information using electronic resources such as the ASLAPR and AzLA email lists, as well as telephone and fax.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Fall annually
COMPLETE: Ongoing
b. Ensure that announcements from ALA on federal legislative issues are reported to the ASLAPR, the AzLA Web site, and/or AzLA listservs.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Chair
BEGIN: Ongoing
COMPLETE: Ongoing
TLD 2006 uses the listserv to inform teacher-librarians about the many national, state, and local legislative issues (65% resolution, Highly Qualified and No Child Left Behind, certification) that face us and our profession.
TLD 2007 Provided Kristen Bollini with Marci Mercola's listserv signup information as an example of how the American Library Association's Advocacy group communicates with members about current national legislation, issues and trends.
GOAL: PROMOTE LIBRARY INTERESTS AND IMPROVE LIBRARY SERVICES THROUGH LEGISLATION
I. OBJECTIVE: Develop and strengthen strategies and alliances with related organizations (schools, health care, museums, historical societies, etc.).
a. Participate in the Library Convocations
RESPONSIBILITY: AzLA President, Legislative Chair
BEGIN: Ongoing
COMPLETE: Ongoing
TLD 2007 at May meeting had presentation by Alice Duckworth of the Arizona Capitol Museum and Marilyn Watson of Arizona Biographies. They informed teacher librarians what these institutions can provide for Arizona students. Alice Duckworth also presented in September of 2007 what educational services she provides Arizona students and citizens.
Pres-Elect 07-I attended the convocation in March.
II. OBJECTIVE: Educate and inform membership on effective lobbying.
a. Develop a conference program (Lobbying 101) on how to lobby.
RESPONSIBILITY: AzLA President, Legislative Chair
BEGIN: Annually
COMPLETE: In February of each year, remind annual conference planning committee to include Lobbying 101 in Fall program. I will contact Ann Ewbank to determine the appropriate forum, either annual conference or other conttinuing education forum, for 2007.
TLD 2007 Linda Renfro attended Legislation 101 in Yuma in October, 2007.
b. Review the practical guide for library lobbying annually and post it on the web site.
RESPONSIBILITY: Legislative Committee
BEGIN: Review the current guide for library lobbying and update/edit as needed.
COMPLETE: Annually, prior to the Fall conference.
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.