LESSONS FROM DOWN UNDER:LESSONS FROM DOWN UNDER:

7 EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR LIBRARY ADVOCACY

Karen Bonanno

Director, KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd

kb.com.au

schoollibrarymanagement.com

HOUSEKEEPING

� Control panel – Audio setting & question pane

� Disclaimer

� The views and opinions are those of Karen Bonanno and

are presented as general information which will require

further research to identify the application of the specific

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

further research to identify the application of the specific

requirements to the participant.

� Restrictions

� KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd does NOT give permission

for any capture, recording or reproduction of this webinar

in any format.

� PowerPoint presentation will be available from

� www.schoollibrarymanagement.com/webinars/webinar-

series/presentations/2

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

MY JOURNEYK

B E

nte

rprise

s (Au

st) Pty

Ltd

� High school teacher > teacher librarian

� 1991 to 1995 – President School Library Association of Queensland

� 1994 to present –independent consultancy

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

3

independent consultancy

� 1996 to 1998 – President Australian School Library Association (ASLA)

� 2001 – Awarded ASLA Citation

� 2002 – contracted as Executive Officer, ASLA

� 2010 – School Library Inquiry

29 Nov 2010

Karen with Peter Garrett MP &

Sue Hutley, ALIA

INQUIRY INTO SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND TEACHER

LIBRARIANS IN AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS (2010)K

B E

nte

rprise

s (Au

st) Pty

Ltd

� March 16, 2010 – Minister of Education called for inquiry and submissions > 386 submissions

� April 28, 2010 – First public hearing (12 held during 2010)

� July 17, 2010 – National election called > inquiry suspended

� November 23, 2010 – Minister of

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

4

� November 23, 2010 – Minister of Education re-referred the inquiry

� February 11, 2011 – Last public hearing

� May 23, 2011 – report tabled in Parliament

School libraries and teacher librarians in 21st century Australia (2011)

http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/ee/schoollibraries/report.htm

House of Representatives Standing

Committee on Education and

Employment, March 2011,

Commonwealth of Australia

7 EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES

1. Correspond

2. Collaborate

3. Cooperate

Consult

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

4. Consult

5. Communicate

6. Campaign

7. Character build

5

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

1. CORRESPONDK

B E

nte

rprise

s (Au

st) Pty

Ltd

With the Government of the day

� Connect with Government initiatives (e.g. Building the Education Revolution &

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

6

Education Revolution & Digital Education Revolution)

� Have a clear, consistent message

� Praise and request

� Petitions (lobby groups)

Letter to Minister of Education

from Australian School Library

Association http://www.asla.org.au/advocacy/government/

letter241109.htm

2. COLLABORATEK

B E

nte

rprise

s (Au

st) Pty

Ltd

� With other professional

associations

� With industry groups

� With Parents & Friends

societies

For example

� Australian Library &

Information Association

� Children’s Book Council

� Australian Society of

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

7

societies

� With lobby groups

Purpose & Message

� Australian Society of

Authors

� Australian Council of State

School Organisations

� Library suppliers

� Booksellers

� Publishers

3. COOPERATEK

B E

nte

rprise

s (Au

st) Pty

Ltd

With all decision makers during the process

� Keep an open mind

� Come with an attitude of

Absolutely avoid the five “cancerous behaviors”

� Criticizing

� Complaining

� Comparing

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

8

� Come with an attitude of gratitude

� Work with the systems

� Take the initiative

� Don’t wait to be told

� Look for opportunities to work together

� Comparing

� Competing

� Contending [Stephen R. Covey 2005, The 8th

habit: from effectiveness to greatness, Free Press, New York, p. 135.]

4. CONSULTK

B E

nte

rprise

s (Au

st) Pty

Ltd

With education

stakeholders

� Be involved in education

consultation

www.acara.edu.au

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

9

consultation

� Look for ways to weave

in the work of school

libraries and teacher

librarians

� Avoid “library speak”

www.aitsl.edu.au

www.esa.edu.au

5. COMMUNICATEK

B E

nte

rprise

s (Au

st) Pty

Ltd

Use all the tools available

� Media (newspapers,

radio, television)e.g. http://www.asla.org.au/schoollibraries/

� Social media (Twitter, http://www.scoop.it/t/school-

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

10

� Social media (Twitter,

Facebook, Scoop.it!,

LinkedIn, blogs)

� Develop relationships

with journalists,

interviewers, media

commentators

http://www.scoop.it/t/school-

library-advocacy

6. CAMPAIGNK

B E

nte

rprise

s (Au

st) Pty

Ltd

Target your audience

� Plan a coherent and

consistent message

Work out how & whoschoollibraries2011.wikispaces.com

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

11

� Work out how & who

� K.I.S.S.

schoollibraries2011.wikispaces.com

www.facebook.com/pages/What-a-difference-a-school-library-

makes/120543444695337

7. CHARACTER BUILDING

Of a profession under the “magnifying glass”

� Association work cf. professional work

� Find a “niche”

Raise the bar

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

� Raise the bar

� Build relationships

� Focus on the things that count (and make a

difference)

P.S. Don’t forget to celebrate12

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

7 EFFECTIVE STRATEGIESK

B E

nte

rprise

s (Au

st) Pty

Ltd

1. Correspond

2. Collaborate

3. Cooperate

Consult

“It is one of the

paradoxes of success

that the things and

the ways which got

you where you are,

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

13

4. Consult

5. Communicate

6. Campaign

7. Character build

you where you are,

are seldom the

things that keep you

there.”Handy, C 1995, The empty raincoat: making sense of the future,

Arrow Books, London, p. 49.

IN CLOSING

� PowerPoint presentation will be available from

� http://www.schoollibrarymanagement.com/webinars/

webinar-series/presentations/

� Future events

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td

� Future events

� http://www.schoollibrarymanagement.com/webinars/

webinars-signup/

Karen Bonanno

karen@schoollibrarymanagement.com

14

KB

En

terp

rises (A

ust) P

ty L

td