Advocacy

Please consider signing your support for school libraries at this link: bit.ly/supportslib

The Michigan Association of School Librarians supports three Michigan Senate bills that will ensure all Michigan students have access to school libraries and certified library media specialists.
The bills, Senate Bills 741 (Camilleri - D), 742 (Camilleri - D) and 743 (Bayer- D) would:

Requires every school district in Michigan to offer a library that is accessible to students and offers resources in both electronic and print form;
Requires a school district board to employ at least one certified school librarian for each school library operated by that district. This includes different requirements for different-sized districts, ensuring that small, rural school districts would not be unduly burdened by this legislation; and
Requires a principal or other appropriate administrator to designate an individual to supervise students in a school library when a certified media specialist is not present.

Share the above "Effective School Libraries Essential to Student Success" Handout with Administrators and Community Members: bit.ly/MASL-1page

The work of certified school librarians is aligned with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Top 10 Strategic Plan.
Find the details in the document: Effective School Libraries Alignment with MDE Strategic Plan.

The Michigan School Library Competencies for Learners have been endorsed by the MASL Board. The Michigan School Library Competencies for Learners define a set of competencies for learners that allow school librarians to develop a comprehensive program of instruction and activities for their students.

NOW IS THE TIME TO INVEST IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES!

Read articles published by Michigan administrator and school board associations:

Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) February 2022 newsletter
Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators (MASA) October 2021 newsletter
Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) July 2021 newsletter

School Libraries Matter: The Changing Role of the School Librarian:

This video is just under 5 minutes, but don't look away until you get halfway through to hear MASL's favorite quote...

"If you had a reading teacher and a tech integrator and a school librarian, and you had to make a difficult choice; I'd still keep the school librarian because the school librarian is going to combine all of those."