Photo by JuliaC2006. Obtained through Flickr Creative Commons.
Become a School Library Advocate!
The Legislative Committee of CSLA works closely with our lobbyist to initiate or support legislation that aligns with our Legislative Agenda.
We also believe that every member is a library advocate. Your work locally is as necessary as our work at the state level. It is like a rose trellis, where each rose planted at the base grows and blooms until they meet at the apex to create a trellis that is fully in bloom from end to end.
On this page, we will be growing toolkits for you to use in your advocacy including targeted toolkits on:
- How to speak to issue locally,
- How to get on school board agenda,
- How to get libraries on school board elections agendas,
- How to access funding via LCFF and other state literacy grants,
- How to advocate at your school site,
- How to advocate within your union.
If you have experience in any of these areas and have resources to share, we'd love to have you on our team!
Are you ready to Start Growing your Advocacy?
One place to get started is developing a habit of communicating with elected officials. See our new toolkit on how to communicate with elected officials below.
Get to know your Teacher Librarians And Classified Library Staff
One of the first steps in advocacy is educating co-workers, administrators, parents, and communities about the unique and essential services provided by credentialed teacher librarians and qualified classifed library staff. Click on the button to see the CA Teacher Credentialing Office's chart on different staffing levels and their authorized responsibilities.
What Does EdCode Say about School Libraries?
- Section 18100.
- The governing board of each school district shall provide school library services for the pupils and teachers of the district by establishing and maintaining school libraries or by contractual arrangements with another public agency.
- Services provided by non-credentialed personnel shall not include those activities requiring possession of a valid Teacher Librarian Services Credential.
- Section 18120.
- The governing board of a school district maintaining its own library or libraries may appoint a librarian or librarians to staff the libraries provided they qualify as librarians pursuant to Section 44868.
- Section 44868.
- No person shall be employed as a library media teacher in any elementary or secondary school, unless he or she holds a valid credential of proper grade authorizing service as a library media teacher or a valid teaching credential issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing if he or she has completed the specialized area of librarianship.
the Model School Library Standards: What a library program should look like & What Teacher Librarians Teach
