Advocacy. American Association of School Librarians. http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy.

Advocacy resources from AASL. Includes "What Is Advocacy;" the "School Libraries Transform" infographic; a "School Library Crisis Toolkit;" and advocacy brochures focused on administrators, policy makers, parents (in English and Spanish), and teachers; and other important resources.

Advocacy. Young Adult Library Services Association. http://www.ala.org/yalsa/advocacy.

YALSA offers a variety of tools and infographics for advocacy. These resources work together to offer a spectrum of entry points for any level of library advocate to see what advocacy might look like, and what stronger advocacy might look like.

Allington, Richard L. "Self-Selected Reading as a Predictor of Reading Improvement (TLA Conference Program)." TASL Talks (April 19, 2015). http://tasltalks.blogspot.com/2015/04/self-selected-reading-as-predictor-of.html.

Australian Library and Information Association. "Promoting Your School Library." YouTube (January 6, 2014). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va5mo6ik2_M.

Australian school librarians are discussing the same issues we are, and often have very striking and useful insights; I try to watch them often. This video is similar to the Washington and California examples listed here, but possibly the accent will catch viewers' attention.

Bonanno, Karen, ed. "School Library Advocacy." ScoopIt: School Library Advocacy. http://www.scoop.it/t/school-library-advocacy.

California School Library Association. "Does Your School Have a Teacher Librarian?" YouTube (November 7, 2014). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFkeZPGRro.

This outstanding 10-minute video opens with the clip about the Horizontal Teacher which is a powerful image to use with the community, quickly illustrating the maximized "bang for bucks" when a library is staffed and funded.

Community Voices for Public Education. http://www.houstoncvpe.org/.

Cunningham, Lisa J. "Principal Support for the Teacher Librarian, What Is It? And How to Get It?" The World of Mrs. C. blog (December 8, 2013). https://lisajcunningham.wordpress.com/2013/12/08/principal-support-for-the-teacher-librarian-what-is-it-and-how-to-get-it/.

Cunningham, Lisa J. "Using Evidence-Based Practice to Promote Teacher Librarian Services." The World of Mrs. C. blog (January 20, 2014). https://lisajcunningham.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/using-evidence-based-practice-to-promote-teacher-librarian-services/.

This post spells out several practical applications of building your data for building leadership.

"District Dispatch." American Library Association. http://www.districtdispatch.org/.

Subscribe to this electronic newsletter to stay aware of useful Washington news.

Hand, Dorcas. "Making Progress by Fives." American Libraries (December 30, 2011). http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2011/12/30/making-progress-by-fives/.

I wrote this a few years ago after reading a piece by an Australian school librarian. It made so much sense, and was such a practical approach that I have espoused it ever since. Five minutes and five fingers—a mnemonic and a manageable time commitment. Elevator speeches fit right in.

Hand, Dorcas. "You Don't Have Time NOT to Advocate," Library Media Connection 33 no. 5 (March-April 2015). http://schoollibraryconnection.com/Home/Display/1947795.

Hardesty, Kathryn. "Speech to School Board Supporting School Libraries and Librarians." I Love Libraries, American Library Association. (November 30, 1999). http://www.ilovelibraries.org/article/speech-school-board-supporting-school-libraries-and-librarians.

Speaking to her school board, Hardesty speaks of her fellow librarians as chief information officers, and provides a terse snapshot of the importance of school libraries to district students.

"How to Perfect Your Elevator Pitch." Open Colleges. https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/careers/elevator-pitch.

A great infographic to support design of great elevator pitches.

"Infographic: A Librarian's Worth: Relevance around the World." Wired Academic (March 6, 2012). http://www.wiredacademic.com/2012/03/infographic-a-librarians-worth-relevance-around-the-world/.

Examples of great infographic images and layouts for library advocacy.

Jaeger, Paige. "SMART Goals for Visibility." Libraries: An Open Door to the World blog (March 24, 2014). http://librarydoor.blogspot.com/2014/03/smart-goals-for-visibility.html.

Advocacy is an essential component of every day, but without any organization to that knowledge, you will likely set it aside for something you can check off your list as done. Decide your big plan, and break it into pieces you can manage, 5 minutes at a time. Choose the audience(s) for this short-term program. Set goals for the year, and "chunk" them into small pieces you can accomplish.

Johnson, Doug. "School Libraries—A Student Right." The Blue Skunk Blog (July 4, 2013). http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2013/7/4/school-libraries-a-student-right.html#%21.

Johnson does a great job here distilling what parents need to know about why students need school libraries. Post this in your newsletter at the beginning of the year to illustrate what your job is, and then keep families aware of how you do it.

Kachel, Debra. "How Parents Can Advocate for Quality School Library Programs." PSLA Conference Handout, 2013. https://psla.memberclicks.net/parents.

Kachel is a strong voice in Pennsylvania for school libraries and for school library advocacy. This PDF is available along with a goldmine of PSLA advocacy resources on the Parents tab, which includes many other resources and links.

Kachel, Debra. "Inviting Legislators into School Libraries." Information Today (March-April 2011). http://www.infotoday.com/MLS/mar11/Kachel-Inviting-Legislators-Into-School-Libraries.shtml.

All about how-to manage a legislative visit from invitations to a visit thank you.

Kelly Johns, Sarah, and John Hockenberry. "Students Learn Better When Schools Keep Libraries" The Takeaway. WNYC Radio and PRI (July 16, 2015). http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/why-we-need-school-libraries-digital-age/.

An interview with Sara Kelly Johns in response to a piece about the losses of school libraries across the country (Debra Kachel, Debra. "The Calamity of Disappearing School Libraries." The Conversation https://theconversation.com/the-calamity-of-the-disappearing-school-libraries-44498). The interview opens with a few great listener quotes on how the campus library was important to their maturation, and follows with Kelly Johns furthering the awareness of the good that comes from strong school libraries.

Kowalcyzk, Piotr. "Libraries Matter: 11 Fantastic Infographics." Ebook Friendly. http://ebookfriendly.com/libraries-matter-library-infographics.

While these infographics are not focused on school libraries, they offer great ideas how you might represent your own data in visual terms. Often, that translation of information into images succeeds in something memorable for folks who didn't get the connection.

Krashen, Stephen D. "Dr. Stephen Krashen Defends Libraries at LAUSD Board Meeting." LArepresents, YouTube (February 16, 2014). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAui0OGfHQY.

This is a video of Krashen's presentation to the Los Angeles Unified School District board meeting in February 2014. The text of the presentation can be found on his blog at http://skrashen.blogspot.com/2014/02/why-invest-in-libraries.html.

LaGarde, Jennifer. "Open Letter to Principals (Before You Hire a New School Librarian)." Adventures of Library Girl blog (May 25, 2015). http://www.librarygirl.net/2015/05/an-open-letter-to-principals-before-you.html.

Jennifer LaGarde's blog is worth following, but this post is clearly what we need for this workshop. Not only can you send this to any principal who may be hiring a new campus librarian, but you can also take to heart her hints to how to be a successful candidate. We who are already in the job of school librarian need to be shining examples of what we are asking the principal to hire—every day.

Martin, Ann M., and Kathleen R. Roberts. "Digital Native Does Not Equal Digital Literacy." Principal (January-February 2015). http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/conferencesandevents/national/MartinRoberts_JF15.pdf.

Many administrators believe the sentiment, "Now we've got the Internet, why do we still need libraries?" but librarians know different. Martin and Roberts carefully explain how their title is true, and what you can begin to do about it.

Moran, Mark. "Young Learners Need Librarians, Not Just Google." Forbes (March 22, 2010). http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/22/moran-librarian-skills-intelligent-investing-google.html.

Moran was a businessman who decided to found Dulcinea Media, the self-described Curator of the Internet. Its mission is to help educators teach students how to use the Internet effectively, safely, and responsibly. This article takes his message, and ours, to the business world. And it will be a useful perspective for teachers, parents and administrators.

Moreillon, Judi. "School Libraries—Reinvented?" School Librarian Leadership blog (January 5, 2015). http://www.schoollibrarianleadership.com/2015/01/05/school-libraries-reinvented/.

This piece addresses in depth the contrast between classroom collections and school libraries. This blog is generally worth reading for other ideas tied to strong practice, the basis of school library advocacy.

Owen, Wendy. "Beaverton Parent Pushes for the Return of Strong School Libraries." Oregonian (December 13, 2014). https://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/index.ssf/2014/12/beaverton_parent_pushes_for_th.html#incart_story_package.

This article from a local paper illustrates just how powerful inspired parent advocacy can be. All you need to do is raise awareness of what is gained when there is a strong school library program with a trained librarian at the helm, or what is missing when the library is not adequately staffed and supported

Pilkington, Mercy. "School Libraries Vital to Literacy Rates among Students." Good eReader blog (February 9 2015). http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/school-libraries-vital-to-literacy-rates-among-students.

A mainstay of your job is to support the literacy goals of your school. Pilkington addresses basic literacy, reading comprehension. Yes, she's British, but the points cross the pond just fine.

Ravitch, Diane. "The Shame of Los Angeles." Diane Ravitch's Blog (February 28, 2014). http://dianeravitch.net/2014/02/28/the-shame-of-los-angeles/.

Ravitch is historian of education, an educational policy analyst, and a research professor at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Previously, she was a U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education. She speaks for the need for strong libraries in the Los Angeles Unified School District, berating the city's leadership for tolerating inadequate school library services.

School Administrator Toolkit: A Guide to School Librarians. https://sites.google.com/site/hiringlib/.

A wonderful collaborative resource spawned by a conversation in June 2015 at the Texas Association of School Library Administrators meeting, this site pulls together interview questions, evaluation tools and Texas certification requirements and related resources.

"School Libraries Impact Studies." Library Research Service. https://www.lrs.org/data-tools/school-libraries/impact-studies/.

This site provides information on national and state research into the impact of school libraries.

"School Libraries Transform Learning." American Libraries digital supplement (September-October 2014). http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/tools/transforming.

A special issue of American Libraries magazine devoted to school library advocacy. It is available as a downloadable PDF.

Sloan, Patti, and Joan Flora. "The Real Cost of Cutting School Libraries." Teaching It Forward blog (March 15, 2014). https://teachingitforward.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/the-real-cost-of-cutting-school-libraries/.

Pattie Sloan and Joan Flora describe themselves as two teachers challenging classroom status quo. This blog post also includes a link to a video of Elizabeth Beazizo, West Salem High School's Oregon Librarian of the Year. When a librarian wins Teacher of the Year, a conversation is opened about what about school librarianship involves teaching and what skills are additional.

"The South Carolina Impact Study." South Carolina Association of School Librarians, 2014. http://www.scasl.net/the-south-carolina-impact-study.

"State of America's Libraries Report." American Library Association. http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/americaslibraries/soal_archive.

This is an excellent and current overview study of libraries of all types.

Stephens, Wendy. "#act4teens: Partnering with Policy Makers for Improved Advocacy Outcomes." YALSA blog (August 3, 2015). http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2015/08/03/act4teens-partnering-with-policy-makers-for-improved-advocacy-outcomes/.

Podcast interview in which I spoke with Wendy about my advocacy experiences in Houston.

Students Need Libraries in HISD. http://www.studentsneedlibrariesinhisd.org/.

This website is aimed at the Houston community where I live, but most of the articles included are from other places. This is the lead page for a group of topics of interest to school library advocates: the "100 things Kids Will Miss if They Don't Have a School Librarian in Their School" poster; links to all things Advocacy on the AASL website; a list of the Texas Assn of School Librarians member blogs of interest in advocacy efforts; librarians as leaders; research articles; reading matters; digital literacy; and general articles. The list is ever growing.

Teachers Connecting with Teacher Librarians. http://www.connect2tls.info/.

Another Aussie link, this website offers many suggestions of how to bridge the gap between teachers and teacher-librarians. Australia has lots of great library thinkers!

Texline & Updates. Texas Library Association. http://www.txla.org/texline-updates.

The link to TLA's legislative e-newsletter.

Tischler, Rebecca. "5 Things That People Don't Realize Their Librarians Do." INALJ (April 10, 2014). http://inalj.com/?p=67856.

Librarians are teachers. Librarians are tech savvy. Librarians are advertisers. Librarians are event planners. Librarians are researchers. Of this last, the last is the most obvious - but you need to demonstrate in your library program that you are all of these things. You already know that you are. You can easily see that you are all the others as well - but your charge in advocacy is to be sure your campus community and district leadership see that you are all of these things.

"Value of Non-Adult/Juvenile Public Library Circulation." American Library Association. http://www.ala.org/tools/research/librariesmatter/value-non-adultjuvenile-public-library-circulation.

Wolf, Mary Ann, Rachel Jones, and Daniel Gilbert. Leading In and Beyond the Library. Alliance for Excellent Education, 2014. http://all4ed.org/reports-factsheets/leading-in-and-beyond-the-library/.

This report explains the key role that school librarians and libraries should play in state- and district-wide efforts to transition to digital learning, or the effective use of technology to improve teaching and learning. The report calls for district and school leaders, policymakers, and boards of education to support, encourage, and fund the evolving role of librarians and libraries as facilitators of content creation, personalized learning, and professional development.

Zickuhr, Kathryn, Lee Rainie and Kristen Purcell. "Library Services in the Digital Age." Pew Internet and American Life Project (January 22, 2013). http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/library-services/.

The Pew Research Center and its subsidiaries is a consistent and ongoing resource for data about library users and programs.

Zinkin, Clare. "School Libraries: The Best Bang for Your Education Buck." Minerva Reads blog (June 2, 2015). http://www.minervareads.com/school-libraries-the-best-bang-for-your-education-buck/.

This piece offers a lovely overview of the big picture. Zinkin writes in Britain, with British data, but the issues and data needs are completely parallel.