What Jim Rettig was meant when he coined the phrase, is that libraries should not think of themselves as separate from each other.  We should not compete with each other.  The success of one type of library is contingent on the success of all types of libraries.

You have only to see the initiatives of the successor ALA past-presidents to see the evidence of ALA recognizing that all types of libraries need to thrive.  Inevitably, there has been a focus on working to promote the value of school librarians.  ALA as well as AASL will rise to the challenge when there is a major threat to school libraries in a state, and the Washington Office works hard to secure passage of legislation supporting school libraries.

I am completing my term as Chair of AASL Advocacy at the close of ALA Annual.  As part of my responsibilities, I am a member of the Advocacy Coordinating Group which is a great example of the Library Ecosystem.  There are 22 members, including staff liaison.  Both Terri Grief, AASL President and I represent ALA.

Here are some of the divisions and groups represented: Association of College and Research Libraries, Association for Library Services to Children, Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, United for Libraries, Library & Information Technology, Association for Specialized& Cooperative Library Agencies, Public Awareness, Committee on Legislation, International Federation of Library Associations, Library Leadership & Management, Office of Information Technology & Telecommunication Services,  Research & Statistics, and Asian/ Pacific American Library Association.  That’s quite a broad range of members.

It took me a while to appreciate that every one of them had a stake in Advocacy.  You may think at first that we have little in common, but remember the concept of the Library Ecosystem.  As Benjamin Franklin said at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “We all hang together, or we all hang separately.”

What emerges is that we find a few messages that apply to all of us.  Using three or four messages rather than a barrage of them from different camps ensures that it is heard, and that makes it powerful.

Currently the committee has just drafted the Advocacy Strategic Direction plan.  It is our part of the overall ALA Strategic Direction plan.  In turn, AASL Advocacy is going to work with it to craft an AASL Advocacy Strategic Direction.  ALA is very large and diverse, but by working together we speak with one voice.

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The presentation I gave at NYLA/SSL draws heavily from the business world.  I often said to people, while I am a school librarian, I am also in sales.  I sold my program every day to everyone who came into my library whether it was a student, teacher, or someone picking up a piece of equipment going out for repair. I am not saying we can or should run our libraries like a business.  We are not in it for a profit, and we are limited in bringing in new “customers.” But we can adapt many sales principles to sell our program to our various customers and stakeholders.

Someone I worked with had sales training and she noted how important it is to always remember no one wants to be sold—but everyone wants to buy.  What she meant was, we resist any sales pressure, which is one more reason we don’t get anywhere when we lead with research findings showing the value of school libraries and librarians.  It’s obvious to whomever we are speaking that we are “selling” our program.

The idea is to make the program something they want to have.  This is where marketing comes in. Marketing identifies a problem the customer has and shows how your product (your program) can solve it. You can see it easily with your students.  You introduce a research project and the students’ problem is find relevant, accurate information in the most efficient way, know how to organize it, and use the finding to create something of value.  If you are doing your job, they know you are the best person to help them get on track and stay there even when research gets messy.  Look at the image to the right – can you see how these words apply to your program and getting it noticed? 

Apply the same approach to your administrators.  What problems do they have that your program can solve or make easier?  How can you demonstrate that? Once you begin to think in these terms, you can tackle a bigger challenge—figuring out what problems board members have and your ability to help them.  What about parents?  Parents of elementary students have different wants and issues than parents of high school students.  What can you do to assist them?

The first step is to alter your mind set.  It used to seem as though everyone took for granted that what we did was important and valuable. But in reality, people were just accepting it because it was there. Once money became an issue and everything was on the table, if the library program was not of high value to the stakeholders with power, it was cut or eliminated.  It’s time to show them, your program is one they definitely want to buy.  Remember – you’re indispensable.

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I was an undergraduate, planning to become a high school English teacher, and took a job as a page in a public library.  As graduation approached, I was desperate to find a job within walking distance of a buses to New York City (where my soon-to-be husband worked) and applied for a teaching position in Fort Lee, NJ.  On my application, I stated I was willing and able to cover when the librarian had lunch or a free period. The acting superintendent, called back from retirement when the current one had a heart attack, was eager to get all position filled and said if I got 6 credits over the summer, he would hire me as Teacher Librarian with emergency certification.  The location was perfect.  The director of the public library helped get me into Columbia University’s School of Library Science (now defunct) – with its Melvil Dewey Chair of Cataloging—and I completed my two courses the day before my wedding.  My career as an accidental librarian began at the same time my marriage did.  Both, I’m happy to report, have withstood the test of time.

So, how did you become a school librarian?

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