9486 in the collection
Save the Libraries
A journalist calls this the "mom's swingshift of advocacy," namely, working from 10pm-3am on an issue that has grown to be a state-wide campaign to save the state's school library programs, which are being cut drastically.
by Susan L. McBurney, co-chair
Across Washington state, as well as many other states, school library programs are being drastically cut. This is an issue that affects our children, our work force, and in many ways, our democratic roots.
Please visit our coalition website to find out more.
We've launched a state-wide petition calling on WA state legislators to provide adequate and sustained funding for school libraries. In just a couple of weeks we've gotten nearly 2000 signatures, all by word of mouth.
You can check out the petition here (but it is only for WA residents).
Can you please forward these links to any friends, family or professional counterparts you might have in Washington? We've been amazed at the power of word of mouth and what personal forwards on this issue have produced. If you know of a superstar in WA that we can recruit, by all means, let me know.
Dear Washington resident:
** Nearly 2,000 Washington residents have signed a petition in support of school libraries in 2.5 weeks.
** Despite the fact that a large body of scholarly research has found that a fully staffed and a well-funded library improve standardized test scores;
** Despite the fact that most people consider the library the heart of the school and its librarian the great equalizer between the information rich and the information poor-- the divide has grown with each fiscal year.
** From Bellevue to Pomeroy, the lights in school libraries are being turned off, the doors closed, and the computers shut down.
Take action now so more schools don't suffer cuts. Olympia is telling us that they need to hear from their own constituents personally. In their words, 'call, ask, come and talk.'
What you can do:
1. Sign the petition, and include comments about who you are (parent, teacher) and why this matters to you. Encourage other members of your household to sign. Here's the link: http://www.gopetition.com/online/15285.html
2. Pass this message on to your personal and professional circles. There are 1M students, which makes 2M parents! If you are in a business that needs a qualified workforce, this issue matters - get Chambers of Commerce to endorse the campaign.
3. CALL OLYMPIA! On average, it takes 2 minutes.
Call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Your opinion goes to your 2 Reps, 1 Senator and the Governor. Tell them you support a line-item in the state budget for school libraries. They've told us they're waiting to hear if people speak up.
4. Pop your zipcode into the following link and you can get emails to each of your legislators. 5 minutes of work!!: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx
Use the letter that follows and cut and paste if you'd like!
You can help change the future for children in our state. Please email us if you have ideas or if you get feedback from a legislator.
Lisa Layera Brunkan, Co-Chair lisa@fundourfuturewashington.org
Susan McBurney, Co-Chair susan@fundourfuturewashington.org
Washington Coalition for School Libraries and Information Technology (WCS-Lit)
Learn more about this effort at http://www.fundourfuturewashington.org
LETTER TO YOUR LEGISLATORS
Honorable _______,
I urge you to include a line item in the FY2009 budget for public school library and media programs. Such an allocation is important for the State of Washington because:
-The presence of a highly qualified teacher librarian in every school increases student achievement.
- School libraries and media programs provide the resources that students need to learn for the 21st century.
- Washington's competitiveness is enhanced when our schools are funded, staffed, and resourced according to the best research findings; this includes certified librarians and fully stocked libraries and media programs.
I urge you to consider championing this cause. Washington Coalition for School Libraries and Informational Technology's has submitted a draft supplemental budget request to address the urgent need for school library and media programs. Such programs are already shutting down in communities around the state; remaining programs are increasingly understaffed and lacking technology.
As a citizen and voter, I thank you in advance for your attention to this important need. Thank you for your commitment to the students in Washington State!
Sincerely,
[include complete address to indicate you are in the legislator's voting district]
— Lisa Layera Brunkan and Susan McBurney
website
2007-12-07
http://www.fundourfuturewashington.org
INDEX OF OUTRAGES
Pages: 380
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