1.
LESSONS FROM DOWN UNDER:
7 EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR LIBRARY ADVOCACY
Karen Bonanno
Director, KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
kb.com.au
schoollibrarymanagement.com

2.
HOUSEKEEPING
Control panel – Audio setting & question pane
Disclaimer
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
The views and opinions are those of Karen Bonanno and
are presented as general information which will require
further research to identify the application of the specific
requirements to the participant.
Restrictions
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd does NOT give permission
for any capture, recording or reproduction of this webinar
in any format.
PowerPoint presentation will be available from
www.schoollibrarymanagement.com/webinars/webinar- 2
series/presentations/

3.
MY JOURNEY
High school teacher > teacher
librarian
1991 to 1995 – President
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KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
School Library Association of
Queensland
1994 to present –
independent consultancy
1996 to 1998 – President
Australian School Library
Association (ASLA)
2001 – Awarded ASLA
Citation
29 Nov 2010 2002 – contracted as
Karen with Peter Garrett MP & Executive Officer, ASLA
Sue Hutley, ALIA
2010 – School Library
Inquiry 3

4.
INQUIRY INTO SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND TEACHER
LIBRARIANS IN AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS (2010)
March 16, 2010 – Minister of
Education called for inquiry and
submissions > 386 submissions
April 28, 2010 – First public
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KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
hearing (12 held during 2010)
July 17, 2010 – National election
called > inquiry suspended
November 23, 2010 – Minister of
Education re-referred the inquiry
February 11, 2011 – Last public
hearing
May 23, 2011 – report tabled in
Parliament
School libraries and teacher
librarians in 21st century
House of Representatives Standing Australia (2011)
Committee on Education and http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/ee/schoollibraries/r
Employment, March 2011, eport.htm
Commonwealth of Australia 4

5.
7 EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
1. Correspond
2. Collaborate
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KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
3. Cooperate
4. Consult
5. Communicate
6. Campaign
7. Character build
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6.
1. CORRESPOND
With the Government of
the day
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KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
Connect with
Government initiatives
(e.g. Building the
Education Revolution &
Digital Education
Revolution)
Have a clear, consistent
message Letter to Minister of Education
Praise and request from Australian School Library
Association
Petitions (lobby groups) http://www.asla.org.au/advocacy/government/
letter241109.htm
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7.
2. COLLABORATE
With other professional For example
associations Australian Library &
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
With industry groups Information Association
With Parents & Friends Children’s Book Council
societies Australian Society of
With lobby groups Authors
Australian Council of State
Purpose & Message School Organisations
Library suppliers
Booksellers
Publishers
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8.
3. COOPERATE
With all decision makers Absolutely avoid the five
during the process “cancerous behaviors”
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KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
Criticizing
Keep an open mind Complaining
Come with an attitude of Comparing
gratitude Competing
Work with the systems Contending
Take the initiative [Stephen R. Covey 2005, The 8th
habit: from effectiveness to
Don’t wait to be told greatness, Free Press, New
Look for opportunities York, p. 135.]
to work together
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9.
4. CONSULT
With education
stakeholders
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
www.acara.edu.au
Be involved in education
consultation
Look for ways to weave www.aitsl.edu.au
in the work of school
libraries and teacher
librarians
Avoid “library speak”
www.esa.edu.au 9

10.
5. COMMUNICATE
Use all the tools available
Media (newspapers,
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KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
radio, television)
e.g. http://www.asla.org.au/schoollibraries/
Social media (Twitter, http://www.scoop.it/t/school-
Facebook, Scoop.it!, library-advocacy
LinkedIn, blogs)
Develop relationships
with journalists,
interviewers, media
commentators
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11.
6. CAMPAIGN
Target your audience
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KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
Plan a coherent and
consistent message
schoollibraries2011.wikispaces.com
Work out how & who
K.I.S.S.
www.facebook.com/pages/What-a-difference-a-school-library-
makes/120543444695337 11

12.
7. CHARACTER BUILDING
Of a profession under the “magnifying glass”
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KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
Association work cf. professional work
Find a “niche”
Raise the bar
Build relationships
Focus on the things that count (and make a
difference)
P.S. Don’t forget to celebrate
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13.
7 EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
1. Correspond “It is one of the
paradoxes of success
2. Collaborate
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
that the things and
3. Cooperate the ways which got
4. Consult you where you are,
5. Communicate are seldom the
things that keep you
6. Campaign there.”
7. Character build Handy, C 1995, The empty raincoat: making sense of the future,
Arrow Books, London, p. 49.
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14.
IN CLOSING
PowerPoint presentation will be available from
http://www.schoollibrarymanagement.com/webinars/
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
KB Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd
webinar-series/presentations/
Future events
http://www.schoollibrarymanagement.com/webinars/
webinars-signup/
Karen Bonanno
karen@schoollibrarymanagement.com
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