The document discusses strategies for teacher-librarians to advocate for their role in schools and districts. It recommends that teacher-librarians become educational leaders, collaborate with colleagues, conduct professional development for other teachers, and get involved in professional organizations to build their presence and keep the teacher-librarian role relevant. The document also provides specific advocacy avenues for the British Columbia Teacher-Librarian Association to pursue, such as gaining support from the British Columbia Teachers' Federation and developing relationships with other advocacy groups.

1. Teacher-Librarian Advocacy in
British Columbia
Jeff Yasinchuk
Teacher-Librarian
SD8 Kootenay Lake

2. FACT: The role of the teacher-
librarian has changed
dramatically over the past
fifteen years.

3. So, two questions are worth asking...
1.Have our professional
practices kept pace with
the change?
2.How do we continue to
keep the teacher-
librarian role relevant in
our schools?

4. The teacher-librarian of the
21st century is no longer just
a curator of books or a
champion of reading and
literacy...

5. We are academic, professional,
and learning LEADERS in our
schools, in our schools districts,
and at the provincial level!

6. Build Your Presence in Your School...
• Become an educational/curricular leader in your school
• Ask to attend (and present at) all department &
department head meetings; get on staff meeting agenda
and present every month
• Become indispensable to students and staff, and be
prepared to do a bit of 'dirty work' from time to time
• Become the technology 'go-to' person in your school
• align with colleagues that value library services--
collaborate together (young teachers are most ready)
• Become a member of your school’s pro-d committee

7. Build Your Presence in Your District...
• Conduct regular TL meetings (Elluminate is perfect)--build
support from the inside out—three to six times a year
• Do a presentation to your board trustees: how TLs support
learning and achievement for students (BCedplan)
• Develop a strong working relationship with local media
• Do a presentation to your local PVP association on the role
of the teacher-librarian and relevance to student learning
• Gain access to your local teacher-education program--work
to develop a relationship with administration; offer to
present various workshops to teachers-in-training

8. in Your District (continued)
• Work to develop and maintain working relationship with
senior administration and invite them to your library
• Volunteer for district committees (technology, education,
planning, professional development, etc.)
• Continue to pressure your local chapter to explore avenues
(especially issues with contracting out); and keep them in
the loop

9. Get Connected & Get in the Loop
• Become a member of BCTLA
• Join BCTLA Ning (PG group)
• Join Teacher-Librarians Ning
• Join Twitter follow TL-related hashtags (#bctla #tlchat
#librarians #libchat #ala #iasl)
• Join Voices for School Libraries Network
• others

10. BCTLA Advocacy Avenues
• Continue to gain support of BCTF executive to work on
getting language back into contract regarding TL FTE
• Continue to develop BCTLA Ning and expand to include
members from other PSAs
• Explore opportunity to create stronger relationship with
BCCSL (Coalition for School Libraries)--parent advocates
• Explore avenues to promote TL role with instructors of
administrative officer graduate programs at master's level

11. BCTLA (Continued)
• Undertaken an efficacy of advocacy research project with
Arizona State University researcher Ann Ewbank
• Continue to develop working and advocacy relationship with
Washington Library Media Association (WMLA) (Washington
State teacher-librarian association)
• Joined as member of IASL-IFLA committee on international
study to build a school library resource kit for teacher-
librarians
• Continue to develop a relationship with the BCLA and all
public library services in the province

12. Thank you!
Questions, Answers,
Comments, Discussions, and...
Jeff Yasinchuk
jyasinchuk@gmail.com
twitter.com/jyasinchuk
jeffyasinchuk.ca
250.505.4451