Budget, Communication, Advocacy

1. Budget, Communication, Advocacy Class #10

2. TCB • AGENDA: • No class next week • Read the wiki: projects, observation reports, management notebook • Future of the wiki • Wiki wisdom • Jamieson’s behavior rubric • Budget, Communications, Advocacy • Guest speaker • Next classes: • 12/2 – Ed. Topics reports, NCLB • 12/9 – Program assignments, presentations and reviews • 12/16 – Building a Career: interviews

3. Assignment revisited • For Dec. 2 • Presentations of Ed. Topics, post narrative on wiki • Read: Simpson, Ch 6,7 • Wiki posts • For Dec. 9 • Present lesson from Program assignment, post 2nd lesson on wiki • Read Simpson, Ch 4, 8 • Wiki posts • For Dec. 16 • Read Simpson Ch. 10 • Prepare interview question responses • Wiki posts

4. TCB • Wiki words of wisdom “Sue’s first year as a SLT was in elementary school. She stayed for 2 years and decided it was not for her. One of the things she mentioned she had trouble with was bringing her vocabulary down to their level and to articulate herself well for their age.” What are the attributes, pros/cons of working with different age levels?

5. Wiki Wisdom • “This led to a discussion about the library space and suggestions from the kids on how to make it better. Their suggestions were generally thoughtful and positive - no complaints, just a genuine interest in making the library more appealing.” • If you ask for input, do you have to use it?

6. Wiki Wisdom • “Now that I've completed my observation hours I wanted to evaluate Amvet and Community's Library Media Program. I am using the School Library Media Program Evaluation created by the New York State Education Department.” – Corinne • How do the libraries you have visited rate?

7. Wiki Wisdom • “Looking over my three full days with Johanna, I realized how much work a librarian does and it was nice to see how one library was run over a set amount of time. However if I had to do this again, I would definitely choose to observe different situations so I can get a broader experience. Luckily, I am observing somewhere in CT for my other class, so it is nice to have a different point of reference.” --Paprzyca • Which is better? Depth v. Breadth

8. Wiki Wisdom • Is it really the responsibility of the librarian to enforce these laws? I do fear having the stigma of being the mean librarian that is seen as discouraging teachers from using materials in classes by placing notes about fair use of videos etc. I suppose the first step is to find out what the actual law allows us to do. Is simply having that information available for teachers enough? • Discussion on wiki

9. Wiki Wisdom • But like I mentioned in class, I see a shift in perception, and I think we have technology, and librarian’s adaptation to same, to thank. Just look at the cover of Rachel Singer Gordon’s Next-Gen Librarian's Survival Guide • Regarding a new image for librarians check out Ms. Dewey She was brought up in a discussion in my cataloging class. She definitely presents a different image of the librarian! If you get the chance check out the website a couple of times. After loading, she has a few different intros.

10. Budget Morris, Ch. 5 - The Budget Bible

11. Morris, p. 142 • “In a broad sense, a budget is a chart for a future course of action. It records the outcome of an essentially political process in which alternative plans are examined, preferences are indicated, and decisions are made. In its final form, the budget is a statement of policy - and often even a public relations tool - on which expenditures are based. The budget represents priorities in the school that are the outcome of bargaining over conflicting goals.”

12. “The school library media center budget is essentially the philosophy of the center stated in quantitative terms, in the same way that a school district or school building level budget expresses the educational philosophy of its community.”

13. Sources of funding • Local funding • State funding • Federal funding • Fund-raising

14. Local funding • Amherst, MA – town budget • Book budget request 98/99 • Budget year 3 of 5-year plan • Budget cover sheet 04 • 06-07 cuts

15. Federal and other grant funding • Federal grants • NCLB “Improving Literacy Through School Libraries” • Internet School Library Media Center (ISLMC) • School Grants • LSTA grants • Local grants • Individual town educational associations (AAEA) • Other • WMRLS listings

16. Tips • Be positive: Talk about what you could do, not what you can’t do • Be positive: Assume you’ll get what you want and maybe you’ll get some of it • Stick to your mission: High achievement for all students • Be Specific: give facts and figures, not generalities • Be specific: a picture of worn out books is more effective than a wordy description (provide both) • Get support: use your parent/student/staff advisory board • Advocate constantly, not just at budget time • Invite your admins to the library. If they don’t come, write to tell them what they missed. • Don’t complain: everyone is feeling their own pain, they don’t want yours

17. Two budget types • Operating budget • Based on expressed need • Reflects goals and objectives • Capital budget • Large-expense, one-time items • Separate from your operating budget

18. Operating budget • Combination of line-item and program budgeting • Annual process • Fiscal year is July 1 – June 30 • Policies and procedures are unique to each district

19. Site-based management • Goal: to place budget authority at the implementation level • A team of teachers, parents, and admins are responsible for the running of the building • Superintendent allows each building a certain total budget or each building comes up with it’s needs and presents them to superintendent • Principal is responsible for gathering input to build the budget • Each building may be different depending on the principal’s philosophy and goals

20. State law – Chapter 30B, Section 7 • Procurement law states: • No quote or bid: Under $4,999 • 3 quotes: $5,000 to $24,999 • Bids: $25,000 and over

21. Questions • How might a budget decision affect the school’s climate? • How many teachers and students will benefit from a particular spending decision? • Ask yourself, what is my budget contributing to this ultimate goal? • Morris, p. 189

22. Budget proposals • Why is your school different from other schools? Why do you need more materials/resources? • What is the impact of your identified needs? What specific materials and resources do you need? • What will be the positive effects on studetn learning if these needs are satisfied and your requests for resources are granted? • What is the negative impact if your requests are not granted? • Dickinson, p.85.

23. Common questions • We seem to be buying stuff for school libraries, classroom libraries, and public libraries. Isn’t that a duplication? • With electronic resources, do you still need books? • With free internet access to so many wonderful materials, why do we need databases that we have to pay for? • How does this budget compare to other schools?

24. Reports and Communication

25. Reports • Frequency of reports • Types of reports • Annual report • System reports • Circulation • Materials • Collection analysis • Library usage statistics

26. Toot your own horn

27. Who, what, where • (fill in the blank)

28. Advocacy

29. Advocacy • Advocacy is long-term and multifaceted. It focuses not on what the library has to offer, but on individuals and their perceived needs, which can be satisfied through libraries. • How does the library contribute to advancing those values? • What does your school system value? • Dickinson, Gail K. Empty Pockets, Full Plates: Effective Budget Administration for Library Media Specialists. Worthington, OH. Linworth 2003.

33. Advocacy is a • Planned, coordinated, continuous effort to advance the library program shared with a developed community of supporters.