Chances are you’ve heard about the recently passed stimulus funds—and you’re also probably wondering how you can get your hands on it.
With passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), a considerable amount of money will be flowing from Congress to the states. The good news is that there are many opportunities for school libraries to benefit from this unprecedented level of funding.
Although there are funds that media centers can take advantage of, for the most part, local and state superintendents will decide how to allocate that money. So, it’s extremely important that school librarians and their supporters lobby hard.
“The loudest voices through the process will be the ones that receive funding,” says Melanie Anderson, the American Library Association’s associate director for the Office of Government Relations.
Want to increase your chances of receiving funds? Here’s what the ALA says you can do:
Talk to your principal and other school officials about what plans they have for ARRA funds in their schools.
Make a needs list. It’s imperative that you and your supporters speak up and let your principal and superintendent know that they should spend these funds on the school library. School districts are particularly interested in programs that can be launched immediately. It’s also important to remember that an emphasis will be placed on temporary funding or activities that create or save jobs.
Contact your state library agency. Find out what the state librarian is doing and whether she is aware of other initiatives in which you can collaborate. As you learn more about what other libraries are doing, identify potential models that you may want to adapt for your school library.
Get in touch with your U.S. senators and representatives. Keep them informed about the exciting things you’re doing in the school library and how information literacy skills improve student achievement and relate to job readiness.
Think big. Even a small fraction of the billions of dollars available in the legislation represents a lot of money. School libraries may potentially fit into several parts of the various programs.
Funds for school libraries are available through the following:
Read the rest of the article at the School Library Journal link below:
