Thing 26: Taking the Lead: Connecting with your Stakeholders

     I watched the webinar called Your Stakeholder Connected Librarian Toolkit by Heidi Neltner. 

     I read the following articles:

• 10 things classroom teachers need to know about modern school librarians 
• Four Ways To Advocate for School Libraries
• School Libraries Transform Learning 
• Study Ties College Success to Students’ Exposure to a High School Librarian
• BFTP: What does a good library tell you about a school?
• Inviting Legislators Into School Libraries by Debra Kachel

     I watched/looked at the following:

• School Libraries Matter: The Changing Role of the School Librarian 
• Presentation on ways to Market Your Library and School 
• 10 Ways Librarians Can be a Marketing Genius Like Lady Gaga from gwyneth jones ~ I wasn't going to go through this, but one I started, I loved it. So much great information in nice short little snippets!

     I subscribed to Connected Principals.

     I am now following Heidi on Twitter.  

     After reading, watching and looking over the list of above resources, I am excited to have some time to plan over the summer for next year.  I feel that I am doing okay with reaching out to my teachers and administrators, but there are some simple things that I could still do - more of the "this is what I can do or have for you" type of things. I want to use Piktochart more and learn about Canva and Powtoons. As far as my student stakeholder groups, I want to get better information from the kids themselves so that I can better meet their needs and, more importantly, their wants. The parent group is the group that I may need to really target. I do have a fairly good following with the library FaceBook page, but I want to do more with getting information to parents to help their kids with research and information-finding. 

     Based on the notes I have from the webinar, I know I need to create short and simple messages that are direct and consistent with my programming. By adding visual elements to whatever I use to reach out to the different stakeholder groups, the products will be more appealing and more easily understood. One concern I have is that here in New York State where teachers are using the EngageNY modules, it seems like library use has dropped in several grades where there used to be a lot. I need to convince teachers that I can help them with what they have to do more than ever.  I think that through Heidi's webinar I have picked up several ideas for reaching my staff. I am excited about that - flyers, infographics, etc. that show what they can find, do and use in the library.  
     The one thing I don't have and just can't come up with is my own "elevator speech".  I would love to hear several from librarians who have come up with one.  But, I do have lots of ideas. And, for now, that works for me.  I did really enjoy this lesson, I learned a lot, and I think it will be one that I continue to really work on next year.