Before the holidays, I shared with you that I thought it was worth taking another stab at trying to get the 25,000 signatures on a White House Petition about school libraries. I am excited to say that I posted the petition today! Thank you to the many librarians and friends who offered support and offered their advice and ideas for the petition.
Here is the short URL to the petition.
You just need to go to the link above, create an account (if you don’t have one) and sign the petition. Takes less than a few minutes to get it all done!
So, we have until Feb. 4th, which is only a month. We’re off to a good start, but we need to spread the word EVERYWHERE! We need to get our family, our friends, the parents at our schools, and anyone else that supports school libraries to sign this petition. We need to connect with our public librarian and academic librarian colleagues and encourage them to support us just as we would support them with these efforts.
I hope you will go and sign it right now and then go and encourage at least 10 of your friends to go and sign it, too. Please share it on listservs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. We need to get the word out through as many different sources as we can to watch those numbers climb! Make sure to share the short URL above as that is much easier than the long one!
Thank you in advance for all your work to help get this petition going! We want to make sure the White House hears loud and clearly how important we think school library programs are to educating today’s students for their future!
Tags: AASL President 2011-2012 · school librarians · school libraries · school library programs · White House petition65 Comments
65 responses so far ↓
School librarians develop readers - I know because former students have told me so. And readers can do anything because they know how to access information.
The site says that I am registered and signed in, but it WON’T let me sign. I know that you have a threshold to make to have it public, but the site is NOT allowing me to sign it. I’m not sure that there is anything you can do about it, but I wanted to let you know that issue since I surely wish to support it! Thanks!
I’m a retired school librarian who spent each day assisting students and teachers with their information needs. Now, more than ever, students need the guidance of school librarians who know how to navigate the new technologies and, above all, have the skills to get students excited about reading and learning.
School libraries are extremely important for students and faculty to encourage readers, life-long learners and 21 century learners. It is important to teach website searching and evaluation so the students will find the best possible information. Robert McConnell
Please support school libraries which for many are the only places students have access to vital resources that help them succeed academically.
Thank you for your support!
This site was impossible to log into and create an account!
Please find out what is going on to make it so difficult.
I certainly support your efforts to ensure school libraries.
Support School Libraries now.
School Libraries are the heart of the school. How can anyone not support libraries and reading!
Please Please support school libraries its where the love of reading begins and continues throughout a child’s education.
It is imperative that we support school libraries throughout our great nation.
Right after I received notices from Sara Kelly Johns and Deb Logan, I went to the site. I needed to register, in order to sign the petition. The registration was extremely easy-just took a second. And, then I was able to sign. When I did, we had less than 1,000 signatures, so along with all of you, I am out to spread the word!
IN FAVOR; SCHOOL LIBRARIES NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET
Our libraries are vital to public education. The value a community has on education is reflected in the importance of its libraries.
I would like all politcians to look back into their past and recall what effect their school/college library made on their lives.
Today, many students have never put foot in a public library, but have only experience the fantastic world of reading via their classroom and school library.
A very worthy cause - school libraries get kids excited about reading and show them how they can get around in their local library as well. By having a qualified librarian in every elementary, middle and high school in charge, he or she can teach not only the students to find information, but the teachers and administrators, as well.
I think school libraries are important to children. In low income areas this may be the only library a child has access to.
Please keep libraries in our school.
I support the need for school libraries and school librarians in all of our schools.
Libraries are needed!!!!!
Excellent Carl! Thanks for your leadership and vision in creating this petition. God speed on the required signatures. Palm Beach County is on board!
please save school libraries and librarians
Please save the school librarians. My daughter is getting her masters degree in library science and we value libraries.
I support public and school libraries.
Our school library is a vital part of our student’s learning. Their enthusiasm for reading makes our library media center a busy place!
Save the libraries!
It is important to save the libraries for the future of our students.
the school library is so important please listen our petition thank you.
KEEP OUR LIBRARIANS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I can’t think of anything more important than school libraries and excellent, involved school librarians. I am Dyslexic and never read for pleasure until Oprah began her book club. Had I had books, an encouraging librarian and supportive parents who read to me I would be far better informed than I am now….not to mention the hours of pleasure I would have been able to share. We need libraries! Thank you.
I support the White House petition in favor of providing library service to all children in all schools.
Without school libraries we are inviting our children’s future to be one that is void of imagination. A culturally bankrupt society.
I believe in the tremendous importance of libraries!
Support libraries.
Save our country…invest in our children’s ability to access information and use it for the greater good.
I support school libraries. Keep them. Ellen Wright
I feel that school libraries are an essential tool for all students and funding for this important service should not be cut.
School libraries may very well be the only access to the wonder and power of books and computers that many children have. The deck is already rigged against so many, let’s not make it worse. Save school libraries.
I’m looking into some of the problems people are reporting. Thanks for your support and maybe try again in a few days!
Some people have found going back a few days later that it has worked. Not sure about why it didn’t work for you, but looking into it.
School libraries are so important for kids to become independent readers and choosers of books they enjoy! Librariesplay a major part in fosterng the love of reading.
Providing reading materials and support is of utmost importance in a civilized society. Do not deprive our students this right to access hard copies of books, documents and information. Keep our School Libraries open and viable.
Support school libraries. Not only do the students need them, but the teachers also depend on them. Not a week goes by that I’m not enlisting the help or advice of our school librarian.
The kids need the practice and support in a smaller library so that they can become comfortable in the public libraries.
There is still plenty to learn in PAPER books.
Libraries help instill the love of reading in students. As a teacher, I know how important a large and diverse library is to our school and community.
Allow librarians to continue encouraging reading in the schools!
Readers today, Leaders tomorrow!
WE MUST HAVE BOOKS. READING IS A PRIORITY IN EDUCATION. PLEASE HELP. LIBRARIES ARE ESSENTIAL.
SCHOOL LIBRARIANS ARE A GREAT ASSET TO OUR STUDENTS EDUCATION. THEY PROVIDE MORE THAN CHECKING OUT BOOKS. THEY GIVE THE STUDENTS MOTIVATION, ENCOURAGEMENT AND FACILITATE ACHIEVEMENT IN READING, BY PROVIDING SERVICE. READING SCORES GO UP FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE BELOW READING LEVEL, THROUGH COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND MANUAL TESTINGS. lIBRARIANS ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF A READING STRATEGY THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP IN THE SUCESS OF OUR CHILDRENS PRESENT LIVES AND FUTURE ACADEMIC RESULTS. THEIR EVERYDAY DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY SHOWS OUR STUDENTS HOW IMPORTANT READING IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE. WE TRULY NEED LIBRARIANS. THROUGH THEIR SUPPORT IN ACHIEVING MAYOR SUCCESS IN READING COMPREHENSION, ALL CHILDREN OF DIFFERENT AGES CAN RECEIVE THE HELP THEY TRULY NEED.
Keep our school libraries open. Our students need them to learn how to navigate all the new technologies, keep reading from hard copies and paperback books and it instills the love of reading in them.
The library is the “HEART” of the school.
Libraries Rock!
Support school libraries! Our students need them to access information.
School Librarians are vital to the education we offer students
The school library is vital to the students for so many things. From research to simply enjoying a good book. This is no way to save money!
The school library is vital to the student body. From research to simply reading a good book. Cutting library services is no way to save money!
Libraries are more important than ever as we negotiate new technology and digital resources.
We need to support our libraries!
Deb Gahm was voted Librarian of the year a few years back and she deserved/earned it. I see how the students utilize our library and the support she provides. I support her and our library, 100%.
Please help support and save school libraries. They are an extremely valuable and essential part of a school and students’ education.
Support school libraries, That’s the only places students can use there imagination.
Libraries are the “heartbeat” of a school. Please don’t let them die!
I love what a library does for students, especially under the supervisionof a skilled librarian. Books teach us to think, assimilate, weigh, and imagine. Organized and in adequate quality and quantity, they play an indispensible role in learning and growthfor students; indeed, for us all.
Please support our education and School Librarians!
it is very important for us to have a libarian at the school our students and staff need it!!
Now more that ever students and teachers need assistance in educating students. Librarians help students become readers, leaders and live long learners. Please fund libraries and librarians.
When I tried to create an account it would never let me get to the point of typing in the given words or create a password. Thus, I could not create an account or put my name on the petition. I would love to sign the petition!
We’ve had a few people who have had luck trying a different computer or a different web browser and that seems to help for most.