If you care about school libraries, contact your senator

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted out of committee ESEA (also known as No Child Left Behind) on October 20, 2011 without including school libraries. No date has yet been set for a Senate vote, but the American Library Association believes that it may come up after January 23, 2012. ESEA reauthorization, will determine federal education policy for the coming decade.

The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF) and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), along with the American Library Association’s Office for Library Advocacy and the Washington Office, is asking that everyone in the US who cares about libraries contact their Senators in Washington at 202-224-3121 or at their local offices in your state about the importance of including school libraries in the reauthorization of ESEA.

So let’s help. Call or email both of your Senators now! Let them know that ESEA must include a specific authorization for an effective school library program. Ask your senators to tell both Senator Tom Harkin and Senator Mike Enzi that they support including an effective school library program in ESEA.

And, help spread the word. Ask your spouse, your friends, and your acquaintances to act now.

More details, along with suggested talking points are on the I Love Libraries website.