American Association of School Librarians
GLMA is an affiliate assembly for the American Association of School Librarians. Their Advocacy Tools page contains many resources, including a series of brochures about how school library programs improve student learning.
GLMA
The Georgia Library Media Association supports our members in advocating for the support of their school library programs.
GLMA employs a registered lobbyist to represent members in the legislative process, and we use various forms of electronic communication and social media to keep our members informed about the state-level policies that impact their programs. We also support members in advocating for their programs at the school, district, state and national levels.
Local Advocacy
These guidelines from GLMA are intended to help school library media specialists build grassroots support and influence decision-making at the local and district levels, as well as the state level.
The Art of Lobbying
This presentation from GLMA is designed to help school library media specialists become more effective at legislators and other policymakers.
2019 Senate Education & Youth Committee
( http://bit.ly/GASenateEdComm2019 )
Sen. P.K. Martin (Lawrenceville), Chairman,
Sen. John Wilkinson (Toccoa), Vice Chairman *
Sen. Freddie Powell Sims (Dawson), Secretary *
Sen. Ellis Black (Valdosta)
Sen. Greg Dolezal (Cumming)
Sen. Lester Jackson (Savannah)
Sen. Donzella James (Atlanta)
Sen. Elena Parent (Atlanta)
Sen. Jesse Stone (Waynesboro) *
Sen. Matt Brass (Newnan), Ex-Officio
Sen. Lindsey Tippins (Marietta), Ex-Officio
2019 House Education Committee
(http://bit.ly/GAHouseEdComm2019 )
Jasperse, Rick (Jasper), Chairman
Cheokas, Mike (Americus), Vice Chairman
Benton, Tommy (Jefferson), Secretary
Belton, Dave (Buckhead)
Cantrell, Wes (Woodstock) *
Carter, Doreen (Lithonia)
Dickerson, Pam (Conyers)
England, Terry (Auburn)
Erwin, Chris (Homer)
Evans, Becky (Atlanta)
Glanton, Mike (Jonesboro) *
Hill, Dewayne (Ringgold)
Howard, Henry "Wayne" (Augusta)
Jones, Jan (Milton) *
Jones, Todd (Cumming) *
LaRiccia, Dominic (Douglas)
Lopez Romero, Brenda (Norcross)
Nguyen, Bee (Atlanta)
Nix, Randy (LaGrange) *
Paris, Miriam (Macon)
Setzler, Ed (Acworth)
Stovall, Valencia (Forest Park) *
Tanner, Kevin (Dawsonville) *
Wilson, Matthew (Brookhaven)
Advocating for Library Media Programs, Staffing, and Funding
Do you know both the legislators who represent you personally as well as those who represent the families whose children you teach? A new website - https://openstates.org/ - provides direction and links on who represents a specific address. If you are interested in receiving information on legislative updates and potentially participating in advocacy when needed, please send an email with your name, school, and school district (plus RESA district if known) to gaschoollibraryadvocacy@gmail.com
Personal interaction with legislators, whether by email or phone, or face-to-face, with stories specific to your school’s situation is most effective. Especially with so many new members in the legislature this session, laying the groundwork with yours now may improve responsiveness later. Please review the lists of committee members below to see if you recognize any names or towns; linking to their biographies on the General Assembly website may also provide valuable information on their backgrounds, affiliations, and interests.
If you are interested in meeting legislators face to face, GLMA members will visit the Capitol on Tuesday, February 19, 2019, to advocate for our library media programs. If you plan to attend, have questions regarding advocating for Georgia school library programs, have a story to share, and/or would like to join the GLMA Advocacy Committee, please contact Nan Brown at nantbrown@gmail.com.
Please also begin to consider how your library funding and staffing may have changed over the past several years. Having this information at hand if changes are proposed in the session (or another education funding study commission is formed) may be very helpful. State School Superintendent Richard Woods will also be speaking at GLMA Summer Institute in June; specific information on funding and staffing challenges our library programs face will be useful then as well.
GLMA Advocacy Committee needs members from across Georgia! Please consider joining us to detail GLMA advocacy policies and communicate our advocacy needs and efforts.