EveryLibrary / ISTE School Librarians Webinar Series

EveryLibrary and the ISTE Librarians Network announce a new "From Advocacy to Activism" webinar series for 2018 supporting school librarians and school library program budgets.

These four free interactive webinars are designed for school librarians and school library activists to learn new skills and hone effective strategies that are focused on library funding. Taught by the EveryLibrary team, participants will hear about real-world examples from SaveSchoolLibrarians.org funding fights and other issue campaigns that can be put to work in their own schools and districts.

The ISTE Librarians Network is proud to partner with EveryLibrary in sponsoring this new webinar series. Please RSVP in advance for these free webinars to receive event reminders.


Session 1 - January 29, 2018, 7pm central time
Presented by: John Chrastka, EveryLibrary Executive Director

RSVP HERE - Help them Fund You

Topic: Your school board and administration is considering next year’s budget right now. In this ISTE School Librarians / EveryLibrary webinar, learn easy to adapt techniques to frame the work you do and the program you run for budget success. With the right approach to data and to talking about your values as a school librarian and an educator, learn how to make a stronger case for new or renewed funding.


Session 2 - April 26, 2018, 7pm central time
Presented by: John Chrastka, EveryLibrary Executive Director

RSVP HERE - Fighting Back When Cuts Are Threatened

Topic: This ISTE School Librarians / EveryLibrary webinar is designed to give you insights on what you can do to get started quickly on a campaign to safeguard your own position or budget, or to get organized across a district when cuts are threatened. Learn about the right way to engage parents and other stakeholders in the face of crisis, and get oriented to how SaveSchoolLibrarians.org can be put to work in support. If there is a threat to your position or budget, or to other school libraries or librarians across your district, know how to mobilize people to help you fight back.


Session 3 - August 6, 2018, 7pm central time
Presented by: Patrick “PC” Sweeney

RSVP HERE - Power Map Your District for Advocacy Success

Topic: Many of your funders and decision makers are not directly invested stakeholders in your program's success. In this ISTE School Librarians / EveryLibrary webinar, learn how to Power Map the school ecosystem and your broader community to influence the superintendent, principal, board, or funding partners. The Power Map is a classic approach to identifying how to best reach and influence decision makers. As you move into the new school year, this webinar can help you form a clear idea of how to make your interactions more intentional and your funding more secure.


Session 4 - October 23, 2018, 7pm central time
Presented by: Patrick “PC” Sweeney, EveryLibrary Political Director

RSVP HERE - Using Social and Email to Maximize Your Visibility

Topic: Your process for building support for your program’s funding starts with stakeholders being aware not only what you do but how they understand your impact on students and the school. In this ISTE School Librarians / EveryLibrary webinar you will learn techniques from established political and issue-campaigns to build better visibility about the way your program impacts student achievement. The session will provide an orientation to the “ladders of engagement” that build new paths to stakeholder and funder support. Learn about effective pathways to set up a digital communications strategy - whether you have access to the school or district website or not.