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October 18, 2011

Atlantic City school official to advocate for libraries in Washington

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com
Posted: Friday, October 14, 2011

By DIANE D'AMICO Education Writer |

Donna Haye, assistant superintendent for curriculum in the Atlantic City School District, will represent the district and the American Association of School Librarians at a congressional briefing Monday in Washington, D.C., to advocate for a bill that would support school libraries.

The AASL named Haye its Distinguished School Administrator this year for her work in invigorating the district's school libraries. Haye said Friday that two $250,000 grants from the federal Improving Schools and Libraries fund helped pay for those improvements. That bill was not reauthorized, but advocates are now lobbying for a new bill called Strengthening Kids' Interest in Learning and Libraries Act, or SKILLs.

"I want to show them how we used the grant money and the impact it had," Haye said Friday.

Haye, one of four presenters representing school districts, said she has prepared a slide show demonstrating how Atlantic City used federal and other funds to improve libraries and students' educations. The theme for her presentation is "sharing," and she will show how the teachers and school librarians have worked together. She said she also will talk about the importance of school libraries in urban districts, where many students do not have access to computers or have books at home.

The briefing, "Education Reform and the SKILLs Act: An Analysis of Twenty-First Century School Libraries and Their Impact on Career and College Preparedness," will cover how the SKILLs Act supports and sustains school libraries. The act ensures that every school has a state-certified school librarian and that libraries get the resources students need to become lifelong learners.

"The school library is a 21st-century learning center today," Haye said, citing the use of Podcasts and e-readers to get students engaged. Representatives of schools in California, Indiana and Virginia also will testify along with American University librarian William A. Mayer, a leader on the changing face of services in libraries.

Contact Diane D'Amico:

609-272-7241

DDamico@pressofac.com

Posted by tumulty at October 18, 2011 7:22 AM

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