<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><span id="m_-6006587261596352428gmail-docs-internal-guid-ac13ff63-7fff-5919-e98a-c0fa05cc3cc6"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">CAN YOU SPARE A MINUTE TO SUPPORT SCHOOL LIBRARIES?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><b>Please send an email to your state legislators </b>to support the current school library bills introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives, HB4392, 4393, 4394.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">EveryLibrary makes it very easy to do so; </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">it only takes a minute</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.  </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Go to:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="text-decoration-line:underline;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://www.saveschoollibrarians.org/3billsmichigan" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">https://www.saveschoollibrarians.org/3billsmichigan</a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap"><b>April is School Library Month</b> both nationally (</span><a href="http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/slm" target="_blank">http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/slm</a>) <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">& in Michigan (</span><font color="#000000" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="http://bit.ly/whitmerSLM19" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/whitmerSLM19</a>)</span></font><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">! </span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">So, it would be great if you could contact your legislator before the end of the month.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">  <br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Please encourage family, friends, colleagues, etc. to also send emails. </span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><b>Thank you to everyone who has already contacted their legislators!</b></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">As you most likely know, our students' reading scores are near the bottom nationally.  Michigan is ranked 47th in the nation in the ratio of students to school librarians, and only 8% of our schools employ a full-time certified school librarian.  Michigan students deserve better.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Certified school librarians:</span></p><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Improve student reading achievement</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Improve college and career readiness through teaching</span></p></li><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:circle;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Research skills</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:circle;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Digital Citizenship skills</span></p></li></ul><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Lead and support technology integration</span></p></li></ul><div><font color="#000000" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font></div><div><div dir="ltr"><div><i>BACKGROUND INFORMATION:</i></div><div><span id="m_-6006587261596352428gmail-m_2045903114014415620gmail-m_7322383166360427281gmail-docs-internal-guid-f60a60fe-7fff-a279-ade1-7db126fecb7e"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">State Representatives Darrin Camilleri, Matt Koleszar, and Kristy Pagan introduced three bills on Thursday, March 14 to require schools in Michigan to have a school library staffed with a certified library media specialist as well as staff to keep the library open when the library media specialist is unavailable. See:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(</span><a href="https://housedems.com/article/dem-legislators-work-promote-improve-literacy" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">https://housedems.com/article/dem-legislators-work-promote-improve-literacy</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">)</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MAME's advocacy committee has worked for several years to raise awareness of the critical need for effective school libraries and to have bills such as these introduced.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The representatives want to raise awareness of the need for equitable access to school libraries staffed by certified school librarians to help them in their efforts to secure funding.</span></p></span><br class="m_-6006587261596352428gmail-m_2045903114014415620gmail-m_7322383166360427281gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div><span id="m_-6006587261596352428gmail-m_2045903114014415620gmail-m_7322383166360427281gmail-docs-internal-guid-160dc1d1-7fff-3358-6fa4-5fc9be738cf1"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Please send an email to [or call] your Michigan House Representative asking them to support these three bills --- HB 4392, 4393, 4394</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></span>  <br></div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">Thank you,</span></font> <br></div></div><div dir="ltr"><span id="m_-6006587261596352428gmail-m_2045903114014415620gmail-m_7322383166360427281gmail-docs-internal-guid-0bd6f7f1-7fff-c6a7-3824-dfeed8e8ee5c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Advocacy Committee</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kathy Lester, Chair</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Lisa Brakel</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Carrie Betts</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tam Cummings</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Amy Hermon</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Klaudia Janek</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">Cat Kerns</span></font></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">Stephanie Luyt</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Gwenn Marchesano</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Shannon Torres</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cynthia Zervos</span></p></span></div></div><div><font color="#000000" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font></div><div><font color="#000000" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font></div></span><div><div dir="ltr" class="m_-6006587261596352428gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Kathy Lester, MLIS, MA<br><span style="font-size:12.8px"><i>Advocacy Chair, Past-President 2014</i></span></div><div><span style="font-size:12.8px">Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME)</span></div><div><span style="font-size:12.8px"><i>Region 3 Director</i></span></div><div>American Association of School Librarians (AASL)</div><div><i style="font-size:12.8px">SIGLIB Communications Director</i><span style="font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div dir="ltr">Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL)</div><div dir="ltr"><i style="font-size:12.8px">School Library Media Specialist / Technology Coach</i></div><div><i style="font-size:12.8px">SL21 Model Library, 2017-2018</i></div><div dir="ltr"><i style="font-size:12.8px">SL21 Exemplary Ranking - Michigan School Libraries for the 21st Century 2016-2019</i><i><br></i><div>East Middle School, Plymouth-Canton Schools</div><div><i>ISTE Making IT Happen Award Winner</i></div><div><i>2017 MAME Michigan School Library Program of the Year</i></div><div><i style="font-size:12.8px">2012 </i><i style="font-size:12.8px">State Librarian's Excellence Award Winner</i><br></div><div><span> <a href="mailto:kathyL@mimame.org" target="_blank">kathyL@mimame.org</a></span></div><div>twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/LibraryL" target="_blank">@LibraryL</a></div><div><span>810.333.5873</span></div><div><div><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/WYZebugHzLi0eFA8nbNpbYBIYUIFAyMnX0xVyXrV3AZpA59YaFqIUPQR0iscnynOJb8185gaDwx01sP6VPdUkRsjiMFagTHylmsXpCXfXfkdvBfBwShzSDvV0rC6PjEJ0xfQJYvs" width="336" height="87" style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:11pt;white-space:pre-wrap;border:none"></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;white-space:pre-wrap">April is Michigan School Library Month!</span></div><div><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Read Governor Whitmer's </span><a href="https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90639-492654--,00.html" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Proclamation</span></a></div></div><div><span><br></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>