Washington coalition for School LIbraries

How Local Units can get involved

WSPTA is pleased to announce that we have joined the Washington Coalition for School Libraries and Information Technology to assist them in securing state funding for school libraries.  Support for Library Funding was voted a top priority this year by delegates to our Legislative Assembly.  Please forward this message from the coalition to your members:

Dismayed at their own district's third reduction to the school library program in four years, 3 moms launched a petition to see if other WA citizens cared.  Over 2,000 people have signed on in less than a month.  Dubbed the Washington Coalition for School Libraries and Information Technology (WCS-Lit), we are inviting all Washington PTA members to take action. A meeting will be held with our Senate Majority Leader on 12/18, and other Senators and Representatives are dialoging with the Coalition about this issue.

THE COALITION NEEDS YOUR HELP IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

1.  Sign the petition, and include comments about the value of school libraries.  Comments are available online.    http://gopetition.com/online/15285.html

2. Join the coalition and get involved.   http://fundourfuturewashington.org

3.  CALL OLYMPIA!  
Call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000.  Your opinion goes to your 2 Reps, 1 Senator and the Governor. (You don’t need to know who they are when you call.)  Tell them you support a line-item in the state budget for school libraries. They've told us they're waiting to hear if people speak up.

4.  Email your legislators
Pop your zipcode into the following link and you can get emails to each of your legislators. 5 minutes of work!!    http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

5. Pass this message on to all the parents in your school's PTA, and encourage them to get involved. 

The school library is the great equalizer and the place our children will be trained in 21st Century skills -- please help us save them from further erosion!

For more information, contact:

Kim Howard
Community Relations/Advocacy Coordinator

Washington State PTA
1.800.562.3804 Office

253-241-7187 Cell
253.565.7753 Fax - khoward@wastatepta.org
'every child. one voice.'