91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — 91´«Ã½ Editions announces a new iteration of its popular eCourse . Hilda K. Weisburg will serve as the instructor for this six-week facilitated eCourse starting on June 9, 2014.

School librarians are worried about their jobs, and with good reason. Budget cuts have taken many jobs, and those who have retained their jobs find their resources stretched thin. In this eCourse, respected authority Weisburg will give school librarians concrete strategies for demonstrating and proving their worth through clear, focused leadership.

Showing you how to focus and strengthen your programs, and articulate those strategies in ways that build support for yourself and your library within your institution, she will leave no stone unturned. You will learn how to lead; how to identify the people you need to influence; and how to influence them on paper, in person and during meetings.

Learning outcomes

• Making the case for the vital role school librarians play in learning.
• Identifying your mission/vision in order to focus your program and be able to prioritize efficiently.
• Building a solid base of support among stakeholders who hold the power over your future.
• Creating and preparing to carry out plans targeted to strengthen your programs.

eCourse outline

Part 1: Positioning Yourself

• Qualities of a leader (your strengths and weaknesses).
• Mission and vision statements.
• Core values and tag lines.

Part 2: Reaching the Power Stakeholders

• Connecting with administrators (superintendent, principals, BOE and the central office).
• Connecting with the community (parents, business owners, the public library and others).

Part 3: Reaching Priority Stakeholders

• Connecting/cooperating/collaborating with teachers.
• Becoming indispensable to students.

Part 4: Keeping the Momentum Going

• Strategic planning (personal and program).
• Tag lines, elevator speeches.
• Staying ahead of the curve (available resources and keeping abreast of educational trends).

About the Instructor

Hilda K. Weisburg retired as library media specialist at Morristown High School in Morristown, N.J., and has taught graduate courses at William Paterson University and Rutgers University. A past president of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL), she is the association’s delegate to AASL’s Affiliate Assembly, which she has served as chair. Currently, she is on the 91´«Ã½ Literacy Committee and AASL’s Retiree Task Force. She has served on numerous other AASL committees as well. Author of School Librarian’s Career Planner, she has co-written fourteen other books for library media specialists, including two for 91´«Ã½ Editions, "Being Indispensable: A School Librarian’s Guide to Becoming an Invaluable Leader" (2011) and "New on the Job: A School Library Media Specialist’s Guide to Success" (2007). She is now the publisher and sole editor of the bimonthly electronic newsletter School Librarian’s Workshop, which has been in publication since 1980. She has given presentations at AASL and state library media conferences and given staff development workshops in many locations.

Registration for this 91´«Ã½ Editions facilitated eCourse, which begins on June 9, can be purchased at the . Participants in this course will need regular access to a computer with an internet connection for online message board participation, viewing online video, listening to streaming audio (MP3 files), and downloading and viewing PDF and PowerPoint files.

publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. 91´«Ã½ authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact 91´«Ã½ Editions at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or editionscoursehelp@ala.org.

purchases fund advocacy, awareness, and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide.