Toolkit for School Library Media Programs - American Library ...

Sample News Release
For release: [date] Contact: [Name]
[Telephone]
[E-mail]
Note: [Highlight photo opportunity here, e.g.: Children will parade through our school dressed as storybook characters on
day, date, 2-3 p.m.]
Celebrating change @ your library
The school library isn’t what it used to be. Even its name has changed.
April is School Library Media Month, a time when the American Library Association and American Association of
School Librarians remind us about the critical role these learning centers play.
The [Name of library] will be celebrating throughout the month with special programs and activities for students,
teachers and parents. These include [list events, dates, times].
Far from being “just books,” today’s school library media center connects students with a wide range of media,
including books, videos, CD-ROMs and the Internet—not to mention databases and other online resources most
parents don’t know how to use.
“Every student succeeds at your library,” [Full name, title, school] explains. “It’s one place where kids aren’t expected
to know all the answers. That’s why we’re here—to teach them how to find the answers.”
Research shows there is a direct link between student achievement and school library media programs that are
staffed by professional media specialists and stocked with a full range of print, electronic and other resources.
Keith Curry Lance, Ph.D., an educational researcher who has conducted studies in eight states, found that students
at schools with good libraries consistently scored from 10 to 18 per cent higher on reading and other achievement
tests regardless of the economic and educational levels of adults in the community.
[Last name] says [he/she] finds [his/her] work both important and fun.
“Reading is a joy. I love helping students find just the right book,” [Last name] explains. “I also love the thrill of the
chase, helping students and teachers find the answers they need and teaching them to be information savvy. I feel
like I’m making a difference in their lives not just today, but 10 or 20 years from now.”
On any given day, students may seek [his/her] help in researching immigration from Russia, a cure for SARS or the
role of women in the Civil War. [She/He] also works with teachers to design projects that challenge students’
research skills.
“Finding information today is a whole different ballgame,” explains [Last name]. “And Google isn’t always the best
source. Students today must know how to use both print and online resources if they are to succeed in school and
throughout their lives. Even teachers don’t always know what is out there.”
To learn more about what’s happening at the [name of library,] check out its Web page [insert web address] or drop by.
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