WHO IS THIS VISION FOR, AND WHY?

LIBE 477 // November 2020

(courtesy of free-photos, pixabay.com)

Audience, explained:

Choosing my target audience for my Future Vision project has been a journey. At first I thought just my district TL community because, as mentioned in my last blog, other TLs have been tasked with showcasing their LLCs through Sway this way and I've been feeling like I should step up. However, my new vision for my audience has expanded greatly. 

Here's a little background: 

Due to Covid-19, my LLC budgets have been cut by over 40% from our last school year. Our entire public system is suffering from a current lack of funding. This is the first time in my three years as Teacher Librarian at my school that I have had to seriously pinch my pennies. Beyond our yearly program costs and supplies, my LT and I have barely any money left for book purchasing. We have been brainstorming ways to continue to update our outdated catalogue in thrifty ways. One of our ideas was to use our Scholastic points to buy books. This will work out great for a few months! The only issue is that, of course, these points only work for Scholastic books. My LT and I have been engaging in some serious head scratching over the last few weeks. 

After reading the comments from my last blog post D.McNee had said "This would be a good advocacy tool as well!" and I got to thinking. I had started a conversation with my principal this past week about how I need to start finding avenues for extra funding. (Sidebar: I wish I had set aside time two Tuesdays ago to sit in on that Virtual Chat about grant applications! Gah!) 

This thought process has informed my final project audience. 


1. My Parent Community

One of the aims will be to create a Sway that welcomes community members into the friendly environment that we have created (because currently no patrons are allowed in except for our students). Presenting my current LLC in a positive way and displaying what we ARE ALREADY doing really well and WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO will give the community an opportunity to support us. This could mean that parents simply view it on their child's Team account or school website. This is necessary as, for instance, the parents of our kindergarten students have never had the opportunity to see our LLC due to the pandemic. In addition, for some parents, their only communication with us is when we send home overdue slips which we try and make friendly but... by nature are a paper nag.

 However, for some key parents, viewing this Sway could be a key piece in deciding whether or not PAC fundraiser money should be spent on the LLC. 

Their needs: to be informed about our school library learning commons, my TL and I, and our literacy programs. 


2. External Community Groups

I think one stretch for my practice as a TL will be to advocate my LLC to an external community group. In a recent conversation I had with my principal, he gave me some ideas and offered to partner with me for this. This Sway would be a great visual cover-letter to any request for financial contributions. This is especially true in a time when delivering an oral presentation in front of a crowd has been suspended due to health and safety guidelines. 

Their needs:
- key information of efforts already made to create a thriving LLC program
- key information of our vision for the future


3. District TLs

As previously mentioned, a couple TLs in my district have used Sway to showcase their LLC much like we are doing in this assignment. At our monthly TL collaboration sessions these Sways are shared and discussed. From these I have gained new ideas and strategies. We share many district-wide programs so it's been nice to see through pictures how these TLs are facilitating them. I have gained so much from seeing these TL's Sway projects and it has informed my TL practice.  So it's only fair that I return the favour and add my voice to the mix by submitting my Sway.

Their needs:
- inspiration : visually display how we run our programs
- compare and contrast their own practice with how we run our LLC


D.McNee had said to make this a win-win-win assignment and I intend to do just that. 

Comments

  1. D.McNeeNovember 25, 2020 at 7:16 PM

    Your vision is really coming into focus and I am excited about the direction you are taking. I agree that this could be a big win! I have shared on Canvas the presentation from our guest speaker in the hopes that it might support you and your work. You may also want to spend some time exploring Leading Learning as it might support your advocacy messaging.

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