Legislators and others roaming the State House on March 8^th found it hard to miss the impact that school libraries have on students. Giant blowups of bookmarks on display at the bottom of the Grand Staircase announced that books “take you to new heights,” help you “experience the world,” and allow kids to “get lost in your own fairy tale.” Nearby exhibits showcased some of the best practices at school libraries in various cities and towns around Massachusetts. Legislators listened as MSLA gathered at the State House for our third annual Legislative Day.

The day began at the Grand Staircase of the State House, with a continental breakfast and the opportunity for informal conversation and for looking at the bookmark contest display and the school library best practices display. Almost 20 library teachers prepared the best practices displays showing some of what they contribute to their school’s culture and their students’ learning.

The formal presentations began with a new event. MSLA held an awards presentation for the winners of the annual bookmark contest. Twelve of the fourteen award recipients traveled to Boston with their library teachers and families to accept their awards. MSLA President Kathy Lowe served as Master of Ceremonies. Author and illustrator Mary Newell DePalma spoke in a brief, insightful and inspiring comment about authors, readers and libraries. Representative Frank Smizik who is sponsoring House Bill 564 on behalf of MSLA addressed the winning students and their families. H564 seeks to include libraries in Chapter 70 of the Education Title of Massachusetts law. Representative Smizik also presented the award to each student recipient.

Following the awards ceremony, MSLA members and some parent supporters formed teams of about 3 to 5 people each. The teams visited approximately 40 legislators—including every member of the Joint Committee on Education, the committee that will vote on H564. During the visits, many legislators reported hearing about the MSLA Legislative Day in advance from library teachers across the state who sent postcards and e-mails.

The day was productive. We discovered strong support from several members of the House, including members of the Education Committee. We also learned that an opportunity to strengthen support for school libraries may come from a restructuring of the Board of Education, which oversees the Department of Education in Massachusetts. Newly-elected Governor Deval Patrick and some members of the legislature are considering the creation of a Department of Education to be headed by a cabinet-level Secretary. It was suggested that MSLA become involved now to be a prominent voice as this restructuring takes place.

As our Legislative Day concluded, members gathered to share the information gathered during office visits, and to offer suggestions for improvement. Several people spoke of the impact that parents made this year, and we are hoping that more parents who support school libraries will join us next year.

Overall, this year seemed a great success. Please watch the MSLA list-serve for messages asking our members to provide support as we attempt to move our legislative agenda forward.