Legislators

Legislators make policy and pass laws that appropriate funds based on how loudly their constituents make their priorities known. Congress makes federal policy and laws such as reauthorizing ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Act).  However, the majority of educational law and funding comes from state government, in our case, the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

ALL PA residents are represented in Washington DC by the same two Senators and one Representative. Pennsylvania has 18 Representatives in the US House.

Visit with Rep James R. Roebuck Jr.

In Harrisburg, there are 50 state senators and 203 representatives making it second-largest state legislature in the nation (behind New Hampshire) and the largest full-time legislature. Be sure you know who represents you!

Most legislators do not inherently know what librarians teach and how school library programs help students succeed to become educated and employable citizens. It is not only the librarian's task to educate legislators, but also to ask them for the resources necessary to do so.

Visit with Senator Rob Teplitz

Therefore, communicate with your legislators. Educate them by visiting their local office or inviting your legislators to your library to show them how students learn through library programs. And taking the lead from PSLA, be prepared with handouts and talking points to ask for the library resources K-12 students and their schools need to produce students who are career and college ready.

AASL Advocacy - Policymakers
Link to brochure - Reproducible or order in packets of 25 from ALA Graphics