Please add your ideas for talking points for the platform items below. Thanks, Doug.

MEMO Platform Talking Points
from 2008 MLA/MEMO platform planks

1. MLA/MEMO supports legislation requiring all students have the regular services of a certified school library media specialist who can build age and developmentally appropriate material collections, teach information and technology literacy, and promote voluntary free reading throughout the school.

With the addition of state Information Literacy standards, the services of a professional library media specialist are more important than ever to both students and teachers. Each school needs an on-site licensed librarian to implement the new standards. If LMSs are to effectively team/collaborate with fellow teachers, they must be able to leave the LMC to visit classrooms and team teach. Therefore, library education assistants should at least be in every secondary library in order to support the licensed LMS, students and staff.

In addition, over 14 state-wide studies show that a strong library media program has a significant positive impact on student reading test scores. Student without a school library media specialist are at learning disadvantage.

Due to funding difficulties, many schools have been reducing or replacing professional library media specialists with non-certified library clerks. We believe all children deserve the services offered by a professional library media specialist.

2. MLA/MEMO seeks a mandate from the legislature that the required information and technology literacy standards, required by the 2005 legislative session, be assessed and reported by all districts.

College students and high-school students preparing to enter college are sorely lacking in the skills needed to retrieve, analyze, and communicate information that is available online… only 13 percent of the test-takers were information literate. The Chronicle of Higher Education, October 17, 2006

In order that all districts can show compliance to both the 2005 Legislative mandate that information and technology literacy standards be embedded and taught in the core content areas, the State must require that districts assess and report the attainment of these skills on both individual and aggregate levels. These skills are the 4th "R" of an information-based, global economy and must be taken seriously by all schools.

3. MLA/MEMO supports an increase in the basic education formula for all schools in Minnesota.

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