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ola_tl_12.2 Initiatives Think Literacy: Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7-12 Think Literacy was written in 2003 by a writing team commissioned by the Expert Panel on Students at Risk to support teachers with approaches to teaching reading, writing and communications. Last summer, OSLA's Carol Koechlin, along with Rose Dodgson, Diana Knight, and reviewer Esther Rosenfeld, wrote additional examples of instructional approaches designed for teacher-librarians working with students. Contents include Reading Strategies: Getting Ready to Read, Modeling Independent Reading and Reading Different Text Forms, and Oral Communication: Small-group Discussions. This has now been posted to our OSLA Web site and made available to other contributing subject associations. Many thanks to Carol and team. Super Conference Carol Koechlin, Diana Knight and Michael Rosettis, the OSLA Conference organizers of 2005's Super Conference, did an out-standing job of making the conference, once again, a most rewarding event for those in our profession. OSLA and CASL The Canadian School Library Association (CSLA) and the Association of Teacher-librarians of Canada (ATLC) merged to form a new association, the Canadian Association for School Libraries (CASL). OSLA looks forward to working in partnership with CASL. Marlene Turkington, from Thames Valley, has taken on the role of president of CASL for the upcoming year. Marlene will work closely with OSLA members to advocate for school libraries. Ontario Digital Library The vision of the Ontario Digital Library is a partnership of Ontario's libraries which will provide seamless services and resources to all the citizens of Ontario - a digital network of information resources and services that 38 Ontario School Library Association connection between a solid school library program and the acquisition of these skills has been overlooked. Our attempts at advocacy with the Ministry have had disappointing results; the lack of Canadian and/or local research is often cited as one of the barriers. Advocacy without local research and school-level evidence has limited effectiveness. While recent Ontario Ministry of Education publications have acknowledged the importance of the school library (i.e., Literacy for Learning: The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario), funding for school library programs is inconsistent across the province, and is in general decline. An Ontario study is crucial to gather the evidence of the importance of school libraries and school library programs. This is a unique opportunity in Ontario to move libraries forward as a group. The Ontario Study we have planned, in partnership with others, (possibly People For Education, EQAO, OISE, and university faculties) will create and implement a research study in which evidence-based research methodology is used to assess the benefit of school library programs and their impact on student achievement. The study will be done in large part by a Canadian researcher, which will in turn provide access to Canadian research funds, and to the creation of acknowledged Canadian experts on school libraries. The business plan for the study is well underway. OSLA division review and strategic plan As part of the ongoing attempt to meet the needs of its members, OSLA began a review process. A small group of past and upcoming presidents of the association met to discuss the needs of our members. Results of the review helped us formulate our strategic plan for next year. Of particular importance is the need for OSLA to take the initiative in the development of a plan to support our teacher-librarians in evidence-based practice. Other goals include updating our mission statement, forming an editorial board to oversee Web site maintenance and revision, providing ongoing listserv discussions (facilitated by Councillor Jim Neill), and posting a feature article from The Teaching Librarian on our OSLA Web site. Ontario Coalition for School Libraries OSLA is represented on the Ontario Coalition for School Libraries, an advocacy group consisting of Canadian publishers, authors, parents, and other supporters of school libraries and co- chaired by Tundra Books' Catherine Mitchell and OLA Past President Liz Kerr. The OCSL recently posted its mission statement, vision and goals on its Web site at www.ontarioschoollibraries.ca . As well, the group is circulating a promotional full-colour card for the public and for administrators, which urges them to rate their school libra- ries. Liz continues to work tirelessly on behalf of OSLA and we thank her! National School Library Day National School Library Day was first announced by Roch Carrier, National Librarian of Canada, at the National School Library Summit in Ottawa in June, 2003. This year it was held on October 25, and the theme was Linking Libraries, Literacy and Learning. Members across the province joined colleagues across Canada and organized a wide range of activities designed to celebrate and heighten awareness of the school library program. Many held author visits, created displays, held board-wide reading days, or organized other events that were showcased by their local media. Word on the Street OSLA was represented at the Canadian Coalition for School Libraries booth at Word on the Street in Toronto last summer, helping to advocate on behalf of our school libraries. ". . . our biggest accomplishment came when a motion was passed b funding of up to $100,000 for an Ontario [School Library] Research