Library Leadership · Advocacy
Advocate for Your Library Before the Year Ends
End-of-year reporting not only demonstrates the value of your library program — it also provides an opportunity to celebrate accomplishments and reflect on the difference you've made.
Rachel Hammett, Storyglory School Relationship Manager
May 2026 · 5 min read
Your library's impact deserves to be seen — share the story before the year ends.
As the school year comes to a close, take time to share the story of your school library's impact with administrators, teachers, families, and other stakeholders. End-of-year reporting not only demonstrates the value of your library program but also provides an opportunity to celebrate accomplishments and reflect on the difference you've made throughout the year.
Gather the Statistics
Start by logging into your library management system and running reports that highlight your library's activity and growth. Collect statistics such as:
- Most circulated title or genre
- Patron with the highest number of checkouts
- Total circulations
- Number of class visits
- Book fair sales
- Total volumes in the collection
- Number of titles added this year
- Volunteer hours contributed
These numbers alone don't tell the whole story, but they provide strong evidence of your library's value. They can also help as you look to the future of your library program and make decisions about collection development.
Use Data to Tell Your Story
Once you've gathered your statistics, share them in a format that is easy to understand and visually engaging. A simple end-of-year report or infographic created with a tool like Canva can make your data more accessible and memorable. Consider sharing your report through the school newsletter, an email update to administrators and staff, the school website, or social media.
Highlight Success Stories
Statistics matter, but don't forget to share the stories behind them. Think about students, teachers, volunteers, or families who were positively impacted by your library program this year. Perhaps a reluctant reader discovered a series that sparked a love of reading. Maybe you helped a teacher find the perfect resources for a challenging unit. A student volunteer may have developed confidence or leadership skills through helping in the library. A family may have reached out, and you had the perfect book recommendation for them as they navigated a difficult situation. These stories put faces behind the numbers and help others see the lasting impact of your work and the value of a strong school library.
Archive Data for Future Advocacy
Be sure to save your reports, infographics, testimonials, and photos from the past year in a dedicated advocacy folder. Over time, these records become important tools for budget discussions, grant applications, collection development requests, and conversations with school leaders.
Every checkout, class visit, book recommendation, and student success story contributes to a larger narrative, one that demonstrates the essential role your library plays in your school community. Be sure to share your library's story before the school year ends.
If you're new in your role or building up a new library from scratch – or if you'd just like to discuss these ideas further – reach out to info@storyglorykids.org and an experienced librarian on the Storyglory team would be happy to hop on the phone with you.
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