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S.E.W. What? Selecting, Evaluating & Weeding the School Library Virginia Educational Media Association Richmond, VA November 7 & 8 8:00 – 8:45 a.m. Mona Kerby Coordinator of the School Library Media Program McDaniel College Westminster, Maryland [email protected] http://www.monakerby.com …Results of Virginia survey… Why are we discussing selection, evaluation & weeding? • You’re short on time; • What exactly do you need? • Can I help? I’d like for this session to be a discussion. If you want me to tell you stuff, I can, but I’m interested in your thoughts. Resources • Collection Development for the School Library Media Program: A Beginner’s Guide. Chicago: AASL, 2006. ISBN: 0-8389-8375. • “Science and Technology Books in Maryland Elementary School Libraries.” Knowledge Quest 29, no. 4 (Mar./Apr. 2001): 9-14. • Links to School Library Articles. www.monakerby.com Essential Question What’s your proof that you have an outstanding collection? Who are you? Out of 113 responses— • 97% have state certification • 45% are elementary librarians • 37% have 7 years or less experience; 37% have 8-15 % years experience; 26% have 16+ years Selection Criteria More Important--CURRICULUM 42% 42% (48) — 37% (42) — 21% (24) Important--REQUESTS 37% 35% (37) — 35% (37) — 31%(33) Less Important--REVIEWS 40% 28% (31)—32% (36)—40% (44) Does this tell me that 60% of you believe that reviews are more important? Is it important for me to know your selection criteria? Shouldn’t you evaluate your orders based on these criteria? Selection Criteria Beginning vs. Experienced More Important Important Less Important Librarians 0-7 years Librarians 16+ years • 42% Curriculum • 38% Request • 34% Reviews • 38% Curriculum • 36% Request • 50% Reviews Knowledge of Curriculum 34% say they have excellent knowledge of curriculum while 56% say they have proficient knowledge Should this question have been worded differently? Curriculum Chart Third Fourth Language Arts Poems Norse Myths Myths & Legends Biography Autobiography Fiction Non-fiction Poems Folk tales Speeches King Arthur Novel Short story plot/setting Geography Maps & Globes Rivers of world Ancient Vikings Spanish exploration Thirteen colonies Maps & Globes Longitude/latitude Relief maps Mountain Ranges Created by Judy Ward for Dorchester County School District What selection sources? Out of 10 sources, only 3 are regularly used • • • • 57% of you use Booklist 53% use Library Media Connection 88% use School Library Journal Other sources were used less frequently—only 14% used Horn Book Magazine and 12% used HB Guide; 4 people used Library Sparks; 2 used Wilson’s This was higher % than Texas librarians… 80% rely on programs such as Titlewave instead of reading paper reviews What are you most likely to do first when selecting NF? • 59% look at a catalog • Only 41% find 2 positive reviews first Professional Selection Sources Booklist • Journal subscription rate $79.95 /22 issues • Approximately 125 reviews for K-12 readers per issue • Reviews recommended books and all multimedia • Professional reviewers are on staff School Library Journal • Journal subscription rate $124.00 /12 issues • Approximately 300 reviews for preK-12 readers per issue • Reviews books, web sites, multimedia • Reviews can be positive or negative • Volunteer reviewers from around the country Horn Book Guide • Subscription rate $50.00 /2 guides yearly • Approximately 2,000 titles in each • Reviews books (no multimedia) of current appropriate materials for preK-12 • Rating system of 1 (outstanding) to 6 (unacceptable) • Professional reviewers and expert editors Evaluation • By improving average age • By improving the matches to a professional retrospective selection source • By increasing curriculum matches • By increasing circulation statistics • By analyzing student interest Comparing it to Curriculum Dewey/ Subject # Grade Level 508 Seasons K, 1 523.4 Planets 2, 5 595.7 Insects 2 remaining after weeding # of quality titles # teacher requested # to meet curriculum needs How you evaluate your recent book orders? • Most read the books. • “I review circulation statistics on previously purchased materials dating back 3 years. For example, materials purchased in 2005 will be checked for their circulation statistics this fall.” • “Does it look appealing; have useful table of contents, index, glossary. Unfamiliar words in bold. Excellent graphics and captions. Readable font. Good quality paper. Does it engage the reader from the first paragraph.” • “We have a student book review program, and we review the circulation statistics for the items.” Can I help you create a simple way to evaluate recent orders? Check circulation Check publishers Check reviews Weeding—Briefly I give suggestions for: • Picture Books • Fiction • Dewey divisions—some sections can be older than others Weeding Schedule YEAR ENDING IN: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Class Interval 000 5 years √ √ 100 5 years √ √ 200 5 years √ √ 300 3 years √ √ √ What you say about weeding? You all seem to how to do it and what to do with the weeded books. • “Copyright date shouldn't matter if the material is still relevant!” • “Every time I weed a section, that section gets increased use.” What to do with weeded books? • “My school system boxes and sells them for recycling I think. I am fine with that. I do not like the idea of donating my discarded books to those less fortunate. There is a reason they were discarded, and if they are not good enough for my students, they are not good enough period.” • “Sometimes I wish I had the flexibility to donate books to a good cause - underdeveloped libraries, for example.” I am dreaming about buying a shipping container and taking them to southwest Kenya. Improving collections • 23 out of 84 said money • “Clone me so one can teach while the other completes administrative duties” • “During Staff Development that is districtwide, librarians might have a time for doing these jobs” • “A "top ten" list per subject per grade might be useful.” Improving collections, con’t • “Improving state guidelines” • “Opportunity to create well-rounded collections instead of all $ going to support the SOL” • “Opportunities to review new books without sales pressure ” Improving collections, con’t? • “I think there needs to be a reassessment of the balance between fiction and nonfiction. Most nonfiction books are expensive and have a limited shelf value. Most students gravitate toward web resources. I’d like to keep a core collection of nonfiction books, a good list of web resources and databases for research, and a larger collection of fiction books to support independent reading -promoting literacy at its roots.” Closing Thoughts—My Plan • Check circulation records of positively reviewed books and notable lists • Devise a quick evaluation of recent book orders • Consider refining survey and post on LM_Net Your Plan—perhaps • Establish a state S.E.W. day? • Discuss # of online sources vs # of book sources • Ask Follett, Mackin, Baker & Taylor to add these review sources: – Booklist – School Library Journal – Horn Book Guide – Wilson’s Catalogs – Notable Lists Your plan— • Email me suggestions. • Check www.monakerby.com for the complete VA survey and this powerpoint. I’ll keep it up—say for a month? • And please come see me upstairs in a few minutes. Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch right after this session