Transcript Slide 1

The Role of the School
Library and Library Media
Specialist
Highlands School District
November 15, 2010
There have been many
changes in the library over the
last 50 years. For example,
the old card catalogue has
been replaced by online
databases which hold all the
information about the
materials housed in the
library. The role of the
librarian has also evolved.
Today’s librarian wears many
hats.
A summary of the major library studies,
both from 19 United States and
internationally, clearly show that “students
who attend schools with well-funded,
properly stocked libraries managed by
qualified teacher-librarians have higher
achievement, improved literacy, and
greater success at the post-secondary
level.”
Dr. Ken Haycock (2003)
(Professor and former director at the graduate School of
Library, Archival and Information Studies at the University
of British Columbia)
“The evidence is there for all to see, that’s why governments in the
U.S., Europe, and Asia are aggressively investing in their school
libraries. The findings of literally decades of research show why
school libraries and qualified teacher-librarians are essential
components in the academic programming of any school.
Standardized scores tend to be 10 to 20% higher than in schools
without an investment in a school library program. The
relationship between library resource levels and increased
achievement is not explained away by other school variables (e.g.,
per student spending, teacher-pupil ratios) or community
conditions (e.g., poverty, demographics). In fact, no fewer than
forty years of research – conducted in different locations, at
different levels of schooling, in different socioeconomic areas,
sponsored by different agencies, and conducted by different,
credible researchers – provide an abundance of evidence about
the positive impact of qualified teacher-librarians and school
libraries on children and adolescents.” (Haycock 2003)
The school library media specialist can
and does have an impact on student
literacy and academic achievement.
“Two leading U.S. researchers in the field offer this arresting
conclusion: 'In research done in nine (today 19) states and over
3300 schools since 1999, the positive impact of the school
library program is consistent. [They] make a difference in
academic achievement. If you were setting out a balanced meal
for a learner, the school library media program would be part of
the main course, not the butter on the bread (Lance and
Loertscher, 2003).'”
One role of the school library
media specialist is as a teacher.
•Delivering library/information
literacy instruction to students
•Dewey Decimal System
•OPAC
(Many of these library skills are only taught in
library classes.)
One role of the school library
media specialist is as a
researcher.
•Help students and faculty
locate the most up-to-date and
appropriate desired
information
One role of the school library
media specialist is as a college
and career counselor.
•Help fill out college applications
•Help get forms online
•Provide print resources
•Provide online database
One role of the school library media
specialist is a technology facilitator.
•Instruct students and faculty on the
use of online databases
•Instruct students on the topics of
internet safety and reliable sources
•Ex. http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/
One role of the school library
media specialist is as a literacy
coach, tutor, and reading
motivator.
Teen Technology Week
Guest Author Program
Reading
Rodeo
The Magic of
Books
Book Fair
Puppetry
Club Sponsor
Literacy in Action
Guest Speakers
Christmas Around the World
One role of the school library media
specialist is as a collaborator.
•Plans with classroom teachers on
instructional units
•Public librarians
•Parent partners
•Administration
•Community partners
•Local colleges and universities
One role of the school library media
specialist is as a manager.
•Manage schedules
•Manage ordering of appropriate books
and materials
•Manage budget
•Manage motivational literacy events
•Managing curriculum
One role of the school library
media specialist is as a scholar.
•Study and read to keep current in
the field
•Read to advise faculty and
students
One role of the school library
media specialist is to meet the
needs for all patrons including
those who may have special needs
or be an English Language Learner
(ELL).
The library is inclusive.
One role of the school library media
specialist is as a facilitator of different
types of reading materials.
Fourth-graders’ reading proficiency related to the
diversity of their reading materials. They read:
storybooks, magazines, and nonfiction. Students who
read all three categories achieved the highest NAEP
(Nation’s Report Card) scores.
Number of Categories Read NAEP SCORE
1
195
2
210
3
224
“Providing interesting books for children is
a powerful incentive for reading, perhaps
the most powerful incentive possible. This
conclusion is consistent with research
showing that extrinsic incentives for
reading have not been successful, while
improving access to books has been
successful in encouraging reading.” (Ramos
&Krashen, 1998, p. 614)
One role of the school library
media specialist is as a model for
lifelong learning and literacy.
The school library, library media
specialists, and library staff are
powerful tools in the Highlands
School District to help increase
student achievement and highstakes test scores, as well as in the
promotion of literacy and the
creation of lifelong learners.