Transcript School Librarians Impact Achievement! Audrey Church Coordinator, School Library Media Program, Longwood University Traditional School Libraries       Print rich Print and AV oriented Centralized (one physical location) Rigidly scheduled Single.

School Librarians
Impact Achievement!
Audrey Church
Coordinator, School Library Media Program,
Longwood University
Traditional School Libraries
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Print rich
Print and AV oriented
Centralized (one physical location)
Rigidly scheduled
Single person staff
Quiet, almost-empty places
Libraries of
Yesteryear…
And, perhaps you have met
one of these ladies?…
School Libraries of Today
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Information rich in every format
Multiple technologies
Centralized and decentralized simultaneously
Flexibly scheduled
Professional and technical staff
Busy, bustling learning laboratories
Today’s School Librarian
Library Media Specialist
 Library Information Specialist
 Teacher Librarian
 “Agent of Academic Achievement”
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The Research To Back It Up
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Since 2000
At least 5 teams of researchers (Baughman,
Baumbach, Burgin, Lance, and Smith)
At least 12 U.S. states (MA, FL, NC, CO, PA,
AK, IA, MI, NM, OR, MN, TX)
Data on over 4,000 schools—all levels, all
sizes—and their communities
Building-level summary test scores
representing over 1 million students
Key Research Findings
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Links between
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Academic achievement (represented by
scores on standards-based state tests of
reading/language arts skills) and
Library staffing levels, librarian activities,
collection size, technology integration, library
usage
Schools with stronger school library
programs average 10-20% higher test
scores
More Findings…
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Controlling for key school and community
differences, library still explains 3-8% of
test score variation
Poverty explains away other school and
community differences—like the teacherpupil ratio, per pupil spending, and
parents’ education—but not the impact of
school libraries
Reading/Language Arts test
scores are higher in schools…
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Which have a school library staffed by a licensed
librarian and assisted by adequate staff;
In which the library has a strong collection and
adequate funding;
In which the librarian collaborates with teachers,
teaches information literacy skills, provides in
service for teachers in information technology;
In which library resources are available outside
of library walls via computer networks.
Most Recently Completed
Study—Ohio, 2004
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“Student Learning through Ohio School
Libraries,” Todd and Kuhlthau
Sought to understand how students benefit
from school libraries, to examine the multidimensional dynamics of student learning
through effective school libraries, from the
perspective of students
Findings show that effective school libraries
are dynamic agents of learning
Today’s School Librarian
Impacts
Academic Achievement!
And it is what he/she does
that makes the
difference…
When the library media
specialist
takes an active role
in the instructional program
of the school as…
A school leader
A program administrator
An information navigator
A technology facilitator
A collaborative teacher and learner
An information navigator
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Selects print, nonprint, and electronic
resources to support curriculum and
standards
Teaches others how to be information
literate—to recognize a need for
information and to access, evaluate,
and use information in critical thinking
and problem solving
Libraries are busy,
bustling, learning
laboratories…
A technology facilitator
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Selects licensed databases (InfoTrac,
SIRS, EBSCOHost) and authoritative
free Web sites
Bridges the gap between students and
teachers, online information, and
curriculum and instruction
A collaborative teacher
and learner
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A teacher of students who collaborates
with classroom teachers in design and
delivery of instruction
A teacher of other teachers who creates
more self-reliant users of information
resources and technology
When library media specialists take an
active role in curriculum and instruction…
When library media specialists teach
information literacy skills…
When teachers and library media
specialists collaborate…
Student achievement
is higher!
Today’s School Libraries
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School library media programs—
dynamic, enthusiastic, and studentcentered
Students—independent, informationliterate, lifelong learners
School librarians—information
specialists who are collaborative, active
instructional partners
Dr. Keith Lance, Director, Library Research Service
June 4, 2002 White House Conference on School Libraries
“Research shows quite conclusively that school
libraries are a powerful force in the lives of
America’s children. The school library is one of the
few factors whose contribution to academic
achievement has been documented empirically,
and it is a contribution that cannot be explained
away by other powerful influences on student
performance. So, if you want to invest in a
research-based strategy for helping to insure that
No Child Is Left Behind in your school, this is it!”
“School libraries help teachers teach and
children learn…children and teachers
need library resources—especially
books—and the expertise of a librarian
to succeed. Books, information
technology, and school librarians who
are part of the schools’ professional
team are basic ingredients for student
achievement.”
First Lady Laura Bush, June 4, 2002,
White House Conference on School Libraries
School Librarians
Impact
Academic
Achievement!
Resources
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American Association of School Librarians. (1998).
Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning.
Chicago: American Library Association.
Lance, K. C. (2003). 5 Roles for Empowering* School
Librarians. Retrieved March 8, 2004 from
http://www.lrs.org/documents/lmcstudies/5roles.pdf
Loertscher, D. V. & Achterman, D. (2002). Increasing
Academic Achievement through the Library Media Center.
San Jose, CA : HiWillow.
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White House Conference on School Libraries. Retrieved
March 16, 2004 from
http://www.imls.gov/pubs/whitehouse0602/whitehouse.htm
Graphics from
1907 ASU Library Retrieved March 8, 2004 from
http://www.asu.edu/lib/archives/asustory/images/01research.jpg
1931 Library Retrieved March 8, 2004 from http://dovergrammar.co.uk/archives/oldpharos/pictures/1931library.jpg
Animation Factory. Rebrieved March 16, 2004 from
http://www.animationfactory.com/free/people_a_l/librarian_variant_page_librarian_shhh_qu
iet_please.html
Library at The Children’s School. Retrieved October 15, 2002 from
http://tcslj.org/resource/library/
Scenes from the Chico High School Library. Retrieved March 16, 2004 from
http://dewey.chs.chico.k12.ca.us/scenes11-00.html
Stratford Library Association, Our building’s history. Retrieved March 15, 2004 from
http://www.stratford.lib.ct.us/building.html
Students and Teachers Using the Portable Lab. Retrieved March 16, 2004 from
http://www.newpaltz.k12.ny.us/local/duzine/Teachers/jpallus/computer_pictures.htm
UNI Library Retrieved March 8, 2004 http://www.library.uni.edu/speccoll/images/lh1-14.jpg
Wheatland Elementary School Retrieved March 8, 2004 from
http://www.wheatland.k12.ca.us/Old%20Web%20Stuff/wesl.h1.jpg
Audrey Church
Coordinator,
School Library Media Program
Longwood University
[email protected]
Phone: 434-395-2682