zomusa 's List: Library Science

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  * How did you develop your policies and procedures?• How do you communicate these policies and procedures to all members of the learning community (e.g., students, teachers, other school staff,and parents)?
  * What hours is the library media center open? How and by whom were these hours of operation determined?
  * Show the schedule for the library media center.
  * How and by whom was the schedule developed? How does this schedule accommodate classes, small groups, and individual students? To what extent does this schedule provide maximum instructional access to the library media center services and resources (e.g., flexible scheduling, or extended hours)?
  * How do you determine your budget needs? How and to whom do you communicate this information?
  * What type of purchasing procedures do you follow, and what types of financial records do you keep?
  * Which library media center personnel do you supervise, and whattype(s) of duties are assigned to each of these persons?
  * How do you supervise each of these persons?
  * How do you evaluate the job performance of each of these persons, and to whom do you communicate the results?

• ealized that I couldn't let what I couldn't possibly do in a secondary school with such a large population (it would be a physically impossible goal for me to co-teach with every single classroom teacher, or even half the teachers) and focus on what was humanly possible to get done. Start with a person that you are comfortable with, then branch out from there. I started with somebody I felt relaxed with professionally, because I needed for us to be able to make mistakes as we learned how to co-plan, co-teach, co-evaluate together. You want somebody you're comfortable with so that you can work through everything (including mistakes:) without worrying about personality clashes, hurt feelings, or egos getting in the way. Also, no matter how hard I tried, I was not successful collaborating until I went to the classroom teacher with an idea in hand - a topic to research, what we could do together and how I would help her, what information skills the kids needed to learn how to do properly to become successful, information literate citizens and how we would incorporate them. I hope this helps!
  Leslie Preddy

   

   

     4:25 PM 
• Kim,
  To move on to the second part of your question, I think it can still be done with one week on, one week off and there are a few possibilities that I would try. First, if my job share partner would be willing to meet one day, I'd discuss the possibility of the two of us and the classroom teacher working together, so there are no gaps for students, and the feasability of how we would coordinate and communicate. Another solution, though, is to spread the research out and pace it in such a way that the kids are encouraged to work independently on your off weeks, or taking that time off to 'think' about what research decisions they are making & mull things over. I have done this before when I knew I would be out for multiple days, or the classroom teacher planned to be out. We just paced our lessons so that when we had days off, it seemed right instructionally for the kids to have some time off as they focused on other tasks, or reinforced skills in the classroom that are useful with research. Students could use this time off to mull things over in their minds or to do some work independently.
  Leslie Preddy
• Follett
• Kim,
  I would ask a variety of slms how they handle vendors, because my guess is that every one would give you a different answer, but those answers would help you make your decision. For me, I want to spend my school day/time working directly with/for my patrons as much as possible. So instead of asking vendors out or accepting their request to come see me at school, I consider one of my responsibilities while attending AIME, ILF, AASL or any other educator conference, is meeting with vendors. I use my vendor time to touch base with the people/network, find out what's new, find out what specials are available, ask questions about specific topics I'm seeking resources on, look at their samples, etc. Then, when money's available, I follow-up with phone calls and/or emails to get any of questions that later occurred to me answered, their preferred ordering procedures clarified, and special prices or discounts confirmed. Any time a vendor calls and asks for a private appointment, I just let them know that I appreciate the offer, but I do all of that at the AIME Conference and will see them in the exibit hall.
  Leslie
• Wow! That must be a lot of fun!
  ...This sounds like an interview questions;) Priorities for equipping the library? ...As long as you understand I'm not an expert, but will give my best advice... Make it wireless - technology is changing too fast and we don't know how things will change or look in a short amount of time, so I think that might allow for the most flexibility. I would includes some comfy, casual reading seating/lounging areas. Have a library automation system that students and their families can access from home. Have a space designed just for working with 'small' groups - what would your groups need to sit, think, collaborate, work? And for #5 I would include the technology necessary to interactively connect this small population to the world.
• I look through the professional journals as soon as they arrive. On a sticky note, I write down the pages of interest (articles, grant notices, interesting facts, etc.) and have copies of those pages made. I also give a copy to whomever would find use for that information. For myself, I immediately file anything that isn't currently pertinent to what I'm doing or am about to do. Then, later, when that topic comes up & I need to brush up on it, I pull the file & use it, then I'm fresh and ready for it when it's needed. What is immediatley important, I read right away & file what needs to be filed after I've read it, made my notes on it, used it, etc. I have to do this or I get overwhelmed with all the information that crosses by desk.
  2. All educators have to work beyond the contracted day. For me, it works to come in early, get some administrative stuff done then, rather than plan to stay after work too much, when I'm already tired from putting in a full day.
  3. I keep my electronic files of anything and everything for as long as I possibly can. I can't tell you how many times I've been able to use something I'd done previously, sometimes years previously, for something needed now. Sometimes it's as simple as repurposing the format or layout, which saves time on the current task/project. Other items you'll re-use every year, with some modification, like a student newsletter announcement about YHBA. When I make modifications for the current year, I save the changes under a new file name/year so that when I need to look back at something from a few years ago, I quickly can (I sometimes need to do this because maybe some changes didn't work, etc., so I need to look back at old versions).
  4. I carry my files on a USB drive memory card, so that I can access them anytime I need, no matter where I am (I back up these files weekly at home).
  5. I try to carry a book with me everywhere. The kids and teachers are always making recommendations to me and it's hard to keep up with all that reading, so I like picking up that book at the odd moments when I have a few minutes here and there while I have to unexpectedly wait.
  6. I keep a schedule book. I put on there times and dates of things as a person normally would, but I also slap sticky notes in where need to remind myself to take care of something, look something up, etc. That way, when I'm not where I need to be to do that whatever, I've written it down so I don't forget (I admit it, I have to keep sticky notes by my bed because that's when I remember the odd to-do and some of my best ideas come to me just as I'm relaxing for bed), then just put the sticky note in my planner where it needs to be in order to get it done on time.
  6. I take book reviews home whenever possible. I keep them by my bed and one of my evening bedtime activities I might do as I try to unwind enough to go to sleep is read through reviews. I put a sticky note on the cover & on the sticky note I write down the pages where I marked useful reviews. In the journal, I initial next the items I am interested in. Then, when I give the journal to my clerk, she doesn't have to dig all over the journal to find my notes, but instead has the sticky note to go by, and I don't have to worry that she missed anything.
  7. I make a tradition out of things that were successful, so that the school gets used to it, looks forward to it, thinks of it as something I do for the school or we do together, but because it's something I've done before and I have those past files, I reuse what I've already created by just updating, revising, improving.
  8. I have a love/hate relationship with email. It's made communication easier, but it also seems to take a lot of time to keep up with all the e-newsletters, e-journals, lists, announcements, then add to that the emails received from individual within by building, school district, or others in my educator network. If I'm not careful, my email can get 200 deep in just a day or two of neglect. So if I'm really busy co-teaching or working with a time-sensitive project, I try, at the very least, to skim through my inbox right before the kids arrive and right before I leave for the day. I'm looking for emails from individuals, especially building staff members so that I don't accidentally overlook something that mattered enough to them to ask for my assistance & needs immediate attention.
• Whenever administration doesn't seem to hear what I'm saying, that's what I do - research, find out what the experts are currently saying, then report my findings. In the end, they find that it's not me just pulling needs out of the air, but what the experts advise. Often I found that they weren't making appropriate decisions because they didn't really understand and my job was to make them understand.
• Like Kim said about her “1 week on, 1 week off” schedule, it is difficult to have true collaboration when not in the building all the time. I talked with all the teachers the first few weeks of school and told them what I wished to accomplish with the students with information and technology skills, and we came up with a curriculum area that I will focus on. For example, in 6th grade, we are going to base their project on the ancient or new wonders of the world. 5th grade will be based on the 5th grade geography standards. I think this will work, but I really have to have lots of electronic communication going between us. So far, so good.
  
• Working with elementary students, you are incredibly important. You are establishing the baseline of library use, reading interest and research skills these students will carry with them the rest of their lives.
• Use the data out there on the websites: AIME data, Library Research Service, NCES, and AASL advocacy. According to the research, having a full time slms with support staff has an impact on students achievement.

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• What exactly is Flexible Scheduling? 

   

    Flexible Scheduling is addressed in the GaDOE rule IFBD 160-4-4-.01.  A Georgia school library media program must include a plan for flexibly scheduled media center access for students and teachers in groups or as individuals simultaneously throughout each instructional day.  Accessibility shall refer to the facility, the staff, and the resources and shall be based on instructional need.  Flexible scheduling is maintained by allowing full participation of teachers and the library media specialist in collaborative planning and allowing students to come to the library media center at any time.  

   

    Flexible Scheduling is any schedule that is controlled by the library media specialist in collaboration with the classroom teachers to meet the needs of the students at the students' point of need.  A schedule that is mandated and/or controlled by the school administration is not flexible.  The media program is not to be used as a means to provide planning time for teachers.  Flexible scheduling is not having a sign up sheet available and allowing teachers to sign up for the media center.  A flexible schedule works in partnership with collaboration.  The media program shall be a collaborative effort between the classroom teacher and the library media specialist.  Collaboration is essential to a quality K-12 media center instructional program.  Flexible scheduling is essential to an effective K-12 media center program that recognizes the importance of collaboration.  One cannot exist without the other. 

   

    Flexible scheduling is not having a sign up sheet available and allowing teachers to sign up for the media center. A flexible schedule works in partnership with collaboration. The media program shall be a collaborative effort between the classroom teacher and the library media specialist. Collaboration is essential to a quality K-12 media center instructional program. Flexible scheduling is essential to an effective K-12 media center program that recognizes the importance of collaboration. One cannot exist without the other. 

   

    The American Library Association and the American Association of School Librarians position statement is that schools must adopt the educational philosophy that the library media program is fully integrated into the educational program. This integration strengthens the teaching/learning process so that students can develop the vital skills necessary to locate, analyze, evaluate, interpret, and communicate information and ideas. When the library media program is fully integrated into the instructional program of the school, students, teachers, and library media specialists become partners in learning. The library program is an extension of the classroom. Information skills are taught and learned within the context of the classroom curriculum. The wide range of resources, technologies, and services needed to meet students learning and information needs are readily available in a cost-effective manner. 

   

    The integrated library media program philosophy requires that an open schedule must be maintained. Classes cannot be scheduled in the library media center to provide teacher release or preparation time.  Students and teachers must be able to come to the center throughout the day to use information sources, to read for pleasure, and to meet and work with other students and teachers. 

   

    Planning between the library media specialist and the classroom teacher, which encourages both scheduled and informal visits, is the catalyst that makes this integrated library program work.  The teacher brings to the planning process a knowledge of subject content and student needs. The library media specialist contributes a broad knowledge of resources and technology, an understanding of teaching methods, and a wide range of strategies that may be employed to help students learn information skills.  Cooperative planning by the teacher and library media specialist integrates information skills and materials into the classroom curriculum and results in the development of assignments that encourage open inquiry. 

   

    The responsibility for flexibly scheduled library media programs must be shared by the entire school community. 

• Program Development:
• Information Technology:
• Collaboration:
• Flexible Scheduling
• Leadership
• "is that the most important factor in the school media   center is the library media specialist. Almost every school has a media   center. It was only in those schools in which library staffing was sufficient   to allow for the active participation of library media specialists in curriculum   development, student instruction, and teacher education that test scores   increased.
• "The school media center is not just a place, it's a program," Lance   said. "The librarian is the best support classroom teachers could hope   to have. [Librarians] can provide educational resources to students   and teachers. They can teach teachers how to use informational technology   to access additional resources. They can teach information literacy   to both teachers and students. They can provide design and support to   the curriculum. Eliminating professional school librarians for the purpose   of increasing teacher-student ratios in classrooms, for example, handicaps   every teacher and is extremely counterproductive."
• teachers should take advantage of the support and services librarians   provide.
• This   latest study, for example, found that professionally trained librarians   run only about half the elementary school libraries in Colorado.
• At a time when school systems are allocating more and more money to   technology, it appears that not enough attention is being paid to the   important role library media centers and library media specialists play   in determining the value of those resources.
• The value of computer network technology is directly related to the   extent to which it provides access to all library media center resources.

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