What does a School Library Media Specialist (SLMS) Do?
ref: IP/Mission and Goals of the SLMP;  IP chapter 1

• One-minute paper (really 5 minutes - this is not an assessment)
• Brainstorm a list of things SLMSs do 
  
• What is a Media Center (MC) for? (Mission)
• Four roles of the SLMS: quick introduction
  
• Fitzgerald's description of the job [best job; service mentality, but service does not mean subservient; fishbowl; gentle agenda; long-term impact]
• Comments from those who are doing the job ... (if anyone is available!)
  
• We're going to talk about this more next time, after you've had a chance to explore. Today we explored pre-conceptions; next time, we'll discuss actual life in the media center, followed by the ideal roles of the SLMS.
• AASL Prep Standards and Information Power (IP) are foundational documents that govern our discussion (here at UGA) about what media specialists do.
  
• Back to agenda

---

Life in the Media Center
Readings:

• IP chapter 1 [required]
  
• IP/Mission and Goals of the SLMP
• Explore a SLMS's blog; see hints on the agenda. Highly recommend that you "watch" a good one of these all year.
• R&Dp18: Doing the job without the job doing you in - G.K. Dickinson
• R&Dp171: Technician or technologist? technology and the role of the LMS - M.A. Anderson
  

Discussion

• Elementary, middle, high: choose one for now, and list some differences in 3 groups
• What's in a name? Media Specialist; Librarian; School Librarian; Teacher-Librarian; Liberry Teacher

• Elements that typically make up a MC program -- we could start a neverending list here:
• Storytelling, puppetry ....
  
• Research instruction, assistance
• Resource provision
• Support for leisure reading: reader's advisory, reading promotion, bookclubs, etc.
• Collaborative planning, integrating information literacy into curriculum
• Technology integration (staff development, etc.)
  
• KSA (Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes): AASL Standards

Two good SLMS blogs:

Joyce Valenza's blog http://joycevalenza.edublogs.org/

Buffy Hamilton's  blog  http://theunquietlibrary.wordpress.com/2007/08/22/what-are-your-reading-habits/

Or search for these names: Alice Yucht - Alice in Infoland; Rob Darrow - California Dreamin'; Diane Chen: Deep Thinking; Frances Harris: Gargoyles Loose in the Library; Chris Harris: Infomancy; Mary J. Johnson: The Primary Source Librarian; Jacquie Henry: Wanderings.

Discussion: A Day in the Life, and what it takes

---

Media Center Mission
Resources:

• Information Power [IP] chapter 1 [required]
• Role of the School Library Media Program (AASL Position Statement) [required]
• Value of Library Media Programs in Education (AASL Position Statement) [required]
• Loertscher, D. (2006). What flavor is your school library? The teacher-librarian as learning leader. Teacher Librarian 34 (2), 8-12.
  
• R&Dp166: Impacting school improvement - C.A.Harvey (MAF's commentary in WebCT/6300/Readings)
  

Possible preparation:

• Explore media center web sites on the Internet, and try to find at least one mission statement. Bring to class next time. While you're there, look around at the websites, inventorying the kinds of things that are represented. Bookmark good sites, and especially note website elements that you like. Reflect upon your Internet searching process as you go along. Challenges? Successful strategies? 
• Re-read about the Roles of a Media Specialist in Information Power on pp. 4-5. Using the list of tasks we generated in class, sort them into these roles.  Think about: Which of these tasks best support the mission of the media center?  Are there any tasks in this list that don't seem to support the mission, or that don't fit within the 4 identified roles? Jot notes about your reflection, and bring to class for discussion next time.

Discussion:

• Resource:  IP/Mission and Goals of the SLMP
• Honor readings
  
• What is the purpose of a Media Center? see IP p.48 for reminder
• Related terms: mission, philosophy, vision, goals, slogan (or motto)
  
• Mission statements - share and extract themes
• When you feel overwhelmed or confused about all the things you are asked to do as a MS, revisit mission for clarity
• Feel ready to write a mission statement?  Will be required in the PDEP.

Linked assessments: PDEP

---

Roles of the school library media specialist
Readings:

Big Four: Teacher; Instructional partner;  Information specialist; Program administrator
(Four roles of the SLMS: quick introduction)

Honor texts.

Now that you know many of the tasks,  a good bit about day-to-day life, the mission of the SLMP, and your Roles, what are your thoughts?

Fitzgerald's description of the job [best job; service mentality, but service does not mean subservient; fishbowl; gentle agenda; long-term impact]

Comments from those who are doing the job ... (if anyone is available!)

Discussion Questions (taken from Q&A of the past)

• How do you balance the four roles? How long does it take to achieve this balance? 
• If all roles work together to benefit the student and create an optimum learning environment, why do SLMSs find it often difficult to obtain the support of principals and teachers?
  
• What are some guidelines for communicating SLM roles to administrators?
• The media center has a mission and the SLMS has four roles.  Are these integrated enough? Why do they even need to be stated separately?
  
• Evolution of roles: There's ongoing discussion of what this mission should be, and what the librarian's role(s) should be.  Several current metaphors:
• Information sherpa (Marcia Mardis)
• Info/tech scout
• Library as "kitchen"
  
• Libraries as "clubs," users as "members"
• For more in this vein, see the video embedded on Neverending Search 8-25-08

Related read-aloud: The Library Dragon by Carmen Deedy

Standards and Flexible Scheduling
Readings:

• YATK Standards section (follow the links)
  
• School curriculum: be ready to consult a standard school curriculum, such as the Georgia Performance Standards
• Starr, L. (2000). Strong libraries improve student achievement. Education World. Available: http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin178.shtml
  
• Information Literacy: our curriculum agenda
• Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning [required]
• IP, chapter 2 [required]
• AASL Standard 1.1 (Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior) [required]
• Wasman, chapter 2 and p. 211 [supplemental]
  
• Integrated concept: AASL Standard 2.1 (Knowledge of Learners and Learning) [required]
• AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner (2007)
  
• How all of this forms the basic rationale for Flexible Scheduling
• AASL Position Statement [required]
• Rowe, G.S. (2007). Collaboration: It's a gamble on a fixed schedule. Knowledge Quest, 35 (4), 44-46. [persistent link]
• R&Dp28: Integrating library programs into the curriculum: Student learning is the bottom line - D.Miller
• R&Dp45:It's all about learning: Ensuring that students are effective users of information on standardized tests - M.B.Eisenberg [MAF's commentary available in WebCT6300/Readings]
  
• R&Dp53:Collaborating from the center of the school universe - T.Buzzeo (MAF's audio commentary in WebCT)
• R&Dp9:Tools of the Trade: Library schedule and attendance statistics form by J.Henry (interesting form for discussion)
  
• Diagram: MAF's conception of interelationship between Standards and Flex Scheduling
• R&Dp157: The synergistic attributes of SLMC standards - J.E.P.Misakian
  

Graphic drawn on the board 10-6-07 (photography by George Webber)
Discussion

Key: stay abreast. Consult the Georgia DOE website from time to time. Participate annually in COMO, GaETC; DOE Updates; GLMA Summer Leadership Conference.

Strategies for moving from left to right on the continuum:

• Accept that no job is ideally balanced.  No job is perfect. There will be problems and challenges, and every year will bring changes.
  
• Focus on what you can do within the existing structure.
• There are years when it's more important to be indispensable to the school than it is to worry about changing things.  Strive to be indispensable in ways that accomplish SLM goals and school goals. After all, you're there to serve, and the SLM goals and the school goals are conflicting with each other, there's a serious problem.
  
• Consider evolving forward. For example, if you have a "specials rotation" situation, propose a fixed but open schedule for next year. Then, try to move to a hybrid schedule.
• Do not use the argument: "I need time to ________" (fill in the blank with "plan with teachers;" "make out my book order," etc.)  No one will sympathize, and you would be asking for something that your colleague teachers don't have. Also: it does little good to clear your schedule for collaborative planning when teachers have no time to do this anyway.  Instead, propose programs and schedules that allow you to teach information literacy integrated into the curriculum, and show how you can support student achievement.  Comment on Morris p. 39.
  
• Value positive interaction with students as your chief reward.
  
• Delegate.  Even if you have no paid paraprofessional, there are ways to delegate.  This strategy connects to the Human Resources management area.
  

AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner

• During the last revision cycle for IP '98, the IL9 were released first. So, this standards revision parallels that process.
• Assumptions and values: we believe in these things:
  
• Reading
• Inquiry
• Ethics
• Technology
• Access
• Complexity
  
• Info continues to expand, and so process over content
• Social context of learning
• School libraries are essential (notice language here! "school libraries" vs. "media centers")
• Four standards, each with four dimensions: (get - apply - share - grow)
  
• inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge (get);
  
• draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge (apply);
• share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society (share);
• pursue personal and aesthetic growth (grow).
• Dimensions (of each)

1. skills
2. dispositions
3. responsibilities
4. reflective strategies

A big task for SLMS will be aligning the GPSs with these new learning standards.  Before you do this yourself, look around for other people who have already done it.
------------------------
Discussion Questions (from Muddy Points of the past)

• If MCs are supposed to be open all the time, how do you handle picture days, spelling bees, meetings, book fairs, and other special events held in the MC?

Other resources:

• Fixed vs. Flexible Scheduling - a Collaborative Problem Project by Diane Brackman, Jennifer Buoy, Jenn Pahl, Ellen Patrick, and Allyson Richardson (Cohort 5)
• Keys to Quality - GA DOE.  (I have a synopsis by Pat Pickard that I could share with interested students.)(Note to self: GoogleDocs, "GA DOE Keys to Quality.")
  

Reading and Literacy
RLP Draft Assignment | RLP | RLP FAQ
Resources:

• AASL Standard 1.2 (Literacy and Reading) [required]
  
• Integrated concept: AASL Standard 2.1 (Knowledge of Learners and Learning) [required]
• Methods:
  
• Grimes, S. (2004, May). The search for meaning: How you can boost kids' reading comprehension. School Library Journal, 50 (5), 48-52. (This article is available through GALILEO.)[persistent link] [required]
• R&Dp35: Teaching beginning reading strategies in the SLMC: A "how to" guide - C. Barringer. MAF's commentary (5min audio) available in WebCT/6300/Readings.
  
• Hand, D. (2006). Adolescent literacies: Reading, thinking, writing. Knowledge Quest, 35 (1), 40-43. [persistent link]
• Schatz, A., & Krashen, S. (2006). Attitudes toward reading in grades 1-6. Knowledge Quest, 35 (1), 46-48. [persistent link]
• Vent, C.T., & Ray, J.A. (2007). More tips and tactics. Teacher Librarian, 34 (4), 42-44. [persistent link] (This is about enticing elementary kids to read nonfiction.)
• R&Dp37: A niche for library media specialists: Teaching students how to read informational texts - M.Z. Joyce
• 
  
• Issues
  
• Krashen, S. (2005). AR: Evidence still lacking [Home Run Research Column].  Knowledge Quest, 33 (3), 48-49. [GALILEO]  [persistent link] [supplemental - but you should read this sooner or later]
• R&Dp79: Books, not direct instruction, are the key to vocabulary development - F. Shin
• Programs
  
• Roberts, J. (2006). Building a community of high school readers. Knowledge Quest, 35 (1), 24-29. [persistent link]
• Moyer, M. (2006). Accelerated Reader sparks high school reading excitement. Knowledge Quest, 35 (1), 34-39. [persistent link]
• R&Dp24: Reading advocacy: Creating contagious enthusiasm for books and reading K-12 - M.B. Eisenberg.  MAF's commentary (5 minute audio) available in WebCT/6300/Readings.
• Rubin, E. (2007). Authors in your school: Connecting live authors, students, and the love of reading. Knowledge Quest, 35 (4), 66-69. [persistent link] Keywords: author visits; reading promotion.
• Lin, S., Shin, F., & Krashen, S. (2007). Sophia's choice: Summer reading. Knowledge Quest, 35 (3), 52-.
• Reading Rockets
• R&Dp130: Family literacy programs in school libraries: Helping parents become their child's best teacher - J. Griffis
• Knapp Readers: listen to Dr. Nancy Knapp's guest lecture from last year at WebCT/6300/Resources

Possible topics:

• Big ideas from the Standard
• reading process
• literature for children and youth, including current trends
  
• multiple formats
• diverse readers
• leisure reading
• modelling
• Why is it important for us to stress reading?
• We could have an entire course on this topic.
  
• Services related to reading and literacy:
  
• reading aloud, storytelling, puppetry
• reader's advisory (resource: NoveList database in GALILEO)
  
• reading instructional support
• current trends
• catching new trends in practice
• SLMSs are not reading teachers (unless certified), just as they are not doctors or lawyers. Still, there are vital roles for SLMSs to play.
• Unfortunately, reading instruction can be ... discouraging and tedious to some learners. SLMSs can shed an attractive and motivational light on reading for reluctant readers. The key is to figure out how.
  
• leisure reading support
• thinking like a reluctant reader (hard for many of us)
• reading technology
• Need to Knows for R&L Draft assignment
• Some resources to get you started:
  
• Resources for Reading and Literacy (compiled by Beth Friese)
• Motivating Students to Read and Reading Promotion Programs (compiled also by Beth)
• Keller, C.A. (2006, September). Using BDA strategies in the library media center. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 22 (1), 55-58.

These are great resources if you can find them:
Fitzgibbons, S.A. (2004). What motivates reading? How library media specialists can contribute to the development of good readers. SLMAM, 20 (10), 21-25.
Trinkle, C. (2006). LMS's word wall and beyond: Integrating the five components of reading instruction. SLMAM, 23 (1), 40-43.
School Library Media Activities Monthly is the only SLM professional journal not available through GALILEO (at least, this was true in 2007).  It's a great magazine.  Some issues can be found in the CMC in Aderhold - last 5 years retained.

• Five components, sometimes called the five "pillars" of reading [ref: Trinkle, C. (2006). LMS's word wall and beyond: Integrating the five components of reading instruction. SLMAM 23 (1), 40-43. Can't provide this article due to copyright restrictions.]
  
• Phonemic awareness
• Phonics
• Fluency
• Vocabulary
• Comprehension
• Critical analysis becomes an increasingly important part of comprehension as students mature.  In my opinion, adolescence is the best time to start incorporating criticism within reading instruction, because this is when they start questioning authority anyway.
  
• Adolescents and young adults (ref: Intl Reading Assn pamphlet, "Supporting Young Adolescents' Literacy Learning")
  
• two distinct children's literature genres: adolescent literature (Ga Book Awards and Newbery are representative) and "YA" literature.  The Harry Potter series is a good demonstration of the differences; as Harry grows up, the literature genre progresses "up" the scale. 
  
• literacy, illiteracy, and alliteracy
• opportunities for reading during the school day, such as SSR and DEAR
  
• opportunities to visit MC for circulation often lost in middle school
• cross-disciplinary reading integration
• look for ways to make reading "cool;" requires understanding your kids
• ideas for parents: role models; abundance of reading materials; positive attitude toward reading
• be open to literacy opportunities provided by online texts, magazines, graphic novels, online communities, and short texts
• consider providing hang-out reading space, like coffee shops
• Trends in reading instruction from this year: inviting the teachers in the group to contribute news about this.
  
• Diversity
• Groups:
• gender
• age
• ethnic
• learning styles/modalities
• Strategies
• What are some of the reading instructional programs out there in your schools?
  
• Examples of reading programs
  

Vocabulary, theories, programs

comprehension	vocabulary	whole language	literature across the curriculum (or reading across... and writing across...)	intrinsic/extrinsic motivation
text	Sustained Silent Reading, D.E.A.R.	print-rich environment	Krashen	choice
booktalk	Accelerated Reader and others	Battle of the Books	Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl	leveled texts
differentiated instruction	literature circles	controlled vocabulary (2 meanings for librarians)	readers'/writers' workshop	graphic organizers
family literacy	zone of proximal development (Vygotsky)	emerging readers	genre	author studies
teachable moment	recall	higher level thinking (or higher order thinking skills) HOTS	reader's theatre, creative dramatics	prediction
background knowledge	inference	skimming, scanning	metacognition	phonemic awareness
phonics	fluency	literacy, illiteracy, alliteracy

corresponding Read aloud: "Maritime Disasters" from Mama Makes Up Her Mind by Bailey White

Information Ethics and Copyright [more on Copyright below]
Readings:

• IP pp166-170 [required] - MAF's commentary available in WebCT (6min)
  
• Confidentiality of Library Records
• AASL Position Statement [required]
• 
  
• Copyright:
• Fitzgerald's copyright notes [required]
• Simpson, C. (2006). Copyright do's and don'ts. Library Media Connection, 24 (6), 45. persistent link
  
• Simpson, C. (2005). Copyright for schools: A practical guide (4th ed.) Worthington, OH: Linworth. [supplemental: I highly recommend this book! Previous editions are excellent; this one is even better.]
• Connie Yearwood's Copyright Powerpoint
• R&Dp10: Tools of the trade: Copyright do's and don'ts - C.Simpson (MAF's audio commentary in WebCT)
• R&Dp67: Tools of the trade: Copyright suggestions for administrators - C.Simpson
• Fitzgerald's Copyright bookmarks [all supplemental]
• See also WebCT/6300/Resources for several copyright resources. [supplemental]
  
• Ethical use of information for students: [You will see this topic in more detail in EDIT 6360].  [Required -- one of the following]:
  
• McKenzie, FNO May 1998:The New Plagiarism: Seven Antidotes to Prevent Highway Robbery in an Electronic Age
• Hamalainen, M. (2007). Useful tips on avoiding plagiarism. Library Media Connection, 25 (6), 40-41. persistent link
• R&Dp65: School library ethics--A battle of hats - C.Simpson
• R&Dp68: Plagiarism in an electronic age - J.D. Fisher & A.Hill
  

Discussion

• Big ideas:
  
• This area is huge - and vague.
  
• Privacy
• Safety
• Intellectual property (copyright, plagiarism): Copyright infringement is illegal; plagiarism is not (except where it is also a copyright infringement). Both are unethical.
  
• Access
• Responsible stewardship
  
• Discrimination and stereotypes in media
  
• Fiduciary responsibility, in loco parentis
  
• Normal professional ethics: everything from coming to work on time to avoiding sexual harrassment
  
• Confidentiality, information privacy: overdue notices; parental oversight of materials used by their own children; technology threats; Patriot Act and its implications
• Important: youngsters don't seem to be terribly concerned about privacy.  Should they be? What is our in loco parentis role in light of their disregard?
  
• Fair use, four tests:
• purpose (nonprofit)
• generally must be related to teaching objective
• displaying, performing for reward or entertainment forbidden
• nature of the copyrighted work
• portion of item used
• effect of use on market value
• If copying deprives author of a sale, it's not fair use (there seem to be exceptions)
  

• In the realm of information use and education, what ethical problems have you encountered?
• Some true stories (The Graphical Oboe; The Principal's Disney Chotskies; The Case of the Pilfered Powerpoint Slides; Just One Video; It's All for a Good Cause)
• What stories have you found? (LM_NET? real life?)
• Relationship between ethics and copyright and plagiarism
• We could work on the copyright "monster" over several classes, or even have an entire semester devoted to this.  The big idea: although you won't learn enough to become a copyright lawyer, you need to know your responsibilities regarding intellectual freedom and intellectual property AND ensure that your policies and procedures align with ethics and the law.
• Current concern: stealing of music, with parents being prosecuted. Cost: $Thousands PER SONG. (from 2007)
  

Updates from AASL 2007, George Pilling's presentation:

• Photocopying is still the most frequent copyright problem
• Highly recommended buying licenses for movies: one legit vendor is http://www.movlic.com/. Also consider United Streaming (very generous rights!) and Library Video Co. - make sure to buy the licensed versions.
  
• He reiterated the aggressiveness of Disney in protecting their copyrights.
• Rented movies? falls under "legally acquired."  Netflix et al?  That's a new one - don't know.
• Performing, copying less than 10%: usually ok,unless it's the heart of the work, or not whole in some sense.
• Fact compilations, like a phonebook, are not copyrightable.
• The more creative a work, the more copyrightable.
• Administrators may not photocopy an article and distribute to entire faculty (not to mention tree destruction).  Your job: provide alternatives, such as circulating the original magazine or referring to online subscription.
• Holiday movies taped off air, brought by students to be shown at school: highly questionable.
• Annotations for cataloging and bibliography: LOC's are ok to copy (because US Govt-produced materials are copyright-free, except stamps.)  You may use/reproduce if originate there.  Not so for some sources - be careful!
• Book jackets may be copied and reproduced digitally, because they are less than 10% and in most cases this activity has positive market effect.
• Watch out for cartoon characters and Barney.
• When you try to get permission, keep copies and try multiple times.
  
• Simpson and Crews are both authoritative.
  

2008 updates from COMO:

• Fair use may be eroding (Calvert, 2008)
• Licensing belongs in the contract law area, and binds you over and above any copyright requirements; click-through and shrink-wrap agreements are binding (Calvert, 2008)
• Young people are far less worried about privacy than professionals are (Shephard, 2008)
• More than 50% of fair use judgements in a recent decade were made in favor of the producer (Calvert, 2008)
• Parental oversight of minor children's media use is a gray area (Shephard, 2008) - subject to policy? (MAF)
• Older people see danger in cameras, viral videos, Facebook/MySpace "confessions," job eligibility, online health records (Shephard, 2008)
• Evidence that users want control of exposed information - Facebook example (Shephard, 2008)
  

Calvert, R. (2008). Fair use in the digital age: What can we do? Presentation at COMO Conference, Athens, GA, October.
Shepard, C. (2008). Sharing, privacy and trust in our networked world. Presentation at COMO Conference, Athens, GA, october.

In a nutshell:

1. Know the meaning of copyright, plagiarism, and privacy.
2. Understand the basic 4 principles of fair use.
3. Accept copyright attention as an ethical duty and model ethical behavior.
4. You are not, however, the copyright police.
5. Read a good copyright primer every few years. Keep a copy handy for researching details.
6. Go to copyright sessions at conferences to get the latest news.
7. Pay attention to information ethics in the news media.
8. The rules are often ambiguous; the answer to copyright questions is often "it depends."  When in doubt, follow the ethics. How would you feel if the practice in question were done to your _____ (fill in the blank with any piece of intellectual property that you own).  And: What would be the effect if everyone did the thing you are proposing to do?
   

Questions

• My teachers seem unconcerned about copyright. What can I do to raise their awareness?
• How much of this should be written into policy and into the PDEP?
  

More resources:

• Cooper, J. (2007). Patchwork plagiarism. Knowledge Quest, 35 (4), 62-65. [persistent link]
• Butler, R. (2007). Obtaining permission to copy or perform a work, Part II, 2006. Knowledge Quest, 35 (3), 48-.
• Dickinson, G. (2007). Tough choices. The question: I know that a classroom teacher is violating copyright guidelines. Should I turn him or her in to the principal? Knowledge Quest, 35 (3), 50-.
• Butler, R. (2007). Obtaining permisison to copy or perform a work, Part III, 2006. Knowledge Quest, 35 (5), 62-.
• www.carolsimpson.com
• copyright.gov: great brochures for distribution and other materials
• http://www.movlic.com/
• Adams 07, confidentiality: info article in WebCT/Retired (can't use as student readings again/copyright)
  

Program development and evaluation
Readings:

Part One: Preparing the PDEP Draft  (available as Audiolesson, recorded in 2007)

Preparation: Stop!  Do these before you listen!

• Make sure you've taken 2-3 days to recover from the RLP project.
  
• Read the article YATK Program Development section
• Read through the PDEP Assignment
  
• Read through the PDEP Draft assignment
• The audiolesson: go to WebCT/6300/Audio to access the mp3 file (we will cover in class 10/25/08)
  

Materials you will need to experience this lesson:

• This outline (either open in another browser window, or printed out)
• The PDEP Draft assignment (ditto)
• Information Power
  

1. Overview

2. Evaluation Cycle

• Other words for this process are: School Improvement, Long-Range Planning; Strategic Planning. You may be familiar with it from another context.
• Cycle goes something like this:
      1. evaluation and situation appraisal (revisit last year's plan, philosophies, policies)
      2. identify problems
      3. set Goals (5-year/long-term)
      4. identify sub-goals (objectives, short-term goals) with measurable outcomes
      5. identify strategies
      6. work the plan
      7. evaluate and start over
• This cycle should be repeated annually and collaboratively. 
  
• The Media Committee is instrumental in creating and supporting the Plan.
• The Plan itself should be considered as a Five-Year Rolling Plan.
  

3. Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Evaluation

• Goals (aka Long Range Goals) are big.
  
• They may be things you are always striving for.
• They may come directly from IP.
• They may sound "pie in the sky."
• They do not have to be measurable.
• However, you should be able to break them down into smaller units.
• They may span several years in your Plan.
• You should plan on a minimum of 4 Goals and a maximum of 8. In real life, this results in a manageable number.
  
• How should you come up with these Goals?
• Based on problems in your Program, identified through Evaluation
• An outgrowth of the School Mission
• Directly from IP
• Perennial examples: "support the curriculum;" "promote leisure reading;" "enhance student achievement in Science (or any other area)" ....and there are other good ones.
  
• Objectives
• For each Goal, there should be two or more objectives.
• Objectives come directly from the Goal.
• Objectives must be measurable.  Identify an evaluation strategy for each objective.
  
• You may have many objectives for a particular goal; you will be asked to identify the objectives to be worked on first.
• Set manageable benchmarks!
  
• Strategies
• Each objective may have several strategies.
• Strategies are concrete, behavioral steps that you (and the Program) are almost completely in control of.  These are things you know you can do.
  

Example: Reading Goal I: Promote leisure reading in our learning community.  (You will also be asked to justify the goal; why is it worthy?) Objective 1: In Year 1, increase circulation by 15%.  (Evaluation: Did circulation increase by 15%?) Strategy a: Sponsor a major reading promotion program in the early winter months. Strategy b: Strategy c: Objective 2: In Year 1, enhance the leisure reading collection to attract 5th grade boys. (Evaluation: What items were added to accomplish this objective?   According to an opinion survey of 5th grade boys, did the leisure reading collection improve?) Strategy a: Poll our 4th and 5th grade boys to determine topics of interest. Strategy b: Delegate 10% of the budget to purchasing titles that reflect these topics. Strategy c: Objective 3: In Year 2, enhance the leisure reading collection to attract Latino readers. (Evaluation:...) Strategy a Strategy b Example: Curriculum support Goal II: Support the curriculum by evaluating the collection in the area of current textbook adoption and purchasing supporting resources. (Justification: _____) Objective 1: In Year 1 (a science adoption year), enhance our collection and services to support science instruction. (Evaluation: _____) Strategy a: Strategy b: etc. Objective 2: In Year 2 (a language arts adoption year), enhance our collection and services to support language arts instruction. (Evaluation: _____) etc. In the PDEP Draft Assignment, a Goal Table template has been provided for you.

The PDEP Draft Assignment

Sample PDEP

• Exemplar: PDEP by Karen Garner and Michelle Largent
• other examples: visit Cohort 6 Page
• Cohort 7 PDEP Page
• Remember that I always tweak assignments from year to year - there may be slight variances between old examples and current requirements.
  

Discussion

Evaluation
Resources:

• Morris, Chapter 14: has several rubrics
• Nancy Everhart wrote an entire book on Evaluation of SLMPs.
• The IP Planning Guide is invaluable here.
• Georgia's Exemplary Media Center Program (contains excellent, rigorous rubric!)
• IP itself lists many goals with indicators; the Planning Guide builds on these.
• Evaluation of goals and objectives: how you plan to do this. Data collection resources:
• R&Dp97: Easy data mining for school libraries - C. MacDonell
• R&Dp99: Making better decisions by using better data - T.E. Young
• R&Dp160: School libraries and evidence: Seize the day, begin the future - R.J. Todd
• R&Dp168: Why action research? The leadership role of the LMS - J.K. Howard & S.A. Eckhardt

Points

• The big idea is to have benchmarks ("before" measures) and targets ("after" measures to shoot for).
• These can be captured in a rubric.  I think a reasonable pattern is presented below.  The whole point of it is to establish reasonable goals with room to expand if it's a very lucky year.
  
• Another big idea is to try to come closer each year, incrementally, to an accepted standard, such as some of those represented above.
• Don't confuse Program Evaluation with your Professional Evaluation (perhaps the GMSEP or the GTOI). However: make them work together in your setting; they should definitely dovetail!
• You don't necessarily have to go this far in the PDEP.
  

MAF's Reasonable Rubric for Recovering Perfectionists

Indicators (Goals/Objectives) for This Year	Acceptable We will be Satisfied if we meet 80% of these. We will be Ecstatic if we meet 100%.	Exceptional Levels to shoot for in case we have lots of extra money, time, good fortune, and energy!
Goal 1
Objective 1a (Spell out this objective here)	(Write a statement here that indicates qualitative or quantitative achievement)	Ditto <--
Objective 1b
Goal 2
Objective 2a
Objective 2b
etc.

Access

Do not spend much time here! It is an underlying principle but will be explored in depth in EDIT 6380.
Readings:

• AASL Standard 1.3 (Access to Information) [required]
• AASL Position Statement on Access to Resources and Services in the SLMP [required]
  
• R&Dp92: LMC facilities access: Do you really want your LMC used? T.L. Hart
  

Discussion:

• "Honor" both texts
  
• Underlying principle: access to information should be as free and open as possible. There are interpretations ranging from extremely conservative to extremely liberal of the principle of access.
  
• Barriers (to information):
  
• Just as it sounds - these are anything that get in the way between a user and the information needed
• Examples (we do a big project on this in Cataloging)
  
• While several barriers may be protective, it's our job to eliminate unnecessary and overly restrictive barriers.
•  At the same time, we must protect private information by creating barriers ("boundaries")
  
• Meaning of the standards; big ideas and themes
• Ethics and law:  things you can't/shouldn't do with information, and things you and patrons have the rights to do. For now, avoid violations as you become aware of these principles.
  
• Branch to Diversity
• Flexible and/or open access to the media center
• Multiple formats to meet diverse learner needs
• print, nonprint, electronic
• learning styles: sensory and otherwise
• special groups and their needs
• Intellectual freedom (the flipside of censorship) is a significant topic in EDIT 6340. It's a "hot button" issue, to say the least. We will explore it but not solve it. For now, start noticing the difficult pieces of this issue and try to keep an open mind.
• The Access Position Statement expands on the basic ideas from the Standards (although older). Naturally, since AASL is the source of both, the philosophies are closely aligned. We depend heavily on AASL for many professional ideas and principles, but there is always much discussion and disagreement going on about these controversial topics, both inside and outside the organization.
  

From another class: Access Enabler

• AASL Standard 3.1 (Connection with the Library Community) [required]
  
• Wasman chapter 18 [supplemental]
  
• YATK Services and Resources and Professional Organizations sections [for exploration]
  
• Cohen, S.M. (2004). Eight steps for keeping current. Knowledge Quest, 33 (1), 40-41. [GALILEO] [persistent link] [supplemental]
• R&Dp141: Journaling: Telling your professional "story" - D.Miller
• R&Dp144: Are you ready to go digital? The pros and cons of electronic portfolio development - M. Heath (of course you would do the digital version. Overlook that part, look at what it tells you about prof. portfolios.)
• National Board certification: R&D articles p. 148, 150
  

Discussion

• While you're in grad school, you are bombarded with growth opportunities. Once you graduate and have worked for a couple of years, it's easy to stagnate.
• It's crucial that you have ways to keep up with developments in the profession.  It's also crucial that you model Life-long Learning within your school community. (Why?)
• Two key avenues are professional journals and professional organizations ... and now, there are blogs, PLNs, increasing amount on online lecturing, etc.
  
• Professional Evaluation Instrument recommended by GLMA

------

Discussion questions: (taken from Muddy Points/FAQs of the past)

• How do SLMSs find the time to keep current?
  
• How can I organize all the information I find?
• After graduation, how soon should I worry about "keeping up?"
• With all the developments in technology, children's literature, media overall, education, and the profession, how do I find a focus or know what to pay attention to?

---

Collaborative planning overview

Readings from Syllabus:

• IP p. 47-57; Appendix A [required]
  
• AASL Standard 3.2 (Instructional Partner) [required]
• R&Dp3: What should a teacher expect a SLMS to be? C. Harvey
• R&Dp61: Collaboration: It really does work! J.L. Youssef
• R&Dp63: Open doors to collaboration with an open house - B.Yoke
• R&Dp189: Information literacy, collaboration, and "Killer Apps": New challenges for MSs - F. Georges [MAF's commentary in WebCT/Readings - 5min.]
  

Discussion

Thelan, L. (2003). Essentials of elementary school library management. Worthington, OH: Linworth.  (This book was not assigned reading; I like her handling of this subject.)

Discussion Questions:

• What are some strategies to introduce collaboration to teachers and get them on board?

Additional Readings:

Dickinson, G. (2006).  When does collaboration start?  School Library Media Activities Monthly, 23 (2).  Available online at:  http://www.schoollibrarymedia.com/articles/Dickinson2006v23n2.html

Teaching and Learning
Readings

• IP pp. 58-82; pp. 171-181 [required]
• AASL Standard 2.1: Knowledge of Learners and Learning [required]
• AASL Standard 2.2: Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher [required]
• AASL Standard 2.3: Information Literacy Curriculum [required]
• GSTEP Standards, Domain 1
• Making every moment count: Maximizing quality instruction time.  June, 2007 - result of collaboration between many professional organizations. Read overview, section by AASL, and glance at approaches suggested by other organizations.  Implications for teaching in the media center and collaborating with teachers.
• Information Literacy
• R&Dp31:Destination information: A road map for the journey - P.Milam
• R&Dp56: Moving from rote to inquiry: Creating learning that counts - V.H. Harada & J.M. Yoshina
• R&Dp60: Tools of the trade: Comparison of conventional and inquiry-focused schools - V.H. Harada & J.M. Yoshina
  
• Serving differences:
• IP pp. 68-69, 162-165 [required]
• Downing, J.A. (2006). Media centers and special education: Introduction to the special issue. Intervention in School & Clinic (42) 2, 67-77. [GALILEO: persistent link][*read this]
  
• Mendoza & Reese: Examining Multicultural Picture Books for the Early Childhood Classroom: Possibilities and Pitfalls [supplemental]
• York, S. (2007). Twenty-five years later: A librarian looks back ... and ahead. Library Media Connection 25 (6), 18-20.  Available fulltext in GALILEO/EBSCO.  Tags: 6300, diversity
• R&Dp40: Sink or swim? Differentiated instruction in the library - K. Larsen
• R&Dp135: Extending inclusive learning: Library and special education collaboration - J. Hopkins
  
• Assessment:
• R&Dp75: Authentic assessment in the classroom ... and the LMC - J. Mueller
• Staff development:
• R&Dp125: Conducting effective staff development workshops - K. Bishop & S. Janczak, and p. 128
• R&Dp129: Tools of the trade: Workshop evaluation form - J.D. Fisher & A. Hill
  

We will only touch on this here because it's impossible to ignore given the integrated nature of this job.
More opportunities to come
Teaching/Learning: you can never have enough courses, knowledge about teaching learning. All sorts of aspects: content areas; development; thinking/cognition; higher order thinking; learning models; instructional design; working with exceptional learners.

• Jellybean diversity
• What kinds of diversity should we include in our consideration?
• What are the media specialist's responsibilites regarding diversity?
• How can media specialists effectively address diversity?
• Key issue: access and barriers to access
• To be certified, you must take a basic exceptionalities course (like SPED 2000; certified teachers have already satisfied this requirement).  It's frightening to think that you must be prepared to handle all the different kinds of disabilities there are. Let the teachers who work with special children help you; collaborate with them. It's a good strategy in general: any time you have a challenge with a particular child, talk to his/her teacher for help in working with him/her.  You will learn a lot this way.  However, you are not expected to have anywhere near the level of expertise that a special ed teacher has.

---

Educational Leader
Readings:

• AASL Standard 3.3 (Educational Leader) [required]
• aware of current educational trends, issues - and relates SLM to these
  
• knows about professional associations in relevant disciplines (NCTE, IRA, PAGE, NEA, GAE, NSTA, NCTM, ISTE....)
• is active in bringing about change and improvement (rather than passive "victim")
• knows what other educators do, and works to include everyone (example: AM and her kindergarten/music/p.e./library time)
• keeps school mission and goals as a rationale for most efforts
• reads professional library literature (keeps up) and seeks ways to apply
  
• IP pp. 52-53
• Everhart, N. (2007). Leadership: School library media specialists as effective school leaders. Knowledge Quest, 35 (4), 54-57. [persistent link]
• R&Dp83: Leadership: What makes us tick? M.A. Anderson
• R&Dp168: Why action research? The leadership role of the LMS - J.K. Howard & S.A. Eckhardt

---

Management of Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical (Overview)
AASL Standard 4.2 [required]


Big Ideas from the Standard (tend to be very global):

• Management (a science in itself)
• Policies, procedures, principles
  
• Typical policies might include: Selection Policy (or Collection Development Policy); Acceptable Use; etc.
• Procedures include your internal how-to step-by-step lists and system procedures such as Acquisition
• Principles are the overarching themes we talk about a lot:
• Relationship of facility to program needs
• Supporting mission of the school
• Specific guidelines from the field that govern practice (example: ideas about working with the personnel you supervise)
• Resource management: personnel, financial, collection, tech infrastructure (possibly), facility, time
• Adequacy and suitability of resources
• Advocacy (target competency)
  
• Alternative funding (target competency)

My points:

• Management is the art of keeping resources in balance with needs.
• Resources include human time and expertise, funds and other in-kind contributions, and physical plant (facility, infrastructure, tools, collection).
• Leadership is a higher competency than management.  Management may be insufficient in keeping a program healthy, and is certainly insufficient in moving it forward. However, management is always necessary - it cannot be neglected.
• Human time, in particular, is often thought of as having $0 value. This is a big mistake.  Calculate your wage per hour as a demonstration of this.  Count as a resource any staff time, student aide time, or volunteer time.  Try to delegate tasks according to their resource costs.
  

Big Ideas from Morris (2004), and related even if you don't have this text:

• Circulation (a procedure, p. 509), including patron privacy and security (discussed below)
  
• Inventory and weeding (p. 518)
  
• Collection maintenance (p. 524)
• Record-keeping and reporting
• Book fairs

For more information:

• Morris, B. (2004). Administering the school library media center (4th ed.) Libraries Unlimited.  [chapter 12]
  

Stimulating Learning Environment (Facilities Management)
Readings:

Discussion

Other references:

• Morris 7
• Simonyi, S. (2007). Time for a change. Knowledge Quest, 35 (3), 24-.
• Harper, M. (2007). How physical design can influence copyright compliance. Knowledge Quest, 35 (3), 30-.
• Subel, S. (2007). Facility design as an agent of learning. Knowledge Quest, 35 (3), 38-. [persistent link]
  
• Ercegovac, Z. (2007). Listening pays off: SALON@marlborough. Knowledge Quest, 35 (3), 42-.
• Landscape Your Library to Attract Students (Braxton) - WebCT (retired: used once)

Human Resources (Personnel)
Readings:

• Wasman, chapters 15-16 [supplemental]
• YATK: Media Support Personnel; Technology Team
  
• Appropriate Staffing for School Library Media Centers (AASL Position Statement) [required]
• Media Center Volunteers - A Collaborative Problem Project by Mary Lewis, Karen Willingham, Nancy Andrews, Angie Furney, and Roy Jackson (Cohort 5)
• Dickinson, G. (2006). The question ... should I correct those who refer to my library clerk as the librarian? Knowledge Quest 35 (2), 60-61. [persistent link]
• Management of Media Staff - Beth Clark, Dana Turner
  
• Davis, S.K. (2004). Harnessing the power of parent volunteers. Knowledge Quest 33 (1), 30-31. [persistent link]
• Schipman, M. (2006). It's cool to work in the library: Student library aides. Library Media Connection 25 (3), 26-27. [persistent link]
• Lagesten, C. (2007). Students as library leaders: Student team builds leadership skills while helping to battle budget cuts. Teacher Librarian, 34 (5), 45-47. [persistent link]
• R&Dp106: Perks, rewards, and glory: The care and feeding of volunteers - S.K. Fullner
• MAF's resources tagged human-resources
  

Discussion:

• Proper staffing levels: Georgia rule 160-5-1-.22
• Gradual erosion since about 2003
  
• Supervision of staff
• Appropriate tasks for paraprofessionals
• Inappropriate tasks for non-certified helpers
  
• Strategies for working with parapros: Clark & Turner, slide 5
  
• Media Committee -- not under your supervision, but a very important human resource!
  
• Volunteers
• Interpersonal issues
  
• How many of your duties can you delegate to paraprofessionals, volunteers, or student aides? (Muddy Point, Cohort 5)

Other references:
--Morris, chapter 6


Time management
Readings:

• Fitzgerald, M.A., & Waldrip, A. (2004, August/September). Not enough time in the day: Media specialists, program planning, and time management, Part I. Library Media Connection 23 (1), p. 38. [GALILEO] [supplemental][persistent link][in R&D, 2007]
  
• My favorite resource on TM: Getting Things Done by David Allen

Discussion

• TM in the LMC is very different from the classroom.
  
• Sources of demand for your time:
• Schedules and the calendar
• Requests and tasks from administrators and staff of varying importance and urgency
  
• Students: assistance and supervision
• Housekeeping routines: shelving, etc.
  
• Projects: recurring and one-time; short-term and long-term
• Likely, many others
  
• Juggling strategies:
  
• Keeping up with inputs: you need "buckets."  Ideas: cards in pocket when you travel down the hall; one task per card.  Don't keep anything in your head that you can write down.  Treat every request as a golden treasure that cannot be lost!  Deal, eventually, with each in some way.  The worst thing you can do is "drop" tasks. It's better to say you can't/won't than to "drop" or ignore.
  
• Every day, check all buckets for new tasks.
• Have a system for prioritizing.  Mine: "fires," top, middle, low priority.  Fires truly must be taken care of immediately - rare.  I try to do all tops, a certain number of middles, and one or two "fun" low priority things.
  
• Every day, keep a running prioritized list.  Obviously, do the most important first. Mine: cards or separate pieces of paper, sorted in a file.  The sorting capability is critical. A long to-do list where things just get added to the end is pretty useless.
  
• You must have enough flexibility to respond to new, urgent requests.  You must also learn how to judge what few tasks fall into this category. Don't fall into the trap of dropping what you're doing every time a new task appears.
  
• Be dependable with the tasks you commit to. Ask for "need-by" dates.
  
• You will NEVER get all your tasks done. Learn to live with this.  It's important to know when you have reached a point in your day where you have done enough to go home.
• Tickle files are a great strategy for off-loading tasks into the future.
  
• To-do lists were frustrating to me in the MC. I never crossed off things and kept adding to them all day.
  
• It's also easy to neglect important projects because urgent things are always coming up. I recommend an incremental, baby-step approach to projects.
• Delegate!   And don't micro-manage your helpers! Give them ownership and feedback, but don't breathe over them.  Accept that some things won't be perfect, and they really don't have to be. (Part of leadership is knowing which things must be perfect/nearly perfectly done.)
  
• Keeping calm saves time.
• When you find yourself doing the same things over and over ... answering the same question over and over ... consider building a tool to avoid.  Examples: templates for emails that you repeat often; job aides next to machines that puzzle users; good signage.
  
• Consider your patterns of daily energy (some say "biorhythms").  Match your tough tasks to your higher-energy times.
• Multi-tasking: good and bad.  It's important to have multiple projects going on because there would be lots of down-time otherwise.  On the other hand, you can literally focus on only one thing at a time.
  
• Do us all a favor and don't join the Cult of Chronic Overworkers.  This is escalating in our culture through a social mechanism.  But - we all need balance.  You will be no good to anyone once you've burned out.  Find a sustainable level of effort.  This will differ between individuals.
• Your management system will become overloaded from time to time. These are opportunities to reassess its effectiveness.
• Learn to judge the difference between things you think you should do and truly optional tasks.  Many times, these later must be delegated to the future - and eventually may lose importance.  These are not usually requests from others, though.  Requests must be handled in one way or other in a reasonably timely manner.
  

Discussion Questions

• How in the world can a SLMS wear all of his/her hats and still have a life outside of school?
• How do you set priorities?
• Is it realistic to think we will have the time and opportunity to collaborate?

Public Relations
Readings from syllabus:

• Wasman chapter 17 [supplemental]
• AASL's Advocacy section of website [exploration required]
• Vanneman, S. (2007). Advocacy: Sparks and threads. Knowledge Quest 35 (4), 36-38. [persistent link]
  
• Baumbach, D. J. (2005). The school library media center web page: An opportunity too good to miss. Knowledge Quest, 33 (3), 8-12. [Jan/Feb; see GALILEO.] [supplemental][persistent link]

• Fullner, S.K. (2007). Is your fish dead? Create your library brand. Library Media Connection 25 (6), 32-33. [