Annual Report 2023-2024

Cox Library Cox Library

Then

Old Mission Statement Old Mission Statement

The primary mission of the William Coburn Cox Library is to stimulate the intellectual curiosity of the individual student and to enrich the educational environment of the School by providing a comprehensive and up-to-date resource center. Our goals are: to support the academic curriculum with a carefully selected, well-balanced collection of traditional and electronic resources that offer access to information both within and outside of the library; to teach research skills and to support students in their research; to inspire creative and critical thinking; and to provide attractive, comfortable areas for scholarly research, quiet study, and recreational reading.

The primary mission of the William Coburn Cox Library is to cultivate a passion for learning and to enrich the educational environment of the School by providing a comprehensive and up-to-date resource center. Our goals are: to support the academic curriculum with a carefully selected, well-balanced collection of traditional and electronic resources that offer access to information both within and outside of the library; to teach research skills and to support students in their research; to inspire creative and critical thinking; and to provide attractive, comfortable areas for scholarly research, quiet study, and recreational reading.

2014 Cox Library Review

“Develop a new library mission to better serve the students and faculty with a commitment to leading Milton Academy to achieving its vision for the future.”

Now Vision Vision

The William Coburn Cox Library strives to construct a communal space that truly embodies the notion that the library is the heart of the academic community. As Milton Academy continues to evolve in response to a constantly changing environment, Cox Library is committed to developing a information hub where students have access to ample and varied research, learning, and collaborative opportunities that reflect a community’s diverse learning needs. By increasing our students’ opportunity to ask questions, make connections and exchange ideas, this educational environment will further support the mission of Cox Library and Milton Academy.

Values Values

Cox Library is committed to upholding the core values of the Academy, including diversity and the pursuit of competence, confidence and character, which are also inherent in the library’s core value.

Student-centered service: The library is committed to making students’ needs the focus of Cox Library. We strive to accommodate a diverse student body by offering reliable reference assistance through e-mail and in person consultations. The Library staff looks to provide comprehensive support in order to help students succeed at their highest level.

Collaboration: As the heart of the Milton Academy community, the library works to foster teamwork and communication by creating the space and the opportunity for faculty to connect with and explore resources relevant to both professional and personal learning. We encourage faculty to bring us in to the planning for all student projects, no matter how small (or short) the project will be.

Inclusiveness: As a diverse institution, we seek to ensure that all patrons: students, faculty, staff and community members are treated equally and with consideration. We believe in respecting personal opinions and valuing individual thinking for everyone in our community.

Then Learning Spaces 1971-2022

"Reorganize the Cox Library spaces... consider learners who need differentiated learning spaces and tools..."

"Remove the periodicals from the 'Periodicals Room' and use the space as media-rich

Learning Spaces 2023-

The new Cox Library has spaces for partnered learning, small groups, a classroom and many cubicles for solo studying. We offer a Quiet Room, where students have a silent area available to them.

Our classroom has clearboards (in lieu of whiteboards) and a ClearTouch screen for instruction by librarians and teachers.

Average Age of Average Age of Collection Collection

# of Books # of Books Added Added "Heavily weed and

# of books # of books Circulated Circulated CEC*: 9 Print: 5301 Print & eBook Total: 5, 310

Average Age of Average Age of Collection Collection

# of Books # of Books Added Added

# of Books # of Books Circulated Circulated

Our print collection is strong, containing current materials that support the research needs of our students in both Middle and Upper School.

The fiction (including adult, young adult and graphic novels) is heavily used and promoted throughout the school via LibraryAware posters, displays and lists of What’s New.

Database Usage Database Usage

Total Digital Tools usage:

Total # of database searches:

Total # of databases:

Noodletools Bibliographies:

Most Popular Databases: Most Popular Databases:

Database Usage Database Usage

Total Digital Tools Usage*:

*Including: NoodleBib, LibGuides, Commonwealth Ebook Collection, EBSCO, Oxford and Gale ebooks and EDS:

Total # of database searches:

Noodletools Bibliographies:

Most Popular Databases: Most Popular Databases:

The addition of new databases, including a 250,000+ ebook collection has further increased our ability to support both research and reading for pleasure.

Upper School: 461 Middle School: 41 Classes in the Library Classes in the Library

History & Social Studies: 443

: 35

*Math, Science, Art & Speech

: 24

“We have updated our online presence, “We have updated our online presence, including adding resource guides that have including adding resource guides that have gotten over gotten over 12,000 12,000 views.” views.”2015-16 Annual Report

“Develop a scaffolded approach to citing sources which includes and allows the use of electronic resources, such as NoodleTools.”

“Investigate a variety of research, inquiry, and project-based models”

Upper School:

English: 28 visits

History: 471 visits

Other: 54 classes

Classroom Classroom

IInstruction nstruction

Middle School:

English: 55 visits

History: 83 visits

Classes in the Library Classes in the Library

History of the Middle East

Proof & Problem Solving Algebraic Concepts

U.S. in the Modern World

World History: Challenges & Changemakers

Social Studies Grades 6-8 (including the Global Citizenship Project in grade 7)

While we have not adopted a specific research model (like Stripling, Eisenberg, Kulthau or Yucht) we have created a scaffolded approach to the major research projects, as seen in our Research Process guide.

NoodleTools has been adopted in grades 6-12 and is required by the History and Math teachers; we have had other opportunities to teach students citation in Physics and Biology.

Developing Digital Resources Developing Digital Resources

Cox Library Website 2016 Cox Library Website 2016

“The library website organizes the library’s online resources but does not extend into areas of further student interest...”

“The Upper School library space, its resources, programs and literature collection need to be promoted regularly...to include...virtual spaces. ”

“The library website needs to provide resources that students want and need.”

The creation of a student and faculty digital portal, maintained on the LibGuides platform, provides a flexible, up-to-date online library space. Both the Middle and Upper School portals reflect current literature on “best practices” for user experiences. They are accessible and easy to navigate, as well as being structurally consistent with all resource guides.

While academic resources are prominent, other resources, such as recommended reading and library crafts are also highlighted without being visually overwhelming.

Then

Professional Development Professional Development

2016 2016

Memberships

GCBLA, ALA

Conferences

GCBLA Meetings, NEAISL Conference

External Service

GBCLA President, 2013-2014

Internal Service

Teach Affective Ed classes

Work on Winter Dance Concert

“The librarians, as a part of their own professional development, need offcampus visits to Greater Boston school library programs. ”

“The librarians should regularly attend conferences. This is important to the revisioning process for the libraries.”

2014 Cox Library Review

Professional Development Professional Development

2024 2024

Memberships

GBCLA; ALA; AASL; AISL; ISS; YALSA; LIRT; RUSA; ACRL; MSLA; NELA; ACRL/NE

Conferences

ALA annual and midwinter conferences

AISL annual conferences

YALSA Symposiums

ALAN workshops

MSLA conferences;

NEAISL conferences

NEIT conferences

NELA conferences

WILU

LiLead Conference

2020 AISL Summer Institute

Bank Street BookFest

Boston Teen Summit

Additional External Service

2024 AISL Conference tech host

2023 AISL Professional Development

Program co-chair

2022 AISL Conference co-chair

2019 AISL Conference planning committee

Alex Awards

Morris Award

LIRT Transitions to College committee

LIRT Liaison committee, chair

Children and Young Adults Science Fiction

Notable Awards

GCBLA Website committee

GBCLA Outreach Committee

Presented at:

2023 Milton Reunion Weekend

2023 NEAISL Conference

2022 MSLA Conference

2021 ALA Annual Conference

2021 AISL Conference

2021 AASL/ISS Webinar

2020 NELA Conference

2019 AISL Conference

2018 ALA Conference

2017 Faculty Forum

2016 Faculty Forum

2015 Faculty Forum

Full Courses

Professional Development

GOA’s Design for Online Learning course

Embedded Librarians online course

AISL Zoom conversations

AISNE Beyond the Why and Into the How:

Practical Steps Toward Inclusive

Classrooms

Class Action

Project READY

ISTE Empowered Learners

Best Practices for Boosting Reading with SORA

Antiracist teaching with YA Lit

Collection Development

Multiple Publisher Book Buzzes from Sourcebooks; Harlequin/Workman/ Algonquin, ALMA, Macmillan, Scholastic, Harlequin, Norton/Sourcebooks, Little Brown HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Ingram

New Books New Worlds/Diverse Titles for Youth & Young Adults

Genre and Age Groupings: Middle Grade; Mystery Books; Graphic Novels, Winter Books, Spring Books, YA/Teen, Four Content Trends to Engage K-12

Students

BookExpoOnline

Library Journal and School Library Journal

Days of Dialog

Short Classes

Library Planning

Marketing your Library

More tech tools for reopening libraries; Towards a New Normal

Contemplative Pedagogy

What's Next for Collection Strategy and Reader's Advisory

Mindfulness for Librarians

How to prevent DDC from Othering your Collection

Technology classes and webinars:

Library Aware

Digital Resources for K-12 | Learning in the Age of COVID

Managing Staff Remotely

Tech and Developing Virtual Library

Multiple webinars on using SpringShare’s products (LibGuides, LibCal and LibWizard)

Virtual Book Clubs

External

2016 NEAISL Conference, host

2017 Fall GCBLA Meeting, host

Additional Service

Internal Advising 6th grade

MS Social Studies Hiring Committee

US Circle Convener

NEASC Standards Committees

US Faculty Evaluation Committee

US Feedback Committee

US Hybrid Technology Committee

US Schedule Committee / May semester subcommittee

The librarians have made good use of the various conference opportunities available, from attending GBCLA meetings and serving on the conference committee for the 2019 AISL Conference in Boston to presenting to an international audience during the COVID years.

We have continuously striven to keep aware of trends and upcoming publications via publisher’s Book Buzzes and have attended many webinars to increase and improve the library’s technology and digital offerings.

Then

Cox Library Goals Cox Library Goals

Organize library instruction curriculum/K-12 scope and sequence

Embed information and digital literacy learning and assessment into projects

Library orientation for new faculty

Develop a library orientation for students

Adoption of K-12 standards (ISTE/ACRL/AASL)

Archives Archives

Provide more dedicated time for the Archivist to manage the Archives

Outsource the digitization of the Archives

Create/develop a rotation of archives displays throughout the campus.

Prioritize supplies budget for archives, digitization and cataloging of materials.

2014 Cox Library Review

2014 Cox Library Review

Cox Library Goals Cox Library Goals

Thanks to a dedicated team and focus on the report’s recommendations, only a few goals have not been reached..

With a new Director of Library Services, Upper School Dean of Faculty and Upper School Principal in 2024-2025, we hope to be able to put these goals front and center of our planning.

Archives Archives

While the majority of the archived materials were moved to storage either at IronMountain or a space in Braintree, some items remain on campus (mostly items that support quick historical reference or the Historical Archaeology course).

Starting July 2024, there will be an Academy Archivist working on organizing, digitizing and reassessing the archives; the position is no longer part of the Director of Library Services job description nor part of the library department.