2014-15
HOPE COMMUNITY ACADEMY
STATE OF THE LIBRARY REPORT AND STRATEGIC PLAN
Helping Teachers Teach | READ.CONNECT.LEARN
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Goals and Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Appendix:
SLJ’S AVERAGE BOOK PRICES 2013
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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Introduction The HOPE Community Academy library is a place for investigation, study, and enjoyment. As a learning environment with professional guidance HOPE students are able to: Gain confidence as explorers of literature Find joy and enrichment in reading Build information skills as well-versed finders, users, and creators of information Seek challenge in media-rich settings that blend literature, research, and technology. The library serves all students in grades kindergarten through eight, as well as the HOPE faculty. The library program is designed to assist all its patrons in the learning process and to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information by: Providing intellectual and physical access to materials in all formats; Providing instruction to foster competence and stimulate interest in reading, viewing, and using information and ideas; Collaborating with other teachers to plan, design, teach, and evaluate information literacy learning experiences to meet the needs of all students; Demonstrating effective leadership strategies in the administration of the program. (Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, 1988)
The goal in fulfilling these steps is school achievement Substantial research indicates that a school library with appropriate staffing, adequate funding, and rich collection of materials in various formats makes a positive impact on literacy as well as on overall academic achievement regardless of the socio-economic or educational levels of the community. Summaries of current research related to school libraries, available on the Library Research Service webpage and the American Library Association webpage, consistently demonstrate that: Collaboration between teachers and the school library through cooperative planning, identification of educational resources, and imparting information literacy skills, positively impacts teacher effectiveness and promotes students growth. Providing access for teachers and students to school library facilities and resources helps support students and has a positive effect on retention, work performance, and grades. 2
A direct result of school libraries and school librarians is the exposure of instructional support to young students. This exposure increases the likelihood that a student would voluntarily read and become a participatory, literate, and independent learner. Early learners benefit from access to the resources needed for them to learn, such as books and computers, and with more access to these resources, students will read more, acquire a broader skillset, and perform better on tests. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds, and this diversity requires a network of supports that school libraries can provide to help all students progress through their educational pathways. School libraries support many at-risk students who do not have access to technology or possess the technological literacy skills to succeed as 21st century learners. School libraries, and more specifically school librarians, promote student achievement by helping to synthesize the necessary skills needed to align standards with curriculum. School librarian involvement in professional development activities creates a school environment that promotes leadership and achievement. Effective school libraries and school librarians help close the achievement gap, directly resulting in higher state assessment scores. (Informational Brief: Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement. New York Comprehensive Center October, 2011)
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Essential Functions Minnesota Administrative Rule 8710.4550 governing the licensing requirements of school media specialists identifies the following three essential functions: 1. Learning and teaching •
Leads information literacy instruction including the evaluation and analysis of the credibility, relevance, and currency of information;
•
Coaches instructional staff in support of curriculum, information technology, and information management;
•
Teaches students to be critical consumers and producers of information;
•
Teaches students and staff to use emerging learning technologies for school and lifelong learning;
•
Teaches students to be safe, ethical, and responsible digital citizens.
2. Program administration, services, and delivery •
Provides open and equitable access to resources, technology and information services for the entire school community;
•
Develops and administers inviting and effective physical and digital library environments;
•
Selects and manages resources to support teaching and learning;
•
Administers information management systems to support learning and school programs.
3. Reading advocacy •
Selects and manages a relevant collection of fiction and nonfiction in a variety of formats, ensuring quality reading choices for all students;
•
Manages resources in support of established curriculum;
•
Establishes and models a powerful and ubiquitous culture of reading in the school community;
•
Motivates and guides students to read for enjoyment and understanding.
As important as all three functions are it is arguably the last — reading advocacy — that occupies the most critical position, especially as it impacts HOPE Community Academy and my role as teacher-librarian at the school.
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School Libraries Support the Reading Program While is undeniably true that every classroom should have a library of materials that is large and diverse enough to provide daily opportunities for students to read self-selected materials, it is equally true that every school should have a fully funded library that meets state and/or national standards (Report of the NEA Task Force on Reading, 2000, p.7). A school library and a classroom collection of reading material both support the school reading program. One cannot substitute for the other. One – the school library – is a collection of resources that are organized according to a standard system with materials catalogued and classified to be accessible to the entire community of learners. The other – the classroom collection – is organized and leveled to service the individual classroom. Research reveals that leveled classroom collections are most effective when augmented by rotating collections and individual student selections suggested by the teacher-librarian. (Jami B. Jones and Alana M. Zambone (2007). The Power of the Media Specialist to Improve Academic Achievement and Strengthen At-Risk Students.)
Teacher-librarians help schools meet reading and learning goals when they have the skills, dispositions, opportunity, and resources to: provide collaborative programs for reading instruction;. select resources to meet the learning needs of all students; assure that technology, teaching, and learning are integrated seamlessly; select resources that support national and state learning standards; select resources that enhance leveled classroom collections; provide imaginative materials and instruction that promote reading motivation; encourage students to seek, access, and use information independently; provide for free voluntary reading, individual reading selection, and reading guidance. (Roscello, Frances and Patricia Webster (2002). Characteristics of School Library Media Programs and Classroom Collections: Talking Points. Albany, NY: Office of Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Continuing Education, New York State Education Department.)
At the heart of funding for a school library is the critical need for more and better books, print and electronic, for students to self-select and read. Studies show a positive relationship between library quality and the amount read, as well as a relationship with reading competence. Simply put, better libraries mean more literacy development for students of all ages. 5
Goals and Objectives The standards identified in this document are taken from the Minnesota Standards for Effective School Library Media Programs. The Minnesota standards rank goals at “Minimum”, “Acceptable” and “Exemplary” levels. Those I have selected are based on “Acceptable” proficiencies. Action steps (objectives) are my recommendations for achieving the goal. Duration of implementation for the action steps is one to six years. Whenever possible goals are accompanied by statistical data on the current state of the library based on the 2013-14 school year. The budget submitted in this plan is for the 2014-15 school year. Budget projections for subsequent years are not included since it is impossible to accurately gauge the changing needs of the school, our student population, the impact of state and federal standards, and advances in technology over a span of time greater than one year. eBooks and eReaders are not detailed in this report nor in the accompanying budget. Recommendations for these resources and related expenditures will be presented in a separate report assembled by a committee of teachers of which I am a member.
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1. Is the program essential and fully integrated? MN Acceptable Standard: “50 – 100% of classes use the media program’s materials and services the equivalent of once each semester. The media specialist is a regular member of the curriculum teams. All media skills are taught through content-based projects.”
Current Status 100% of K-8 classes use the library’s materials and services at least once each week through the school year (2013-14). Usage, however, is uneven with a significant majority of students using the library coming from grades K-5.
Circulation by Patron Report Class 447
462 K-5 6938
6-8 Staff
Goals Participate in curriculum planning. Increase middle school instruction time and book circulation.
Action Steps Implement a collaborative-based Middle School Wednesday. Instruct students in the effective use of print and electronic resources related to specific curricular and/or independent learning needs and assist them in developing their own research strategies. I will expect each middle school student group and their teachers to come to the library for instruction a minimum of two times each month. Time for independent book selection will be included during these visits. Add to print and eBook collections for middle school students with an equal amount of funding going to fiction and nonfiction collections. Funding for fiction should be maintained or even increased since reading for pleasure is an important motivating factor in this age group. Work on a school curriculum planning team. Maintain modified flex schedule that permits all K-8 students to come to the library once each week for time in the library that includes instruction and book selection.
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2. Are the information literacy standards integral to the curriculum? MN Acceptable Standard: “Students complete all resource-based projects required by the Graduation Rule’s High Standards. There are a clear set of media and technology benchmarks for each grade level.”
Current Status Grade level benchmarks for HOPE students can be found at the HOPE Community Academy Library Lessons & Resources website and the HCA Library website. A Scope of Instructional Focus can also be found at the HOPE Community Academy Library Lessons & Resources website and the HCA Library website. In general, the goals of the library instruction program are as follows: Students will demonstrate proper listening skills and behavior. Students will demonstrate proper use and care of books and other resources. Students will select appropriate materials for reading enjoyment and/or completion of classroom assignments. Students will improve their reading skills. Students will identify a variety of literary forms. Students will develop knowledge of research skills and materials. Students will access information using printed text, electronic resources, the Internet, and other available technology. Students will improve their written and oral communication skills. Action Step Monitor and adjust benchmarks and scope and sequence in response to the changing needs of students and in response to mandated state and federal standards.
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3. Does the media program model and promote collaborative planning and teaching? MN Acceptable Standard: “The media specialist has a schedule that allows meeting with teachers on a regular basis to plan resource-based projects. The media specialist is a member of grade level groups. The media specialist has defined responsibilities for teaching skills in each project.� Current Status Collaborative planning is difficult to accomplish with a modified fixed library schedule. As has been the case in previous years, since I am teaching during the time the primary grade team meetings take place it is not possible for me to contribute to curriculum planning and project discussions. Middle school team meetings occur before my arrival at school. In spite of this impediment the collaborations that have taken place have resulted in the creation of a number of online Pathfinders that support specific topics. I have also created a teacher resources wiki for all grades and specialties and a web 2.0 source guide for the professional and support staff at HOPE. Goal Work with 20% of faculty to plan and teach library/information literacy skills for specific collaboratively planned lessons. Action Steps Create a Curriculum Connections page on the HCA Library website. Create an online form for teachers to submit their requests for new materials to be added to the library collection based on their curricular needs. Email grade level teams on a first-of-the-month basis requesting information on their planned curriculum for that month. Meet with teachers on an individual basis to plan time for their classes in the library and to solicit opportunities for collaboration. Create an interactive calendar on the library website for teachers to reserve new or additional library time during open periods. Develop a collaboration form for kindergarten through Middle School.
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4. Is there access to a full range of information resources? MN Acceptable Standard: “The media specialist evaluates, acquires, and promotes resources in print and non-print formats. The media specialist helps staff and students access other community resources.� Current Status* Total items: 7,145 (print materials); 125 (non-print materials) Total cost: $121,588.33 (print only) Cost average: $17.34 (print only) Copyright average: 2000 (print only) Average age is 4 years older than recommended. Size deficits are greatest in General Fiction, Early, and 900s areas. *Mackin Collection Analysis 6/16/14 based on MARC records in our library database. Mackin was able to categorize 99.9% of the collection data.
Access to eBooks and audiobooks through MackinVia. Three paid subscriptions to online resources (PebbleGo, CultureGrams, and Discovery Streaming). 19 periodical subscriptions.
Current Number of Items
Books Purchased by Vendor
(Print and Non-Print)
(2013-14)
68
175
58
67
60
3126
50 40
3776
30 20 Fiction
Nonfiction
Professional
Reference
DVD/VHS
eBooks
10
0
48
13
Mackin
Scholastic Book Fair Profit
Used Book Store
0
10
Item Count by Collection 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 30
176
12
974
772
461
37
929
1493
578
1147
369
71
175
46
0
*Audiobooks and eBooks furnished through MackinVia. Combined total of 67 is recorded elsewhere in this report as eBooks only.
Classification Percentages 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
Current Collection %
Mackin Recommended Collection %
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Weeding Consideration of Total Collection
Age of Collection
Based on Mackin Collection Analysis 6/16/14 10
0-1 years old
3%
864
2-5 years
6-10 years
657
2261 3047
11-20 years
25%
Nonfiction
16% 3% 53%
Early Early Chapter Fiction Reference
20+ years
Goals By 2020 the library will have 13,500 books, or 27 books per student based on an enrollment average of 500 students. This number would bring the HOPE library into compliance with the 2012 School Libraries Count report in which the recommended average number of books (K-12) is 13,517. Remove (weed) approximately 2,000 items from existing collection due to their condition, age, and obsolescence. Average copyright in six years: 2013
As pointed out by the California Department of Education’s report (June 30, 2014) on school libraries, “The Internet does not replace the need for books and often increases the demand for up-to-date library materials.”
The School Libraries Count! 2012 Full Report, AASL's national longitudinal study on school libraries, has detailed findings on Collection Size on pages 8-9: The average number of books in school library collections increased significantly from 2011 to 2012 (2011: 12,989; 2012: 13,517). The Characteristics of Public Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Centers in the United States: Results From the 2011–12 Schools and Staffing Survey published August 2013 by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) includes Table 4. Average number of holdings, additions, and expenditures in library media centers during 2010–11 for various kinds of materials, by selected school characteristics: 2011–12, which indicated an average number of holdings of 12,930 for the Primary School level; 12,410 for the Middle School level; 13,350 for the High School level, and 12,490 for Combined.
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Action Steps To achieve these goals, the library will add 1,800 books each year for the next six years by purchase while simultaneously removing 500 significantly damaged, irrelevant, and/or non-circulating books each year over the same period beginning in the 2014-15 school year.
1,800+ / 500– Plan Year
Collection Total
Add
Remove
2014-15
7,145
1,800
500
2015-16
8,445
1,800
500
2016-17
9,745
1,800
500
2017-18
11,045
1,800
500
2018-19
12,345
1,800
500
2019-20
13,645
Percentages of fiction and nonfiction and their selection will be based on the current requirements of Common Core State Standards: “In grades 3‒5, literacy programs shift the balance of texts and instructional time to include equal measures of literary and informational texts. The standards call for elementary curriculum materials to be recalibrated to reflect a mix of 50 percent literary and 50 percent informational text, including reading in ELA, science, social studies, and the arts…. (Italics mine) “In grades 6‒12, ELA programs shift the balance of texts and instructional time towards reading substantially more literary nonfiction….including essays, speeches, opinion pieces, biographies, journalism, and historical, scientific, or other documents written for a broad audience….The standards emphasize arguments (such as those in the U. S. foundational documents) and other literary nonfiction that is built on informational text structures rather than literary nonfiction that is structured as stories (such as memoirs or biographies)…. ELA and Literacy Criteria, Grades 3‒5; ELA Curricula, Grades 6‒12, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2 May 2012. David Coleman and Susan Pimentel, http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Publishers_Criteria_for_3-12.pdf
Weed 45 obsolete VHS tapes and develop over the next five years an instructional support collection of 30 to 50 DVDs available for teacher check-out. Add World Book digital resources and SIRS Decades to our online collection. Maintain subscriptions to PebbleGo, CultureGrams, and Discovery Education. Maintain current number of magazine subscriptions. 13
5. Does the media program encourage reading, viewing, and listening? MN Acceptable Standard: “The media contains current materials of high student interest in a variety of formats. A formal program to encourage student reading, viewing, and listening is in place.” Current Status The Scholastic Book Fair takes place in the fall and spring of each school year. Library reading promotions and incentives are associated with book fair themes. Resources are promoted through the HCA Library website and blog, HCA Library Curriculum and Resources website, and the Book Dragon book review blog for grades 3 through middle school.
Goals Design, develop, and implement programs — including reading guidance and motivation — that encourage reading for enjoyment and information. Provide a carefully selected and systematically organized collection of diverse learning resources that represent a wide range of subjects, levels of difficulty, and formats. Action Steps Promote reading and basic literacy celebrations, events, and activities by engaging students in the following programs: •
Rave Reviews o Students submit book reviews online and post them to the library website.
•
Minnesota Youth Reading Award o Purchase three sets of this year’s nominated titles and invite students in grades 3-5 to read at least three titles from the nominee list. Once they do so they would be eligible to vote for their favorite title in March. Winners are announced on April 25.
•
Math Stats Challenge o Post a monthly math problem on the library bulletin boards for grade 3, 14
4, and 5, as well as on the library’s websites. Students with correct responses receive an extra book checkout coupon. •
The Connected HOPE Library o Use five iPads to connect with book-related online content via QR codes, HOPE library resources, and participate in activities.
Provide an automated means for teachers to submit requests for materials and routinely query them about resources that are needed in the library to support their instruction. Develop an annual budget that maintains and improves materials and services. Maintain up-to-date information about the costs of library media center materials and services and be aware of school budget changes and/or limitations. Continue participation in Scholastic Book Fairs.
6. Does the program integrate the use of technology? MN Acceptable Standard: “The media specialist employs existing and emerging technologies to access, evaluate, and disseminate information for integration into instructional programs.” Current Status Students and staff are provided with school-wide and remote access to electronic library resources though a library-designed portal. Technology —including multi-media, Promethean board, and the Web — is integrated into the library curriculum and instruction. Students routinely use netbooks to practice skills and for assessments. Web-based library management system (Atriuum). Four OPAC-dedicated computers and one circulation computer.
Goal Incorporate iPads into library instruction and activities that promote reading. Action Steps Use five iPads to connect with book-related online content via QR codes, HOPE library resources, and participate in activities. Continue to investigate and use technologies that contribute to students’ development in reading, viewing, listening, evaluating, and communicating. 15
2014-15 Budget Request Books*
$36,000
Reading Advocacy
$530
Periodicals/Newspapers
$550
Online Database Subscriptions
$4,700
Nonprint Materials
$200
iPad Apps
$50
Atriium Library Automation System
$900
Supplies & Equipment
Professional Development
eBooks/eReaders**
$1,300
$330
K-8 fiction, nonfiction, and reference print collections based on the 1,800+/500- Plan. Maud Hart Lovelace Div 1 Book Award Nominees (MN Youth Reading Award program for grades 3 to 5)
Student-interest and curriculum-focused titles for grades K-8.
PebbleGo bundle, SIRS Decades, CultureGrams, Discovery Education, World Book bundle
DVDs
Annual renewal. Consumables such as bar codes, labels, label protectors, book processing supplies, office supplies, library promotionals, bookmarks, signage, library equipment, and teaching supplies. ITEM Conference TIES Conference (December, 2014)
$0
* Average cost per book: $20.00. See Appendix A. ** eBooks and eReaders will be itemized in a separate proposal.
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Appendix
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