Summer Perry's School Media Library Portfolio by Summer Perry

School Media Library Portfolio Submitted Fall 2011 Summer Perry Lexington, Kentucky University of Kentucky School of Library and Information Science School Media Librarian Grades P-12

Table of Contents

Section 1: School Library Media Specialist Personal Philosophy 2: Matrices of Kentucky Teacher Standards (Experienced) and American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards Addressed by Artifacts 3: Artifact 1: “To Be or Not to Be Digital?” Research Paper with Rationale Demonstrates KTS 1 and 6 and AASL Standards 2.1 and 4.1

4: Artifact 2: “Searching for Biographies” High School Lesson Plan with Rationale Demonstrates KTS 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 and AASL Standards 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, and 3.3

5: Artifact 3: Library Media Center Manual with Rationale Demonstrates KTS 3, 4, 6, 8, and 9 and AASL Standards 1.3, 1.4, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3

6: Artifact 4: Media Literacy Brochure with Rationale Demonstrates KTS 1, 6, 8, and 10 and AASL Standards 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.2, and 2.3

7: Artifact 5: “Wonderful Wikis” Professional Development Presentation with Rationale

Page 4 8 12 30 42 106 114

Demonstrates KTS 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, and 10 and AASL Standards 3.1, 3.2, 3.3

8: Professional Development Plan

132

9: Signed Statement of Original Work and Release Form

136

School Media Library Portfolio Summer Perry Section 1: Personal Philosophy

School Library Media Specialist Personal Philosophy My responsibility as a school library media specialist is to equitably facilitate, encourage, and guide students in their search for information and lead them down a road to literacy by fostering an open and comfortable school library climate while also setting high expectations for each student. All of my student patrons have a right to respect and a high quality of service from me. Each of my interactions will be defined by a personal commitment to the values of free communication, equitable education, accessible information, and personal freedoms. An idealistic goal – and one which I will strive for – is to try to reach every student in some way. I will conduct myself with tact and professionalism, including engaging in continued professional development and remaining a compassionate individual. I will be well-grounded in information science, reflective in my practice, culturally responsive to all students, and committed to continual growth through professional development. I will respect intellectual freedom through resistance to censorship, including any biases from myself. I will respect the intellectual property rights of authors by providing information on how to ethically use information, including proper citations. My colleagues, and I, have a right to work with competent and caring coworkers that promote the same values of free and equitable access to information. I will not allow conflicts of interest to deter me from my ultimate goal of helping all to the free access of information. The roles of the library media specialist can be multi-faceted and quite broad, but, combined, they serve to address the many “hats” that I will wear. These roles have been outlined through Empowering Learners (2009). One role is that of leader, both in the school and in the community. I will strive to be a valuable member of my school’s staff by taking an active role in the welfare of the school and being responsive to address the needs of teachers, students, and administrators. In the school media center, I will lead by example by demonstrating ethical use of materials, showing respect to all who enter the library, and volunteering to take on leadership roles throughout the school. This will be

valuable to the media center because it will allow me to advocate for beneficial programs and services that might otherwise go unnoticed by other leaders in the building. By being a professional leader, I will benefit the media center and ultimately the students who will utilize it. Another role is that of instructional partner. I will work with teachers in my school to ensure students achieve educational outcomes and meet various goals, all the while becoming information literate individuals to prepare them for the demands of a 21st Century society. I will collaborate with teachers of all content areas to ensure that library materials reflect and support their curriculum, and I will stay current with changes in standards, such as the new Common Core Standards adoption for the 2011-2012 school year. Periodically, I will survey teachers to ask for feedback and materials requests from them. This will benefit the media center by encouraging teachers to have open communication with the media specialists and to use the media center more for their curricular needs, thus solidifying the media center as the instructional heart and hub of the school. An additional role is that of information specialist. This being probably the most traditional role in the perception of others in the school, I will serve to retrieve and evaluate various information sources, to teach students and staff alike to effectively search for, retrieve, and evaluate information, and to model strategies of finding information using ethical means. In order to be proficient at this role, I will remain current with best practices and information technology that would support more accurate and efficient information seeking and finding. This will benefit the media center because I will be viewed as a knowledgeable professional and a helpful resource for others in the school. Yet another role is that of teacher. I will work with students to encourage learning beyond the classroom in an inquiry-based instructional capacity. I will support teachers by instructing whole classes or small groups with teacher-requested lessons, such as information evaluation, information seeking through reliable sources, or choosing and locating books for reluctant readers. This will benefit the

media center because it will allow for positive interactions with students and their teachers, and it will encourage students to continue to use the media center and approach the media specialists for help. A final role is that of program administrator. I will be responsible for the running of the library, such as setting policies, planning activities, hiring staff, setting the budget, and evaluating the media program. I will review and update policies and procedures before the beginning of each school year to ensure they are current and aligned with school-wide policies and procedures. I will plan most activities prior to the school year so that I can advertise them to teachers early in the year, but I will allow flexibility for activities that teachers may suggest or that students may request. If building staffing permits, I will hire a library assistant to take care of daily library tasks and oversee student aides. I will plan the budget allocated from my principal to best support our academic programs and the supplement and augment the current collection. I will also evaluate the media centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall performance and strategic plan to make sure the program is heading in the same direction as the school. In all of my roles, I have the duty and responsibility of encouraging students to become information literate, of supporting the faculty in achieving instructional goals, and of helping the school meet its academic potential, and I will strive in all of my roles to help achieve these goals.

School Media Library Portfolio Summer Perry Section 2: Standards Matrices

Kentucky Teacher Standards (Experienced) Matrix STANDARDS

Standard 1: Demonstrates Applied Content Knowledge Standard 2: Designs and Plans Instruction Standard 3: Creates and Maintains Learning Climate Standard 4: Implements and Manages Instruction Standard 5: Assesses and Communicates Learning Results Standard 6: Demonstrates the Implementation of Technology Standard 7: Reflects On and Evaluates Teaching and Learning Standard 8: Collaborates with Colleagues/ Parents/ Others Standard 9: Evaluates Teaching and Implements Professional Development Standard 10: Provides Leadership Within School/ Community/ Profession

Artifact 1

Artifact 2

Artifact 3

Artifact 4

Artifact 5

“To Be or Not to Be Digital?” Research Paper

“Searching for Biographies” High School Lesson Plan

Library Media Center Manual

Media Literacy Brochure

“Wonderful Wikis” Professional Development Presentation

American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Matrix STANDARDS

Artifact 1 “To Be or Not to Be Digital?” Research Paper

Artifact 2 “Searching for Biographies” High School Lesson Plan

Artifact 3 Library Media Center Manual

Artifact 4 Media Literacy Brochure

Artifact 5 “Wonderful Wikis” Professional Development Presentation

Standard I: Use of Information and Ideas Standard 1.1: Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior Standard 1.2: Literacy and Reading Standard 1.3: Access to Information Standard 1.4: Stimulating Learning Environment

X X

Standard II: Teaching and Learning Standard 2.1: Knowledge of Learners and Learning Standard 2.2: Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher Standard 2.3: Information Literacy Curriculum

X X X

X X

Standard III: Collaboration and Leadership Standard 3.1: Connection with the Library Community Standard 3.2: Instructional Partner Standard 3.3: Educational Leader

X X

Standard IV: Program Administration Standard 4.1: Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using Standard 4.2: Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical Standard 4.3: Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment

School Media Library Portfolio Summer Perry Section 3: Artifact 1

To Be or Not To Be Digital?: That is the School Library Question Summer K. Perry LIS 637-201 Information Technology Professor Kwan Yi University of Kentucky Originally Submitted: February 2011 Further Revision: October 2011

Abstract This paper explores the advantages and disadvantages of school libraries becoming digital libraries. Numerous advantages exist, including reaching a wider amount of students, including those with special needs, having constant access to relevant and reliable information, and building a current collection that remains continually current with digital resources. The main disadvantages are costs, possible limited access for financially disadvantaged students, and copyright considerations. However, the positives far outweigh the negatives, and digital school libraries are an important, if not necessary, option to consider for the future.

To Be or Not To Be Digital?: That is the School Library Question

Imagine a large yet welcoming room filled with curving tables topped with numerous state-ofthe-art computers and flat screen monitors. Knowledgeable individuals circulate amongst the users of the computers, making sure their searches for information are proceeding successfully. The users are finding various media – online documents, web pages, videos, audio files – that are helping them in their searches for an inquiry-based class assignment. Lining the walls of this room are shelves, but they are empty. This room is a school library media center, but the books are all gone. Why? This particular school library has “gone digital” and now uses non-print, electronic media exclusively. Does this sound like an impossible scenario? In the not so distant future, this may actually be the norm for a school library media center. While digitizing school libraries may take time and money, digital school libraries represent a viable option for future prospects, and the benefits of a digital school library outweigh the drawbacks in terms of access to information, currency and relevancy of information, and societal advancement of students. What would a digital school library entail? Fundamentally, the physical space of a digital school library would consist of sets of computers, possibly grouped so that various classes could use them at the same time, machines for electronic reading, and software that would facilitate file sharing to various devices, including a student’s own electronic reader. Electronically, the digital school library’s collection would depend upon the individual school, but would most likely consist of a core of databases to acquire nonfiction materials, a wide array of fiction titles available through e-readers, downloads, or audio devices, and ancillary services, such as audio streaming or social networking capabilities. But what about the books? Many say that current

and future students, as part of the “Internet generation” or “net gen,” would not miss them. The modern student embraces (and is even possibly immersed in) technology and the multiple modes of media that it can deliver. Arafeh, Levin, Rainie, & Lenhart (2002) report that, as of July 2002, the Pew Internet & American Life Project showed that 60% of children under age 18 in America – more than 43 million – use the Internet. About 78% of those between the ages of 12 and 17 – almost 18 million – use the Internet. They point out that “*o+ne of the most common activities that youth perform online is schoolwork.” Since these students are “digital natives,” it seems a logical conclusion that that a library to support their online activity, especially school-related work, would be a natural fit for their needs. Johnson (2007) says, “We know our “net gen” students prefer their information in bytes rather than pages” (p. 46). Students would clearly adapt well to a digital school library, but how would adults react? With the school library being digitized, where does that leave the school librarian? Will they become obsolete? The answer seems to be a resounding “No.” Weinstock asserts of school library media specialists, “they are needed more than ever, to help students deal with the different challenges brought by encountering so much information” (p. 57). Because such a vast amount of information would become available at a student’s fingertips, the need for guidance from a school library media specialist would become even more important. School librarians would obviously be available during the school day, but they could also offer online help through the use of instant messaging, e-mail, and social networking. The school library could set up a “Frequently Asked Questions” page to address student concerns around the clock. Along these same lines, Ketelhut, Clarke, Dede, Nelson, & Bowman (2005) believe that digitizing resources will make the role of the school librarian that much more crucial. They discuss the numerous ways that digital resources can benefit school librarians:

“*E+merging interactive media can open library collections in imaginative ways to a wider audience. For cash-strapped school districts with overcrowded classrooms and underfunded libraries, new media may not only keep these school libraries functioning but may allow school librarians now locked into gate keeping and clerical tasks to act as information specialists, teaching the use and analysis of high-level curricular resources.” (p. 29-30) This basically means that digital libraries would allow school librarians to accomplish more tasks and reach more people with a higher quality of service, a vision that any school librarian would love to see come to pass. Lamb and Johnson (2008) stress that “*m+uch more than a static library web page, a web presence provides an ongoing, virtual connection with students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members. ... [Y]ou can create an online environment providing virtual resources and services that are available even when you're busy.” According to this, a digital school library could help a school library media specialist multi-task and reach more students and teachers. What more could a school librarian ask for? It is important, nevertheless, for individual schools to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of going digital. What advantages would exist for a school library as a digital library? Besides meeting the needs of the modern student and allowing school librarians to work “smarter, not harder,” digitizing school libraries would offer numerous benefits that a printed-resourceonly school library could not offer. Among the benefits are continual access for information, unlimited options for space requirements, a more up-to-date collection, and additional opportunities to personalize user interfaces for students with special needs. Numerous authors provide extensive reasons of the advantages of an all-digital school library. With the first and most recent list, McKenzie (2011) discusses the pros of a school library making its collection digital with the “many advantages to supplying fiction and nonfiction in a digital format includ*ing+: … Resources are in your collection immediately, without taking up physical space. Items are

available 24/7. … The font can be changed according to needs. The text can be read aloud for the person who needs or wants it delivered in this format. … Editions can be quickly updated. E-versions can be downloaded on portable devices and read anywhere” (p. 56). These advantages emphasize the endless possibilities of accessibility that a digital school library could offer. Next, Loertscher (2003) provides a wide-ranging and thorough explanation of the advantages of a digital school library; the following are among the many points made: “The digital library provides for individual differences in ways print libraries could not do very well. Using the personalized space construction tools, the library can serve age ranges, ability levels, personal preferences, languages and sophistication levels. … Equity issues are served very well by the digital school library and are particularly effective with funding agencies trying to serve every child. … Access to information in the digital world will not depend on access to a single physical location with the traditional organizational restrictions to when, where, and at what time information resources can be used.” These points are mainly of interest to teachers who serve students who may need special accommodations. If digitizing school libraries does mean more accessibility for students with disabilities, that may mean opening an educational door for a group that is many times underserved with current resources. With the final outline of advantages, and with a more broad scope, Marcum (2003) catalogs three main advantages of a digitalized school library, based on the collection, the users, and the school librarians: “It will be a comprehensive collection of resources important for scholarship, teaching, and learning. It will be readily accessible to all types of users, novices as well as the experienced. It will be managed and maintained by professionals who see their role as stewards of the intellectual and cultural heritages of the world.” These points put emphasis on the vast quantity of materials that could become available to a large amount of people with the digitalization of a school library. The above reasons address many instructional perks that digitization can offer, and they are all considerations that school librarians, faculty, and administrators may seek to address by “going digital.”

The main, and perhaps the most important, reason for a school library to be digitized would be preparing students for their future roles in society by emphasizing technological and information literacy. Certain aspects of a digital school library would allow for a broader use by students who may be otherwise alienated because of the various ways information can be presented. This is particularly noted in the demographic of students with disabilities. Perrault (2010) writes, “When school librarians offer materials and information in a range of formats, students can access and use information that previously may have been unavailable to them. An increasing number of school librarians are discovering that, for many students with disabilities, the multi-modal resources offered by digital libraries are just what they need to break down barriers and facilitate learning” (p. 65). Thus, digital school libraries could serve to actually close academic gaps of students with disabilities and offer them options to information that they may not be able to otherwise acquire. Church (2005) takes this a step further in citing the role a digital library could play in increasing academic achievement across the board, with all students. She states that “*s+tudies … show that academic achievement is higher in schools where library media programs have quality collections, library media specialists take an active role in curriculum and instruction, information literacy is taught, and information technology is used effectively. All of these elements come into play with virtual school libraries.” Mardis and Payo (2007) claim that “digital libraries can also be used to strategically enhance the implementation of the school library program by expanding collaborative opportunities, sparking student creativity, and enhancing the sticky innovative atmosphere of the school library.” A digital school library may be just what a struggling school needs to boost standardized test scores, but, more importantly, this type of library could open worlds of information and innovation to students and teachers alike that they might normally be closed to.

What disadvantages would exist for a digital school library? With advancements do come drawbacks. In this case, the major disadvantage of a school library converting to a “paperless” digital library would be cost, both initial and maintenance-related. This can be a large consideration for a cash-strapped school with a tight budget that seems to shrink every year. McKenzie (2011) points out that e-readers and online subscription services to databases or periodicals can be expensive. Marcum (2003) concedes the point that “putting libraries online will require big bucks.” However, he follows this with an explanation that the cost would be worth it because “recognition is rising that digital development benefits would amply warrant more substantial investments.” He explains that the Digital Promise Project is helping to lobby for grants and other sources of funding by asking Congress “to recognize that digital developments can revolutionize American education as much as did the provision of the GI Bill for veterans' education, the Morrill Act for land-grant colleges, and the Northwest Ordinance for public schools.” Mardis, Hoffman, and Marshall (2008) acknowledge that moving toward an all-digital school library may be a difficult task: “educational digital libraries have the additional challenges of adoption and sustainability faced by any new instructional innovation within school systems, including those barriers inherent to technology integration generally in schools” (p. 25). While the costs of a digital school library may be steep, the general consensus of researchers seems that the large impact on student achievement and continued benefit of these digital resources would be well worth the expenditure. Another disadvantage of digital school libraries may lie with inequitable access to resources. Limited access to technological resources by some students (commonly referred to as the “digital divide”) may be seen as a barrier, but Mardis, Hoffman, and Marshall (2008) assert that “*a+ccess to technology in schools does not always result in use, nor does use always result in enhanced instructional practices or learning outcomes … Factors beyond personal access and knowledge or skill levels affect usage, an important consideration for educational digital libraries” (p. 22) This implies that adoption

and perceived importance of technology by the teacher or the school library media specialist would be an important factor in students using digital resources. Plus, if access is an issue, the school library could offer technology, such as laptop computers, tablets, and e-readers, for checkout as part of its offerings. A final concern to reflect on is copyright. According to McKenzie (2011), even if a school library purchased a digital resource such as an e-book, “*i+t would be a blatant breach of copyright to allow students and staff to make a copy of the book and retain the original on the server. … We are working on instilling a culture of academic honesty and respect for intellectual property, so these considerations are important” (p. 57). School libraries would have to deliberate the issue of copyright and the ethical use of digital information, as well as educate students about these issues, before a true answer could be reached. Clearly, disadvantages exist to a school library going digital. However, the educational benefits of the digital school library far outweigh these drawbacks, and plans could be made to address each problem. For instance, schools could apply for grants to defray the expense of a digital library and could then gradually build up their technology over time while spacing out the costs. This would allow libraries to ensure access for all students, through the lending of appropriate technology to students who may need it. Finally, school librarians can create digital lending policies that include ethical procedures for circulating digital copies of fiction and nonfiction, and they can continue to teach students ways to properly cite sources consulted or used for class assignments. Would a digital library make for an effective school library? In summary, a digital library would make an extremely efficient and possibly superior school library experience, especially for secondary schools. In his article “Requirements for the Future Digital Library,” Marcum (2003) gives the directive: “we must build massive, comprehensive digital collections that scholars, students, and other researchers can use even more easily than they use the book-based collections we have built up over the centuries.”

Adding to this, Valenza (2005) puts it nicely: “We must create relevant landscapes for learners. If we are to meet learners' needs with quality resources, and if our goal is to graduate learners who enter the worlds of academia and business with 21st century information skills, there is no time to waste. … Librarians can tame information chaos by providing interfaces that create order as they offer instruction. A virtual library can become an integral part of the instructional culture of the school” (p. 59). Digital school libraries may be the only type of school library that will truly meet the needs of students to come. While this will take time and funds, the benefits of a digital school library outweigh the drawbacks in terms of students staying up-to-date with current technology, being literate consumers of information, and achieving success after school. School libraries may ask, “To be or not to be digital?” For the sake of future generations, we can only hope the answer is “To be.”

References Arafeh, S., Levin, D., Rainie, L., & Lenhart, A. (2002). The digital disconnect: The widening gap between Internet-savvy students and their schools. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2002/PIP_Schools_Internet_ Report.pdf.pdf Church, A. P. (2005). Virtual school libraries: The time is now! MultiMedia & Internet@Schools, 12(2), 8-12. Johnson, D. (2007). Managing the intangible: Digital resources in school libraries. Library Media Connection, 26(1), 46-49. Ketelhut, D., Clarke, J., Dede, C., Nelson, B., & Bowman, C. D. (2005). Extending library services through emerging interactive media. Knowledge Quest, 34(1), 29-32. Marcum, D. (2003). Requirements for the future digital library. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 29(5), 276-279. Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2008). The virtual teacher-librarian: Establishing and maintaining an effective web presence. Teacher Librarian, 35(4), 69-71. Loertscher, D. (2003). The digital school library. Teacher Librarian, 30(5), 14. Mardis, M., Hoffman, E., & Marshall, T. (2008). A new framework for understanding educational digital library use: Re-examining digital divides in U.S. schools. International Journal on Digital Libraries, 9(1), 19-27. Mardis, M. A., & Payo, R. P. (2007). Making the school library sticky: Digital libraries build teacherlibrarians' strategic implementation content knowledge in science. Teacher Librarian, 34(5), 814. McKenzie, D. (2011). Digital resourcing and access in the school library: A Pandora's box of problems, ponderings, and potential. Library Media Connection, 29(4), 56-7.

Perrault, A. (2010). Making science learning available & accessible to all learners: Leveraging digital library resources. Knowledge Quest, 39(2), 64-68. Valenza, J. (2005). The virtual library. Educational Leadership, 63(4), 54-59. Weinstock, J. (2010). Is the librarian next to go? Technological Horizons in Education (THE) Journal, 37(6), 37.

ARTIFACT 1 RATIONALE “To Be or Not to Be Digital?” Research Paper Context Entry 1 for my School Media Library Portfolio is a researched paper that states my opinion on school libraries “going digital” by storing or converting their collection to electronic media and using Web 2.0 tools. I wrote it in the spring semester of 2011 for my second technology class, Information Technology (LIS 637). For this assignment, students were asked to write about the broader topic of digital libraries in regards to a chosen type of library. I chose to write about school libraries, since that is my specialization, and I wanted to discuss advantages and disadvantages before making my final statement of recommendation for school libraries “going digital.” I wasn’t sure as I researched the topic, but the more I found out, the more interesting – and beneficial – a prospect it became. After reviewing outside sources and synthesizing them in the paper, my final thought was that the advantages of digital school libraries “going digital” far outweighed the drawbacks. I chose to include this paper in my School Media Library Portfolio because it addresses an area of school libraries in which I am extremely interested, technology, and it demonstrates my abilities to find, evaluate, and ethically use information to communicate a purpose. It also demonstrates my knowledge of current issues in school librarianship and of recent technology available for media centers. Finally, I chose to include this as an entry because I feel that understanding and developing the skills involved with research and writing are crucial for media specialists to take part in and model if they want their students to do the same. Communicating an informed position in written communication is a form of leading by example in this way.

Standards Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 1: Demonstrates Applied Content Knowledge This Portfolio entry meets KTS 1 by demonstrating my knowledge of current issues in the field of library science and my ability to acquire this knowledge. The standard calls for “current and sufficient academic knowledge of certified content areas,” and such an in-depth research paper shows a deep academic understanding of both the content and the research process. This type of in-depth understanding of knowledge of concepts and issues related to the media center will enable me to communicate various facets of these concepts to students, as called for in 1.1 by having “an in-depth understanding of concepts, processes, and/or knowledge,” in 1.4 by helping students “understand content from appropriate diverse, multicultural, or global perspectives,” and 1.5 by correcting “misconceptions related to content.” Possessing this type of content knowledge, as well as knowing the research process, is necessary for any media specialist, and practicing the skills involved in the process is crucial in being able to teach these skills to students. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 6: Demonstrates the Implementation of Technology This entry also meets KTS 6 with the technological skill required to access and search electronic databases to “access and manipulate data; enhance professional growth and productivity; … and conduct research.” With the ever-growing number of electronic resources available in an educational setting, it is important that a media specialist remain knowledgeable about using such resources. This helps satisfy 6.2 in that conducting research will help me “design and implement research-based, technology-infused instructional strategies” and 6.3 in that having students conduct similar research assignments “provides varied and authentic opportunities for all students to use appropriate technology

to further their learning.” The topic of the research paper ties to this as well, in that staying current with uses of technology to benefit students, such as creating a digital or partially-digital collection, will allow students to gain more experience using technology themselves. Finally, using my own References page as a model, I can promote the “ethical and legal use of technology,” as outlined in 6.5. In order to provide more help to students in their research process, a media specialist should remain aware of and proficient in the technology used to find information sources and to create a successful, ethical research paper. AASL Standard 2.1: Knowledge of Learners and Learning Additionally, this entry meets AASL standard 2.1 in that conducting this type of research allows a media specialist to remain current in trends and practices that best meet the needs of 21st Century learners. This use of the research process will help me “design library media instruction that assesses learner interests, needs, instructional methodologies, and information processes” through current knowledge gained through the expert sources and the collection of information about best practices in the media center. By remaining familiar with current instructional practices and with research that discusses how students learn, I will be a more effective media specialist. AASL Standard 4.1: Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using Finally, this entry meets AASL standard 4.1 by nature of the research gathering process itself. After a topic is decided, the proper database must be used to find reputable sources, then those sources must be analyzed and evaluated to decide what to include in the writing process. This process allowed me to “select, analyze, and evaluate print, nonprint and electronic resources … to meet diverse curricular and personal needs” of my own, thus this will enable me to continue doing so for resources in the media center. Knowing that students will need these similar types of reputable resources will also keep me aware of “plan*ning+ for efficient use of resources and technology to meet diverse user needs.” A media

specialist must have the skills to select, organize, and use resources that best meet the needs of their student and faculty users. Reflection Originally writing this paper proved beneficial in building my knowledge and skills in preparation for becoming a school library media specialist in a few ways. First, researching this paper (and others) throughout the MSLS program has given me the opportunity to utilize my own search skills using an academic database (in this case, I used EBSCOhost), and this is a skill I would want my students to be able to learn and practice in my media center. The more familiar I am with the process of searching on these same databases, the better I will be able to help students become proficient at it. Second, researching for these types of papers allows me to review and read the latest publications and research published on my selected topic so that I may remain knowledgeable and current with trends and issues in the school library world. Third, this paper allowed me to weigh the advantages and disadvantages and make my own decision that digitalization of a school library, if given the opportunity, would be a beneficial decision for students, faculty, and the school library itself through the flexibility and versatility allowed with technology.

School Media Library Portfolio Summer Perry Section 4: Artifact 2

Library Media Center Lesson: Searching for Biographies CREATED BY: SUMMER K. PERRY DATE: SEPTEMBER 2011 SCHOOL/LOCATION: TATES CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, LEXINGTON, KY GRADE: 11 LIBRARY CONTEXT:  

Flexible Stand-alone lesson

COLLABORATION CONTINUUM: 

Moderate

CONTENT TOPIC: EFFECTIVE SEARCHING/NARROWING SEARCHES ESTIMATED LESSON TIME: 20 MINUTES American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards addressed: 1.1.1: Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the realworld connection for using this process in own life. 1.2.2: Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices in the selection of resources and information. 3.2.2: Show social responsibility by participating actively with others in learning situations and by contributing questions and ideas during group discussions.

Kentucky Core Academic Standards (KCAS) addressed: W.11-12.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

OVERVIEW OF LESSON:  



Preparation: I will have pulled biographies that address a person’s rise to the top and have them out at tables as examples or suggestions. Analogy: Searches are like the experience of Goldilocks (of the Three Bears…): some are too broad, some are too narrow, and some are just right. Our goal is to understand and use what searches are JUST RIGHT. Demonstration: I will show students a typical search on DestinyQuest. (Since they are looking for biographies, I will start with “biography.”) This results in 1602 matches. However, when I add “success” in an advanced search, it narrows the field to 87 hits, and, further, when I add “business,” it narrows it to 7 matches. This will demonstrate how to use specific search terms for a more effective search, based on topic. Group Practice: Students will work in groups of 4, determined by the table at which they will be sitting. I will give each group an envelope of search terms, some of which are too broad and some just right. Groups will decide together which is which, then two of the students will be responsible for justifying why the group thought the terms were too broad or just right. A third student will then revise the terms that were too broad to create a “just right” keyword search. (AASL 3.2.2, KCAS SL.11-12.1) Assessment: The fourth student in the group will then create three sample search terms that could be used to find one of the books on their table (too broad, too narrow, just right) in a “quiz” that they will then pass to another table. The other group must then determine which is the “just right” search. For their assessment in practice, they will then search for and choose a biography based on search criteria and their interests. (They may also want to browse the biographies that I pulled and put out on tables to help them choose.) (AASL 1.1.1, 1.2.2, KCAS W.11-12.7)

ASSESSMENT:  Product: Students will verbally discuss answers then provide a written justification. Groups will take “quizzes” created by other groups.  Process: Students will self-select an autobiography using effective search skills.

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES/STRATEGIES:

 

Resources students will use: o Other (list): Tates Creek’s OPAC, DestinyQuest Instruction/activities o Modeling and guided practice: Model search; Part of “I Do, We Do, You Do” strategy o Sharing and reflecting: Group discussion/justification of answers o Independent practice: Individual students picking a books

Summer Perry Dr. Melissa Johnston LIS 676 – Practicum September 29, 2011 Practicum Student Lesson Reflection Lesson Title: Library Media Center Lesson: Searching for Biographies American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards addressed: 1.1.1: Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the realworld connection for using this process in own life. 1.2.2: Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices in the selection of resources and information. 3.2.2: Show social responsibility by participating actively with others in learning situations and by contributing questions and ideas during group discussions. Kentucky Core Academic Standards (KCAS) addressed: W.11-12.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Standard I Teacher Designs and Plans Instruction Teacher Standard/Benchmark

3 Satisfactorily Demonstrated

I a. includes objectives that describe student learning congruent with Program of Studies and Core Content and national standards when appropriate.

I c. addresses achievement levels & cultural attributes of all students in the class.

I d. connects instruction to reallife situations and other disciplines.

I e. integrates media and technology into instruction.

I f. includes multiple level and higher-order thinking tasks.

2 Partially Demonstrated

1 Not demonstrated

Not Applicable

Comments: I feel that standards-based lesson planning is one of my strengths as a teacher and instructional coach, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one I hope to bring to the table as a Library Media Specialist. Particularly, I am quite familiar with the new Kentucky Core Academic Standards since I was on a district curriculum leadership team formed to facilitate the roll-out of the new standards, which went into effect this year. First, I used AASL standards plus the new Kentucky Core Academic Standards to plan my lesson after I consulted the classroom teacher to clarify her assignment question and her studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. I also consulted with the two media specialists who know the interests and abilities of their student body. I used technology to help me by utilizing the Tates Creek OPAC to search for biographies to pull for students, and I also demonstrated how to use DestinyQuest (with a new interface that student were not quite familiar with) to conduct effective searches, which I was sure to point out that it was a skill they could use in more situations than just a library search. Overall, this particular standard is an area I perceive to be strength for me, and I feel it allows me to have a solid foundation for future experiences in the LMC.

Standard IV Teacher Assesses and Communicates Learning Results Teacher Standard/Benchmark

3 Satisfactorily Demonstrated

IV a. aligns assessment with the Kentucky Program of Studies and the Core Content for Assessment.

IV b. uses multiple assessments and sources of data.

IV d. provides assessment that addresses the diverse learning needs of all students.

IV e. conducts individual and group analyses of learning.

IV f. communicates the analyses of learning results to students and parents. IV g. promotes student selfassessment.

2 Partially Demonstrated

1 Not demonstrated

Not Applicable

Comments: The area of assessment is one that can be difficult to fulfill as a high school library media specialist, since the grade for library participation is more up to the teacher. But in this case, assessment doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily have to be a grade in the grade book: library media specialists have a role in which they can see products (a book in the hand of a student) as a result of student learning. Various types of assessment, including student self-evaluation or group evaluations, can be helpful in formatively assessing what students can do, and I think that I successfully incorporated these various types of assessment in this particular lesson with my group and individual tasks involving the evaluation of mock search terms. In having students create their own quiz, I was promoting self-assessment. I do think that I gave feedback to students as they searched for biographies that interested them, so in this way, I communicated results to them, but they were not necessarily communicated to parents, so I chose â&#x20AC;&#x153;Partially Demonstratedâ&#x20AC;? for that criteria.

ARTIFACT 2 RATIONALE “Searching for Biographies” High School Lesson Plan and Reflection Context Entry 2 for my School Media Library Portfolio is the lesson plan I prepared for a high school class whose task it was to search for biographies. I created this as part of my School Media Practicum (LIS 676) during the fall of 2011. The practicum is invaluable in providing hands-on experience in a school library, and one of the requirements is to collaborate and plan a lesson in conjunction with a teacher. This is an essential part of a school media specialist’s job, so this assignment was realistic as well as valuable. I selected this lesson plan and reflection to include in my School Media Library Portfolio because it demonstrates my role in planning for instruction in the media center. After collaborating with the classroom teacher to find out what she wanted her students to accomplish (they were to write an essay on how people overcome obstacles in their lives), I worked to create a lesson that would help students find biographies using keyword searches so that, if they did not already have a biography in mind, they could use the OPAC to search topics they were interested in. In planning, I used both American Association of School Librarians (AASL) standards and the new Kentucky Core Academic Standards to make sure that my lesson was skills- and standards-based. Also, focusing on these standards helped me create an appropriate formative assessment, which is possible for a library media specialist and which aids the classroom teacher with an informal gauge of what their students know. Standards Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 2: Designs and Plans Instruction This lesson plan serves first to provide evidence of my ability to design and plan lessons related to media literacy. When beginning to plan the lesson, and with contextual feedback from the classroom teacher

as addressed in 2.2, I first determined my objectives, which I aligned with the Kentucky Core Academic Standards, as called for by subsection 2.1. Within the lesson, I chose to use the instructional strategies of modeling and scaffolding to provide a “learning sequence using instructional strategies and activities that build on students’ prior knowledge and address learning objectives” from 2.4. To informally assess the searching strategy, the final activity was for students to independently find a suitable biography, fitting with 2.3 for assessment and 2.5 for developing higher-level thinking. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 4: Implements and Manages Instruction Furthermore, this lesson serves as evidence of my implementing and managing instruction in the media center. This lesson clearly shows that I used various instructional strategies to meet the objectives while keeping students involved and engaged and thinking about keywords and search terms, as 4.1 and 4.5 outline. In refining my lesson after teaching it the first time, I adjusted for a better use of time, as called for by 4.3, and the lesson enabled me to use the table arrangement, overhead projector, and library book layout in an effective manner, as explained in 4.4, in that students could move about the media center or use computers to practice their search skills. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 5: Assesses and Communicates Learning Results Additionally, this lesson addresses various ways to assess students in the media center, mostly in informal and self-reflective ways. I utilized an informal pre-assessment when conducting a model search for the students that allowed me to gauge how comfortable they were with the school OPAC’s interface and with keywords, per 5.1. The group work of revising searches was a formative assessment in that it helped me determine the students’ skill level and allowed me to provide guiding feedback to them to demonstrate 5.2. In guiding the students to correct revisions for their searches, I was describing and evaluating their performance while communicating the results to them, as set forth by 5.4 and 5.5.

Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 7: Reflects On and Evaluates Teaching and Learning Next, my reflection on the lesson demonstrates the self-evaluative process I use to help refine my teaching to make sure I am most effectively reaching my students. My reflection includes how I thought the students received the lesson (7.1), how I thought the teaching went (7.2), and how I thought I could improve the lesson (7.3). Because my graduate program emphasized reflection to guide teachers in their professional growth, I feel like this is a strength of mine. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 8: Collaborates with Colleagues/Parents/Others The next standard met by this lesson, which is probably the most important for a library media specialist, involves “collaborat*ing+ with colleagues … to design, implement, and support learning programs that develop student abilities to use communication skills… .” In collaborating and communicating with Ms. McGlone, the classroom teacher, I was better able to meet her instructional goals and to meet the students’ needs to find a suitable biography. I created a plan and shared it with her so we could discuss ways to refine it (8.2), then I tried it out with her first class. From this first lesson, I made some small changes and carried out the lesson plan with three other classes (8.3). After teaching the lessons, I checked with Ms. McGlone to make sure the students were successful, and she seemed pleased with the biographies her students were able to find (8.4). AASL Standard 1.2: Literacy and Reading Selecting the biographies to use as samples for the classes helped me meet this standard in that I intentionally chose biographies that drew students’ interest or that were about figures in popular culture. While they chose one specific biography, many students were interested in a few of the selections, so this, in turn, hopefully encouraged them to read for leisure.

AASL Standard 2.1: Knowledge of Learners and Learning Next, this lesson directly addresses my ability to “design library media instruction that assesses learner interests, needs, instructional methodologies, and information processes to assure that each is integral to information skill instruction.” Learning and practicing keywords to create a precise search is an essential skill that students need to master in order to effectively gain media literacy. Modeling this type of search, then having students practice their skills hands-on are some instructional activities that can help students develop this information literacy skill. AASL Standard 2.2: Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher The preparation for this lesson also straightforwardly demonstrates that I am able to “work with classroom teachers to co-plan, co-teach, and co-assess information skills instruction.” In working with the classroom teacher, I was able to design a lesson that furthered students’ skills in searching for information and that fulfilled their English assignment. Working in partnership with the classroom teacher enabled us both to meet students’ instructional needs. AASL Standard 2.3: Information Literacy Curriculum In teaching students effective search strings in conjunction with their English class assignment, I was able to “integrate the information literacy curriculum with content curriculum,” thus successfully linking the two together. This also can affirm to students that information literacy can be applied across content areas as long as they are proficient in the skill, and that they can use technology, such as computers, search engines, or the school’s OPAC, to access information. AASL Standard 3.2: Instructional Partner Next, this lesson, which is tied to the new Kentucky Core Academic Standards, shows that I promote information literacy and knowledge of educational practices that support the standards. In this way, I

am showing that I can “model, share, and promote ethical and legal principles of education and librarianship.” Emphasizing the objectives to be met in the lesson, which are tied to the KCAS standards, supports sound educational principles that tie to both content areas and information-seeking and use. Making these skills explicit in clear objectives, serving as a model for students, and sharing ethical and effective search techniques with students allows me to advance sound principles of information literacy in my role as media specialist. AASL Standard 3.3: Educational Leader Finally, this lesson and reflection echo my deep belief that the school library should be the heart and hub of a school where “the library program can enhance school improvement efforts.” In tying to the new standards, I have shown I can “articulate the relationship of the library media program with current educational trends and important issues.” The KCAS standards are more focused than previous standards on critical thinking and preparing 21st Century learners and reflect more in-depth skills and thought processes, so they very directly relate to school improvement. Reflection From this particular lesson, and from the practicum experience overall, I saw how important the role of collaboration is between the school library media specialist and the classroom teacher. In order to best serve the needs of the teacher (and, in turn, the students), communication must take place to ensure that all parties have similar goals and outcomes. This facilitates not only educational success but also opens up lines of communication and allows teachers to see first-hand how their media specialist is valuable to them. Another important aspect of this lesson is the standards-based approach that I took in formulating it, which media specialists need to be cognizant of when planning – and assessing – lessons for the library media center. Basing instruction on AASL and KCAS standards keeps the lesson focused on a skill and shows teachers that the media specialist is directly supporting them in teaching

those standards. Furthermore, assessment of these standards in the media center does not necessarily have to be a formal, written assignment, but can be in the form of a checklist or performance-based goal. Even these informal types of assessment can help build the skills that students will need for classroom formative and summative assessments, as well as standardized testing and the new end-ofcourse exams. Finally, this artifact exhibits the importance of reflecting after teaching a lesson and possibly modifying for future lessons. The first time I taught it, I ran out of time to complete my formative assessment, so I adjusted accordingly for future lessons. Teachers, including library media specialists, need to remain reflective in their practice so their lessons can be as effective as possible. This may mean that a media specialist doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t teach the exact same lesson twice, but this allows the media specialist to adjust and personalize the lesson for each class to ensure that maximum learning occurs with each individual student.

School Media Library Portfolio Summer Perry Section 5: Artifact 3

Library Media Center Manual For Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

Prepared by: Summer Perry LIS 644 April 29, 2011

Table of Contents

Entry

Page

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (PLDHS) and Community Analysis

Library Media Specialistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Personal Philosophy

PLDHS Library Media Center Mission, Goals, and Objectives

PLDHS Library Media Center Programs and Services

PLDHS Library Media Center Formats Collected

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Collection Development

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Weeding

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Inventory

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Evaluating Collection

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Copyright

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Censorship

PLDHS Library Media Center Program Evaluation

PLDHS Library Media Center Floor Plan

PLDHS Library Media Center Sample Budget

PLDHS Library Media Center Library Media Specialist Job Description/Evaluation

PLDHS Library Media Center Advocacy Plan

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and Community Analysis The Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Library Media Center strives to best serve its students and surrounding community by offering relevant, high-interest materials in various media that appeal to the patrons we serve. The student body of our school is quite diverse, as we are a public school serving grades 9 through 12 with an enrollment of approximately 2150 students for the 2010-2011 school year. Our mascot is the Bulldog, and our colors are red and black. We are located in southwest Lexington, at 1600 Man Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; War Boulevard. According to our school profile on the Fayette County Public Schools Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s About Kids website: Our school is named after the 19th-century African-American poet; it also pays tribute to the historically African-American high school that was once the heart of downtown Lexington and had a rich tradition of excellence and high expectations. The current Paul Laurence Dunbar High, which opened in 1990, also houses a Math, Science & Technology Center. Our culturally diverse student body is representative of our diverse community, and we celebrate all of the cultures that make up our school. Current cultural profiles are indicated in the following chart, based on numbers from the Fayette County Public Schools website:

In addition to this racial diversity, our school serves students from many different backgrounds. Six percent of our student body qualifies for special education services, while 2% are limited English proficiency. Thirty-one percent of our students qualify for free or reduced meals. We have an active PTSA and many parents who volunteer regularly at the school. These parents help with programs for all teachers, such as Teacher Appreciation meals and Parent Conference nights, but also help with Library Media Center programs, such as the Lunch Bunch and Reading Extravaganza. Sometimes, parent volunteers also help man the Media Center, which is much appreciated. Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is one of five traditional high schools in the Lexington area. According to information from the U. S. Census Bureau (based on an estimate from 2006), Lexington itself has a population of approximately 271,000 people, with a cultural breakdown that is 81% White, 13% African-American, 2% Asian, 3% Hispanic, and 1% other race.

Sources: Fayette County Public Schools, Accessed April 20, 2011: http://www.fcps.net/schools/high/paul-laurence-dunbar U. S. Census Bureau, Accessed April 23, 2011: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/21/2146027.html

Library Media Specialist Personal Philosophy Written by Summer Perry for LIS 644

My responsibility as a school library media specialist is to equitably facilitate, encourage, and guide students in their search for information and lead them down a road to literacy by fostering an open and comfortable school library climate while also setting high expectations for each student. All of my student patrons have a right to respect and a high quality of service from me. Each of my interactions will be defined by a personal commitment to the values of free communication, equitable education, accessible information, and personal freedoms. An idealistic goal – and one which I will strive for – is to try to reach every student in some way. I will conduct myself with tact and professionalism, including engaging in continued professional development and remaining a compassionate individual. I will be well-grounded in information science, reflective in my practice, culturally responsive to all students, and committed to continual growth through professional development. I will respect intellectual freedom through resistance to censorship, including any biases from myself. I will respect the intellectual property rights of authors by providing information on how to ethically use information, including proper citations. My colleagues, and I, have a right to work with competent and caring coworkers that promote the same values of free and equitable access to information. I will not allow conflicts of interest to deter me from my ultimate goal of helping all to the free access of information. The roles of the library media specialist can be multi-faceted and quite broad, but, combined, they serve to address the many “hats” that I will wear. These roles have been outlined through Empowering Learners (2009). One role is that of leader, both in the school and in the community. I will strive to be a valuable member of my school’s staff by taking an active role in the welfare of the school and being responsive to address the needs of teachers, students, and administrators. In the school media center, I will lead by example by demonstrating ethical use of materials, showing respect to all who enter the library, and volunteering to take on leadership roles throughout the school. This will be valuable to the media center because it will allow me to advocate for beneficial programs and services that might otherwise go unnoticed by other leaders in the building. By being a professional leader, I will benefit the media center and ultimately the students who will utilize it. Another role is that of instructional partner. I will work with teachers in my school to ensure students achieve educational outcomes and meet various goals, all the while becoming information

literate individuals to prepare them for the demands of a 21st Century society. I will collaborate with teachers of all content areas to ensure that library materials reflect and support their curriculum, and I will stay current with changes in standards, such as the new Common Core Standards adoption for the 2011-2012 school year. Periodically, I will survey teachers to ask for feedback and materials requests from them. This will benefit the media center by encouraging teachers to have open communication with the media specialists and to use the media center more for their curricular needs, thus solidifying the media center as the instructional heart and hub of the school. An additional role is that of information specialist. This being probably the most traditional role in the perception of others in the school, I will serve to retrieve and evaluate various information sources, to teach students and staff alike to effectively search for, retrieve, and evaluate information, and to model strategies of finding information using ethical means. In order to be proficient at this role, I will remain current with best practices and information technology that would support more accurate and efficient information seeking and finding. This will benefit the media center because I will be viewed as a knowledgeable professional and a helpful resource for others in the school. Yet another role is that of teacher. I will work with students to encourage learning beyond the classroom in an inquiry-based instructional capacity. I will support teachers by instructing whole classes or small groups with teacher-requested lessons, such as information evaluation, information seeking through reliable sources, or choosing and locating books for reluctant readers. This will benefit the media center because it will allow for positive interactions with students and their teachers, and it will encourage students to continue to use the media center and approach the media specialists for help. A final role is that of program administrator. I will be responsible for the running of the library, such as setting policies, planning activities, hiring staff, setting the budget, and evaluating the media program. I will review and update policies and procedures before the beginning of each school year to ensure they are current and aligned with school-wide policies and procedures. I will plan most activities prior to the school year so that I can advertise them to teachers early in the year, but I will allow flexibility for activities that teachers may suggest or that students may request. If building staffing permits, I will hire a library assistant to take care of daily library tasks and oversee student aides. I will plan the budget allocated from my principal to best support our academic programs and the supplement and augment the current collection. I will also evaluate the media centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall performance and strategic plan to make sure the program is heading in the same direction as the school.

In all of my roles, I have the duty and responsibility of encouraging students to become information literate, of supporting the faculty in achieving instructional goals, and of helping the school meet its academic potential, and I will strive in all of my roles to help achieve these goals.

PLDHS Library Media Center Mission, Goals, and Objectives Mission The mission of the PLDHS Library Media Center aligns with the mission statement of the school, found at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School’s website: "Students at PLD engage with qualified teachers who are passionate about personalizing instruction that equips students for the global community." The Library Media Center will support this mission statement by offering qualified information specialists to personalize instruction for students to help them be better informed citizens of a democratic society.

Goals The goals of the PLDHS Library Media Center correspond to the goals of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, as outlined in the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan: 1. Parental Involvement – Improve school climate and parent/family communication. The specific goal is to improve communication between the school and parents of students of all groups. The Library Media Center will help achieve this goal by being a positive liaison to community members, especially parents and by creating programs, such as a Family Reading Night or Open House, to encourage parental visits and input. 2. Student Achievement – Increase student achievement and reduce the dropout rate. The specific goals is to improve the transition for our incoming 9th graders into high school, to continue extra support for sophomores and juniors who are at-risk, and to provide additional preparation for our seniors as they move from high school to post-secondary education and/or employment. The Library Media Center will help achieve this goal by offering Library Orientation to 9th grade students, providing an academic environment for all, offering a place for faculty and staff to implement programs for at-risk students, and encouraging at-risk students to freely access resources to acquire information. In addition, the Library Media Center will offer programs to help seniors transition to college or career life, including hosting college application and financial aid seminars and career fairs.

3. Equity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Address our gap reduction target areas of minority students, students in the special education program, students who qualify for free or reduced meals, and students with limited English proficiency. The Library Media Center will work to achieve this goal by allowing equitable access to information for all students and culturally diverse materials that will appeal to our culturally diverse student population.

Objectives The objectives of the PLDHS Media Center will serve to support the mission and goals of the Library Media Center and of the whole school. These objectives will be accomplished through the four main standards outlined by the American Association of School Librarians in Standards for the 21st Century Learner, which states that learners use skills, resources, and tools to: 1. Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge. 2. Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge. 3. Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society. 4. Pursue personal and aesthetic growth. The Library Media Center will focus Media Literacy instructional objectives around these four main standards as well as supporting the new Common Core Standards adopted by Kentucky to begin in the 2011-2012 school year. Specific objectives will depend upon the lesson being taught by the Library Media Specialist, but all lessons will be planned with alignment to standards, goals, and the mission statement in mind.

Sources: Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Accessed April 20, 2011: http://www.pld.fcps.net/ Paul Laurence Dunbar Comprehensive School Improvement Plan, Accessed April 20, 2011: http://www.fcps.net/media/42218/dunbar10.pdf st American Association of School Librarians Standards for the 21 Century Learner, Accessed January 17, 2011: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards.cfm

PLDHS Library Media Center Programs and Services The Library Media Center offers a variety of Programs and Services to meet the educational needs of students and the instructional needs of faculty. Programs and Services can change from year to year based on differing needs or requests, but these are standard offerings: 

AP Summer Bridge Program: The Library Media Center supports teachers in this three-day workshop by providing instructional space and teaching Research Methods to students in attendance. This program targets students (particularly minorities) who are taking AP classes for the first time.



Summer Reading Support: The Library Media Center supports the English Department by providing summer reading lists by grade level to students based on Kentucky Book Award nominees. The Library Media Center also offers these books for student checkout over the summer to support equitable, free access to materials.



Library Orientation: The Library Media Center offers orientation sessions to new teachers and also to incoming 9th graders through Camp Dunbar and their English I classes. A short introductory PowerPoint is followed by an interactive scavenger hunt to help actively orient students to different spaces in the library.



Research Methods: The Library Media Specialist teaches (usually to English III classes) research methods using both print and electronic resources, specifically with databases offered by KYVL.org, EbscoHost, and ProQuest.



Website Evaluation: The Library Media Specialist teaches how to evaluate the reliability of internet resources as part of the research methods taught.



Reading Extravaganza: Each semester, the Library Media Center hosts book groups, where adults (teachers, community members, etc.) volunteer to lead discussion groups on chosen books, then students sign up for groups. They come together for food and the book talk on the set Extravaganza day.



Lunch Bunch: Each semester, the Library Media Center hosts lunch for lower-level or reluctant readers, where adults (teachers, practicum students, community members, etc.) read the same book as the participant then discuss the book over pizza.



Kentucky Book Awards: The Library Media Center creates a special display and voting area so that our students can read and vote for KBA books.



Book “Bites”: Teachers can bring classes in and have the Library Media Specialist “talk up” selected books, based on known student interests or popular Young Adult titles.



Book Recommendations: The Library Media Specialists can use professional knowledge and personal reading experiences to recommend books to students and teachers.



Book Discussions (Individual or Small Group): The Library Media Specialists can discuss books they have read with individual or small groups of students or teachers.



The Great Scavenger Hunt: The Library Media Center hosts this program that encourages students to read popular Young Adult novels, take a small quiz on them, then get entered to win prizes based on passing quiz scores.



Star Station: The Library Media Center makes star stickers available so that students may put a star on the inside cover of a book they have read and really liked.



Equipment Checkout and Demonstration: Besides traditional media, the Library Media Center offers calculators, laptops and accessories, Flip video cameras, digital cameras, CPS Clickers, mobile projectors, and a mobile computer lab for checkout, and the Library Media Specialist can support teachers and students through demonstrations as needed.



Technology Support: Library Media Specialists are available if teachers have difficulty with technology and need assistance in their classrooms. The Library Media Specialists also offer support for email and Infinite Campus.



Acquiring Materials for Teachers: Library Media Specialists can assist teachers by pre-pulling requested books and having them available for classes. They can also assist WebQuests by adding links to a specific folder that students can access on the Library’s computers.



Extracurricular Club Meetings: The Library Media Center serves as a meeting place for extracurricular clubs and their programs, including Student Council and the Dunbar Cultural Society.



Discarded Magazine and Book Giveaways: Magazines and books that have been discarded from the Library Media Center are put in a container near the exit for faculty and students to take as wanted.

PLDHS Library Media Center Formats Collected The Library Media Center’s collection consists of various types of media and formats, most all available for student circulation, including: 

Books (Hardcover, Paperback, PermaBound/FollettBound, and eBooks)



Audiobooks on CD and Playaways (including some Audio eBooks)



Maps and Atlases



Music on CD



DVDs



Video Tapes (these are being phased out as they are replaced with DVDs)



Newspapers (Print and Electronic editions)

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Periodicals: Journals and Magazines (Print and Electronic editions)



Graphing Calculators



Flip video cameras



Digital cameras



Dell Mini Laptop Computers with Accessories



Instructional Units (for faculty/staff checkout)



Professional Development Materials (for faculty/staff checkout)



CSP Clicker Units (for faculty/staff checkout)



Projectors (for faculty/staff checkout)



Document Cameras (for faculty/staff checkout)



Mobile Computer Lab (for faculty/staff checkout)

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Collection Development Paul Laurence Dunbar High School MEDIA CENTER COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY STATEMENT OF POLICY The policy of the Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is to provide a wide range of educational resources at varying levels of difficulty, with diverse appeal, presenting differing viewpoints to meet the needs of its school community.

OBJECTIVES OF COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT The library media specialists’ primary objective in a collection development policy is to assist in the implementation, enrichment, and support of the school system’s educational program by selecting and providing: 

Educational materials that reflect modern society



Educational materials in all formats (print, nonprint, electronic) on all levels of difficulty, diverse appeal, reflecting varied viewpoints



Educational materials that satisfy the curricular needs, as well as the individual recreational and research needs of students, faculty, and staff

GENERAL SELECTION CRITERIA The library media specialist has primary responsibility for selecting the materials offered for the use of the school community. Fayette County Public Schools Board Policy # 08.233: Library Media Centers The Board shall establish, maintain and staff a library media center in every school in keeping with statutory requirements. Selection of Media Materials and Equipment In schools with SBDM school councils, the council shall consult with the school media librarian on the maintenance of the school library media center, including purchase of instructional materials, information technology, and equipment. In schools without SBDM school councils, the librarian and media personnel shall be responsible for coordinating the selection and recommending to the Principal for the purchase of materials and equipment based on the existing collection, the curriculum, and the needs of the school.

Gifts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; See policies 03.1322/03.2322. Review The librarian shall inventory and review the collection at least every two (2) years for wear and obsolescence and, with the approval of the principal, dispose of materials which are no longer suitable for use for these reasons.

Fayette County Public Schools Board Policy # 08.233 AP.1: Library Books STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES Selection of library books and educational media shall be a joint effort involving teachers, library media staff, and students and must correlate with curriculum needs. Identification of specific titles may be chosen by various techniques, including: 1. Directly examining potential materials; 2. Reading published reviews from reputable selection tools; 3. Visiting evaluation centers; and 4. Examining exhibits at conferences. SELECTION 1. Elementary and secondary media advisory committees may be established to define different grade and subject content requirements. 2. The basic collection may be chosen from standard media selection aids. 3. Sets of materials and materials acquired by subscription shall be examined carefully and purchased only to fill a definite need. 4. Final choices of new materials shall be made by professional media personnel in cooperation with the Principal in each school.. 5. Items which are worn, damaged, or lost shall be replaced periodically. DISCARDING MATERIALS Selection is an on-going process that should include recommending the removal of materials no longer appropriate. Materials which become out-of-date or are no longer useful should be withdrawn from the collection. Decisions by the school librarians to discard print and nonprint materials shall be based on evaluation criteria and communicated to the Coordinator of Media Service.

School Collection Development Criteria 

Materials to support the educational goals of the school district and the objectives of the board-approved curriculum



Materials selected for a reason and purpose and evaluated as to aesthetic, literary and social value, with an eye toward the age and emotional maturity of the students served



Materials reflect sensitivity to the achievements, needs, and rights of females and males, diverse ethnic groups, and other cultures



Materials reflecting a variety of political and religious theories and ideologies, public issues and controversial topics maintain a balance representing diverse opinions.



All material is judged as a whole, considering the author's/producer's intent rather than focusing solely upon individual words, phrases, pictures or incidents taken out of context.

SPECIFIC COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA 

AUTHORITY - the qualifications and credibility of the persons accountable for the creation of the material.



SCOPE - the overall purpose and coverage of the material.



FORMAT & TECHNICAL QUALITY - the physical character and creation standards evident in the work.



AUTHENTICITY - the validity, reliability and completeness of the material as well as the degree of bias or objectivity presented; accuracy and timeliness are important considerations here, also.



TREATMENT & ARRANGEMENT - the clarity, logical development and flow of the content.



AESTHETICS - the material's appeal to the imagination, senses, and intellect so that the user's discernment and sense of artistic appreciation will be developed.



PRICE - the value of the contemplated selections relative to existing budget limitations and other priorities.



SUITABILITY - the appropriateness of the material to the prevailing maturity level of the students who will use the resource and its application to the school district's educational objectives and curriculum.



SPECIAL FEATURES - any distinctive or unique characteristics of one material that may be absent from others on the same subject.

PROCEDURES FOR COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARY MATERIALS Library Media Specialists will consider one or more of the following when Purchasing new materials: 

Alignment to core content



Individual recreational reading interests of the school community



Long range collection development plan



Respected review sources - e.g.: Booklist, School Library Journal, VOYA



School community requests will be purchased if at all possible when they meet the selection criteria.

Accepting gifts: 

Gifts are appreciated, but acceptance is contingent on gifts meeting selection policy standards. Otherwise they will be disposed of as directed in FCPS Board Policy # 08.233 AP.1

Evaluating items to be withdrawn: 

Dated, biased, damaged materials or materials no longer used will be withdrawn.



Replacements will be made when appropriate.

Source: Short, Lynda. Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Library Media Specialist, Emailed April 20, 2011.

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Weeding Policy: Weeding Discarding materials from a collection is a necessary process. Two acronyms used by the Meredith Public Library to help determine weeding criteria are “MUSTY” and “WORST”: “MUSTY” for Books M=Misleading and/or factually inaccurate information U=Ugly, worn and beyond mending S=Superseded by a new edition or a much better book on the subject T=Trivial of no discernable literary or scientific merit Y=Your collection has no use for this book. It is irrelevant to the needs and interests of your community. “WORST” for AV W=Worn out O=Out-of-Date R=Rarely Used S=Supply not needed T=Trivial and Faddish Procedure: Discarding Books from Your Collection and Database Discarded books may be sent to Media Services as surplus materials. Under separate cover, send a printout, giving the titles and author of the books being discarded. Media Services is required to keep lists of library books being discarded by the schools. Suggested procedure IF you are using Follett category report create the list: Before removing the MARC records of books you are discarding, create a category named "Discards". No year date is needed because this category is will only hold copies long enough to get a hard copy of the items. Make sure any scans in the PHD are erased before beginning. If you are creating your discard list outside of Follett, you may choose to go directly to the deletion directions.

From this point forward you may do EITHER A or B A. Scan all books that you are discarding with the PHD after choosing inventory from the main menu of the PHD. Upload the scans into the "Discards" category. Cataloging > edit > Update copies via PHD > Assign category of Discards. Follow the screen directions from this point forward. Print a Titles by Category report (be sure to checkmark to get both the copies and categories so that you can mark a line through any copy that is not the discard category) in order to get the correct copies that you discarded. This report does not have any copyright dates on it; however. In order to get that you will need to print a Bibliography Report by category. This report however does not have how many copies you discarded but only the titles and the copyright dates. You will need to work with both lists in order to get a report ready to send to Media Services and to get the numbers for the annual report. Before erasing the scans in the PHD, use them to delete the MARC records from your database. Just make sure you have printed the bibliography report first. Cataloging > edit > Delete copies via PHD. Make sure you "checkmark" the box for 'Delete title when last copy deleted'. Follow the screen prompts from there. B. In Cataloging > EDIT > Individual Update > choose to Assign the category of discards. Scan all items being discarded into the section called 'To Copy Barcode:' BE SURE TO PRINT ALL REPORTS BEFORE DOING THE FOLLOWING! Again in Cataloging > Edit > delete copies by scanner. You may choose now whether to delete copies with Transactions. A transaction can be 'missing', 'lost', 'loaned out', or at the 'bindery.'

Sources: Meredith Public Library. Weeding Policy: MUSTY and WORST, Accessed April 23, 2011: http://www.meredithlibrary.org/trustee_minutes/Weeding%20Policy.pdf Fayette County Public Schools. Discarding Books Procedures, Accessed April 23, 2011: http://teach.fcps.net/trt11/LibTechServ/discarded_books_from_your_collec.htm

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Inventory How to Conduct a School Library Inventory: Helpful Tips from eHow.com (This article was created by a professional writer and edited by experienced copy editors, both qualified members of the Demand Media Studios community. All articles go through an editorial process that includes subject matter guidelines, plagiarism review, fact-checking, and other steps in an effort to provide reliable information.) As a school librarian, you may dread the inventory process. You may have heard it is a hassle, and you find that you are not quite sure how to do it. Perform inventories at the end of each school year in order to assess which books exist in the library, record those books with damage, or lost, and then identify weaknesses in collection. Difficulty: Moderate Instructions: 1. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Readâ&#x20AC;? the shelves. Preferably, with several assistants, critically scan the shelves. Return all misshelved books to their proper places. This makes a seamless inventory process. 2. Discard outdated books. There is no use inventorying unused books. You can weed out books in conjunction with shelf reading. Remember to remove the records of weeded books from your electronic card catalog so that you do not count those books in the library's holdings. 3. Scan each book in the library using a handheld barcode reader. Scan the books in order, starting with the 000s and ending with the 999s. Scan fiction and other holdings in alphabetical order. Scanning books in their progressive order simplifies reporting at inventory's end. 4. Upload the scanned information into your electronic circulation system. Your system has various reports that you can generate such as lost books and books that are mis-shelved. Since you did a shelf read and reorganization before taking inventory, it is a cinch to correctly shelve those books that were in the wrong spot. Note lost books, and use proper discard procedures.

Source: eHow.com. How to Conduct a School Library Inventory, Accessed April 23, 2011: http://www.ehow.com/how_2085124_conduct-school-library-inventory.html

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Evaluating Collection In addition to the Selection Development Criteria (page 14 of this Manual), the collection of the Library Media Center can be evaluated using the following criteria from Baltimore County Public Schools: Criteria for Library Media Materials 

Appropriate for recommended levels Library media materials should be accessible to students of varied abilities, and meet informational and interest needs of all students.



Pertinent to the curriculum and the objectives of the instructional program Library media materials should be selected on the basis of assessed curricular needs. Materials should reflect the identified learning outcomes of the instructional program.



Accurate in terms of content Library media materials should present facts in an objective manner. Authority of the author, organization, publisher/producer should be a consideration in selection. Materials concerning human development and family life should contain facts which are presented in a manner appropriate to the level of the students.



Reflective of the pluralistic nature of a global society Library media materials should provide a global perspective and promote diversity as a positive attribute of our society. It is important to include materials by authors and illustrators of all cultures.



Free of bias and stereotype Materials should reflect the basic humanity of all people and be free of stereotypes, caricatures, distorted dialect, sexual bias, and other offensive characteristics. Library materials concerning religious, social, and political content should inform rather than indoctrinate.



Representative of differing viewpoints on controversial subjects Students have the right to information on both sides of a controversial issue. By having access to

a variety of resources students will have the knowledge base to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. The school library media center provides free and equitable access to all information. 

Appropriate format to effectively teach the curriculum Library media materials should be available in variety of formats, e.g., print, nonprint, electronic, multimedia, to meet the needs and learning styles of a diverse student population.



Recent copyright date as appropriate to the subject Library media materials should be assessed for currency of the information as it relates to the content and purpose of the item.



Acceptable in literary style and technical quality Literary quality, technical merit, physical arrangement, and aesthetic characteristics should be considered as integral components in the evaluation of all media formats.



Cost effective in terms of use Library media materials should be evaluated for cost effectiveness in terms of accessibility, projected use, and durability.



Appropriate for students with special needs Library media materials should be provided to meet curricular needs and the individual needs, interests, and learning styles of all students at all levels.

Source: Baltimore County Public Schools. Selection Criteria for Library Media Materials, Accessed April 23, 2011: http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/office/admin/selection.html

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Copyright The Bunn Library at the Lawrenceville School offers excellent guidelines for Copyright Policy: I. General Information The Copyright Act, the federal statue establishing the terms of copyright protection, has its basis in the United States Constitution, which confers upon Congress the power “to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited times to Authors… the exclusive Rights to their… writings”. Art. I , Sect.8. The Copyright Act protects all types of expression or authorship fixed in any tangible medium, including written works, paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos, recorded music, sheet music, computer programs, video games, architectural design and choreography. Copyright law conveys certain exclusive rights to the copyright holders, including the following rights: copying their works, making derivative works, distributing their works, and performing their works. These rights exist from the moment a work is created, whether or not a copyright notice appears on the work. It is always best to assume that the provisions of copyright law protect any materials being used for instructional purposes, unless the materials are explicitly identified as belonging in the public domain. Copyright protection does not extend to works in the public domain which include: (1) works for which the applicable term of copyright protection has expired; (2) works published by the federal government (e.g., published by the Centers for Disease Control or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association); (3) works that lack sufficient originality or expression to qualify for copyright protection (e.g., unadorned calendars, indices, phonebooks, databases); and (4) works expressly donated to the public domain. Such works may be copied and used without the permission of the author or publisher. These rights exist from the moment a work is created, whether or not a copyright notice appears on the work. It is always best to assume that the provisions of copyright law protect any materials being used for instructional purposes, unless the materials are explicitly identified as belonging in the public domain. In using copyrighted materials for instructional purposes, even under "fair use" guidelines, it is always wise to acknowledge the copyright owner in a very clear way.

II. Fair Use Fair use: a limited exemption Copyright law does allow limited copying, distribution, and display of copyrighted works without the author's permission under certain conditions known as "fair use." The Fair Use Statute The following is the full text of the Fair Use Statute of the U. S. Copyright Act.: Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair Use Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified in that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. But note that the concept of "fair use" provides limited exemption, and does not encompass wholesale copying and distribution of copyrighted work for educational or any other purpose without permission. Copying for an educational or scholarly purpose is not per se a â&#x20AC;&#x153;fair use.â&#x20AC;? Copyright law does not specify the exact limitations of fair use. Instead, the law provides four interrelated standards or tests, which must be applied in each case to evaluate whether the copying or distributing falls within the limited exemption of fair use. Here are the four standards: 1. The purpose and character of the use. Duplicating and distributing selected portions of copyrighted materials for specific educational purposes falls within fair use guidelines, particularly if the copies are made spontaneously, for temporary use, and not as part of an anthology. 2. The nature of the copyrighted work. Fair use applies more readily to copying paragraphs from a primary source than to copying a chapter from a textbook. Fair use applies to multimedia materials in a manner similar if not identical to print media.

3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole. Copying extracts that are short relative to the whole work and distributing copyrighted segments that do not capture the “essence” of the work are generally considered fair use. 4. The effect of use on the potential market for or value of the work. If copying or distributing the work does not reduce sales of the work, then the use may be considered fair. Of the four standards, this is arguably the most important test for fair use. Guidelines for Reproduction of Copyrighted Materials 1. Copying Following the “fair use” guidelines, segments of copyrighted print, electronic, music and multimedia materials may by captured, copied, digitized, transformed to another medium, or manipulated for educational purposes only, by members of the academic community. Burning CDs of copyrighted music and some file sharing may not be covered under Fair Use. 2. Acknowledgement The holder of the copyright to each copied segment must be clearly and prominently acknowledged on or next to the print or digitized material, even when “fair use” guidelines are observed. Information to include would be title, author, publisher, place of publication, date of publication, and page numbers. To encourage students to abide by the school’s academic honesty policy, all materials reproduced should be cited such that the source can be acknowledged using an established format. See the Library's Citation Guide web page for detailed citation formats. 3. Incorporating copyrighted materials into new works Segments of print or digitized material may be incorporated into papers and projects for instructional and scholarly purposes. Permission must be sought to use digitized materials in works that are circulated beyond the original educational setting or that may have commercial value. 4. Network access to materials reproduced in Blackboard or internal web pages Network access, including World Wide Web access, to copyrighted material reproduced and posted to Blackboard or other intranet sites is restricted to the Lawrenceville campus network. Such digitized collections are accessible temporarily and for instructional purposes only by students and faculty.

Prominent notice must be given that such study materials may not be downloaded, retained, printed, shared, or modified, except as needed temporarily for specific academic assignments. 5. Personal and course Web pages Faculty and students who create Web pages must respect the rights of copyright holders. At a minimum, the same considerations that apply to written reproduction apply to electronic reproduction. 6. Images When using images in websites or other publications, a good rule of thumb is the smaller the image, the more that image qualifies under “fair use”, in fact thumbnail images under 125x125 have been cleared as fair use, as they are not suitable for sale as prints. Larger images tend to be protected under fair use if they are displayed in a secure medium (password protected) like Blackboard or SharePoint. III. Digital Millennium Copyright Act The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a US Copyright law which “criminalizes production and dissemination of technology whose primary purpose is to circumvent measures taken to protect copyright, not merely infringement of copyright itself, and heightens the penalties for copyright infringement on the Internet.”

Source: Bunn Library. The Lawrenceville School. Copyright Policy, Accessed April 24, 2011: http://www.lawrenceville.org/academics/bunn_library/copyright_policy.asp

PLDHS Library Media Center Policies and Procedures: Censorship The Library Media Center operates under the guidelines of the Library Bill of Rights set forth by the American Library Association, which states: The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation. II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment. IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas. V. A personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views. VI. Libraries that make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Source: American Library Association. Library Bill of Rights, Accessed April 4, 2011: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/index.cfm

REVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL LIBRARY MATERIALS

Fayette County Public Schools Board Policy # 08.2322 - Review of Instructional Materials Request for Review The review of instructional materials, including textbooks, supplementary materials, and library books, on the basis of citizen concerns will be conducted in response to a properly filed written request under procedures developed by the Superintendent. In schools operating under SBDM, these procedures for review shall include school council consideration of the written concerns regarding instructional materials. Forms for such requests may be obtained from the school and will be made available to any resident of the school district at the Superintendent’s Office. The request shall include a written statement of reason for objection and a statement of the desired action regarding the material under consideration. Employees receiving a written request for review of instructional materials shall notify the Principal of the complaint, who shall then notify the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall notify the Board of all complaints filed and the council's response. In the event of a citizen complaint regarding instructional materials, freedom of information and professional responsibility shall be the guiding principles. The Superintendent and the Board shall be informed of the complaint. Committee In schools operating under SBDM, the review process shall be determined by council policy. Appeal Individuals may appeal a council’s decision concerning challenged materials under the Board’s policy on appeal of SBDM decisions. Should a complaint be resolved at a previous level, the Board will also receive copies of all reports concerning a complaint. FORM 08.2322 AP.2 attached School Review of Instructional Library Materials Policy PROCEDURE 

Informal Reconsideration: The school library media specialist shall explain to the complainant the school's selection procedure, criteria, and the qualifications of those selecting the material(s). The school library media specialist or the classroom teacher shall explain the particular place the

questioned material occupies in the educational program, its intended educational purpose, and any additional information regarding its use. 

Formal Reconsideration: If the complainant wishes to file a formal challenge, the complainant must personally obtain a copy of the school’s "Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials" which is kept in the school library media center. The Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials form (08.2322 AP.2) shall be completed, signed, and dated by the complainant and filed with the principal, with a copy to the library media specialist. The material in question will not be pulled from the instructional program during the reconsideration process.



Guidelines for the Reconsideration Committee: This committee will be formed prior to a reconsideration request being filed. Its membership will be predetermined at the beginning of each school year. The library media specialist will alert the principal who will call the School Reconsideration Committee together within fourteen working days of receipt of the formal complaint. The School Reconsideration Committee will include a school library media specialist, two classroom teachers, a parent, an administrator, and a student (with signed parental permission). At the first organized meeting, the committee members will receive a copy of the challenged material. Within thirty working days of the initial meeting, the School Reconsideration Committee will convene and prepare a written recommendation to the SBDM for the disposition of the complaint. The principal will notify the site-based school council, in writing, of the committee’s decision with a copy to the media specialist and the principal.



The Site-based Council will vote to accept or reject the decision of the School Reconsideration Committee and will notify the complainant in writing of the SBDM decision.

Source: Short, Lynda. Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Library Media Specialist, Emailed April 20, 2011.

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

08.2322 AP.2

Complaints about Instructional Materials/Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials SCHOOL:

__________________________________________________________________

Please check type of material:  Book

 Film

 Record

 Periodical

 Cassette

 Filmstrip

 Kit

 Pamphlet

 Other (describe) ______________________________________

Title: _____________________________________ Author: _______________________ Publisher or Producer: _________________________________________________________ Request initiated by: _____________________________Telephone: ____________________ Address: _______________________

City/State/Zip: _____________________________

The following questions are to be answered after the complainant has read, viewed, or listened to the material in its entirety. If sufficient space is not provided, attach additional sheets. Please sign each additional attachment. What do you object to in the material? (Please be specific; cite page, filmstrip frame, film sequence, etc.) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ What do you believe is the theme or purpose of this material? _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ What do you feel might be the result of a student using this material? _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ For what age group would you recommend this material? _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Is there anything good in this material? ______ Please comment: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Would you care to recommend other instructional material of the same subject and format? _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Signature of Complainant _______________________________________ Reviewed by Board: Revised and Reviewed:

10-2-89 ________

Date _____________

PLDHS Library Media Center Program Evaluation The Kentucky Department of Education’s publication Beyond Proficiency: Achieving a Distinguished Library Media Program outlines criteria of a distinguished – thus successful – Library Media Program. The criteria and evaluation rubric are below: A distinguished Library Media Program supports teachers in instruction, students in learning and is efficiently administered. Carrying out these functions of the media center requires vision, commitment, and creativity on the part of the library media specialist. The media center is integral to the curriculum but it also provides a setting for choice and exploration beyond the assigned tasks as students develop skills which will facilitate lifelong learning. Thus, the Library Media Program and its services are vital to all Kentucky students as they strive to reach proficiency by the year 2014. In order to help students learn, a distinguished Library Media Program will: • Promote information literacy • Support the integration of technology in teaching and learning • Promote reading • Provide access to a wide range of instructional resources in a variety of formats • Provide assistive/adaptive resources for special needs learners Administering the LMC program includes: • Communicating the mission, goals, functions and impact of the Library Media Program • Providing equitable access to library resources • Providing strong curricular and instructional leadership • Optimizing the use of shared resources • Managing budget, space, staff, materials and programs The level of involvement of the library media specialist with students, teachers and the school administration to support and improve achievement is dependent upon several key factors: • The professional expertise and initiative of the LMS • Sufficient staffing of the media center • Flexible scheduling of the media center • Sufficient funding of the media center and its programs. Helping Teachers Teach Helping teachers teach means involvement in the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of instruction.

In this role, the LMS can offer a wide variety of assistance by coordinating media center services. In order to be of assistance to teachers, the Library Media Program MUST have flexible scheduling. This is imperative for true collaboration to occur. If it is not available and the fixed schedule is the rule, then this initiative is doomed to failure. Using the Library Media Program only as a “special class” or “enrichment class” deprives students and teachers of a true quality program. • Collaborate with staff in planning and implementation of instruction curriculum mapping, and planning units of study and/or projects with individual teachers. • Coordinate video taping, audiovisual equipment and materials holdings. • Coordinate Internet, webquests, KYVL, KVHS (see Glossary) access. • Facilitate interlibrary loan. • Administer on-going media center programs for students, teachers, and the community-atlarge. • Provide instructional resources in a variety of formats that are appropriate to deliver curriculum. • Conduct staff development connected to goals for student performance and professional growth for staff. • Be a technology resource. In addition, the LMS will consult with or serve on curriculum, technology or other School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council committees. The LMS should participate in the Consolidated Plan process. The LMS should use data to support library programs, and services. The work of the LMS should promote the understanding and acceptance of the school’s mission and vision. Helping Students Learn Helping students learn involves having up-to date collections and accessible materials, technology, equipment, schedule and staff. It means that the LMS should provide support for a diverse student body, taking learning styles and multiple intelligences into account. The LMS will provide instruction in information literacy - the ability to locate, process, and use information effectively. The LMS should use an organized, direct, process-based strategy for instruction in research, such as the Big 6(tm) (see Glossary). Media center programs will be planned according to curricular needs as outlined in the Consolidated Plan and other school planning documents, school demographics and benchmarks for media center instruction.

Administering the Library Media Program The library media specialist: • develops a Library Media Program mission and goals approved by the SBDM and faculty • acquires cutting-edge technology and other appropriate resources to support the curriculum • promotes programs, services and materials • implements policies for the efficient administration of the Library Media Program • oversees the budget • collaborates with staff and administration to deliver the curriculum • maintains professional knowledge by reading journals, attending state and national conferences, and collaborating with peers • establishes goals for professional growth and implements them • evaluates the Library Media Program through regular surveys for the purpose of enhancing services • submits all reports accurately and promptly at the school, district and state levels • develops the collection according to guidelines of the LMC’s collection development policy, the school curriculum and in collaboration with content specialists One of the most effective ways to determine how well media and technology programs are meeting the needs of students, teachers, staff, and the community is through self-reflection. While teacher and student surveys certainly provide a realistic assessment of the daily impact of programs and services on the teaching and learning process, an objective comparison of an individual program with state and national standards and recommendations offers an opportunity for self assessment.

[The following] rubric provides a continuum and scoring guide to achieve a distinguished Library Media Program. While Proficiency is Kentucky’s educational goal for 2014, library media specialists want to go “Beyond Proficiency” in providing a quality program for students and teachers. Hopefully, the majority of Library Media Programs in Kentucky are well beyond the novice level so this continuum starts at the apprentice level.

Source: Kentucky Department of Education. Beyond Proficiency. Library Media Program, Accessed April 24, 2011: http://www.education.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/953D6B19-225D-4B43-95C0-951B17A43445/0/beyondproficiency.pdf

Source: Kentucky Department of Education. Beyond Proficiency. Library Media Program Evaluation Rubric, Accessed April 24, 2011: http://www.education.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/953D6B19-225D-4B43-95C0-951B17A43445/0/beyondproficiency.pdf

PLDHS Library Media Center Floor Plan

Source: Higdon, Karen. Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Library Media Specialist, Emailed April 20, 2011.

PLDHS Library Media Center Sample Budget Prepared by Summer Perry for LIS 644

The PLDHS Library Media Center has been allocated $13,500.00 to spend on resources for the 2010-2011 school year. Based on fine collections from past years, the LMC plans to collect $500.00 from students in fines, so that is added to the budget to make an even $14,000.00 for a total library media center budget. This budget, while it reflects a 6% cut, is comparable to what the LMC has previously received, and I want to spend it wisely where it will make the most impact. Beyond Proficiency suggests that 20% of instructional funds be allocated to the school library media center, so receiving a nice size budget for this year communicates that the school is realizing how important the media center is and how it can truly be the heart and hub of the high school. I want to use this opportunity to demonstrate that the school library media center is beneficial to all students and their academic achievement, including better standardized test scores. Below is a breakdown of my proposed budget and rationales for each category of spending.

PLDHS Library Media Center Proposed Budget â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lexington, KY Code

Category

Proposed Budget

% of Total Budget

0610

Library Supplies

$ 1,500.00

10.7%

0641

Library Books

$ 6,500.00

46.4%

0642

Periodicals and Newspapers

$ 500.00

3.6%

0645

Audiovisual Materials

$ 5,500.00

39.3%

$14,000.00

100.0%

Total

Library Supplies Rationale: While the proposed slice of the budget for supplies may seem large (at a little over 10%), this money will go towards practical and helpful materials for in-house repairs for damaged books so they can be put back in circulation, plus it will go towards aiding teachers in instructional enhancements. Supplies such as book repair glue, strong tape, extra dust jacket sleeves, laminating film (the PLDHS library media center has a new-ish laminator), colored paper, colored card stock, colored butcher paper, a new large paper cutter, and heavy duty scissors can be used by both teachers and the library media specialist. Having these supplies available to teachers would encourage them to frequent the library

media center and may, in turn, increase media circulation. Having these available also makes the library a more welcoming place for teachers who may need a quiet place to work or space to spread out with a project. In addition to making teachers feel welcome, some new cozy touches could be bought with this money to make students feel more welcome to the media center. A large canvas will be bought so that a volunteer art student can paint a library-themed “Welcome” sign to hang over the library doors in the main hallway to literally welcome students into their media center. Five durable vinyl chair-shaped bean bags (at around $30 each on Amazon.com) and 10 reading lamps (at about $9.00 each at Amazon.com) for student use would be bought with this money, and these would help create a more inviting ambiance so that students would be attracted to the library for leisure reading and book browsing. Other supplies to repair minor furniture damage (wood glue, extra fabric, glue gun with glue sticks, a vinyl repair kit, and a wood-tone scratch filler) would be purchased with this money so that existing but damaged furniture can be mended and put to use, thus saving money that would have otherwise been spent on expensive new furniture. Having attractive furniture that is kept looking nice would be another way of inviting students to comfortably utilize their library media center. Library Books Rationale: Expenditures for library books take the largest chunk of my proposed budget, at $6,500.00. Since I am using this money to expand the library’s collection, I want my book choices to fulfill both student interests and teacher needs. In this year’s case, the English department has adopted a new summer reading program that uses nominees for the Kentucky Book Awards (KBA) from 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. The library already owns some copies of the KBA books, but I would like to particularly focus on expanding this part of the collection to support the English department’s summer reading curriculum. Also, student checkout trends show that popular, more modern young adult titles are the most-circulated in this high school, so I would like to spend quite a bit of this portion on current fiction, including books and series that might attract reluctant readers and graphic novels. Another part of the collection I would like to expand is the current nonfiction, but I would focus my expenditures on mostly biographical and autobiographical nonfiction. I would purchase a few nonfiction books to support curricular changes throughout the school (these would reflect text exemplars included in the new Common Core standards to be adopted for the 2011-2012 school year), but I would not buy encyclopedias or other similar reference books that will be soon outdated,

especially when Fayette County pays for Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL), where students can access databases with current information that is updated daily. As the library media specialist, I will include in my curriculum a special emphasis on using the KYVL databases for finding information on research topics so that students will get used to using these databases as credible nonfiction and information sources. According to Albert N. Greco, professor at Fordham University, and as reported by the School Library Journal, the average price of a young-adult fiction hardcover book is around $17.00, and the average price of a young-adult nonfiction hardcover book is around $27.00, plus schools often get bids for lower prices, so I am using the average of $17.00 per fiction title and $27.00 per nonfiction title for a fully-processed book (jacket, spine label, barcode, security tag, and cataloging) in my projected budget based on current bid prices from Follett Library Resources, which has a special hardcover called â&#x20AC;&#x153;FollettBoundâ&#x20AC;? that has a lifetime repair or replacement guarantee and which would build in permanence and longevity to the collection. At these prices, I plan to spend about 70% of the $6,500.00 ($4,550.00) on fiction and 30% ($1,950.00) on nonfiction. This amounts to approximately 267 new fiction books and 72 new nonfiction books, which will be a large addition to the existing collection. In addition to this, the Follett company provides public domain titles as eBooks that are internet accessible, and they have these free of charge with school library book orders. Expanding the collection with a variety of better resources and making the media center more effective directly relates to improved student achievement, as shown in numerous studies by Keith Curry Lance. Using much of the budget to expand the current collection is a good idea for curricular support for teachers and for academic achievement of students. Periodicals and Newspapers Rationale: Periodicals and newspapers consist of the smallest percentage of my proposed budget. I would subscribe to the local newspaper in print version, since many dailies have content online anyway and since archives for many would be available through KYVL databases. According to the Fayette County vendor bid page, The Herald Leader is $2.28 per week for schools, making it $82.08 for 36 weeks., and I would request three print copies per day. These would help students and teachers alike stay abreast of current community events. For periodicals, I would subscribe to current news magazines such as Newsweek ($39.00 for a year according to prices on www.magazines.com) and Time ($30.00 for a year), and I would also subscribe to high teenage interest magazines such as Seventeen ($10.00 per year),

InStyle ($19.50 per year), Health ($10.00 per year), Entertainment Weekly ($20.00 per year), ESPN Magazine ($26.00 per year) and Sports Illustrated ($48.00 per year). I would subscribe to the newspaper and periodicals I chose because I would want to encourage students to come browse current information that is interesting to them and I would want to provide a way for them to get current local, national, and world news so they could complete class projects and so they could remain informed citizens. Old copies of magazines could be given away to students or teachers to further promote goodwill and positive feelings toward the library media center. Audiovisual Materials Rationale: Spending on audiovisual materials takes the second-largest portion of my proposed budget, and I would use this to expand resources for teachers and students. First, I would spend about 20% of this category ($1,100.00) to buy curriculum-related DVDs – at about $25.00 per DVD, this would be 44 new DVDs added to the collection. I would ask for teacher input to get them involved in the process and to make sure the media center provides the most support for them, and I would be sure to buy various DVDs for all departments and content areas. I would spend most of this category – about 70% or $3850.00 – on audio books and Playaways , which are devices from the Follett company in a hard-shell case that have the audio book electronically, and all students need to do is plug in earphones. The remaining 10% of this budget category would need to be reserved for replacement batteries for the Playaways. I would dedicate this large portion to audio books to help encourage students who may prefer the audio version over the print version to checkout more “books,” even if they are in alternative form. At an average of $50.00 each (some as low as $30.00), this would allow for 77 audio books or Playaways.

Sources: Amazon.com: L-Shaped Bean Bag, Accessed March 5, 2011: http://www.amazon.com/Ace-Bayou-Video-BlackShaped/dp/B001T4XTYA Amazon.com: LED Reading Lamp, Accessed March 5, 2011: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GMY8HC/%20ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-topstripe1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_ i=B002JCOWBA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r= 176G6TBX9WZFVMDEK306 Greco, Albert. School Library Journal, Accessed March 5, 2011: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6536651.html?q=average+book+prices Lance, Keith Curry. Library Research Service, Accessed March 5, 2011: http://www.lrs.org/documents/lmcstudies/proof2005.pdf Fayette County Schools Vendor Bid Page, Accessed March 5, 2011: http://teach.fcps.net/trt11/libtechserv/Nsprvendors.htm#Newspapers Magazines.com, Accessed March 5, 2011: www.magazines.com

PLDHS Library Media Center Library Media Specialist Job Description and Evaluation Model Job Description from Beyond Proficiency: Qualifications: KDE Certification in School Librarianship Performance responsibilities: Administrator of the Library Media Center Management 

Develops short and long-range goals which guide the development of the Library Media Program

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Develops and implements policies and procedures for the operation of the Library Media Program (e.g. selection, circulation, scheduling)

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Plans and implements technologically advanced facility and program

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Coordinates the school’s implementation of KETS if assigned (School Technology Coordinator) or actively serves on committees integrating technology

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Prepares and administers budgets to reflect the needs of the entire school community

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Evaluates LMC programs, services, facilities and materials to insure optimum use of the library media center and its resources

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Meets periodically with administrators to evaluate the Library Media Program

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Presents an annual report to the SBDM Council

Organization 

Helps with selection, trains, and supervises LMC assistants, student assistants, and adult volunteers, to perform duties efficiently

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Helps evaluate the LMC assistant(s)

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Selects resources and technology which support the school’s curriculum and educational philosophy

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Withdraws obsolete and worn materials

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Classifies, catalogs, processes and organizes for circulation the educational media and technology for easy access

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Establishes and follows procedures for maintenance and repair of all media

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Maintains a current inventory of holdings

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Maintains the LMC to be functional, attractive and orderly environment which encourages maximum use, focusing on student achievement

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Manages student behavior in a constructive manner

Teacher, Collaborator, and Instructional Partner Teacher 

Teaches information literacy skills as an integral part of units and lessons

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Teaches how to use the Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL)

Instructional Partner 

Assists teachers and students in applying information resources and information literacy skills into classroom curriculum

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Promotes maximum use of the LMC by establishing policies and procedures of flexible access to facilitate and promote student achievement

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Serves on committees involved with designing learning activities for students, curriculum revision and/or textbook adoption (e.g., curriculum, textbook, technology, instructional practices, SBDM council)

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Plans and/or participates in special projects or proposals

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Plans cooperatively with teachers to integrate research, information retrieval skills, and literature appreciation into the curriculum

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Helps teachers develop instructional activities which stress whole language and interdisciplinary strategies

Information Specialist Professional 

Provides professional development for staff

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Pursues an on-going effort to learn

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Provides access to professional materials and information for school staff

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Adheres to and informs faculty and staff of established laws, policies, rules and regulations (including copy right laws)

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Submits accurate reports promptly

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Participates in various professional organizations and activities which relate to library media and technology (i.e. visits other LMCs, continuing education courses, workshops and conferences; presents at professional meetings)

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Promotes the Library Bill of Rights/Intellectual Freedom

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Utilizes current research and methods in areas of technology, teaching, learning and library and information science

Communication 

Promotes a positive relationship with students, staff and community

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Publicizes the LMC programs, services and materials through newsletters, announcements and in other creative ways

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Networks with other libraries and shares resources

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Submits to administrator(s), SBDM Council and faculty, statistical reports which support Library Media Program goals

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Other duties as assigned by principal

Source: Kentucky Department of Education. Beyond Proficiency. Appendix A. Library Media Specialist Model Job Description, Accessed April 24, 2011: http://www.education.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/953D6B19-225D-4B43-95C0951B17A43445/0/beyondproficiency.pdf

School Library Media Specialist Evaluation

Source: Kentucky Department of Education. Beyond Proficiency. Appendix B. Evaluation Tool for Library Media Specialists, Accessed April 24, 2011: http://www.education.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/953D6B19-225D-4B43-95C0951B17A43445/0/beyondproficiency.pdf

PLDHS Library Media Center Advocacy Plan The Library Media Specialists will be the most important â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and sometimes only â&#x20AC;&#x201C; advocates for the Library Media Center Program. Before the start of the school year, the Library Media Specialists will advertise services offered to ensure that they are aware of all that the Media Center can offer them. At the beginning of the year, the Library Media Specialists will advertise services and new features of the library to students so that students feel knowledgeable and comfortable about asking for materials and assistance in the library. Throughout the year, when the library offers special programs, the Library Media Specialists will advertise these around the building. Finally, at the end of the year, the Library Media Specialists will prepare a usage report and write-up to submit to the school principal to demonstrate the extent of library usage by students and teachers. These will all be important steps for the Library Media Center to ensure that others in the building are aware of the impact of the library and how important it is to the school climate and academics. In addition to these specific measures, the Library Media Specialists will strive to operate under the ten suggestions from the American Library Association for Frontline Advocacy: 1. Involve Build an army of advocates â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your front line! Form an advocacy team. Look for untapped resources (civic groups, local businesses, librarians who work for other kinds of libraries). Bring parents, student volunteers, teachers and administrative staff on too. Brainstorm with each group about how they can be effective advocates for your school library, then write up their ideas in an action plan. When you involve others in the process, they become invested in it and feel ownership. 2. Teach Work with your advocacy team to create a simple, compelling and convincing message that is easy to say and deliver. Be sure your advocacy team understands reason(s) for the message. Teach them how they can deliver the message effectively and how to respond to questions about the resources that your library media center has to offer. 3. Inform Get creative! Help your advocacy team make book marks, stickers, cards and other freebies to

hand out, and give them to everyone at school. Address advocacy issues at every staff meeting. Create Q&A scenarios that will help other members of your school’s staff understand the library’s message and work to help spread it. Have someone on your advocacy team write a letter or short article for your community newspaper. 4. Illustrate Design a badge or button with your library media center’s message and have frontline workers and your advocacy team wear them. Have staff use screensavers and banners to highlight special messages on their computers, especially those that others can see. Keep the library website fresh and current with the library’s message. Model best practices by ensuring a clean, lively, interactive, resource-rich learning environment for students. 5. Encourage Tell staff to talk! Talk! Talk! Challenge them to deliver the library media center’s message to three people every day – at the check-out desk, the grocery store, staff lounge, meetings, the post office, on a walk with their dog. Encourage them to think of and portray the library as the “happening place” in your school…the place where life-long learning and exploration is happening. 6. Enlist Get school staff and others to help build your network by establishing and nurturing relationships with key staff in other schools. 7. Listen Encourage school staff to listen and collect stories, especially stories about how the library and media center staff has helped someone. Save these stories and communicate them to decision makers at strategic times. 8. Brainstorm The brain is a wonderful thing – use it! Constantly brainstorm innovative strategies for reaching different groups that the library media center serves. Take the lead and inspire other frontline staff with your energy, passion and enthusiasm. Be positive with staff about solutions and partnerships. Be creative about funding and spending.

9. Welcome Be sure your library media center is welcoming 100% of the time. Ask yourself: Is it friendly? Clean? Well lit? Uncluttered? Comfortable? A place you can count on for help? 10. Thank, thank, thank! It’s sometimes overlooked in our multi-tasking, sound bite world but it’s appreciated more for its rarity: the simple act of sincerely saying “thank you.” It’s more than just, “thanks,” however. Take the time to thank the person for what he or she did and tell them why it matters. And here’s the really cool bonus: When you acknowledge an individual’s help with spreading your school library’s advocacy message, you don’t just make that person feel good, you inspire him or her to keep helping.

Source: American Library Association. Ten Action Steps for Frontline School Advocacy, Accessed April 24, 2011: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/advocacyuniversity/frontline_advocacy/frontline_school/ten.cfm

ARTIFACT 3 RATIONALE Library Media Center Manual Context The third entry in my School Media Library Portfolio is a manual for the Paul Laurence Dunbar High School library that I created as a culminating project for Administration of School Media Centers (LIS 644) during the spring of 2011. Students were given a choice of which library to create a manual for, and I chose to create one for my own high schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s library since it is the one I am most familiar with but it is also the one I have the most ideas for. From compiling this manual, including media center goals, objectives, policies, programs, evaluations, and budget, I became aware of the extensive decisions that go into the day-to-day running and management of a school library media center. I was also able to more deeply consider the current practices I observe in my high school media center, then to reflect upon how I might improve those practices. I chose to include this in my School Media Library Portfolio, first, because of the sheer amount of work that went into creating and compiling it, and, second, because it fully represented the breadth and depth of ideas that I learned in LIS 644. It demonstrates my understanding of informational acquisition, storage, and de-selection in the various policies, such as for collection development and weeding, and it shows my thinking about managing a school library media program on a broad level. Additionally, it shows my belief in and dedication to lifelong learning â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whether it involves my own learning or that of others, particularly the students I want to continue to serve.

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Standards Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 3: Creates and Maintains Learning Climate Creating and then implementing the policies and guidelines contained in this manual help make sure that the climate of the library is welcoming yet academic and that it is “a learning climate that supports the development of student abilities to use communication skills.” In having set rules and expectations, as outlined in 3.1, I am ensuring that the media center is an orderly and comfortable place to be for students, per 3.2 and 3.5. Having expectations and policies clearly published in a manual and then clearly communicated to students helps guarantee consistency and fairness when a problem may arise to disrupt the learning environment. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 4: Implements and Manages Instruction Having created this manual with set expectations also allows me to more effectively implement instruction in the media center by outlining a flexible schedule that teachers can utilize to help their students gain skills that lead to information literacy. The flexible, open schedule is a researched, valuable use of time (4.3), and the interior planning, as well as services offered, contribute to using the space and materials in the media center effectively (4.4). Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 6: Demonstrates the Implementation of Technology Creating this manual additionally shows how I can use technology to “support instruction; … *and+ communicate and collaborate with colleagues, parents, and the community.” Part of the services offered by the media center directly address students using and integrating technology, such as online resources, into their products and processes for school, as stated by 6.3. Learning to properly credit such resources and being aware of copyright and fair use, as addressed in the manual, lead to the ethical and legal use of technology, from 6.5, for students and faculty alike.

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Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 8: Collaborates with Colleagues/Parents/Others This library manual further demonstrates a collaborative effort among the library media specialist, the teachers in the school, the parents of students, and the community at large. By having a manual that clearly states the mission, goals, and objectives of the media center, others in the community can be made aware that the library “support*s+ learning programs that develop student abilities… .” Including the advocacy plan provides ideas on how to make known to the larger community the services and collaboration that a school library can offer (8.2). Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 9: Evaluates Teaching and Implements Professional Development A specific section of the library manual serves to set forth the rubric for evaluating the teaching that goes on in the media center. This information, plus other data such as standardized test scores, can then be used to create a professional growth plan that addresses areas of weakness (9.2 and 9.3). These evaluation criteria, plus the Kentucky Teacher Standards, can support my own self-reflection as well as an overall program reflection. AASL Standard 1.3: Access to Information This library manual demonstrates that I work to provide “flexible and open access for the library media center and its services” through established hours before and after school and open access during the school day. The various media contained within the collection serves to provide “access to information in print, nonprint, and electronic formats.” The main goal of a school library media center is to support the teaching and learning going on in the school, and this manual outlines how access to needed information can make that happen.

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AASL Standard 1.4: Stimulating Learning Environment Furthermore, this manual serves to “establish and maintain a positive educational climate in the library media center” and to provide a structure to “organize library media centers according to their use by the learning community.” With the diagram of the layout and the enumerated list of services offered by the library, users can be made aware that the library is a welcoming yet academic setting for gathering and using information and that it is a vital place to turn to for their information needs. AASL Standard 2.3: Information Literacy Curriculum In using the manual to explain the various services offered and collaborative opportunities available to teachers, this manual demonstrates that I “employ strategies to integrate the information literacy curriculum with content curriculum.” In order to support all content areas, the collection is wideranging, current, and relevant, and the various types of information literacy instruction are offered to all teachers in the building. AASL Standard 4.1: Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using The policies regarding Collection Development, Weeding, and Evaluating the Collection are all meant to serve as tools to help “develop a quality collection designed to meet diverse curricular and personal needs.” These policies contained in the manual lead to an organized and efficient use of all resources in the collection. The various formats contained within the collection ensure that a broad range of media is made available to diverse learners. AASL Standard 4.2: Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical This entire manual most directly serves to provide “policies and procedures that support the mission of the school and address specific needs of the library media program, such as collection development and maintenance, challenged materials and acceptable use policies.” My library manual ensures that the

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mission of the library aligns with the mission of the school, that collection development policies are clearly communicated, and that procedures are in place in case of a challenge to materials. The sample budget and rationale for spending contained in the manual serve to demonstrate a thoughtful and informed decision-making process where important financial matters are concerned. AASL Standard 4.3: Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment This manual lastly demonstrates that I can “collaborate with teachers and administrators to develop a library media program plan that aligns resources, services and information literacy standards with the school’s goals and objectives” in that alignment of school and library goals is achieved. All materials in the library serve to support the teaching and learning going on in the school, and services offered help support the mission and goals of the school.

Reflection Creating this manual was a monumental task, but an important one. It made me think about numerous important aspects of running a media center that I would probably not have considered otherwise. First, advance planning of how the media center will run is a crucial aspect, especially for a school media specialist in the extended employment time before school begins. Without this planning, an unorganized media center could be plunged into chaos when school begins and 150 staff and 2,200 students descend upon it. Simple plans, such as the professional development focus or the technology support offerings, don’t necessarily take that long to develop but will give both the media specialist and faculty a guiding idea for the school year. In addition to the planning, I also realized how important it is to have policies in place, such as those for collection development, challenges, and weeding. These type of policies are critical to have in place in the event that a problem or challenge does come up so that all

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involved know the proper channels of communication to resolve any issues. Lastly, compiling the manual made me reflect upon my role as a program administrator of the library and made me sharply aware that the success of the media center will rest upon my shoulders. This means that I will need to continuously keep the needs of my students and faculty in mind and keep my focus on serving the whole school. Being a media specialist involves so much more than just recommending and checking out books, and it is a challenge I am looking forward to but also one I do not take lightly.

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School Media Library Portfolio Summer Perry Section 6: Artifact 4

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Media Literacy Brochure: Outside of Brochure

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Media Literacy Brochure: Inside of Brochure

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ARTIFACT 4 RATIONALE Media Literacy Brochure Context The next entry for my School Media Library Portfolio was a project for Current Trends in School Media Centers (LIS 647), which I took during the Summer II session in 2009. For this assignment, students were asked to create a brochure or flyer that defined media literacy and the school library media specialist’s role in promoting it to an audience of either parents or teachers. I chose to design a brochure for teachers for the purpose of both informing them of what media literacy is and of services the library can provide, which I felt was a needed informational piece in my own high school. I decided that I would prepare this brochure as something I could use in the future in my own school library. I selected this as an entry for my School Media Library Portfolio because it is a good example of something I created for good “PR” for the school library, and I think self-advocacy needs to be a focus that some librarians may not consider important. Self-generated PR shared with the community or faculty reminds all, including administrators, just how valuable the school media specialist and the school library are to the entire school. Design programs, such as Microsoft Publisher, make creating this type of brochure very easy, so librarians need to utilize technology tools to share offerings or good things happening in the media center.

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Standards Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 1: Demonstrates Applied Content Knowledge Knowing what media literacy is and what knowledge and skillsit entails is a crucial part of being a school library media specialist. Taking this library content and putting it into brochure format is a way of communicating this concept, as 1.1 states. Also, making explicit how the library can help teachers and students allows students to make more connections to what they already know, how to apply skills across the curriculum, and connect it to their own lives, as 1.2 articulates. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 6: Demonstrates the Implementation of Technology This brochure demonstrates many ways that technology is integrated, from its creation to its content. First, in creating the brochure, I am showing evidence of communicating with colleagues, parents, and the community and of using technology to design and plan my instruction (6.1). Second, the content of the brochure communicates that I promote the ethical and legal use of information involved with technology. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 8: Collaborates with Colleagues/Parents/Others This brochure furthermore serves to demonstrate an effort to advertise the collaborative efforts that should underlie the professional relationship between a classroom teacher and a media specialist. Making teachers aware of what the media specialist can do for them makes them more likely to utilize the expertise of the media specialist. This shows a â&#x20AC;&#x153;plan to enhance student learning that includes all parties in the collaborative effort,â&#x20AC;? as stated by 8.2.

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Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 10: Provides Leadership Within School/Community/Profession Additionally, this brochure serves to demonstrate “professional leadership within the school, community, and education profession” in taking the initiative and responsibility to lead the school, students and teachers alike, in gaining information literacy. This is one area where a media specialist can find “leadership opportunities that enhance student learning and/or professional environment of the school” (10.1). This should also be a part of the media center’s larger plan when offering professional development activities or leading a professional learning community, as stated in 10.2. AASL Standard 1.1: Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior This brochure also overtly states how a media specialist can help “model strategies to locate, evaluate, and use information for specific purposes” in an academic environment. From supporting teachers to help students evaluate electronic resources to teaching effective searching of an online database, this clearly explains services that a media specialist can provide. AASL Standard 1.2: Literacy and Reading Part of media literacy is to consider the medium in which the information is presented. Evaluating information with critical reading and thinking, regardless of how it is presented, allows students to reflect on various formats available and choose the one that best suits their learning style, interests, and needs. AASL Standard 1.3: Access to Information By teaching media literacy skills, a media specialist is directly “facilitat*ing+ access to information in print, nonprint, and electronic formats.” Imparting to students the crucial information search skills, such as

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keyword formation or source evaluation strategies, also ensures that the information they do access will be more relevant to their information needs or wants. AASL Standard 1.4: Stimulating Learning Environment This brochure furthermore demonstrates an effort to “establish and maintain a positive educational climate in the library media center” in reaching out and welcoming teachers and their students to fully utilize the learning opportunities that a media specialist can facilitate. This sets the tone for a library program and environment that is conducive to student learning. AASL Standard 2.2: Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher The direct invitation included in the brochure for teachers to make use of the library shows an effort and a willingness to “work with classroom teachers to co-plan, co-teach, and co-assess information skills instruction.” The support of the trained media specialist allows for enrichment that extends beyond the classroom teacher. AASL Standard 2.3: Information Literacy Curriculum In defining information literacy and detailing how a media specialist can support the classroom teacher in media instruction, this brochure helps promote the information literacy curriculum. Any and all content teachers can make use of the media center to help teach these critical thinking skills to students, so it outlines how to “employ strategies to integrate the information literacy curriculum with content curriculum.”

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Reflection Part of what I realized in making this brochure was the importance of public relations and advocacy from the library to the school and the surrounding community. This PR building may not seem to be part of the role of the media specialist, so I think it can often be overlooked. But if the media specialist doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t drum up good PR for the school library, who will? A media specialist may think that the visibility of the library may be enough to tout their services, but still the perception remains that school librarians check out books and read all day. These types of informational brochures, clearly outlining what the school library offers, are necessary to dispel that perception. Additionally, these services can be made apparent to the students of the school so they are aware of the types of skills the school librarian is teaching them. Graphic design programs make it easy for school librarians to create colorful and informative brochures or flyers to catch the eye of staff and students alike, and, in turn, school librarians are reinforcing their offerings, the skills they teach, and their significant role in the success of the school.

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School Media Library Portfolio Summer Perry Section 7: Artifact 5

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Summer Perry Prof. M. Gardner LIS 647 3 August 2009 Wonderful Wikis: Using Wikis in the School Library Media Center and Beyond (Note: Sources cited in MLA format)

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Imagine a technology tool that allows students to contribute their knowledge and ideas collaboratively in an authentic way that doesn’t take up a lot of class time. Sound too good to exist? Well, it does, and it may be a somewhat unexpected tool: a wiki. We’ve all heard of wikis – or at least Wikipedia – but we may not have considered them as instructional tools and not every teacher may know how to use one to enhance their curriculum. They are a quick and easy way for a teacher or librarian to create a virtual collaborative learning environment and are aptly named: wiki comes from the Hawaiian word for “fast” or “quick” (Lamb and Johnson). Wikis can be great tools for school library media specialists and for classroom teachers, but some professional development may be needed to make sure that teachers know how to use this technology application to augment their instruction.

Background

Wikis are web spaces set up to allow for community writing, sharing, and editing of content about any chosen topic. Instead of a static webpage, a wiki is meant to continually change through addition, deletion, revision, and editing. The first wiki, WikiWikiWeb, was launched in 1995 by Ward Cunningham as a forum of communication among computer programmers and was “a departure from the existing model of Web communication, where there was a clear divide between authors and readers” (Bejune 26). While originally meant for computer scientists, the user-friendly aspect of the software (a user does not need to know how to make a webpage or know any specialized language like HTML) has made it increasingly popular for other fields. In the last few years, wikis have become more and more popular for use in an educational setting, and wikis have earned a place in the “instructional toolbox” for both library media specialists and classroom teachers.

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Using Wikis in the Media Center

First, library media specialists (LMSs) are using wikis to share information and connect to various audiences, including other LMSs and students. As experts in finding information, LMSs seem a natural community for working together to form a quality wiki. LMSs can use wikis to augment their practices and share ideas and resources for assisting students, recommending books, or collaborating with teachers. Many wikis geared toward LMSs collaborating with other LMSs already exist, including the LibSuccess Wiki (www.libsuccess.org) for sharing best practices and information for all libraries, the Teacher Librarian Wiki (teacherlibrarianwiki.pbwiki.com) for sharing class materials and tips, and the YALSA Wiki (wikis.ala.org/yalsa) for subjects about young adult services (Saxton). In a research study, Matthew Bejune, an assistant professor at Purdue University Libraries and doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, asserts that “*l+ibraries use wikis to collaborate intraorganizationally and extraorganizationally because collaboration is what they do most naturally” (33) and that “wikis are here to stay, and their utilization within libraries is only just beginning” (34). Since LMSs may be apt to use wikis, they may also look into ways to implement their own wikis to foster student collaboration at their school. For example, an LMS could create a wiki space to let students post book recommendations or reviews or to let them share favorite websites for homework help. This would address various American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards for the 21st Century Learner, including 3.1.2: Participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network of learners;

3.1.4:

Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and

understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess; and 3.3.5: Contribute to the exchange of ideas within and beyond the learning community.

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Using Wikis in the Classroom

Additionally, classroom teachers are using wikis to enhance their curriculum and give their students a collaborative way to learn using technology. Wikis can be used for myriad classroom connections: collaborative problem solving, collaborative research, collaborative writing, dynamic journals, electronic portfolios, portals for specific subjects, resource aggregator, study guide, and virtual conferences are some listed by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, teachers of Library and Information Science at Indiana University, Indianapolis (58-9). The wiki explanation page on the website WebTools4u2use (which is itself a wiki) offers numerous classroom applications, such as sharing group meeting minutes, posting reading or trivia questions, creating webpages on timely topics, enhancing class discussions, and making student work public (“Wikis”). Vicky Davis, author of the Cool Cat Blog and a teacher leader in technology, was so pleased at the outcome of a first-time trial wiki that she changed her own curriculum and encouraged other teachers to try wiki-based assignments: “I feel that I've unknowingly introduced students to their future. I feel that the material has become relevant in a way that has not been done before. I changed my semester assessment to a wiki project. Other teachers are planning assessments next semester to include wiki portfolios.”

An LMS could foster the use of wikis by offering professional development sessions that show the benefits and ease of using a wiki for class concepts. Even teachers who are not tech savvy or those who don’t wish to use a lot of class time for a project could set up and utilize a wiki for their students, and LMSs could stress the added benefit that they are meeting various Kentucky Department of Education’s Academic Expectations, including 1.11: Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes and 1.16: Students use computers and other kinds of technology to collect, organize, and communicate information and ideas.

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Professional Development Description

This professional development (PD) project – keeping in mind classroom teachers who may be interested yet reluctant or intimidated by using technology – is about why and how to use wikis. I would begin the PD by giving a brief overview of what a wiki is (addressed earlier in this paper), then looking at a wiki they’ve probably all seen or heard about: Wikipedia. I would also show them a wiki about using wikis in the classroom on the website WebTools4u2use. To show them how the wiki collaborative writing and editing process works, I would then show them the short video “Wikis in Plain English” (available at YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY and TeacherTube at teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=20514&title=Wikis_In_Plain_English), which explains why using a wiki to collaborate may be more streamlined and helpful than using something like email to coordinate a group effort. Beforehand, I would set up a wiki for this PD group, and I would have them try adding and editing content to that wiki to see how simple it is and to allow them some hands-on experience. Next, I would give them the handout with various instructional ideas for teachers in different content areas and have them brainstorm topics or projects that would be well-suited for a wiki. After this step, I would have them look at the recommended wiki space sites and show classroom examples from each site so that teachers could get the overall appearance and “feel” of each wiki tool and so that they can decide which one may best suit their instructional needs. Sites I would recommend would be Peanut Butter Wiki (pbworks.com/academic.wiki), Wet Paint (wikisineducation.wetpaint.com/), and Wiki Spaces (www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers). I would then let teachers set up a wiki for the topic of their choice and be available for questions or other technological snafus.

For teachers who still may be intimidated or not quite “sold” on the idea of wikis, I could share Vicky Davis’s PowerPoint presentation “Wikis in the Classroom” (available at

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www.slideshare.net/coolcatteacher/wikis-in-the-classroom) or the Wikispaces Tour for those having trouble setting up their wiki (at www.wikispaces.com/site/tour#introduction). For more advanced users, I could encourage them to insert more advanced features, such as graphics, audio (a site that lets students record to the internet from their phone is www.ipadio.com/), video, or animations, in their wikis. If all goes as expected, each teacher should leave the PD session with a working wiki space for use in their curriculum.

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Works Cited Bejune, Matthew M. “Wikis in Libraries.” Information Technology and Libraries 26.3 (Sept. 2007): 2638. Davis, Vicky A. “Wiki Wiki Teaching: The Art of Using Wiki Pages to Teach.” Weblog entry. Cool Cat Teacher Blog. 9 Dec. 2005. 31 July 2009 <http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2005/12/wikiwiki-teaching-art-of-using-wiki.html>. Lamb, Annette, and Larry Johnson. “An Information Skills Workout: Wikis and Collaborative Writing.” Teacher Librarian 34.5 (June 2007): 57-9. Saxton, Beth. “Information Tools: Using Blogs, RSS, and Wikis as Professional Resources.” Young Adult Library Services 6.2 (Winter 2008): 27-29. “Wikis.” WebTools4U2Use. 2009. Tangient LLC. 31 July 2009 < http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com/ Wikis>. “Wikis in Plain English.” Teacher Tube. 29 May 2007. CommonCraft. 31 July 2009. <http://teachertube.com/ viewVideo.php? video_id=20514&title=Wikis_In_Plain_English >.

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Wonderful Wikis PD Handout (2009) Why Use a Wiki? (Why not?) 

    

They address Kentucky Academic Expectations 1.11: Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes and 1.16: Students use computers and other kinds of technology to collect, organize, and communicate information and ideas They are a worthwhile use of technology in the classroom They are easy to set up and learn how to use They have an authentic audience and purpose They allow and encourage students to work collaboratively They do not take up a lot of class time – can be done on any computer

Ways to Use a Wiki (The possibilities are endless!)       

Science: parts of a cell, planets/objects in the solar system, steps of cell division (or any process), elements and their molecular structure, classification of leaves, chemical formulas English: literary or rhetorical devices, elements of a short story, online portfolios, study guide for vocabulary, characters in a play (or any work of literature), online publishing of student work Math: steps of solving an equation, geometric proofs, study guide for methods of factoring, steps of Newton’s method, solving word problems, definitions of shapes, formulas for finding area Social Studies: timeline of important events, important historical figures, presidents of the United States, steps in the legislative process for passing a bill, facts about various countries Arts and Humanities: artistic periods and their characteristics, famous artists and their works, classical songs with an embedded audio file, types of dances with video links Business: format of a business letter, how to make a PowerPoint presentation, how to balance an accounting ledger, various schools of thought for business models World Languages: study guide for language vocabulary, various conjugations of verbs, different tenses, cultural facts about a country

Wiki Sites to Try: (All are ad-free)   

Peanut Butter Wiki (pbworks.com/academic.wiki): “PBworks hosts more classroom workspaces than anyone else in the world, and lets you create a simple, secure workspace in about 60 seconds.” Wet Paint (wikisineducation.wetpaint.com/): “2400+ educators who are working together to learn and share ideas about using wikis in the classroom.” Wikispaces (www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers): “We know a good thing when we see it so we're giving away another 250,000 ad-free, private K-12 Plus wikis.”

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Wiki Help     

WebTools4U2Use (webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com/ Wikis): A wiki about using wikis in the classroom PowerPoint: “Wikis in the Classroom” (www.slideshare.net/coolcatteacher/wikis-in-theclassroom): An informational PowerPoint of the benefits of using a wiki in the classroom Video: “Wikis in Plain English” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY or teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=20514&title=Wikis_In_Plain_English): Link to a video explaining how a wiki works in non-technical terms Wikispaces Setup Walkthrough (www.wikispaces.com/site/tour#introduction): Goes through how to set up your Wiki Spaces account Me! Contact me at summer.perry@fayette.kyschools.us if you need additional help with wikis!

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Professional Development Evaluation: Wonderful Wikis (2009) Please write in your rating using the following scale: 4=Strongly Agree 3=Agree 2=Disagree

1=Strongly Disagree

Program: 1. The content of the presentation was clear, organized, and understandable. 2.

Materials were clear and helpful.

There was a good balance of lecture, activity, and interaction.

I will be able to use what I learned today in my classroom.

The content was relevant, timely, and appropriate.

Instructor: 1. The instructor was friendly, approachable, and helpful. 2.

The instructor was knowledgeable about the subject.

The instructor gave a high quality presentation.

The instructor answered questions to my satisfaction.

Logistics: 1. The length of the presentation was appropriate to cover the concept and allow for hands-on practice. 2. The location, room, and available technology were conducive to my comfort and learning.

Rating

Comments: Please provide comments about what you liked or disliked. For any item above that did not receive your highest rating, please provide clarifications and suggestions for improvement. Continue on the back of this sheet if you wish. Feel free to list other professional development topics that would be interesting and helpful to you.

Adapted from The Commission on International Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) Professional Development Evaluation (2007), found at www.citaschools.org/index.php?Itemid=105&id=55&option=com_content&task=view.

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Imagine: A TECHNOLOGY TOOL that ENCOURAGES COLLABORATION, has an AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE, and DOESN’T TAKE UP A LOT OF CLASS TIME. It does exist! Come and be introduced to the WONDERFUL WORLD OF WIKIS! What: You will learn how to use a wiki to help enhance your curriculum using student collaboration and technology and get some ideas of how to incorporate wikis into your class. You will get to “play” with various recommended wiki sites, and by the end of this hands-on workshop, you will have made a wiki space for use in your classroom. Where: Library Media Center When: Wednesday, 3:30 p.m.

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ARTIFACT 5 RATIONALE â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wonderful Wikisâ&#x20AC;? Professional Development Presentation Context The final entry for my School Media Library Portfolio is a professional development offering and the research used to back it, which I created in the Summer II session of 2009 for LIS 647. Students were asked to research some form of technology that would enhance the curriculum of the media center, then to take that information and create a professional development offering suitable for teachers or other media specialists. At the time, I was looking for ways to use technology to enhance my own classroom, and the idea of a class wiki was interesting to me. After researching wikis, I decided to create one as a collaborative learning environment for students in my junior English classes. I selected this for inclusion in the School Media Library Portfolio because it demonstrates the type of professional development offering I would provide as a school library media specialist, and it demonstrates the process I would use in developing it. I am very interested in using technology to enhance the educational environment, so sharing a strategy or idea with teachers who may benefit from this is an added bonus. I actually did get to share my wiki PD with my English department, and a few colleagues have since implemented their own class wikis. I found that trying out the wiki in my own class helped me speak from experience when I explained to others how to use it successfully.

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Standards Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 1: Demonstrates Applied Content Knowledge First, researching then presenting professional development requires that media specialists know the content they will be helping others with. This clearly links to knowledge of the library content area, where it can easily be translated to other content areas. This kind of PD encourages teachers to try something new with technology to keep students’ interest and contribute to their learning (1.3) and demonstrates my knowledge of the library content area. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 2: Designs and Plans Instruction Additionally, this type of PD is a way of sharing a design and plan for instruction that addresses various multiple intelligences and helps develop diverse student abilities. In this way, I am helping others “*plan+ instructional strategies and activities that address learning objectives for all students,” per subsection 2.4, while also “… facilitat*ing* multiple levels of learning,” per 2.5. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 6: Demonstrates the Implementation of Technology This PD also ties in to an area of much interest to me: technology. It allows me to share my interest with other teachers to support instruction and to contribute to their professional growth along with my own. The PD is a direct way that I have used “technology to design and plan instruction” (6.1) and also serves as a way to integrate technology into a student’s learning environment (6.3). Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 8: Collaborates with Colleagues/Parents/Others Furthermore, the Wonderful Wikis PD is a way to collaborate, especially with colleagues, to create a plan to enhance student learning related to the content (8.2). Having a student-driven, student-created wiki allows them to have ownership of their product and to collaborate with one another, as well. This

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demonstrates that I collaborate with others in sharing ideas with them and that I also promote collaboration. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 9: Evaluates Teaching and Implements Professional Development Creating a PD for other teachers or media specialists is actually an effective way to self-teach concepts that lead to professional growth. Through informal and formal assessment, a media specialist can collect “evidence of professional growth and reflection on the identified priority areas and impact on instructional effectiveness and student learning” (9.4). With the evaluation form included at the end of the PD session, I can receive valuable feedback from colleagues so that any weak areas can be addressed and improved upon. Kentucky Teacher Standard (Experienced) 10: Provides Leadership Within School/Community/Profession Media specialists should be in tune to the culture and climate of their schools, and should use that information to determine where PD should be provided. By taking the initiative to create leadership opportunities, as stated by 10.1, media specialists can affirm their importance in the school. In this case, the PD plan was developed in response to needed training for an aspect of technology, per 10.2. Through this type of PD, I can be a trend-setter and active promoter for more technology use in the classroom. AASL Standard 3.1: Connection with the Library Community Inviting other media specialists to PD sessions such as this would be a good way to open up lines of communication within the school library community, and even just sharing this type of PD with other media specialists on a listserv or discussion board can promote “resource sharing, networking, and

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developing common policies and procedures.” The fact that the PD is grounded in research shows that I use journals to advance my own professional growth, and willingness to share it with others demonstrates an investment in the growth of others, as well. AASL Standard 3.2: Instructional Partner In creating and presenting this PD, I am demonstrating the “importance of participating … in faculty staff development opportunities.” This PD is an offering that I feel is worthwhile to share with others, and I recognize the need for on-going opportunities to provide instructional strategies to others. AASL Standard 3.3: Educational Leader Lastly, the PD is a way to stay apprised of “current educational trends…” that affect the library media center and the school as a whole. Again, using the research-base, this shows that I have “utilize*d+ information found in professional journals to improve library practice.” In these ways, I am promoting continuing education for all involved.

Reflection In creating then later getting to actually implement this professional development session, I realized that frequent offerings such as this can really create more perceived value for the library media specialist beyond the walls of the media center. Teachers and administrators are often looking for new ideas, and being able to offer them “in-house” is beneficial due to the low cost and available built-in support. I also realized the importance of continuing education for teachers as well as media specialists, especially in the area of technology. New Web 2.0 tools, apps, or software continue to expand the horizons of how technology can enhance teaching and learning, so it’s good to have knowledge about what has just been released or about what is coming out soon. Finally, this type of PD session generates good PR and

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advertising for the media center and allows the media specialists to â&#x20AC;&#x153;show it offâ&#x20AC;? when hosting such events. Teachers will leave with a new tool to try in their classrooms, administrators will be pleased that their schools are trying cutting-edge technology, and the media specialist will affirm her important role in the school: everyone leaves happy.

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School Media Library Portfolio Summer Perry Section 8: Professional Development Plan

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Professional Development Plan John Donne wrote that no man is an island, and this adage holds particularly true for school library media specialists. As I embark upon a career as a media specialist, I recognize the need to identify and learn from my weaknesses in an effort to continue to grow professionally using the resources, organizations, and people around me. To that end, I want to center my continuing professional development on three areas: reader’s advisory, technology, and “customer service.” Currently, I try to read as much young adult literature as I can, but I feel that staying ahead of current offerings is an area that I would like to improve in so that I can be a more effective school librarian. For help in staying current and effective in a reader’s advisory role, I plan on using select published resources, such as School Library Journal, Library Media Connection, and Booklist, for their trusted reviews of children’s and young adult literature. I currently subscribe to SLJ, but I would hope that my school would allow me to subscribe to other various journals that would impact and enhance my position. Additionally, I would like to continue reading a variety of young adult literature so that I can stay ahead of the curve when it comes to recommending books to eager readers. I also plan to remain current in this capacity through community resources, such as contacts with the Lexington Public Library or local bookstores like Joseph Beth. Staying informed of current trends in literature is a crucial function of a school library media specialist in order to relate effectively to students and to best respond to their needs and wants. The next area of professional development is the one I’m most interested in and one I feel is a personal strength: use of technology. This is one of the most exciting aspects as a school library media specialist simply because of the constant innovation that is brought about through educational technology. In order to stay informed of these quickly-changing trends, I would like to take opportunities to attend various conferences, especially the annual Innovations for Learning conference

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sponsored by Fayette County Schools every June. To take this a step further, I would like to share the technology resources I learn about through demonstrations and modeling in professional development for others who would be interested. I would also try to use the latest educational technology in the media center so that I would be better able to help teachers in my building utilize technology that may be relevant and helpful to them. The final aspect of my professional development plan involves an ongoing, systematic way to gauge library user wants and needs while staying connected with the library community to learn about best-practices and is an area where I see potential for enormous growth. I would like to have an open channel of communication, especially with the faculty I serve, through feedback cards and surveys to make sure that I am meeting their needs in their own professional growth and in helping their studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; learning. To remain connected to the library community, I would like to join professional organizations, starting with the Kentucky School Media Association (KSMA), to begin a network of support from other school library media specialists in the area. Additionally, I would like to participate in online offerings from the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), including joining their listserv and working at my own pace through their Learning4Life (L4L) Webinars. Building a professional community both within my school building and outside of it will allow me to grow with the input and ideas of others. No aspect of education is solitary, especially that of a school library media specialist. With the supports of specialized journals and literature, cutting-edge knowledge gained through conferences, and a professional network, I will work to continue to develop my skills and knowledge so that I may best serve my school community.

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School Media Library Portfolio Summer Perry Section 9: Statement of Original Work and Release

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Signed Statement of Original Work and Release Form 1. The material contained in this portfolio is my own work. 2. I give the University of Kentuckyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School of Library and Information Science, the Educational Professional Standards Board, and any accrediting agencies/representatives/committees permission to view my electronic portfolio. Summer Perry

Signed:

November 21, 2011