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Collection Development: CD policy, book challenge procedure, handling donations, weeding procedure, budget guidelines

Library Guidelines and Responsibilities: borrowing materials, fines, hours of operation, student behavior, technology use agreement, media release agreement

Step-by-Step Procedures: inventory, acquisitions, book processing

Goals: facility improvements, student learning outcomes, library programming

Reports: Annual report including circ. stats, collaborative units participated in, teachers who have used the library, special things happened in the library;

Marketing: parent brochure, instructional partnerships/library services for teachers

SEE ALSO Reading Advocacy and Literacy; Facilities & Ambiance

Teaching Documents: How-to Research, bibliography guidelines, how-to cite in-text, how-to search online

Curriculum: District academic plan, AASL standards, state standards (include links to documents)

Contacts: district-wide library coordinator, contact information for librarians in district

Digital Presence Links:

Twitter feed; blog site

Library website: Weebly/Google Sites

Calendar of upcoming events

Digital library catalog (showing books in library and electronic texts)

Library handbook documents

Student resources (website links, lesson-specific documents)

Suggestions for families (reading together, etc.)

Public library resources for parents http://www.anchoragelibrary.org/services/services-for/kids/parents-teachers/

Online ethical behavior and staying safe online for students and families,

Create a category “New Books 09/10” so students can read about the new titles purchased during the school year.

Advertise policies: website, open house, brochures housed in library, PTA, etc.

Have documents ready when questions arise and to guide actions as a professional

SOURCES
MacDonnell, Colleen. Essential Documents for School Libraries: Do you Have Them?
Contents for a Library Notebook Based on Helena School District #1

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Marketing see also Reading Advocacy and Literacy:

Welcoming students as they arrive in the library is the most important and basic premise oí marketing and public relations.

All signage should have a distinct purpose and message (upcoming events, new books, movie tie-ins, award-winning titles, OR represent a particular genre)

create a banner and display in a high-traffic area in the school (buyabanner.com for ideas)

Use velcro to attach signs

Book displays are the most effective way to recommend books.

attract the eye with color and signage

shelving end panels made by parent?

Ask faculty and students to write a recommendation for a book they have read and post it with the book. Identify the highest circulating titles and ask readers what they liked about the titles.

Digital Marketing:

Create a category “New Books 18/19” on library website so students can read about the new titles purchased during the school year.

Change the graphic, message, and background color on your library home page often to attract attention.

Use social media to advertise programming to school community

Design and publish a student brochure that every student can understand and that includes hours, staff names...book checkout/return policy, databases, and access information from campus and home.

Ambiance:

Create zones for reading, lounging, projects, and instruction

Comfy seating, bright colors, characters from books on walls (be careful about copyright), games/puzzles at the ready

Noise level in zones with respect for all patrons

White noise via speaker/sound-reducing headphones

Makerspaces:

Why would we put this Makerspace in a library?

Libraries are about learning... makerspaces help people learn new things

Libraries are about community...makerspaces build community

Libraries are about access...makerspaces provide access to tools, software, electronics, and more

There should be enough space for the activity supplies, instructions, and work area. (paraphrased below)

Enough supplies for an entire day

Seating/standing space for # of patrons allowed

Lighting/electrical

Storage space for supplies portable or permanent

Easy to clean area/convert between activities

Include activity objectives and instructions/guidelines for behavior

**Create a bookmark or index-sized card mini-pathfinder for patrons to take away. Include further ideas for books, websites, and community places or events that participants can do on their own.

SOURCES
Preddy, Lesley. Creating School Library “Makerspace”. Library Monthly/volume 29/number 5/February 2013. Pg 41-42. ABC-Clio-Greenwood Publishing

Redford, Jennifer. Makerspaces in Libraries. Published 8-14-13.  https://youtu.be/hOqTcQedDrw Accessed 10-29-17

Stidham, Sue. If Kids Designed School Libraries: The Top-10 List + Wild Things

Young Jr., Terrence E. Marketing your School Library Media Center: What We Can Learn from National Bookstores

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*Why prepare a budget?  Say, “I am a student advocate for the learning needs of the school.  Whether these needs are funded or not, it is my responsibility to present them for consideration.”

Learn district procedures:

Budget process

Budget cycle

For acquiring materials (written & involved parties known)

Forms/web-based (required by district)

Printed budget vs. send in electronically for approval

How is additional money requested?

Approved fundraising methods

Grant proposals

TO-DO:

*Keep a spreadsheet of accounting records (regularly balance accounts)

Not overly detailed budget

Include items covered by district/state

Itemize special purchases

Prioritize items and make a plan several years out to account for rising needs

Get bibliography of books included in adopted curriculum (contact publisher); Purchase trade books to accompany curriculum

Share budget with district library coordinator

Join technology/curriculum committees

Plan arrival of items to be when you are in the building to accept them

Inform principal of budget plan, spending record, and library needs

Put requests in terms of per-pupil expenditures...use average prices of books

Use charts and graphs to enhance

Summarize top 3 requests on cover page with bullet points and rationale; attach spreadsheet with more details

*Support budget by showing how spending will positively affect students and how purchases will support school’s curriculum, goals, & student achievement

Use data to support requests: age of current books, popular types of recreational reading, usage stats, surveys; compare with state/national data

Collaborate With:

Public librarians (shared databases/tips) AND other school librarians (collaborate when purchasing online subscriptions/tips)

Local newspaper in education program

Rally for Support:

Let families buy a book for the library in their child’s name (create a name plate to place on the first blank page of the book)

Ask PTA to support library: go to events/meetings; they can bring speakers into the school, purchase books

End-of-Year:

Keep in mind deadlines, paperwork turned in, accounts are emptied, summary report completed

Grants:

Decide first what you want to do with funds (shop around & keep price quotes)

What goals will purchased supplies support

Find grants that focus on your strengths/areas you want to become your strengths

Focus on grants whose programs support your desired outcomes

Find a company of integrity to associate your school with

Make a creative title without jargon  (avoid too little/too much info)

Follow district policy regarding grants

Create a detailed, yet flexible timeline to process, complete, reflect, evaluate, and report (allow time for challenges/difficulties)

Find or create outline

Follow directions/rubric included

Get principal support

Once funded, note timeline dates, documentation needed; take pics; highlight grant project on school website

Create final report (leave out individual student names) with thank you; submit copy to principal

SOURCES
Kachel, Debra. Advocating for the School Library Budget

Kernan, Margaret and IUPUI. Budgeting: Ideas From Your Instructor and IUPUI
School Library Media Specialist Program Administration: Budget Planning http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/budget2.html
Vandenbroek, Alicia. Grant Writing Without Blowing a Gasket

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Leadership, Public Relations, & Accountability

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Leadership, Public Relations, & Accountability

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Have an area where community members can request a book be purchased for the library (keep track on a spreadsheet and have it “at the ready” in case of last-minute funds)

Have a leader’s head: understand people;

Have a leader's heart: love people;

Have a leader's hand: help people

SEE ALSO: Documents; Facilities & Ambiance; Reading Advocacy & Literacy

SOURCES
Maxwell, John C. The 21 Indispensible Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow

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Plan/prioritize advocacy program to match curriculum need throughout school year. Directly tie efforts to student achievement and needs of school.  Determine what is already happening to get a baseline for changes

Short attention spans and multi-processing make reading promotion hard, but more important than ever

Activities:

Clubs (reading, poetry): Book club meet monthly/provide virtual discussion space to extend beyond given time.  Make book trailers, fan fiction, digital wardrobes for characters using fashion apps.

Contests (guess number of books in library; match teachers to their pets bulletin board; match teachers to their favorite book bulletin board)

Booktalks (in classrooms or library itself)

Skits/puppet shows

Research/other form of reading to earn a badge

Trivia (Kahoot.it or paper version)

Peer reading advisory

Share student reviews

Read a book and get a bookmark created with student's info/picture posted on display

Teachers:

Provide with laminated sign to hang on classroom door to tell students which book(s) they are currently reading

Teacher book club

New teacher orientation: have list prepared of services you provide

Host a reception for teachers on in-service day.  Feature recent purchases grouped by subject; give list of services you provide and teach

Tell teachers when something you ordered for them arrives

Teach after-school class on tech subject

Email cool websites found in professional journals

Eat lunch with other teachers

Families:

Literacy Nights (theme, organizational plan, materials needed); connect with families and books their children enjoy

Book clubs (family reads specified book and meet in library to discuss)

Tech nights (share tools and products students use to complete projects)

Reading With Your Child Night (offer parents practical suggestions to helping their child find a love of reading and basic teaching strategies)

Family Book night: create rooms with activities relating to certain books

Special Needs Patrons:

Provide predictable rules, logical layouts, systematically arranged material, quiet areas

Areas with minimal distractions (noise, movement, decorative, and high-traffic)

Low lighting

Visual cues (label areas/items, procedures with pictures and bullet points)

Marketing: see also Facilities & Ambiance

Bulletin board for students in the news; kindness campaign

Offer to display student work, hold silent auctions

Publish newsletter monthly (add to school newsletter and library website/blog)

Read widely and recommend current material at student interest level

Know release day for titles in book series (icebreaker for reluctant students)

Model how to critique a book: promote critical thinking and explaining point of view

Print vs. digital text: keep in mind that printed text is often better for understanding content more deeply, while it seems more natural to skim and search digital text. I think it is important to show students these possible pitfalls, especially as they prepare to take statewide testing via electronic devices.

SOURCES
Bress, Andrea. Making Your School Library More Functional to Individuals with Autism

Eisenberg, Michael. Reading Advocacy: Creating Contagious Enthusiasm for Books and Reading K-12
Deskins, Liz. Parents, Reading Partners, Library Advocates
Kordeliski, Amanda. Establishing a Community of Readers in a Secondary Library
Labiak, Beth. It’s Never Too Late to Promote Your Library Services

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Why Assess:

Determine/show evidence of the library program's effectiveness and overall value in the school

So students understand where their strengths and weaknesses are

When:

Before, during and at the end of learning units

Carry checklist on clipboard to mark off as you work with students; provide copy of checklist/rubric to students

What to Assess For:

Content knowledge and process skills

Can students...think critically; apply knowledge gained to new situations; share knowledge; participate ethically and productively; discern point of view; identify compelling evidence; find high-quality sources; construct an argument; embed quotes; synthesize resources; organize information

Library as an organization - circulation, size of collection, etc.: (statistics, website hits, blog comments)

Librarian as a teacher - how your lessons contribute to classroom learning; positive impact of collaboration: (collaboration rubric, checklist, evaluation form, timeline)

Learner outcomes - gains of individual students...KEY: emphasize their own analysis, assessment, and reflection

Types:

Self-assessment by students to understand their own needs and competencies

Visuals for K/1 level: reflection paper with graphic clues (details found in Unit 4, Nudging Toward Inquiry: Summative Assessment by Kristin Fontichiaro)

Shared spreadsheet between students: ideas for inclusion (details found in Unit 4, Nudging Toward Inquiry: Summative Assessment by Kristin Fontichiaro)

Exit ticket ideas (details found in Unit 4, Evolving with Evidence by Joyce Kasman Valenza)

Pre/post test to determine growth in certain areas

Performance assessment (mock research, website evaluation, etc.)

Rubric/checklist

Portfolio

Respond to lesson/video/book via whiteboard & dry erase marker

Assessment drives direct teaching ideas, but teachers who want engagement, creativity, critical thinking, and outreach can still sneak in these ideas.

Questions for Reflection:

What skills were taught that need to be assessed?

Reward process of learning vs. product

Reward following directions vs. evidence of thinking

Points for aesthetics vs. content

Assessment match activity?

BookMARKS program:

Meaningful (standards-based)

Authentic (hands-on, value beyond school setting)

Relevant (related to community or world events)

Knowledge (enhance working knowledge)

Skills (enhance information literacy skills)

SOURCES
Butler, Walter. Is My Info Lit Program Effective? Answers From Our Assessments

Fontichiaro, Kristin. Nudging Toward Inquiry: Summative Assessment
Kernan, Margaret. Unit 4, Accountability, Student Achievement and Assessment
Loertscher, David. Curriculum, The Library/Learning Commons, and Teacher-librarians: Myths and Realities in the Second Decade
Loertscher, David & Woolis, Blanche. A True Assessment of Your Program’s Value
Moreillon, Judi. Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Best Practice
School Library Media Specialist Library Media Program: Evidence-based Decision Making http://eduscapes.com/sms/program/evidence.html

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1. Keep records of lessons you collaborate on; get students to share their successes (The Embedded Librarian for K-12 Schools)

2. Role of librarian as a “coach” for teachers:  We pique their interests, show them, teach them and help them, continuously...that is the way to ensure all students get information literacy skills (unit 3, Instructor Perspectives - Curriculum Delivery)

3. Learning does not end with an answer, but rather with a question...Consider the questions that define our field and how those questions can recur at the end of learning experiences to lead students toward insights (Enduring Understandings - Where are they in the Library's Curriculum?)

4. Strategies for serving patrons with autism http://librariesandautism.org/  AND https://pals.cci.fsu.edu/

5. Acronym for teaching kids to evaluate information http://www.radcab.com/

6. Digital tools to try:

Word web tool: https://bubbl.us/

Comic creator: https://www.pixton.com/

Personalized speaking avatar creator (share stories via avatar): https://www.voki.com/

Creative commons pictures: https://www.flickr.com/ AND https://pixabay.com/

Word cloud (use for class discussions): http://www.wordle.net/

Create/share content with school community: https://www.blogger.com/about/?r=1-null_user

Website creation tool: http://www.weebly.com/

Track/search for good books: https://www.goodreads.com/

Transform URL’s into smaller links to share: https://tinyurl.com/ & https://bitly.com/

Infographics: https://piktochart.com/

Pre-made or design your own rubrics: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

Video response tool (only one free): https://flipgrid.com/

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District Standards: none specifically listed, though I did find the academic plan listed below

Academic Plan K-6: https://www.asdk12.org/cms/lib/AK02207157/Centricity/Domain/1203/k6_library_academic_plan.pdf

State Standards:

Library Information Literacy Standards (2008): http://aklibraryhandbook.pbworks.com/w/page/1659509/Library%C2%A0Information%C2%A0Literacy%C2%A0Standards

National School Library Standards:

Framework for learners only: https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/AASL-Standards-Framework-for-Learners-pamphlet.pdf

3 interrelated standard sets - for the librarian, the learner, and the library itself

Need to buy the app or book ($100) to access all 3 sets

ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) Standards: http://www.iste.org/standards/for-students

Create an overlaying document that combines all sets of standards to be properly informed and to adequately address them

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Analyze current time expenditures to determine where to make changes

1. Carry spreadsheet with categories to annotate (list activities such as answer reference questions, shelve books, technology questions, socialize, etc.).  Determine categories for the activities and tally times each activity is completed.

2. What changes can be made using collaboration, leadership, & technology?

Make powerpoint tutorial for regularly requested skills

Create a self-checkout system

Make better directions on borrowed materials to ease questions

Note questions asked and make a FAQ on library website & in sheet protectors to explain use of electronic database, self-checkout, etc

Make read-alike posters and hang near popular authors’ books

Prioritize tasks to be done (daily, monthly, quarterly, yearly) and revisit...do tasks as time allows

Find student volunteers

Design an application: include the reason for student’s interest, option of checking with teacher to determine eligibility, place for parents to sign off; design with graphics & personalize to fit school

Interview and explain duties/expectations (realistic expectations; job is both a privilege and responsibility...like a real job)

Train to use check-out software, Dewey system, shelve books (during free time: before/after school, lunch, etc)

Make a set list/chart of duties (checklist for each time student volunteers gives structure; change as needed)

Offer specialty jobs: materials processing, bulletin boards/displays, computer troubleshooting, office tech., catalog searching wizard

Offer perks:

first choice of new titles

Glory: thank you in school newsletter/library blog/message on school reader board/bulletin board/sidewalk chalk; invitation to share lunch with you (in lunchroom or the library)

Perk Bin: Please help yourself to one item

Power to Order: nominate book to be ordered for the library; put a book plate with volunteer’s name and specialty attached prominently on first page, “Generously Donated in Honor of Volunteer: ______- display creation expert”

Honor at awards ceremonies

Take adult volunteers out for coffee/recognize them at award ceremony

SOURCES:
Busch, Anne. The Maxed Out Librarian How I Learned to Keep Smiling and Remain Effective as a Solo Librarian
Kernan, Margaret. Practical Suggestions From Your Instructor, Unit 8

The School Library Media Specialist  Program Administration: Time Management http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/time.html

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Organizations to Join:

1. Alaska Library Association: links to local conferences, scholarships, advocacy opportunities and connection to other librarians https://akla.org/

2. Alaska Association of School Librarians: newsletter, grant opportunities, network with other locals in the profession http://www.akasl.org/

3. American Library Association: nation wide association with connections to professional journals, conferences, blogs, and booklists http://www.ala.org/

4. American Association of School Librarians: nation wide association of school librarians http://www.ala.org/aasl/

Websites to Bookmark:

1. New school librarian toolkit for Alaska: https://lam.alaska.gov/new_school_librarians

2. The Global Teacher Librarian Network: many ways to stay connected with teacher librarians and seek professional development http://www.teacherlibrarian.org/

3. Pinterest Librarians: list of librarian blogs to check out https://www.pinterest.com/joycevalenza/teacher-librarian-bloggers-and-other-blogging-frie/

4. Transform Your School Library: blog for school librarians with author interviews and articles http://www.mackincommunity.com/library-transformation/

People to Follow:

1. Michelle Carton: Awesome Alaska school librarian with a positive attitude and a plethora of great ideas!  Found on: Twitter @AkGlobalTeacher; Padlet MC the Librarian; Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/+michellecarton; website http://globaleducationak.org/

2. Ann Morgester: Anchorage School District Library Coordinator.  Found on: Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/103663321522715949444

3. Jennifer LaGarde: Librarian, advocate, blogger guru with lots of great ideas http://www.librarygirl.net/

Networking tips:

1. Visit other libraries before I start

2. Have questions for the librarian at each facility

3. Gather information about cataloging, circulation, and management techniques

4. Get copies of forms for stats, reports, self checkout ideas

5. Media release/internet usage policies

6. Get suggestions/tips/pitfalls

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Attend monthly library cohort meetings with peers in the school district

Study library handbooks and create one of my own

Start a portfolio with artifacts (grants received, end-of-year reports, projects)

Create a library website (see Documents and Reports)

Attend a grant-writing class

Read professional resources monthly (websites, journals, blogs)

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Care and Feeding of a School Library Media Specialist

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Care and Feeding of a School Library Media Specialist

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Continually grow as a teacher of information literacy and social-emotional skills, instructional partner, technology leader, and fierce advocate of falling head over heels for reading

Learner...Librarian...Library: Inquire, include, collaborate, curate, explore, engage ALL members of the school community (AASL shared foundations)

Exercise patience and humility; honor the expertise of others; be available; recognize that schools exist for students (Lambert qtd. in Iceberg: The Cold, Hard Facts About School Librarians' Duties₎

Have a positive attitude

Capture students' imaginations..."make sure all kids can find themselves, both who they are and who they want to be, reflected back to them in the pages of a book" (Establishing a Community of Readers in a Secondary Library)

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Essential Functions of a Teacher Librarian

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Essential Functions of a Teacher Librarian

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Get sleep, know my limits, allow others to help, streamline when possible, know the standards so I can provide last-minute lessons, smile

Focus 70% on strengths, 25% on new things, and 5% on areas of weakness

Listen to music/audiobooks on the long drive to work

Create a balance between work and home (stay late only once per week and be a wifemom when I am at home)