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School Library Connection BlogThe Learning 

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School Library Connection BlogThe Learning 

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Congratulations from School Library Connection to our contributor Jill Canillas Daley, who was named New Hampshire Teacher Librarian of the Year at last weekend's conference of the NH School Library Media Association. To celebrate and give our blog readers a taste of why this honor was so well-deserved, we're sharing this article on Jill's Genius Hour program from our November 2015 issue. Enjoy! (And don't miss her great "FAIL" handout, available via the hyperlink in the article)
How do you get 70% of students to devote their time to learning voluntarily? Read on.

Research skills, the Holy Grail of information literacy to librarians, are essential. Among the many other abilities we strive to ensure students acquire, this skill set is the one I struggled with the most. Upon introducing a new lesson, the inevitable eye rolls and groans from my students have been strong indicators of the monumental difficulty I faced. Student engagement, excitement, and motivation were lacking, and these were the traits that I wanted to cultivate. My quest became this: how do I empower students to take charge of their learning while properly teaching them the skills needed to succeed outside of school?
Discovering Genius Hour
At the beginning of my career as a librarian, my students were assigned an annual large research project in grades one through four, but in the upper grades (five through eight) this was replaced with numerous small assignments. I implemented a series of small research tasks termed "Mini Sleuth," where students investigated a topic of their choosing during library class and then presented their findings orally during another class. This process consumed three class periods. Students began to ask for more Mini Sleuth activities as they recognized it helped with citing and properly gathering information, public speaking skills, note-taking, and the completion of other class assignments. I was excited that they wanted more, but time was an issue. If students missed one class during Mini Sleuth, due to snow days, field trips, etc., it was too difficult to get them back on track. So I began exploring new educational trends that would assist me in finding something similar to Mini Sleuth. While perusing the internet, I stumbled upon Genius Hour.

I spent several hours one evening reading, watching, and tweeting to gather more information regarding Genius Hour. I ended up spending months investigating, connecting, and discussing the concept with other professionals, and I realized this was what I was looking for-it met all my criteria and emphasized the skills I wanted my students to develop. There are three goals for Genius Hour: Question, Research, and Share. A question must be asked that cannot be answered by a simple Google search. The research encompasses any boundaries set by the mentor. Methods of sharing are left up to the individual. I immediately sat down and began composing my template for a pilot program for grades seven and eight. My criteria were the same as the original program with the additional caveat that Genius Hour would not be a graded course.

This was it! My only obstacle was finding a time to implement the pilot without imposing on core curriculum. I chose the students' lunch and recess time. I jumped through the hoops of approaching the administration, presenting to the school board, discussing at a staff meeting, and nabbing an unsuspecting colleague, Sean Collins, with whom to collaborate. My vision was beginning to come together, and I was excited. I began to share my thoughts with students during class-only divulging enough information to pique their interest.
Piloting Our Program
In the fall of 2015, we began implementation. Students could come to the first few meetings to discover what Genius Hour involved. Once they filled out a plan of intent, they were obligated to come once a week to work on their project. The results were astonishing. Since this was also during my lunchtime, we decided to open the library up to Genius Hour on Mondays and Tuesdays. Initially, we had about 44 students sign up out of a total enrollment of 62 within the designated grade range. Several decided this was not their cup of tea, and that was fine with us. Many embraced the concept, and within a month, we had students requesting to come on Wednesdays. Thursdays and Fridays soon followed, and Genius Hour was running five days a week. We could not turn away students who were asking to learn during their free time-yes, giving up their free time to learn during school hours! This was what I hoped to accomplish. The projects were as varied as a bag of trail mix. We had students building computers, coding, creating a Minecraft server, studying fashion, languages, the science of emotions, dance, contortions, making clothes, building a ukulele, creating videos, apps, bracelets, writing scripts, stories, poetry, drawing, and creating drives for charities.

Minecraft: More than a Game?
In a discussion with another educator regarding our Minecraft server group, we thought about what was really occurring here. Were students just playing a game or was there more going on? I considered what had occurred with this one particular group and voiced my reflections. Obviously they played the game, with which they were adept, but they were also learning to code. Additionally, they had to learn to work together for a whole school year and accept responsibility for the actions of the group. There were many disagreements that they HAD to work through, but they wanted to as well. Personalities clashed, contracts were written, and the group expanded and continued to be successful. The communication and collaboration skills along with learning to reach out to others through email, Twitter, and ultimately demonstrating their knowledge went far beyond boys playing Minecraft. These are skills sets we did not anticipate nurturing.

The learning curve for mentors and students was comparable to riding a roller coaster. As mentors, we learned to give up control. Students encountered problems, and we needed to coach and guide them to answers, not simply supply them. We knew that failure was a real component of the process. I created a "Fantastic Failure" reflection sheet that encouraged students to examine where the project went astray and what they could do to revive it or to let it go. (See " Use This Page.") This was a freedom rarely given to them. We were asking them to learn from their failure and use that to embrace another topic without judgment or criticism. FAIL began to stand for "First Attempt In Learning." It not only became an acronym, but a belief with our kids. Attitudes were beginning to change. Once students realized they could research ANYTHING-albeit sword building and computer hacking were slightly nerve-wracking for us-our attendance increased. Genius Hour became a buzz phrase in the school. In January, we invited students in grade six to join. This led to our highest rate of engagement, indicated by the substantial amount of time invested by students, with more than 60% of students voluntarily participating across the three grades.

Intrinsic motivation thrived in the library. On a daily basis during lunch and recess time, there was excitement, collaboration, frustration, investigation, and success in abundance. Students were helping students and encouraging each other, as well as sharing discoveries. We were no longer teachers but mentors. The playing field was leveled, and we stepped down off the teacher podium and let the kids take charge. The freedom the students had to choose, learn, and fail gave them the power to achieve real-life skills in an engaging environment.
Taking It to the Next Level
We were determined to push the envelope further. We began to teach kids how to make appointments with administration in order to receive permission for certain projects, compose and send professional emails, introduce themselves politely and properly, and share their projects with the public, as well as collaborate with and teach others. We encouraged kids to seek funds to secure the materials needed for their projects. We even have one student who has started a business and another who is being hired to draw logos. Our next endeavor is to start a fund where students will have to write a proposal to receive money needed for a project. Sound like real world yet? Let me go one step further.

Collaboration is a large part of our process. Students not only share among themselves, mentoring each other, but reach out to others interested in Genius Hour. The students have shared their projects during lunch with first graders in a designated format, with their families at in informational BYODinner night, and recently at an Educator's Evening, where most dressed up and conversed with educators from around the state.

One of the most meaningful moments of my career was when I informed the kids that we needed to present the findings of our Genius Hour pilot program to the school board. They immediately asked that rather than having the mentors present, they would like to take charge and tell their story. Twelve students spoke eloquently, respectfully, and with amazing skill regarding their passion for Genius Hour. The allotted 10-15 minute presentation turned into well over half an hour. The conviction with which the students spoke was mind-blowing. Not only did they love Genius Hour, they wanted it to spread into other schools. This was empowering for all involved.

Genius Hour is the most powerful thing I have done in over 20 years in education. Watching students engage in the freedom to learn-and more importantly take control of their own learning-while meeting standards in CCSS, AASL, ISTE, and developing life skills has enabled me to improve and evolve with the process. I highly encourage every librarian to investigate the power of Genius Hour.

Jill Canillas Daley is a librarian at Plainfield Elementary School in New Hampshire. She graduated from Norwich University and received her library certification from Plymouth State University. Jill can be followed on Twitter at @jcd118

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Congratulations from School Library Connection to our contributor Jill Canillas Daley, who was named New Hampshire Teacher Librarian of the Year at last weekend's conference of the NH School Library Media Association. To celebrate and give our blog readers a taste of why this honor was so well-deserved, we're sharing this article on Jill's Genius Hour program from our November 2015 issue.

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I've been hearing a lot about a project-based learning model known as Genius Hour (or 20 Time or Passion Projects), and I really wanted to give it a try at my school this year, but I wasn't sure how to best go about it. Last month I finally took the plunge with a class whose teacher was willing to give the idea a try.

The stars just seemed to align with the following events happening within a two-week span:

GeniusCon Session presented at TLCafe by Matthew Winner (aka The Busy Librarian) and Sherry Gick (aka The Library Fanatic) sharing how they provided time for their students to ponder the question "If you could change one thing about your school, what would you do?"

Doodle 4 Google Contest - this year's creative prompt was "If I could invent one thing to make the world a better place..."

A discussion with a third grade teacher who does a unit on Inventions with her students every year

I was inspired to plan a 4-week project that would get kids thinking about making a difference in the world, and would lead into their upcoming class project on designing and "building" a musical instrument.

Week 1 involved introducing the Doodle 4 Google contest, hearing from several Google artists via video about the sources of their inspiration, and engaging in some collaborative brainstorming. Kids discussed what inspires them (music, nature, books, etc) and we made a rule that no one would say anything negative about someone else's idea. Students wrote their answer to the writing prompt "The world would be better if..." and then we passed the papers around for five minutes to give everyone time to add a response to the ideas on the papers at his/her table. (Click here to see my presentation and notes.)

Week 2 involved a pep talk from Kid President, a look at some real inventions at the Inventive Kids website which were created and marketed by kids, and a Book Pass using books about inventors and inventions. Several students ended up checking out books to take with them, and many were surprised to learn that kids have successfully created and marketed real inventions! Making a real-world connection was very motivating! (Click here to see my presentation and notes.)

Week 3 was "get down to business" time! We heard from Kid President again as he embarked on his own journey to create an invention that would make the world a better place for his cat, and we discussed the idea that sometimes an idea won't work, and you have to try something different. Then students finalized the details of their inventions and completed any necessary research. Finally, everyone drew a picture and/or diagram of the invention, and wrote a paragraph explaining what it is and what it does.

Week 4 was done in collaboration with our school's art teacher as she helped them transform their invention ideas into Google Doodles. She guided the students to think about ways to turn the letters in the word GOOGLE into invention components and how they could convey the idea of their inventions visually. There was a definite buzz of excitement in the room as the students traded ideas and drew their Doodles, and at the end of it all they were really proud of what they had created.

In designing the project, I tried to focus on the key ideas that with Genius Hour projects there is no one right answer, and that working together and encouraging one another allows everyone to achieve better results. Since we met in the library, we were able to spread out and have noisy tables and quiet tables, group areas and independent work areas, research areas and drawing areas, etc. This busy, noisy, creative atmosphere was a change for the students from the "eyes on your own paper, write the correct answers to these questions, turn in your work so I can grade it" atmosphere that is so often required at school!

Throughout the sessions, I tried to keep in mind these words from Matthew Winner:

"Guide your students, but allow them to try new ideas that may lead to both successes and failures. Your students will be challenged (as will you), but will walk away with a sense of pride and ownership in all they accomplished."

In reflecting on the time I spent with the students, I feel like it was perhaps a little more structured than is usual in Genius Hour learning. However, I think the specific goals kept the students focused on their thinking and learning as they adjusted to the idea of greater freedom in how they approached the project. The group activities reinforced my message of collaboration, imagination, inspiration, and creation, and I believe they were necessary for students to be able to work productively outside the box.

We actually could have used one more session for students to really polish up their ideas, but we lost some school days due to bad weather and we were up against the Google contest deadline so we had to finish up more quickly than I would have liked. In the future I will budget more time than I think we will actually need, which I find is helpful with most projects!

Have you done a Genius Hour project with your students? Please leave a comment - I'd love to hear about it!

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I've been hearing a lot about a project-based learning model known as Genius Hour (or 20 Time or Passion Projects), and I really wanted to give it a try at my school this year, but I wasn't sure how to best go about it.

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Genius Hour - Nichols Library: A Learning Commons

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This is a site for information and collaboration for Nichols Elementary students and their parents/guardians.

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The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project

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The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, New York, New York. 39,950 likes · 248 talking about this · 88 were here. Thousands of teachers turn to the Teachers College Reading and Writing...

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California Future Ready Workshops - Future Ready Schools

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Leading Innovative Change for Future Ready Schools Learn, network, and collaborate with peers in your area.Wondering what the best next...

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Collections by Follett is a new, collaborative way for educators to collect and share resources from anywhere, at any time, and with anyone.

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An international forum and PLN for school librarians to ask for help, share successes, and give advice and support to their colleagues. It continues the name of the bi-monthly e-newsletter for K-12...

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School Library Connection is an extensive learning resource center for school library professionals. As the combined evolution of School Library Monthly and Library Media Connection magazines, SLC maintains their commitment to providing those in the school library field with practical insights and inspiration while also advancing the scope and mission of its predecessors.

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Powered by Library Journal and School Library Journal, our professional development offerings provide timely resources and tools to stay ahead of the innovations and changes impacting the library and information profession. Staff and stakeholders from all settings and at all levels can participate in hands-on live workshops, enroll in immersive online courses led by leading industry professionals, and access insightful on-demand webcasts covering a range of relevant topics.

Choose a program that fits your schedule and learning style.

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Library Journal | Professional Development for Today's Librarian

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Powered by Library Journal and School Library Journal , our professional development offerings provide timely resources and tools to stay ahead of the innovations and changes impacting the library and information profession.

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Register as Supporter Find a School Browse Teachers Quick Donation Fundraisers

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DonorsChoose: Support a classroom. Build a future.

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DonorsChoose connects teachers in high-need communities with donors who want to help.

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In response to Executive Order 12999: Ensuring opportunity for all children in the next generation, FSG 70 equipment reported to GSA will be available to eligible schools and educational nonprofits.

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Wi-Fi hot spot lending can help bridge the digital divide by addressing a persistent problem: lack of Internet access at home among low-income families. Without such access, students are often unable to complete homework with an online component, and parents can't effectively job hunt or apply for government and other ­services.

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Collections by Follett is a new, collaborative way for educators to collect and share resources from anywhere, at any time, and with anyone.

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EdTech Magazine explores technology and education issues that IT leaders and educators face when they're evaluating and implementing a solution for K-12 and Higher Ed.

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A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, WNDB aims to create a world where every reader can find themselves in the pages of a book. To reach this goal, we've created programs to mentor diverse writers and illustrators, support diverse publishing professionals, and provide books to classrooms nationwide.

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Similar to comic books, graphic novels weave rich, lively visuals with a limited amount of text to drive the narrative. Graphic novels can be especially appealing to readers who are reluctant to pick up a more traditional book. Graphic novels are a great way to help struggling readers strengthen vocabulary, build reading confidence and stamina, and develop a deeper appreciation of storytelling.

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Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

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The 2009 ALSC School-Age Programs and Services Committee recommends these titles to reluctant readers in grades 3-6. Hi-Lo Books for Upper Elementary Grades (PDF)

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Have Struggling or Reluctant Readers? These Hi-Lo Titles Will Keep Them Engaged

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These new titles and series featuring high-interest subject matter with a low reading level (

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Interactive lessons and activities for all students!

Use digital citizenship lesson plans to address timely topics and prepare students to take ownership of their digital lives. Browse lessons by grade and topic below, or see an overview of the curriculum.
We've got more new lessons! Explore all lesson plans or check our lesson collections!

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DigCit Curriculum | Common Sense Education

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Research-backed digital citizenship lesson plans help schools navigate timely topics, such as cyberbullying, online safety, privacy, and media literacy.

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No mobile devices in your classroom? No worries! You can enjoy Nearpod from any web browser :) Create, engage, and assess your students in every lesson!

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John Newman & Amy Ritchie, Bureau of Competition

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Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (“COPPA”)

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COPPA imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age.

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Portland Public Schools Information / Terms of Use

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Software available on this website has either been licensed exclusively for distribution within Portland Public Schools, or is in the public domain. Use of some software items may be governed by the terms of the end user license agreement, if any, which accompanies or is included with the Software ("License Agreement").

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ALA Statements and Policies | Q&As, Tool Kits and Guidelines | Privacy Policy
Choose Privacy Week | Webcasts | Publications | Keep Current | Assistance and Consultation

The right to privacy - the right to read, consider, and develop ideas and beliefs free from observation or unwanted surveillance by the government or others - is the bedrock foundation for intellectual freedom. It is essential to the exercise of free speech, free thought, and free association. Bruce Schneier eloquently describes chilling effect on speech, thought, and action that occurs when people believe they are or may be under scrutiny:

"For if we are observed in all matters, we are constantly under threat of correction, judgment, criticism, even plagiarism of our own uniqueness. We become children, fettered under watchful eyes, constantly fearful that-either now or in the uncertain future-patterns we leave behind will be brought back to implicate us, by whatever authority has now become focused upon our once-private and innocent acts. We lose our individuality, because everything we do is observable and recordable."
Bruce Schneier, The Eternal Value of Privacy

Why Privacy and Confidentiality Are Important

Privacy is essential to free inquiry in the library because it enables library users to select, access, and consider information and ideas without fear of embarrassment, judgment, punishment, or ostracism. A lack of privacy in what one reads and views in the library can have a significant chilling effect upon library users' willingness to exercise their First Amendment right to read, thereby impairing free access to ideas. True liberty of choice in the library requires both a varied selection of materials and the assurance that one's choices are not monitored.

Libraries, librarians, and library workers have an ethical obligation, expressed in the ALA Code of Ethics, to preserve users' right to privacy and prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of users' personally identifiable information or the data associated with their use of the library's resources. This requires libraries and all those who work in libraries to maintain an environment that is respectful and protective of the library user's privacy. This includes the adoption of policies and practices that treat patron data as confidential.

The right to privacy is the right to open inquiry without having the subject of one's interest examined or scrutinized by others. Confidentiality relates to the possession of personally identifiable information, including such library-created records as email notifications, closed-stack call slips, computer sign-up sheets, registration for equipment or facilities, circulation records, websites visited, reserve notices, or research notes.

Lack of privacy and confidentiality chills users' choices, thereby suppressing access to ideas. The possibility of surveillance, whether direct or through access to records of speech, research and exploration, undermines a democratic society. One cannot exercise the right to read if the possible consequences include damage to one's reputation, ostracism from the community or workplace, or criminal penalties. Choice requires both a varied selection and the assurance that one's choice is not monitored. For libraries to flourish as centers for uninhibited access to information, librarians must stand behind their users' right to privacy and freedom of inquiry.

Just as people who borrow murder mysteries are unlikely to be murderers, so those seeking information about terrorism are unlikely to be terrorists. Assuming a sinister motive based on library users' reading choices makes no sense and leads to fishing expeditions that both waste precious law enforcement resources and have the potential to chill Americans' inquiry into current events and public affairs.

ALA Statements and Policies on Privacy and Confidentiality

ALA's extensive First Amendment, liberty and privacy principles guide the association's work in the federal legislative and policy arenas as well as at the state and local levels in order to protect personal privacy based upon a long standing commitment to patron privacy. Advancing the library community's principles to protect patron confidentiality requires major grassroots work from the library community to promote library priorities in these environments.

Q&As, Tool Kits and Guidelines

Law and Policy

Since the American Library Association's inception in 1876, librarians have defended vigorously the public's Fourth Amendment privacy rights against government attempts to obtain patrons' borrowing (and later internet surfing) records without a warrant. Established in in 1945, ALA's Washington Office has advocated to achieve both liberty and security without sacrificing one for the other. ALA remains fundamentally committed to restoring the Constitutional privacy rights and civil liberties of library users lost to broad statutes, including the: USA PATRIOT Act, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and Electronic Communications Privacy Act.

Choose Privacy Week is the American Library Association's annual, week-long event that promotes the importance of individual privacy rights and celebrates libraries and librarians' unique role in protecting privacy in the library and in society as a whole. The initiative encourages libraries to be champions of privacy rights in the digital age and highlights ways libraries can protect the privacy of their patrons and educate users to think critically and make informed choices about their privacy. The Choose Privacy Week website hosts a blog providing news and thought leadership about privacy and surveillance issues and serves as a clearinghouse for resources for librarians who are working to improve privacy practices and programs in their libraries.

Choose Privacy buttons, posters, bookmarks and resources in the ALA Store.

Webcasts

Practical Privacy Practices. Chicago, IL: Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF).
Featured Speakers: Michael Robinson, Alison Macrina and Marshall Breeding
Recorded: April 13, 2017

Raising Privacy Awareness in Your Library and in Your Community. Chicago, IL: Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF).
Featured Speakers: Erin Berman, Michael Zimmer and Jamie LaRue
Recorded: March 25, 2016

Publications

Adams, Helen R. Protecting Intellectual Freedom and Privacy in Your School Library. Libraries Unlimited, 2013.

Beckstrom, Matthew. 2015. Protecting Patron Privacy : Safe Practices for Public Computers. Santa Barbara, California: Libraries Unlimited, An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC.

Breeding, Marshall. Privacy and Security for Library Systems, Library Technology Reports, May/June 2016

Chmara, Theresa. Privacy and Confidentiality Issues: A Guide for Libraries and their Lawyer.. American Library Association, 2009.

Magi, Trina and Garnar, Martin. eds., Intellectual Freedom Manual, Ninth Edition, "Privacy and Confidentiality," and "Visits and Requests from Law Enforcement," ALA Editions, 2015, 171-214.

McCord, Gretchen. 2013. What You Need to Know About Privacy Law : A Guide for Librarians and Educators. Santa Barbara, California: Libraries Unlimited, An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC.

Newman, Bobbi, and Tijerina, Bonnie. Protecting Patron Privacy: A LITA Guide. Rowman & Littlefield, 2017.

Office for Intellectual Freedom, Houghton, Sarah, Eli. Neiburger, and Jason. Griffey. Privacy and Freedom of Information in 21st-Century Libraries: A Library Technology Report. American Library Association, 2010.

Richards, Neil. 2015. Intellectual Privacy: Rethinking Civil Liberties in the Digital Age. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Keep Current

Assistance and Consultation

Protecting user privacy and confidentiality has long been an integral part of the mission of libraries. Since 1939, the American Library Association (ALA) has affirmed that a right to privacy is crucial to freedom of inquiry and the exercise of First Amendment freedoms.

ALA's extensive First Amendment, liberty and privacy principles guide the association's efforts to promote and protect individual privacy rights in the library. This includes initiatives to educate librarians and the public about the nature and importance of reader privacy as well as ALA's ongoing work to protect personal privacy in the federal legislative and policy arenas and at state and local levels of government. There are several units of ALA that work on these important issues and staff is available to answer questions or provide assistance to librarians, trustees, educators and the public.

Office for Intellectual Freedom

In conjunction with the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC), ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) conducts the association's work on intellectual freedom and privacy issues at the state and local levels, often working with state library association chapters. The Intellectual Freedom Committee's Privacy Subcommittee monitors ongoing privacy developments in technology, politics, and legislation, as well as social and cultural trends that impact individual privacy and confidentiality, both in libraries and the wider world. The IFC Privacy Subcommittee welcomes comments and suggestions for improvement. Correspondence can be sent to Deborah Caldwell Stone, staff liaison for the Privacy Subcommittee and OIF.

LITA Patron Privacy Technologies Interest Group

The Library and Information Technology Association's (LITA) Patron Privacy Technologies Interest Group promotes the design and implementation of library software and hardware that protects the privacy of library users and maximizes user ability to make informed decisions about the use of personally identifiable information by the library and its vendors.

The Intellectual Freedom Committee, IFC Privacy Subcommittee, Committee on Legislation, and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) work collaboratively to identify privacy needs and resources for librarians and library users; proposes action on resolutions, policies, and guidelines; develops educational, informational, and promotional projects addressing privacy, confidentiality, and data security issues; and collaborates with other member groups and organizations within and outside ALA.

Updated April 2017

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ALA Statements and Policies | Q&As, Tool Kits and Guidelines | Privacy PolicyChoose Privacy Week | Webcasts | Publications | Keep Current | Assistance and ConsultationALA's extensive First Amendment and privacy principles guide the association's work in the federal legislative and policy arenas as well as at the state and local levels in order to protect personal privacy based upon a long standing commitment to patron privacy.

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Privacy Tool Kit 4 of 9

Home | Introduction | Privacy and Confidentiality: Library Core Values | Developing or Revising a Privacy Policy | Implementation of Privacy Policies and Procedures | Library Privacy Talking Points: Key Messages and Tough Questions | What is ALA Doing | Advocacy at the Local, State & National Levels | Appendix

Definition and Purpose

What to Audit for Personally Identifiable Information

Questions to Ask

Notice & Openness

Choice & Consent

Access by Users

Emerging Technologies

Data Integrity & Security

Enforcement & Redress

Government Requests for Library Records

Academic Libraries

School Libraries

Public and Academic Library Services to Minors

ASCLA Statement on Privacy Rights

All types of libraries are urged to draft, adopt and/or revise privacy and confidentiality policies. This document offers guidance for public, academic, research, school, and special libraries, as well as library systems. Special considerations are raised for school and academic libraries and for public library services to minors because each are affected by laws and practices unique to those particular contexts. Other considerations may also apply. When drafting a policy, library administrators should check with their parent institutions to ensure compliance with those institutions' norms and policies. Some elements of this guidance may not pertain to all libraries.

In addition, policy drafts should be reviewed against existing local policies, state and local laws, and ALA recommendations and guidelines. Policy drafting teams and trainers may find it helpful to ask themselves and their staff questions from the checklists in the Privacy Audit section and to consider how and whether policies and procedures under consideration provide appropriate guidance.

With technology changes, increased incidence of identity theft, new laws, and increased law enforcement surveillance, librarians must act now to develop and/or revise their privacy policies and procedures to ensure that confidential information in all formats is protected from abuse. They must also protect their organizations from liability and public relations problems. When developing and revising policies, librarians need to ensure that they:

limit the degree to which the library and third party service providers monitor, collect, disclose, and distribute personally identifiable information

avoid creating unnecessary records including non-text records such as camera recordings

avoid retaining records that are not needed for efficient library operation, including data-related logs, digital records, vendor-collected data, and system backups

avoid library practices and procedures that place personally identifiable information in public view

require that patron records remain on a local server and not be exported to the cloud or a third-party server

A privacy policy communicates the library's commitment to protecting users' personally identifiable information. A well-defined privacy policy tells library users how their information is utilized and explains the circumstances under which personally identifiable information might be disclosed. When preparing a privacy policy, librarians need to consult an attorney to ensure that the library's statement harmonizes with state and federal laws governing the collection and sharing of personally identifiable information and confidential records.

Libraries need to post privacy policies publicly. Privacy: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights states that, "Users have the right to be informed what policies and procedures govern the amount and retention of personally identifiable information, why that information is necessary for the library, and what the user can do to maintain his or her privacy."

Sources:

Carolyn Caywood, "Questions and Answers about Privacy in Libraries," presented at the Virginia Library Association 2002 Conference, October 17, 2002.

Barbara Jones, "Intellectual Freedom Policies for Privacy," Libraries, Access, and Intellectual Freedom: Developing Policies for Public and Academic Libraries (Chicago: ALA, 1999), p. 147-168.

Confidentiality in Libraries: An Intellectual Freedom Modular Education Program Trainer's Manual (Chicago: ALA, 1993)

A Privacy Audit

A privacy audit of current policies and practices can be an excellent first step in developing a library policy. It will provide insights into strengths and weakness embodied in the existing library's culture.; If not conducted early in the development or revision of a privacy policy, a privacy audit should be conducted before the conclusion of the process and should be repeated regularly thereafter.

Definition and Purpose

A privacy audit is a technique for assuring that an organization's goals and promises of privacy and confidentiality are supported by its practices, thereby protecting confidential information from abuse and the organization from liability and public relations problems. An audit ensures that information processing procedures meet privacy requirements by examining how the library collects, stores, shares, uses and destroys information about library users and employees. Privacy auditing is not a one-time solution, but rather a process that adapts to changes in services, data needs, and technology. A designated Privacy Officer may lead the audit, but all stakeholders and aspects of privacy need to be represented, from information technology to public relations. The auditing process should be comprehensive enough to address all relevant nuances of the information system. When a library is part of a larger organization conducting a privacy audit, the audit must include specific library issues and needs.

The auditing process begins by evaluating the organization's existing policies and procedures for legality and consistency with the organization's mission and image. When policies have been reviewed (or established), the data collected can be categorized according to the degree of security necessary. The audit assesses the sensitivity, security risks, and public perceptions of the information the organization collects. The audit examines the necessity of each type of data, how it is collected, and what notice and options are provided to individuals the information identifies. Mapping how data flows through the organization for access, storage, and disposal can reveal security needs, both electronic and physical. The management of the auditing process must avoid increasing privacy risks and its recommendations regarding revealed risks must be addressed quickly.

A privacy audit provides a library opportunity to examine:

how privacy matters are handled at all levels;

the flow and storage of data;

the role data plays within the organization;

staff training about privacy matters;

existing and needed privacy policies.

Selected Sources:

California Digital Library, SOPAG Privacy Audit and Guidelines (PDF)

Karen Coyle, Make Sure You Are Privacy Literate (Preprint), Library Journal, v. 127, #16, October 1, 2002

Karen Coyle, Privacy and Library Systems Before & After 9/11, 2002

Pamela Jerskey, Ivy Dodge, and Sanford Sherizen, The Privacy Audit: a Primer, 1998

Royal, K. What Makes a Good Privacy Officer? (2014) Web. 24 Feb. 2014

​What to Audit for Personally Identifiable Information

(Based on: Karen Coyle, "Make Sure You Are Privacy Literate," Library Journal, v. 127, #16: reprinted with permission)

Patron records

Circulation transaction logs

Overdue and billing records

Document delivery and ILL transactions

Records of access to electronic reserves

Records that support personalized services

Search histories saved beyond a session

Saved searches and sets

SDI profiles

Files/logs of previous electronic reference queries and answers

System logs

OPAC search logs

Library web server logs, including proxy servers

Mail message files

Mail server logs

Public workstations

Browser caches, including history files

Cookies and certificates

Browser bookmarks

Paper sign-up sheets

Licensed services

Shared computer systems and servers

Back up files stored locally and off site

Remote Web sites, including content providers, outsourced Web hosting, proxy servers, etc.

Personalization profiles and other service offers for personal information

Usage statistics

Signed Internet/e-mail acceptable use agreements

User-created lists

Reviews

Tags on catalog

E-book downloads

Program registrations

Questions to Ask:
Library Privacy Policy: Do you or have you...

already created and publicized a local privacy policy using the recommendations and resources made available through the Privacy Tool Kit?

implemented a privacy auditing process to assure that an organization's practices support its goals and promises of privacy and confidentiality, thereby protecting confidential information from abuse and the organization from liability and public relations problems?

Limit the degree to which personally identifiable information is monitored, collected, disclosed, and distributed?

avoid retaining records that are not needed for efficient operation of the library?

know how long you need to know ;specific information and do you delete it when no longer needed?

list information to be protected: reference requests, information services, circulation and registration records, server and client computer logs?

include language to deal with unforeseen circumstances, like "including, but not limited to..."?

require that patrons be notified whenever the library collects their PII and be told how to correct inaccurate information?

state who may or may not have access to patron information?

outline the specific conditions under which access may be granted, i.e., with a court order after good cause has been demonstrated?

list the procedures for adopting the policy?

have provisions for notifying the public of the policy and of changes in the policy?

enumerate exemptions, exceptions, or special conditions? Do you address needs unique to your library environment?

have provisions for coordination with the other libraries in your system if your library is part of a cooperative, automated library system?

have procedures outlined for responding to court orders of various types?

assure that all kinds and types of records are covered by the policy, including data-related logs, digital records, vendor-collected data, and system backups?

know how you protect what you collect?

work to inform/influence government acts that impact confidentiality?

avoid library practices and procedures that place information on public view (e.g., using postcards for overdue notices or requested materials; using patron names to identify self-pickup holds; positioning staff terminals so that the public can read the screens; using sign-in sheets for computer or other device access; and stating reserve request or interlibrary loan titles over the telephone and to voicemail possibly disclosing that information to patrons' family members)?

include all aspects of services including protection of electronic data and dissemination of electronic records?

ensure that contracts and licenses reflect library policies and legal obligations concerning user privacy and confidentiality; make sure the agreements address appropriate restrictions on the use, aggregation, dissemination, and sale of personally identifiable information, particularly information about minors?

provide privacy where you should?

ensure safety without being intrusive?

make clear the role of confidentiality in protecting intellectual freedom?

know where users need privacy to protect their intellectual freedom as well as where privacy might endanger safety?

mention or acknowledge the Library Bill of Rights, Statement on Professional Ethics, ALA Policy on the Confidentiality of Library Records, and state & local laws (where applicable)?; Does your policy conform to these supporting documents?

Protecting Minors' Privacy: Do you or have you...

extend to minors the maximum allowable confidentiality and privacy protections?

notify parents about the library's privacy and confidentiality policies when issuing library cards to minors?

educate children, parents, students, teachers, and school officials about the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)? COPPA requires commercial Web sites and online services to obtain parental permission before collecting information from children under 13. FERPA requires educational institutions to protect students' privacy with regard to educational records.

Educating about Privacy: Do you or have you...

educate on a continuous basis everyone associated with the library about library privacy principles, policies and procedures, and library staff's legal and ethical responsibilities as custodians of personally identifiable information?; Those associated with the library include library trustees, users, and employees (e.g., staff, administrators, volunteers, and contract workers); those associated with school and academic libraries include school board trustees, educational administrators, students, and parents.

inform library staff about their responsibility to cooperate with other organizations that work to protect privacy and challenge intrusions?

engage the community in considering the public policy aspects of privacy through use of Choose Privacy Week materials

educate the public through a variety of learning methods that provide the information and tools individuals need to protect their privacy and the confidentiality of their own personally identifiable information?

inform the public about library resources on privacy issues?

give users choices?

explain to the public the difference between privacy and confidentiality in a library setting?

Sections or Issues to Include in a Privacy Policy

Notice & Openness

Policies should notify users of their rights to privacy and confidentiality and of the policies of the library that govern these issues. Such notice should dictate the types of information gathered and the purposes for and limitations on its use. It is critical that library privacy policies be made widely available to users through multiple means. Safeguarding personal privacy requires that individuals know what personally identifiable information (PII) is gathered about them, where and how and for how long it is stored, who has access to it and under what conditions, and how it is used.

Examples of User Notice Statements from Sample Library Privacy Policies:

Choice & Consent

Choice means giving users options as to how any personal information collected from them may be used. Provision of many library services requires the collection and retention of personally identifiable information. Whether this is required (e.g. in order to circulate library material), automatic (e.g. as in some Web-based library services), or voluntary (e.g. when engaging in e-mail-based reference), the library should retain this information only as long as is necessary to fulfill the function for which it was initially acquired. Two commonly used schemes for choice/consent are "opt-in" and "opt out". With opt-in, by default PII is not included and affirmative steps are required for inclusion. With opt-out, by default PII is included and affirmative steps are required for exclusion.

Examples of Choice and Consent Statements from Sample Library Privacy Policies:

Access by Users

Users have the right to access their own personally identifiable information (PII). The privacy policy should mention this right. Verifying the accuracy and status of PII helps ensure that library services that rely on personally identifiable information can function properly. The right of access covers all types of information gathered about a library user or about his or her use of the library, including mailing addresses, circulation records, computer use logs, etc. Access to personal information should be made available onsite or through secure online access to verify the identity of individual users.

Right to access should also address instances in which age may be a factor. For example, several state library confidentiality laws grant parents a right to view their minor child's library records, too. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) provides for "a parent's ability to review, make changes to, or have deleted the child's personal information." For more on COPPA, see Part III of "School Libraries" below.

Examples of Access Statements from Sample Library Privacy Policies:

Emerging Technologies with Privacy Concerns

The continuing use of and accelerating dependence on emerging technologies to provide both traditional innovative library services have constituted major challenges for the library profession.; It is important for libraries not to take on the attitude that patrons no longer care about privacy. Studies from the Pew ( Anonymity, Privacy and Security Online) show the opposite. Patrons may not possess the discursive language or;technology terms to articulate their complaint, however, it doesn't mean that they do not care about data harvesting, data mining and sharing of their personal information behind the scenes with third parties. The lack of transparency in consent, data sharing and terms of service changes is a barrier to patron-centered service.; It's imperative that libraries understand each new technology by defining them and identifying the mechanism through which each patron's privacy may be breached. As stewards of patrons' data, we owe them the truth and some options. We realize that access to proprietary information and the business model may not be possible in some instances. Through ALA's existing policies we may find that there are already sufficient protections in place, however, there is definitely room for improvement, for the future.

(Definitions are based on: Burke, John. Neal-Schuman library Technology Companion: A basic guide for library staff. 4th ed. Chicago: Neal-Schuman, ALA, 2013.)

Apps: A piece of software or a program, typically small, that can be used on a computer, smartphone or tablet.

Camera Surveillance: Cameras monitor, record and archive activities. Mounted on lots, lamp posts and even on patron computers and telephone consoles. Some surveillance cameras may intercept smartphone communications.

Cell/Smartphone: A phone with built-in computer functionality, including e-mail, web browsing and other capacities.

Cloud computing: Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. This cloud model promotes availability and is composed of five essential characteristics (on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, measured service); three service models (Cloud Software as a Service (Saas), Cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS), Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS); and, four deployment models (Private cloud, Community cloud, Public cloud, Hybrid cloud). Key enabling technologies include: (1) fast wide-area networks, (2) powerful, inexpensive server computers, and (3) high-performance virtualization for commodity hardware. (An excerpt from the definition published in October 2011 by the National Institute for Standards and Technology. http://www.nist.gov/itl/cloud/)

Concerns: As more companies and individuals choose cloud services for convenience or to save money, valid concerns on how secure data can be when they lay in farm servers in remote areas and by a few entities. One's data may reside in a server in a different country, which may implicate questions of legal jurisdiction.

For example, Amazon AWS now holds more than a trillion projects in the cloud. "The trend is that it will become more dominant than desktop computing in the next decade." (Pew Report, 2010).

Examples: AWS, EMC, Skydrive, Google Drive, Apple iCloud.

Policy:; #B.2.1.19 Access to Digital Information, Services, and Networks;

#B.8.5.2; Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information About Library Users;

Privacy: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights

e-book (electronic book) and e-periodicals: An electronic version of a book or periodical that may be read via the web on a computer work station or using a mobile device (e.g., an e-reader, an iPad or a smartphone).

Concerns: Most subscription-based services such as Amazon, Overdrive and Zinio require patron consent to the collection, transfer, manipulation, storage and use of pii. Patrons will need to be aware of how the publishing industry has begun to embrace big data including deep analysis of their digital reading habits like reading speed, how many times they've opened an ebook and other insights into how they're engaging with their book.

Ex. of formats: Standards include epub, kindle, pdf and READ.

Ex. of middleware: Adobe Digital Editions, Amazon Kindle, Overdrive Media Console.

Ex. of tablets: Galaxy, iPad, Kindle, Nook.

Policy: #B.2.3 Freedom to Read.

#B.2.1.19 Access to Digital Information, Services, and Networks.

MOOCs & E-Learning: MOOCs are Massive Open Online Courses and they are rapidly changing the game for higher education and employee professional development. MOOCs offer free online course covering a growing range of topics delivered by qualified lecturers from some of the well-known universities in the world. They allow a single teacher/lecturer to teach thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of participants in a single course delivery. They are often in an asynchronous course format, using smart phones and mobile computing to connect to the participant.

Concerns:; There is concern that students will be tracked. Data breaches, password reuse, identity information and marketing calls can ensue.

Examples:; Platform providers include Coursera, EdX and Khan Academy, Udacity and FutureLearn.

Policy: #B.8.5.2 Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information About Library Users.

Interactive Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC): The computer version of the card catalog allows an individual to search the holdings of a library through electronic interface. Service can be deployed by SaaS through a patron-discovery interface called Bibliocore (similar to iTune's Tunecore). Some OPACs collaborate with search engines, book apps and third parties. They could possess unlimited user-added tagging features. Others are interactive with social media tools that create booklists, write reviews and gain followers.

Concerns: The lessening of control over patron borrowing records and the lack of discretion for accommodations by library professionals is a concern for intellectual freedom. When libraries no longer retain exclusive authority to their own collections, patron privacy is not directly protectable which makes contract negotiations with third parties even more important. Some OPACs are powered by aggregators like Bibliocore.

Types: Bibliocommons, OCLC.

Policy: #B.4.3 Bibliographic Databases;

#B.2.1.19 Access to Digital Information, Services, and Networks.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): A method used by libraries to protect their physical collections by placing a small tag on each item; tag consists of a computer chip with antenna attached, and security gates or self-checkout systems can then read the tag to complete their functions. Although RFIDs have been existence since the late 1990s, types of RFID can be considered emerging technology.

Near Field Communication (NFC): NFC is a short-range, standards-based, contactless connectivity based on RFID technology that uses magnetic field induction to enable communication between electronic devices in close proximity. For two devices to communicate, one device must have an NFC reader/writer and the other has to have an NFC tag.

Social Networking Tools: Social networking tools allow people to bond online and chat, exchange pictures and videos and stay connected through a medium they use daily.; People join the networks, post as much or as little personal information as they would like, connect with the people they already know in daily life, add on new virtual friends drawn from shared interests, or locate and reconnect with old friends who are geographically distant. Each library setting will need to find a balance between just being present and actively sharing in a social networking site.

Concerns:; Without careful curation, privacy will be compromised. Libraries will have to find a careful balance between information dissemination and user privacy in each individual situation.

Types: Facebook, Skype, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube.

Policy:; #B.2.1.19. Access to Digital Information Services and Networks;#B.2.2 Freedom to View

At the time of writing, the above were the most prevalent emerging technologies. By no means is this list exhaustive. It's impossible to predict which companies will merge and change the terms of privacy or what third party vendors will take over the development of a product. What we can do is remember that it is important for libraries and librarians to continue to treat patron information with due care and consideration. Emerging technologies are changing social norms regarding privacy, providing new avenues for compromising rights. Libraries need to keep up-to- date on the developments and librarians need to remain vigilant.

References:
Data Integrity & Security

Data Integrity: The library needs to assure data integrity. Whenever personally identifiable information (PII) is collected, the library must take reasonable steps to ensure integrity, including using only reputable sources of data, providing library users access to their personal data, updating information regularly, destroying untimely data or converting it to anonymous form, and stripping PII from aggregated, summary data. The library staff is responsible for destroying information in confidential or privacy- protected records to ensure against unauthorized disclosure. Information that should be regularly purged or shredded includes PII on library resource use, material circulation history, security/surveillance tapes, and both paper and electronic use logs.

Shared Data: If patron records are supplied by or shared with a parent institution such as a college registrar or a library consortium, the library needs to adopt measures to ensure timely corrections and deletions of data. Likewise, when the library exchanges data with other departments such as bursars and tax collectors, vendors, or any other organizations, it must ensure that records are accurate and up to date. Libraries issuing passwords should avoid choosing passwords or PIN's that can reveal a user's identity, including social security numbers.

Big Data --data aggregation and;analytics: Shared endorsement settings, mash-ups that combine services to create an entirely new service may reduce redundancy, spare users from typing and repurposing data may be desirable for data management efficiency. Libraries may look at combined services because it's easier. The disadvantage is that it's too easy to make incorrect correlations when personally identifiable information sits side by side with other data. Unless a patron opts-in, reading records should never be correlated with patron conduct, database usage, meeting room signups, etc. Libraries should also be aware of what information may be publicly visible. Data may exchange many hands with third parties, using libraries as conduits, allowing more opportunity for privacy breaches and data mining. As stewards of patron privacy, libraries should steer away from the practice of creating aggregate data without legitimate purposes.

Security: Security involves both managerial and technical measures to protect against loss and the unauthorized access, destruction, use, or disclosure of data. Security measures should be integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day practices of the library's entire operating environment as part of its continuing commitment to risk management. This should include the guarantee of a secure wireless network for patrons to use. These measures are intended to prevent corruption of data, block unknown or unauthorized access to library systems and information, and provide reasonable protection of private information in a library's custody, even if stored offsite on servers or backup tapes.

Administrative Measures: The library needs to implement internal organizational measures that limit access to data while ensuring that individuals with access do not utilize the data for unauthorized purposes. The library must also prevent unauthorized access by using technical security measures like encrypting transmitted and stored data, limiting access by using passwords, and storing data on secure servers or computers inaccessible by modem or network. If libraries store PII on servers or backup tapes offsite, they must ensure that comparable measures to limit PII access are followed. Libraries should also develop routine schedules for shredding PII collected on paper.

Electronic Tracking: Neither local nor external electronic systems used by the library should collect PII through logging or tracking e-mail, chat room use, Web browsing, cookies, middleware, or other technology usage. Nevertheless, users should be advised of the library's privacy protection limits when using remote sites. If the library enables cookies (small files sent to a browser by a Web site to enable customization of individual visits), it should instruct users on how to refuse, disable, or remove cookies from their hard drives. Moreover, the library should not maintain cookies after users terminate their sessions or share them with external third parties. Libraries should regularly remove cookies, Web history, cached files, or other computer and Internet use records and other software code that is placed on their networks. Those libraries that authenticate patrons for use of external databases by middleware systems and/or proxy servers should simply verify the attributes of valid users and not release PII.

Data Retention: It is the responsibility of library staff to destroy information in confidential or privacy- protected records in order to safeguard data from unauthorized disclosure. Information that should be regularly purged or shredded includes PII on library resource use, material circulation history, and security/surveillance tapes and logs. If this data is maintained off-site, library administrators must ensure that appropriate data retention policies and procedures are employed. Libraries that use surveillance cameras should have written policies stating that the cameras are not to be used for any other purpose. If the cameras create any records, the library must recognize its responsibility to protect their confidentiality like any other library record. This is best accomplished by purging the records as soon as their purpose is served.

Encryption: The use of data encryption can help enhance privacy protection. Encrypted data requires others to use a pre-defined electronic key to decipher the contents of a message, file, or transaction. Libraries should negotiate with vendors to encourage the use of such technology in library systems (e.g., in the document delivery, saved searches, and e-mail features now offered by many OPAC vendors). Whenever possible, libraries should consider making encryption tools available to library users who are engaging in personalized online transactions or communications.

Selected Links:

Examples of Retention Schedules from Sample Library Privacy Policies:

Examples of Security Statements from Sample Library Privacy Policies:

Enforcement & Redress

Libraries that develop privacy policies need to establish and maintain an effective mechanism to enforce them. They should conduct regular privacy audits to ensure that all library programs and services are enforcing these policies. Redress must be available for library users who feel their privacy and confidentiality rights are violated. Libraries should provide a means to investigate complaints and re-audit policy and procedures in cases of potential violation of library privacy and confidentiality. Library educational efforts should include informing users how to protect their own privacy and confidentiality, both in and outside of the library setting.

Selected Links:

Government Requests for Library Records

Libraries must ensure they have well-established procedures to enforce their policies by informing users about the legal conditions under which they might be required to release personally identifiable information (PII). Libraries should only consider a law enforcement request for any library record if it is issued by a court of competent jurisdiction that shows good cause and is in proper form. Only library administrators, after conferring with legal counsel, should be authorized to accept or comply with subpoenas, warrants, court orders, or other investigatory documents directed to the library or pertaining to library property. All library staff should be trained and required to contact a designated Library Privacy Officer or previously designated administrator immediately should a law enforcement officer appear requesting library compliance with a request to release PII.

Libraries should develop and implement procedures for dealing with law enforcement requests before, during, and after a visit. Guidance on these matters can be found in the following ALA documents:

To learn more about federal search and seizure guidelines, see:

Examples of Disclosure/Court Order Statements from Sample Library Privacy Policies:

Special Privacy Policy Considerations

Academic Libraries

The Freedom to research unfamiliar and controversial topics is central to the mission of academic institutions. Academic libraries serve those needs well. They frequently provide their personal, professional, and educational information services to a wide variety of users. If academic libraries provide different levels of service or access to different categories of borrowers (e.g., faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, or community members), they must ensure that their services and access are offered equitably within a borrower type. Such restrictions should not impede intellectual freedom.

Academic Libraries and Students: Students in academic institutions are adults and must be accorded the same privacy safeguards as adults in other types of libraries. The mere fact that students are enrolled in courses should not jeopardize their privacy rights. Thus, student circulation records for course-required and reserve reading should be protected from inquiry with the same rigor as their circulation records for personal reading. Librarians assisting in investigations of plagiarism should take care to protect the usage records of individual students. Librarians can assist faculty in the development of classroom instruction and procedures that meet educational goals without compromising student rights to privacy.

Academic Libraries and FERPA and SEVIS: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was passed to protect the privacy of student education records and to define who can access these records. FERPA grants parents the rights until the child turns 18 years old or attends a school beyond the high school level. At the age of 18 or when students attend institutions of higher learning, they assume the right to access and protect the privacy of their educational records. The Student and Exchange Visitors Information System (SEVIS) maintains updated information on approximately one million non-immigrant foreign students and exchange visitors during the course of their stay in the United States each year. Colleges and universities are now required to report a foreign student's failure to enroll or if students drop out of their programs. Colleges and university librarians need to identify how their institutions implement these laws and whether they have any impact on the collection and retention of library user records.

Academic Libraries and Faculty: Academic institutions often rely on principles of academic freedom to protect the intellectual freedom of faculty. While the principles of academic freedom are intended to protect faculty from professional consequences of researching unpopular or controversial areas, they do not necessarily protect the privacy of faculty. Academic libraries should also have in place appropriate policies based on First Amendment and Fourth Amendment rights to protect the privacy of faculty members' library records.

Academic Libraries and Computer Systems: The computer networks of academic libraries are often part of institutional networks, under the ultimate control of units outside the library. Academic libraries should work with campus computer departments to ensure that student and faculty information-seeking activity is kept confidential and well protected throughout the institution. In addition, library personnel should review library procedures and arrangements with outside vendors to ensure the highest level of protection for such records as online digital reference logs, proxy server and other authentication devices, e-mail reference transactions, personalized searching, and SDI profiles.

Selected Links:

Cause, Privacy and the Handling of Student Information in the Electronic Networked Environment of Colleges and Universities (PDF), 1997

American Library Association, Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights

United States Department of Education, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act [FERPA]

United States Department of Education, Protecting the Privacy of Student Records, Guidelines for Education Agencies (PDF)

United States Department of Homeland Security, SEVP: Student and Exchange Visitor Program

Virginia Rezmierski and Nathaniel St. Clair, II, "Identifying Where Technology Logging and Monitoring for Increased Security End and Violations of Personal Privacy and Student Records Begin: Final Report NS-LAMP Project," Washington, DC: American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, 2001

School librarians have an ethical obligation to protect and promote student privacy. Although the educational level and program of the school necessarily shapes the resources and services of a school library, the principles of the Library Bill of Rights apply equally to all librarians, including school librarians. School librarians are in a unique position to educate students & staff about the implications of sharing information with others as well as the library's role in protecting privacy.
School Libraries and FERPA:
"The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act," 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, (FERPA controls disclosure of a student's educational records and information. It requires educational institutions to adopt policies that permit parents of minor children to inspect and correct their educational records. It also prohibits disclosure of a student's records without the parents' written permission.

The Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO), a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the federal office charged with overseeing and enforcing FERPA. According to FPCO, any record maintained by an educational institution directly related to a student, in any format, that allows the student to be identified from the information contained in it, is considered an "educational record." Analysts within FPCO have issued guidance stating that library circulation records and similar records maintained by a school library are "educational records" under FERPA.

Though FERPA generally requires institutions to protect the privacy of educational records, it contains many exceptions that allow disclosure of a student's educational records without a parent's or student's consent or permission. For example, FERPA permits educational institutions to release information contained in a student's records to any school official who has a "legitimate educational interest" in the records; to appropriate public officials in health and safety emergencies; and to courts and law enforcement agencies in response to a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. FERPA also permits educational institutions to disclose information about international students to the Department of Homeland Security and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.

FERPA thus permits disclosure when state library confidentiality statutes and professional ethics would otherwise prohibit the disclosure of library records. FERPA, however, does not require the institution to disclosure records under these circumstances, nor does FERPA require institutions to create or maintain particular records.

State library confidentiality laws may apply to K-12 libraries as well as public libraries, and may impose additional duties to protect students' library records that go beyond FERPA's requirements. Therefore, school libraries may draw upon professional ethics and intellectual freedom principles to craft policies that extend additional privacy protection to students' library records; adopt record retention policies that protect students' confidentiality; and where applicable, incorporate state law protections for students' library records. (ALA Questions and Answers on Privacy and Confidentiality)
Protecting Students Privacy in a School Library
School librarians have a responsibility to "assume a leadership role in promoting the principles of intellectual freedom within the school by providing resources and services that create and sustain an atmosphere of free inquiry." This includes safeguarding student and teacher privacy. School library personnel must strive to: educate all members of the school community about the value of school library users; develop board approved policies that provide the highest level of protection for all records; and teach all members of the educational community about the policies and procedures that govern privacy. School libraries operate as part of larger educational structures. In some cases school systems may create policies and procedures that infringe on students' rights to privacy. School library personnel are encouraged to educate all policy makers about the dangers of abridging students' privacy rights.

Each school library should have a privacy policy outlining how students' library records are protected and under what circumstances they may be released and to whom. To do less is to leave the school librarian uncertain about the legal course of action and in a weaker position to respond to requests for release of library records. The privacy policy should reference and incorporate the state library confidentiality law and also incorporate FERPA guidelines.

The policy should also reference American Library Association and American Association of School Librarians policy statements related to protecting minors' privacy rights in libraries. The Code of Ethics states in Article III, "We protect each library users' right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired, or transmitted." The American Association of School Librarians' "Position Statement on the Confidentiality of Library Records" expresses this concept, "The library community recognizes that children and youth have the same rights to privacy as adults." These documents provide an ethical defense for school librarians defending minors' privacy in a school library.

After the privacy policy has been approved by the school's governing body, ti should be disseminated to school staff, students, and parents. Minors' privacy and the confidentiality of their records will be better protected when school employees and the community understand the laws involved.

In addition to an official privacy policy, school libraries should also have a records retention policy detailing the types of records maintained, the length of retention, and a schedule for their destruction. Minors' records are best protected when minimal library records are maintained for the shortest period possible. (ALA Questions and Answers on Privacy and Confidentiality, #34, http://ifmanual.org/privacyqa)

Educating Students and Staff about Privacy: In addition to protecting patrons' privacy, school librarians play a vital role in educating faculty, staff and students about privacy. We live in an era when personal information is widely available online, and online networks and databases collect and store personal information. These facts present growing challenges to individuals' privacy. Students need to be aware of the implications of their online activities in terms of personal safety, identity safety, and security of future academic and employment opportunities. School Librarians should educate students to engage in online communication and interaction that is responsible, ethical and safe.; For this purpose, ALA has developed ideas, tools and resources specifically for school libraries available through their Choose Privacy website.
School libraries and COPPA:
School libraries and COPPA: The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) regulates commercial Web sites and online services, including apps, which are directed to children under the age of 13 and collect children's personally identifiable information, as well as general audience sites that know they are collecting personally identifiable information from children 13 and under. Such sites have a legal obligation to comply with the law. ;Operators who violate COPPA can be held liable for civil penalties of up to $16,000 per violation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the agency responsible for enforcing COPPA.

Noncommercial Web sites, such as library, nonprofit, community groups, and government agencies are not subject to COPPA. A library collecting personal information from children in order to e-mail them summer reading lists or reference assistance is not required to seek parental consent. However, libraries should be aware that changes to the COPPA rules adopted in December 2012 require any site that integrates outside services, such as plug-ins, apps, ;or advertising networks that collect personal information from site visitors to comply with COPPA if the site operator knows that the outside service is collecting information from children under 13.; A library should carefully review any app or outside service's data collection practices before integrating it into its website.

Although libraries are not directly impacted by COPPA, children using the Internet in a library may need help understanding the law and getting consent from their parents to use websites and apps. ;In some instances, children will find that COPPA may restrict their ability to participate in some activities on Web sites while they await parental approval. It is the librarians' role to guide children through the process or help them find alternative activities online. Parents may need assistance in understanding the law and the significance of the requests they receive from Web sites.

Librarians and libraries should play a key role in helping all library users understand and comply with COPPA. (Note: The extent to which schools can or do assume parental responsibilities for students will depend in large part on decisions made by the local school board or superintendent. It will also depend on the nature of the resources being used in the classroom and whether those resources require students to divulge personally identifiable information. Some schools may decide to act on behalf of the child, others may decide to seek consent although an Acceptable Use Policy signed by students and parents at the beginning of the year, while others may take no responsibility at all and leave it up to parents. However the school implements the law, it must take care not to allow COPPA to interfere with curricular decisions.)

Selected Links:
Pub lic and Academic Library Services to Minors
The rights of minors vary from state to state. Libraries may wish to consult the legal counsel of their governing authorities to ensure that policy and practice are in accord with applicable law. Furthermore, the legal responsibilities and standing of library staff in regard to minors differ substantially in school and public libraries. In all instances, best practice is to extend to minors the maximum allowable confidentiality and privacy protections.

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires commercial Web sites and online services that collect personally identifiable information from children aged 13 and under to obtain consent from their parents or guardians in advance. (Please see the detailed information about COPPA in the section on school libraries.); Although COPPA does not usually place any special obligations on public libraries, there are two impacts to consider:

Parents are responsible not only for the choices their minor children make concerning the selection of materials and the use of library facilities and resources, but also for communicating with their minor children about those choices. Librarians should not breach a minor's confidentiality by giving out information readily available to the parent from the minor directly. Libraries should take great care to limit the extenuating circumstances in which they release such information.

Parental responsibility is fundamentally important to a minor's use of the library. Notifying parents about the library's privacy and confidentiality policies should be a part of the process of issuing library cards to minors. In some public libraries, the privacy rights of minors may differ slightly from those of adults, often in proportion to the age of the minor. The legitimate concerns for the safety of children in a public place can be addressed without unnecessary invasion of minors' privacy while using the library.

The Minors' right to privacy regarding their choice of library materials should be respected and protected.
​ASCLA Statement of Privacy Rights
Selected links:

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies asserts the fundamental position that a right to privacy exists equal for all people regardless of physical, psychological, intellectual, social, or political condition.

In providing service to special populations, librarians, support staff, and other service providers must be aware of that fundamental right to confidentiality of materials and records and take affirmative action within the institutional structure to maintain these privacy rights.

ASCLA Board of Directors, adopted January 27, 2014

Revised by the IFC Privacy Subcommittee and approved by the Intellectual Freedom Committee January 2014. Updated April 2017

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Developing or Revising a Library Privacy Policy

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Privacy Tool Kit 4 of 9 Home | Introduction | Privacy and Confidentiality: Library Core Values | Developing or Revising a Privacy Policy | Implementation of Privacy Policies and Procedures | Library Privacy Talking Points: Key Messages and Tough Questions | What is ALA Doing | Advocacy at the Local, State & National Levels | AppendixPrivacy Tool Kit - Developing or Revising a Library Privacy Policy

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The Digital Privacy and Data Literacy Project (or "Data Privacy Project") teaches NYC library staff how information travels and is shared online, what risks users commonly encounter online, and how libraries can better protect patron privacy. Its trainings help support libraries' increasing role in empowering their communities in a digital world. Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the project is led by a team of library professionals, researchers, tech experts, and community activists interested in the impact of technological advances on everyone, especially the most vulnerable populations in the U.S.

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The Digital Privacy and Data Literacy Project (or "Data Privacy Project") teaches NYC library staff how information travels and is shared online, what risks users commonly encounter online, and how libraries can better protect patron privacy. Its trainings help support libraries' increasing role in empowering their communities in a digital world.

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Understanding that blended learning requires modified physical spaces

1. There are a number of blended learning models. A traditional classroom layout, with the teacher at the front of the room and student desks arranged in rows, doesn't really support these.

2. While student desks can be rearranged in a traditional classroom, more flexibility and space is often needed.

3. Even when student desks can be rearranged, traditional desks may not be the best option. Providing alternatives may be necessary.

4. The new spaces can be created by:

1. reshaping and refurnishing (This is the least costly option but don't underestimate the cost of suitable furniture.)

2. renovating (Heed the warning from people who have renovated their homes - you never know what you will find.)

3. building new spaces (the ideal solution despite the disruption and cost).

1. Understanding that flexible learning spaces (FLS) need to be built before blended learning is implemented.

1. Leadership needs to recognize that flexible learning spaces need to be created while developing other components of blended learning.

2. Ideally, the spaces should be built ready for use once the move to blended learning has started.

3. Waiting until staff begin implementing blended learning before changing existing physical spaces or creating new flexible learning spaces can create problems. It can create frustration for staff who have put significant time and effort into creating resources to support blended learning, and who have invested time into professional development.

4. Just because you create the spaces does not mean they will be used effectively for blended learning. However, if you don't build them you are giving staff an excuse for not making progress. The spaces are just one part of the move to blended learning. Extensive support and professional development are also required.

2. Financial commitment

1. Creating flexible learning spaces to support blended learning costs money. The amount of money varies as noted above, but it must be sufficient to confirm to staff that the leadership is really committed to change.

2. In other words, is the organization prepared to put their "money where their mouth is"?

3. Design support

1. Developing these types of spaces should not be ad hoc.

2. There is research available in this area. It should be used.

1. ArchitectureAU has a website that showcases innovative designs

2. Western Sydney University also does work in this area

3. Associate Professor Ken Fisher from the University of Melbourne is a leader in this field.

4. No doubt there are leaders in this field in most countries. Some would be happy to provide advice.

3. There are organizations that specialize in designing these spaces. Finding the "right" architects and specialist suppliers enhances the probability of success.Visits to schools or universities that have started down this path are useful.

1. Professional development

1. Staff should be supported in the transition to using these types of spaces.

2. Having professional development on the effective implementation of blended learning using flexible learning spaces is vital.

3. Find specialists who can model the use of these spaces. (There are some useful courses online that highlight schools and individuals who are successful in this area.)

2. Timetabling

1. Flexible learning spaces are "different". In many cases, they are not "normal" rooms.

2. If the flexible learning space is a teacher's classroom and nobody else uses the room, this point may not apply. However, an organization committed to blended learning will probably also have other "non-classroom" spaces available.

3. These spaces may be used by classes; however, they may also be "drop in centers".

4. Organizations need to have strategies in place to cope with all of these situations.

Once you have plotted your organization's profile, you will have a better idea of the probability of success. The hypothetical organization on the graph below has some areas that need to be reviewed.

In the case of the authors' school, the flexible learning spaces were built over a period of five years. They were also built while the online learning environment was being used to create rich courses with a range of resources, and while extensive professional development was happening.

Ideally, this development of a number of key facets in the move to blended learning should occur in a parallel fashion. While some people in the organization may not see the big picture, the leadership of the organization must be able to see how to get to the goal of blended learning even when others don't. Once the goal has been reached, all will look back to see that the steps were "obvious".
This diagram shows the parallel development of some key components to prepare an organization for blended learning. The alternative is a staggered approach, which adds time and increases frustration. Conclusion
Success will be determined by several factors; imagination, available space, enrollment projections and the related issue of finance, and the school's willingness and ability to rethink its organizational design. It is sensible to assess financial capacity and available space first as this will determine whether your project will be a refurbishment, a renovation or a new build. If no one has the imagination, then you won't even realise you have a problem. The toughest issue of course relates to changing pedagogy, which is a subject that has been and will be written about extensively for many years to come.

Effective flexible learning spaces are one key piece in the blended learning puzzle. It is best not to leave their design and implementation to chance.

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How to plan and create true flexible learning spaces

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Understanding that blended learning requires modified physical spaces There are a number of blended learning models. A traditional classroom layout, with the teacher at the front of the room and student desks arranged in rows, doesn't really support these. While student desks can be rearranged in a traditional classroom, more flexibility and space is often needed.

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Redesigning Learning Spaces by Robert Dillon, Ben Gilpin, A.J. Juliani, and Erin Klein

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Redesigning Learning Spaces by Robert Dillon, Ben Gilpin, A.J. Juliani, and Erin Klein

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Recently, I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with criticism. I was told (not to my face) by a visitor to our school that our library makerspace is not a "real makerspace". This same person stated that our woodshop is a "real makerspace" because it has power tools. She suggested that I "do some research" on what makerspaces actually are.

Feeling personally insulted aside, what bothers me most about this statement is the concept that some makerspaces are more valid than others and that a makerspace is solely defined by the tools it contains. I do agree that our woodshop is a makerspace, even though we don't call it that. Our woodshop is awesome, and I'm so glad that we have a space where students can learn how to use saws, drills and other tools to build awesome projects as part of their curriculum. Yes, that is a makerspace.

But is my space any less of a makerspace simply because it doesn't have power tools? Because it doesn't have a 3D printer? Because my students build with LEGOs, K'nex and cardboard?

Defining Makerspaces

All of this got me thinking about how we define "makerspace". So I did what librarians do best: I researched. I gathered together my books on makerspaces, I searched our databases for articles, and I crowdsourced the amazing hive mind of Twitter.

For the record, here's my own definition of a school Makerspace:

A makerspace is a place where students can gather to create, invent, tinker, explore and discover using a variety of tools and materials.

A makerspace can be anything from a repurposed bookcart filled with arts and crafts supplies to a table in a corner set out with LEGOs to a full blown fab lab with 3D printers, laser cutters, and handtools. No two school makerspaces are exactly alike, nor should they be. Makerspaces are as unique as the school cultures they represent. There is no such thing as one form of making being more valid or better than the other. Makers are artists, crafters, knitters, seamstresses, builders, programmers, engineers, hackers, painters, woodworkers, tinkerers, inventors, bakers, graphic designers and more.

A #makerspace is a place where kids gather to create, invent, tinker, explore & discover. Click To Tweet

What the Research Says About Makerspaces

Here's where my research led me:

I like this definition from Samatha Roslund's book Makerspaces. I see three important elements to this definition: Place... people... make things. While different possible foci are mentioned, this definition does not limit a Makerspace to a particular set of tools. It's about a place, about a community. Another similar quote comes from the Educause Learning Initiative article, 7 Things You Should Know About Makerspaces:

"A makerspace is a physical location where people gather to share resources and knowledge, work on projects, network, and build."

Makerspaces are not about the tools; they're about enabling making.

More on Makerspaces

"... [A] space where kids have the opportunity to make - a place where some tools, materials, and enough expertise can get them started. These places, called makerspaces, share some aspects of the shop class, home economics class, the art studio and science labs. In effect, a makerspace is a physical mash-up of different places that allows makers and projects to integrate these different kinds of skills." Dale Dougherty, The Maker Mindset, in Design, Make, Play

"Even if you don't have access to expensive... hardware, every classroom can become a makerspace where kids and teachers learn together through direct experience with an assortment of high and low tech materials." ~ Gary Stager and Sylvia Martinez in Invent to Learn

"A Makerspace is a metaphor for a unique learning environment that encourages tinkering, play and open-ended exploration for all" ~Laura Fleming, author of Worlds of Making

Making, Creativity, and Design

"What do you do in a makerspace? The simple answer is you make things. Things that you are curious about. Things that spring from your imagination... that inspire you and things that you admire. The informal, playful atmosphere allows learning to unfold, rather than conform to a rigid agenda. Making, rather than consuming is the focus. It is craft, engineering, technology and wonder-driven." Thinkers and Tinkerers

"The most important quality of a makerspace is that it encourages creativity. This can be done with a space full of hand tools, materials, and finished projects. The culture in a space should support the idea that anything is possible." 3 Key Qualities for a School Makerspace

"Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering." Jennifer Cooper, Designing a School Makerspace (Edutopia)

"Makerspaces are collaborative learning environments where people come together to share materials and learn new skills... [they] are not necessarily born out of a specific set of materials or spaces, but rather a mindset of community partnership, collaboration, and creation." Library as incubator project

(Emphasis in quotes is mine)

The video above is really long by internet standards. But you should at least watch the first few minutes, where students share what their makerspace means to them.

Read up more on Makerspaces

(Note: post contains affiliate links. Actions taken may result in commissions for Renovated Learning)

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Defining Makerspaces: What the Research Says - Renovated Learning

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Recently, I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with criticism. I was told (not to my face) by a visitor to our school that our library makerspace is not a "real makerspace". This same person stated that our woodshop is a "real makerspace" because it has power tools.

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Designing library spaces for learning

Think about the needs of your learners and school community when you're designing your school library space. For example:

What do you want your library spaces to do?

What types of spaces and facilities do you need?

What do you need now?

What might you need in the future?

The design process should include a plan for gathering information and advice. Discussion with the school community is important at all stages. As part of the planning process, visit other school libraries to gather ideas.

In the following video, principals and librarians in Christchurch schools talk about how their libraries have changed from a traditional book hub to an energetic modern library learning environment (MLLE).
Modern Library Learning Environments in Christchurch schools (YouTube)

Key learning spaces in an innovative library learning environment

Consider how each of the following learning spaces is accommodated in your school library:

quiet space - to reflect, read and study

collaboration space - to discuss, brainstorm, share and tell stories

presentation space - to present, share and celebrate

breakout space - to discover, create, practice and share

makerspace - to play, experiment and design.

Characteristics of an innovative library learning environment

Characteristics of an innovative library space include a:

welcome, vibrant and culturally inclusive environment

large, flexible learning space based on fluid design principles

place for end-to-end learning: consuming, creating, producing and sharing new knowledge

balanced access to print, digital and multimedia collections

place of exploration and curiosity.

These characteristics will:

encourage readers to develop a passion for books and reading and become critically capable readers

allow library staff, teachers and students collaborate to find, use, share and create information

provide seamless access to information resources, advice and support to the classroom, home and mobile devices 24/7

strengthen the connection between home and school

create a whare pukapuka, and a meeting place for the school community.

Key stakeholders

Key people and groups to involve in the process of moving to an innovative library space are:

Whānau and the wider school community can also play a part in the discussion and communication process. This will ensure that the vision for the future is grounded in the school's values and philosophy. It's important that the whole school community understands the rationale for change and the vision for the future.

The role of principals

The work to develop the shared vision of your library as a learning space is best led by the principal.

School principals: creating libraries as centres of learning

The role of librarians

School librarians are extremely important in improving learning results of students, including:

encouraging reading engagement

providing access to books and online information, and

promoting the teaching and sharing of digital literacy skills and digital citizenship among students and staff.

Your school library team

Library furniture, equipment, and signage

We've put together a list of suppliers of furniture, library equipment, and signage (including information about signs in te reo Māori) to help you with the design and fit out of your library. Some suppliers will work with you to source what you need or create custom pieces that fit your specific requirements and budget.
School library suppliers list

Examples of library spaces for learning

Read these articles and view the video for inspiration.

Divine design: how to create the 21st-century school library of your dreams - Margaret Sullivan talks about 5 design considerations that you shouldn't overlook when planning your dream school library. New York examples.

Library ideas: a place to pin ideas from or for libraries around the world - Stephen Heppell's Pinterest with school library images featuring innovative features from libraries all over the world.

School Libraries: excellence in practice at Amesbury School - In this video, Carolyn Knight, Teacher in the Library, and colleagues talk about how their school library supports literacy and student inquiry. Amesbury School is a new Year 1-6 school in Churton Park, Wellington.

Designing library spaces for learning

Think about the needs of your learners and school community when you're designing your school library space. For example:

What do you want your library spaces to do?

What types of spaces and facilities do you need?

What do you need now?

What might you need in the future?

The design process should include a plan for gathering information and advice. Discussion with the school community is important at all stages. As part of the planning process, visit other school libraries to gather ideas.

In the following video, principals and librarians in Christchurch schools talk about how their libraries have changed from a traditional book hub to an energetic modern library learning environment (MLLE).
Modern Library Learning Environments in Christchurch schools (YouTube)
Key learning spaces in an innovative library learning environment

Consider how each of the following learning spaces is accommodated in your school library:

quiet space - to reflect, read and study

collaboration space - to discuss, brainstorm, share and tell stories

presentation space - to present, share and celebrate

breakout space - to discover, create, practice and share

makerspace - to play, experiment and design.

Characteristics of an innovative library learning environment

Characteristics of an innovative library space include a:

welcome, vibrant and culturally inclusive environment

large, flexible learning space based on fluid design principles

place for end-to-end learning: consuming, creating, producing and sharing new knowledge

balanced access to print, digital and multimedia collections

place of exploration and curiosity.

These characteristics will:

encourage readers to develop a passion for books and reading and become critically capable readers

allow library staff, teachers and students collaborate to find, use, share and create information

provide seamless access to information resources, advice and support to the classroom, home and mobile devices 24/7

strengthen the connection between home and school

create a whare pukapuka, and a meeting place for the school community.

Key stakeholders

Key people and groups to involve in the process of moving to an innovative library space are:

Whānau and the wider school community can also play a part in the discussion and communication process. This will ensure that the vision for the future is grounded in the school's values and philosophy. It's important that the whole school community understands the rationale for change and the vision for the future.

The role of principals

The work to develop the shared vision of your library as a learning space is best led by the principal.

School principals: creating libraries as centres of learning

The role of librarians

School librarians are extremely important in improving learning results of students, including:

encouraging reading engagement

providing access to books and online information, and

promoting the teaching and sharing of digital literacy skills and digital citizenship among students and staff.

Your school library team
Library furniture, equipment, and signage

We've put together a list of suppliers of furniture, library equipment, and signage (including information about signs in te reo Māori) to help you with the design and fit out of your library. Some suppliers will work with you to source what you need or create custom pieces that fit your specific requirements and budget.
School library suppliers list
Examples of library spaces for learning

Read these articles and view the video for inspiration.

Divine design: how to create the 21st-century school library of your dreams - Margaret Sullivan talks about 5 design considerations that you shouldn't overlook when planning your dream school library. New York examples.

Library ideas: a place to pin ideas from or for libraries around the world - Stephen Heppell's Pinterest with school library images featuring innovative features from libraries all over the world.

School Libraries: excellence in practice at Amesbury School - In this video, Carolyn Knight, Teacher in the Library, and colleagues talk about how their school library supports literacy and student inquiry. Amesbury School is a new Year 1-6 school in Churton Park, Wellington.

Find out more

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Read our guide to designing innovative school library spaces. It includes case studies and links for further reading to inspire your thinking.

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American Association of School Librarians (AASL)

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The library program is fully integrated into the educational program so that students, teachers, and school librarians become partners in learning. This integration strengthens the teaching for learning process to ensure students are active learners who guide and continually assess their learning process. Open access to a quality school library program is essential for students to develop the vital skills necessary to analyze, evaluate, interpret, and communicate information and ideas in a variety of formats. Inquiry skills are taught and learned within the context of the curriculum and may occur in the classroom, the library, or at home with 24/7 accessibility to a wide range of resources, technologies, and services.

The integrated library program philosophy requires an open schedule that includes flexible and equitable access to physical and virtual collections for staff and students. Classes must be flexibly scheduled into the library on an as needed basis to facilitate just-in-time research, training, and utilization of technology with the guidance of the teacher who is the subject specialist, and the librarian who is the information process specialist. The resulting lesson plans recognize that the length of the learning experience is dependent on learning needs rather than a fixed library time. Regularly scheduled classes in the school library to provide teacher release or preparation time prohibit this best practice. Students and teachers must be able to come to the library throughout the day to use information sources, read for pleasure, and collaborate with other students and teachers.

Collaboration with classroom teachers to design, implement and evaluate inquiry lessons cultivates high level learning experiences for students and is the catalyst that makes the integrated library program work. The teacher brings to the planning process knowledge of subject content and the student needs. The school librarian contributes a broad knowledge of resources and technology, an understanding of modern teaching methods, and a wide range of strategies that may be employed to help students learn inquiry skills. Together they are able to provide differentiated and adaptable experiences for students of all abilities and interests to meet the requirements of the curriculum.

The responsibility for flexibly scheduled library programs must be shared by the entire school community: the Board of Education, District Administration, Principal, School Librarian, Teachers, and the Library Support Staff.

The BOARD OF EDUCATION endorses the philosophy that the library program is fully integrated into the district's educational program and ensures that flexible scheduling for libraries is maintained in all buildings and at all levels through district level policies.

The DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION supports this philosophy and ensures appropriate staffing levels so that all teachers, including the school librarians, can fulfill their professional responsibilities.

The PRINCIPAL creates the appropriate climate within the school by understanding and advocating the benefits of flexible scheduling to the faculty, by monitoring scheduling, by maintaining appropriate staffing levels, funding, and joint planning time for classroom teachers and school librarians.

The TEACHER and the SCHOOL LIBRARIAN work collaboratively to provide differentiated and adaptable experiences for students of all abilities. The collaborative lessons meet curricular requirements through relevant and engaging learning experiences that promote positive instructional use of time.

The LIBRARY SUPPORT STAFF works to maintain the daily operation of the library to allow the professional school librarian and teaching staff the time and flexibility to collaborate together to provide students with excellent educational experiences for learning.

The PARENTS advocate for a library program that provides their child with access 24/7. They promote the use of flexible scheduling so their students are able to come to the library throughout the day to use information sources, read for pleasure, and collaborate with the school librarian, other students, and teachers.

The STUDENTS stress the need for anytime access to their school library to assist them in completing their academic pursuits and exploring their personal interests.

Adopted 09/2011, Revised 06/2014

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Position Statement on Flexible Scheduling

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The library program is fully integrated into the educational program so that students, teachers, and school librarians become partners in learning. This integration strengthens the teaching for learning process to ensure students are active learners who guide and continually assess their learning process.

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Inspiring Curiosity: The Librarian's Guide to Inquiry-Based Learning by Colette Cassinelli 

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Inspiring Curiosity: The Librarian's Guide to Inquiry-Based Learning by Colette Cassinelli 

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Comprehension and Collaboration, Revised Edition: Inquiry Circles for Curiosity, Engagement, and Understanding by Stephanie Harvey

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Comprehension and Collaboration, Revised Edition: Inquiry Circles for Curiosity, Engagement, and Understanding by Stephanie Harvey