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It is a group of people attending UNT who are working on their master's in Library Science.

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For any school librarian, library media specialist, teacher librarian, media specialist, or educator, here is a social venue to share our profession.

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

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We all have our favorite places to search for new programming ideas. Here are a few of my favorite places to get new inspiration (besides, of course, Programming Librarian).

Daily and monthly celebrations

You probably already know about Teen Read Week in October, but did you know that World Space Week and International Observe the Moon Night are also in October? Programming Librarian has a great list of events, celebrations and observances for each month of the year. If you need more information about a specific event or observance, they'll link you out to that event's website, where there is often more information on programming.

Demco's Ideas & Inspiration Blog also posts monthly activity calendars for early literacy, children, teens and adults. The calendar gives possible activities for each day, often with links for more info and ideas. You can follow their outline of daily activities, choose a few to implement each month, or browse past calendars for even more inspiration. Calendars are posted a few months in advance to give librarians plenty of time to plan for the events, and each calendar is printable.

Curriculum connections

My favorite education-specific resource is EdWeb.net. EdWeb is a free professional and social learning network that produces webinars and podcasts for educators at all levels. While a lot of their webinars are curriculum-focused, the ideas can easily be adapted for programming. All of their webinars and podcasts are recorded and archived, and you do not have to join to make use of them. In addition, they offer continuing education certificates for attending live webinars and for watching recordings.

Games and gaming

The Games in Schools & Libraries podcast by Inverse Genius has a plethora of information, not only on what new games might be worth purchasing but also on how to incorporate them into programming. They don't just talk about table games, either; they also cover video games, escape rooms and even how to run game design programs.

Another great game resource is Play Play Learn. Play Play Learn is essentially a database of educational, but still totally fun, games. You can filter by subject, age level, game mechanism (is it a cooperative game, card game, memorization game, word game, etc.), the amount of time it takes to play the game and the number of players. I found the game High Society by searching for games that taught financial literacy, and found Secret Code 13+4 searching for math-based games. Both games have been hits!

Organizing my ideas

For those new to Pinterest, it is a virtual bulletin board where you can pin webpages. You create different boards for the different things you want to save: book displays, passive programming ideas, book clubs, etc. Then you pin sites and images to your boards.

The pins work like the bookmarks on your browser, but I find them easier to use because each pin has an image associated with it. Instead of scrolling through a text list of websites, the images help jog my memory as to what each site contains. I find it particularly great for saving ideas on new book displays, passive programs and library design ideas. Here are a few library boards that I follow:

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My Favorite Things: School Library Programming Resources

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We all have our favorite places to search for new programming ideas. Here are a few of my favorite places to get new inspiration (besides, of course, Programming Librarian).Daily and monthly celebrationsYou probably already know about Teen Read Week in October, but did you know that World Space Week and International Observe the Moon Night are also in October?

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Peters said she always tries to elevate the idea of "book-based craft" by finding a way to make each project less cookie-cutter. Projects are meant to be in the hands of the reader, not a facilitator, so they differ from the typical prompts children might find at the end of books. Her goal is "to make a visible connection between the value of hands-on learning and the value of introducing literacy at a young age and how those two can support each other."

She's mostly using children's books, but Peters wants the instructions to work for people of any age. To make sure pre-teens are not put off by using children's books, Peters was careful with her language. For instance, instead of printing "go ask your parents," instructions state, "find these materials."

In the past couple of months, Peters has completed 15 of these book-based maker projects and has received positive feedback from parents and patrons. As she has taken the idea around to teacher conferences, including the annual Maker Ed Convening, she was surprised to find that many teachers had never heard of such a project.
MAKING IT AFFORDABLE
Libraries with a limited budget can feel left behind because the maker movement usually centers on newer technologies, but librarians have been doing this work all along, said Cindy Wall, a librarian at Southington Library in Connecticut, where maker projects start with reading.

For instance, for preschool-age students, a program called "You've Got Mail" ties into the book "Please Write Back," about an alligator who writes to his grandmother. Kids receive postcards to decorate, and mail out. Wall's husband, a postal worker, visits to answer questions and collect the postcards.

In another program, elementary school students make abstract art that they then compare to machine-made art. The students start by reading a book about abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky. The library uses a machine called the "water color bot" to make abstract art, and then the children compare their art to what the machine produces.

The common denominator in any of these programs is a book or reading assignment -- the base from which the project builds.

Wall and her colleague, Lynn Pawloski, compiled their series of programs into a book called "Maker Literacy: A New Approach to Literacy Programming for Libraries."

Even if libraries can't afford high-tech toys, "You can still create maker programming with whatever you have," said Wall.

Echoing what Wall has found, Peters said teachers and librarians do these projects in some form all the time, but they can also use a maker activity as an opportunity to enhance comprehension and build literacy skills. It's empowering to pull something deeper from a seemingly simple book, she added.

By the end of summer, Peters is hoping to expand their collection of maker books to some young adults and to even put some simple instructions in adult nonfiction to show how to use an adult how-to manual with kids.

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How Libraries Can Turn Stories Into Maker Projects | KQED

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Peters said she always tries to elevate the idea of "book-based craft" by finding a way to make each project less cookie-cutter. Projects are meant to be in the hands of the reader, not a facilitator, so they differ from the typical prompts children might find at the end of books.

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Free Library Games, Resources, and More - Elementary Librarian

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Free library games and resources, including printables, worksheets, and slideshow presentations designed to help kids build library skills.

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UTEP Library Research Guides: Information Literacy: TEKS to ACRL: Cites Sources Correctly

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Relates Texas Expectations of Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) information literacy standards Goal 7

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Information literacy is quickly becoming one of the most important topics to cover in schools across the United States.

The threats of fake news, social media misinformation, and lightning-fast information transmission have made digital tools dangerous to handle - unless you handle them correctly.

Information literacy is one of the major 21st Century skills that students need to learn to succeed.

It sharpens their minds with critical thinking skills, and it empowers them to separate fact and fiction.

But how do you teach something so technical and complicated?

The are the five essential steps to teaching information literacy in middle school:

1. Define information literacy

2. Show examples of trustworthy and untrustworthy information

3. Define what makes an online source trustworthy

4. Encourage critical thinking

5. Introduce other 21st Century skills

In this post, we'll share how to take each step to help your students hone their information literacy skills!

1. Define Information Literacy

The Internet isn't going away, so students need to know how to keep themselves safe from misinformation for their entire lives.

The younger the students, the simpler the terms should be.

If you start talking about information literacy before middle school, you have to water down your definition. You may have to explain information literacy as "understanding what's true and what's a lie."

During middle school, you could explain it in terms of "identifying fake information and understanding real news."

If you discuss information literacy in high school, you can get much more complex by discussing information literacy in history, pop culture, journalism, academia, and much more.

However, the scope of these definitions doesn't mean information literacy is difficult to understand. Anyone who knows about the Internet can learn about information literacy.

The best place to start is with examples.

2. Show Examples of Trustworthy and Untrustworthy Information

Examples are the best way to show the real-world applications of information literacy.

The more extreme the examples you provide, the clearer you can make your point.

For example, the New York Times has built a reputation on integrity and open information. It's earned 122 Pulitzer Prizes for excellence, and it's been in business since 1851.

They also talk extensively about their hiring processes and requirements, which means their standards for personnel are high.

While some charlatans may lie during their tenure at NYT, they're few and far between. As a result, the New York Times website is one of the most trusted sources of information in the world.

You can contrast that with social media, most notably Facebook or Twitter.

The open-ended nature of these social networks means it's easy for someone to make an unfounded claim.

That misinformation - especially when it's made to look legitimate - is dangerous, especially to young minds.

That's why it's so important to clarify that students shouldn't trust everything they see on a social network at first glance.

They need to learn how to verify that a source is trustworthy for themselves.

To do that, students need to know what qualities make an information source trustworthy.

3. Define What Makes an Online Source Trustworthy

There's a knee-jerk reaction for everyone (not just students) to believe something they read, especially when it comes from a friend or reinforces an opinion.

But that's a dangerous way to live. Believing too much misinformation will leave someone just as ignorant as if they had no information in the first place.

Arguably, it's even worse!

So what qualities make a source trustworthy?

The Author Is Listed on the Information

While fame doesn't automatically qualify someone as a "good source" of information, it's helpful to see that an author is listed on an article or blog post.

If they are, that means they're claiming personal responsibility for the information they're conveying.

If it's inaccurate, their reputation (and maybe their career) will suffer.

Finding an author's name should be easy. It'll either be at the top or bottom of a page.

If your students can't find one for an information source, that's a major red flag.

The Author Has a Positive Reputation

In the event your students can find an author's name, the next step is to verify the author's reputation.

Students can do this in an instant by searching the author's name on Google, Bing, or another search engine.

The results should show that author's record of published works and their social media accounts.

If either seem biased or inaccurate, then you have to question the author's credibility.

But if the author appears to have a clean career, an objective stance, and a long-standing reputation, you can feel more comfortable in trusting them.

A Date Shows the Information as Current

Dates matter.

Information changes in a flash, thanks to the Internet.

If a student needs to verify information as credible, they need to find a date.

If the date is several years old, then the information probably isn't relevant anymore.

Likewise, the information isn't credible if there's no date at all.

But if a student can easily find a date (and it's recent) on a webpage, then they can feel better about believing the information.

The Domain Is Credible (.com, .edu, .gov)

Domain names say a lot about websites.

.com, .edu, and .gov are still the most credible domain endings for websites.

.club, .xxx, .info, .site, and other variations are much less credible.

This is as easy as checking the URL name. If any of those three options end a URL, it speaks to that website's credibility.

The Website Is Well-Designed

Web design is surprisingly important in verifying a website's credibility.

Sloppy, outdated appearances mean the information may not be trustworthy. If someone didn't put work into their website to make it look good, you can't trust that they've put the necessary effort into verifying their information.

On the other hand, websites that look sleek, modern, and easy-to-use are more credible. This is especially true for websites that display properly on desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

Someone has worked hard on that website. It's in their best interests to keep the information credible so people keep coming back.

The Writing Is Grammatically and Linguistically Correct

Last, students need to evaluate the way information is written, especially with spelling and grammar.

Poor grammar, slang, and misspellings are all red flags that mean someone isn't properly relaying accurate information.

If they didn't want to learn grammar and spelling, they probably didn't follow up on the accuracy of their information either.

In that respect, students should learn how to "grade" information they read much like an English teacher grades a paper.

If the spelling and grammar wouldn't get an A+, then an information source isn't taking the time and attention to make sure they're correct.

But all of this knowledge doesn't work for students if they just follow a checklist. Information literacy is more complex than that.

That's why you should also encourage critical thinking.

4. Encourage Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the process of evaluating information, questioning it, and determining if it's worthwhile.

Clever students will quickly pick up on these concepts and immediately start questioning everything they hear - and that probably includes your class.

But everyone should know how to think critically.

In terms of information literacy, students can practice critical thinking by asking these questions:

1. Does someone or an organization benefit from this information?

2. Does this information sound biased toward one side or another?

3. Can you tell the author has an opinion?

4. Does the heading or headline match the information in the body?

5. Does the information conflict with something the student knows to be true?

These questions are only the beginning. Critical thinking will lead students to question and investigate any detail they believe will help them understand and verify information better.

The earlier a student learns to think critically, the better they'll be at spotting misinformation.

But this is just one piece of a much bigger idea.

If you really want to nail home the concept of information literacy, you have to talk about digital citizenship.

5. Introduce Other 21st Century Skills

Information literacy is just one of a dozen 21st Century skills that you can teach your students. All of these skills help students understand technology, its role in their lives, and how they can use it responsibly.

Most importantly, you can teach media literacy, technology literacy, and digital literacy in addition to your information literacy lessons.

Media literacy teaches students how to identify publishing methods, outlets, and sources. So when they look at a webpage, they can immediately tell if they're looking at a blog, newspaper, conspiracy theorist, or some other option.

Technology literacy takes that information a step further and introduces students to the machines that empower the Information Age. They learn about computers, servers, and even how the Internet works.

This helps unmask the mystery that lies behind modern machinery - it reveals how a lot of the world's modern systems work.

You can even throw in a quick introduction to concepts like coding and hardware.

After all, if you don't understand how technology works, it might as well be magic!

Where Do You Start?

Fortunately, the Internet is packed with helpful resources to teach information and digital literacy.

Most notably, you can start by teaching digital citizenship to ensure your students understand the most important parts of using the Internet.

Want to start today?

Check out the lessons and assessments on digital citizenship from Business&ITCenter21!

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5 Essential Steps to Teach Information Literacy in Middle School

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Information literacy is quickly becoming one of the most important topics to cover in schools across the United States. The threats of fake news, social media misinformation, and lightning-fast information transmission have made digital tools dangerous to handle - unless you handle them correctly.

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The September Booklist Reader is here: start reading and sharing today!
Booklist Reader is coming to print!
Booklist Publications is currently taking advanced, no-obligation, reservations for print copies of Booklist Reader. Complete an interest form at bit.ly/booklistreaderinprint and find out more details about this invaluable patron resource on our blog!

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Book Review Site for Librarians in Public Libraries and School Libraries | Booklist Online

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The September Booklist Reader is here: start reading and sharing today! Booklist Reader is coming to print! Booklist Publications is currently taking advanced, no-obligation, reservations for print copies of Booklist Reader. Complete an interest form at bit.ly/booklistreaderinprint and find out more details about this invaluable patron resource on our blog!

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While many educators state beliefs about the importance of selecting fiction that will engage a diverse student population, use of multicultural titles in secondary classrooms has lagged, in part due to increasing focus on the Common Core State Standards in the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine if high school students in a Southern California district were using school libraries to access multicultural literature characterized by racial diversity. Four years of circulation data from the district's five comprehensive high schools were examined. Analysis revealed that the titles with the highest circulation were overwhelmingly written by White authors and about White protagonists. Suggested are ways that educators can use resources within school libraries to promote more racially diverse multicultural literature, even as classroom titles remain static. Included are recommendations for how teachers and teacher-librarians can encourage students to select from a wider range of texts, as well as guidance on conducting a circulation analysis.

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“What Are You Reading?”: How School Libraries Can Promote Racial Diversity in Multicultural Literature

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While many educators state beliefs about the importance of selecting fiction that will engage a diverse student population, use of multicultural titles in secondary classrooms has lagged, in part d...

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Chapter 2: Diversity Co-authors
Since I, Judi Moreillon, have the privilege of writing this post, I am beginning by introducing Core Values in School Librarianship readers to the co-authors of the "Diversity" chapter.

Julie Stivers, MLIS, (she/her) is the librarian at Mount Vernon Middle, an alternative public school in Raleigh, North Carolina. As a 2018 ALA Emerging Leader, Julie helped develop AASL's Defending Intellectual Freedom: LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries and she is the author/editor of Include (ALA, 2021). Julie's research and practical interests include culturally sustaining pedagogy, building inclusive library spaces, and exploring the power of manga and anime with her students. She connects on Twitter at @BespokeLib.

Stephanie Powell, MEITE, is a librarian at Green Level High School in Wake County, North Carolina. A National Board-Certified Teacher and lifelong learner, she has been a classroom teacher and now librarian for nearly 28 years. She earned a Master's in Instructional Technology from UNC-Chapel Hill and her Master's in Library and Information Science from UNC-Greensboro. Stephanie is invested in promoting equity and being an advocate for underrepresented voices through library services. Connect with Stephanie on Twitter @spowel15.

Nancy Jo Lambert, MLS, is a Google Certified Trainer with friEdtechnology and high school teacher-librarian at Reedy High School in Frisco, Texas. She advocates for libraries by telling the story of the learning happening in her library. Named TCEA Library Media Specialist of the Year, Nancy Jo was AASL Social Media Superstar Curriculum Champion in 2019. She is a cisgender, white, bisexual educator and co-founder of #TeachPride and EduPrideAlliance. Connect with her on Twitter @NancyJoLambert and on her websites: reedylibrary.com and nancyjolambert.com.

Julie Stivers, Stephanie Powell, and Nancy Jo Lambert 2021, 19.

Culturally Responsive Educators
The co-authors make many references to culturally responsive collection development, maintenance, promotion, and teaching throughout this chapter. As Stephanie notes, "Through (their) three points of view, the lenses of our varied perspectives allow (them) to better understand how librarianship plays an important role in meeting those who we serve where they are and what they need" (20). Bringing their individual experiences as well as their collective thoughts together in this chapter makes it an especially powerful read.

One point all three co-authors make is that school library collections must reflect the multiple identity markers of school populations as well as reflect the diversity of experience and perspectives across the country and around the globe. As Julie notes: "Even if- especially if-your school population is mostly or solely White, you should build a collection that is racially diverse and not restrict students to a single lens" (21). This can be a particular challenge because our predominantly White and female profession must have self-knowledge and engage in critical reflection that causes school librarians to take action to diversify the library collection and ensure its use to normalize diversity in all of its manifestations.

This challenge also calls on librarians to consider authors from underrepresented groups and texts with diverse characters in books published for youth. As Julie points out, statistics from the Cooperative Children's Book Center continue to spotlight the fact that the number of books featuring animals and inanimate objects are more commonly published and even exceed the sum of the number of books featuring all underrepresented groups combined. (See the 2019 stats at https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/the-numbers-are-in-2019-ccbc-diversity-statistics.)

Commitment to Diversity
Readers will find support for their own self-education about various lenses for examining texts. The co-authors cite and describe five frameworks that can help school librarians deepen their knowledge regarding diversity:

Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors-Rudine Sims Bishop

#OwnVoices-Corinne Duyvis

Danger of a Single Voice-Chimananda Adichie

Plot-Driven Adventures across Identities-Malinda Lo

Black Joy-Many Writers!

The value of auditing the library collection using each of these frameworks is discussed in this chapter.

Diversity Audits
One way librarians' values are manifest in the library collection is the understanding that the library is not a neutral space; what is included in or excluded from the collection makes a "political" statement. As co-author Nancy Jo notes: "By offering youth a free, public education where they have access to information and all sides of issues, we equip them with the skills they need to navigate learning and to form opinions of their own" (24). In the process, issues related to prejudice, discrimination, and injustice will arise.

In order to build a collection and library program that is relevant to students and that prompts their critical thinking, school librarians can use diversity audits to evaluate the inclusiveness of the collection. This requires librarians to use an equity and diversity lens. Initial audits may focus on aligning the collection with the school's demographics. Additional analysis of the collection involves searching for gaps related to additional identity markers as well as taking a more global perspective on ideas and information.

Audits are not simple nor are they a one-time exercise. In order to maintain a culturally responsive, inclusive collection, librarians must continuously assess both the fiction and informational texts available to students, classroom teachers, and families. Involving students and other educators in developing, auditing, and maintaining the collection not only builds a stronger more useful collection, it also builds relationships. And relationships are key to a successful school library program that ensures that the collection is used in the service of student learning.

Reflection Questions
"How as your own cultural context influenced the books you've read-both within school and personally? How has this shaped your collection development framework as a school librarian?" (34)

Addendum:
Access to Joyce Valenza's Toolkit: Inclusive Collection Collections and Diversity Audits.

Work Cited

Stivers, Julie, Stephanie Powell, and Nancy Jo Lambert. 2021. "Diversity." In Core Values in School Librarianship: Responding with Commitment and Courage, ed. Judi Moreillon, 19-36. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

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Diversity in a Culturally Responsive School Library Collection

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Chapter 2: Diversity Co-authors Since I, Judi Moreillon, have the privilege of writing this post, I am beginning by introducing Core Values in School Librarianship readers to the co-authors of the "Diversity" chapter. Julie Stivers, MLIS, (she/her) is the librarian at Mount Vernon Middle, an alternative public school in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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With the days of dusty card catalogs long gone, school librarians are taking a leading role in bringing technology into K-12 education.

Promoting the importance of technology in education is just one of librarians' many roles in schools. By serving as role models for technology use and demonstrating how technological resources serve students' learning aims, effective school librarians are an essential part of education.

Use of Research Databases

Librarians know more than just the Dewey decimal system, and they are at the front lines of teaching students critical-thinking skills. When middle school or high school students need to write an essay, a quick Google search just isn't enough. School librarians teach kids how to access research databases such as PubMed, PsychINFO or Worldcat. Providing these tools to students gives them the ability to search out primary sources, find scientific articles and identify areas for future research.

This also gives school librarians a way to educate students about good vs. bad sources. For example, a quick Wikipedia search could be a good way to learn more about Reconstruction after the Civil War. It can also give students clues about where to start searching, keywords and general concepts to cover. But when it comes time to write that big history paper, citing Wikipedia is unacceptable. Teaching students to think critically about sources is a key role of school librarians.

Open-Learning Initiatives

With the growth of online education resources, educators have thousands of tools to enhance their classrooms. For example, the iTunes U app provides an easy way for students to track classroom activities online. They can access supplemental materials, read relevant books and watch presentations. Librarians can also introduce students to free online resources such as the Kahn Academy, which has extensive, easy-to-digest lessons on topics ranging from algebra to plate tectonics. Advanced students may be intrigued by access to free lectures from world-renowned institutions such as Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Princeton.

Turning to Kindles and e-Books

In 2009, Cushing Academy became the first school in the U.S. to get rid of its paper-and-ink book collection in favor of new technological resources, according to The Christian Science Monitor. Instead, students download e-books onto the library's 65 available Kindle e-readers or use a computer to find an article from a subscription database. The use of e-readers and other electronic devices to access information resonates with students who grew up in an online world. With the price of most e-books considerably lower than hardback books, this can be a budget-savvy choice for schools.

Instant-Messaging Your Librarian

For students accustomed to communicating via text messages or Facebook, walking into the library and approaching the information desk isn't a realistic option. Many librarians have turned to instant-messaging platforms to reach more students. Some high schools have implemented an "Ask a Librarian" instant-messaging platform to direct students' questions to the professionals. Whether a student needs help finding a resource about cell organelles or wants to know how to cite a textbook in APA style, quick communication with librarians is key. Recognizing that social media use is pervasive among students, some schools have also set up library Facebook or Twitter accounts to communicate news and answer student questions.

Foster a Love of Reading with Electronic Resources

Many librarians enter the field because they have a lifelong love of reading and want to transmit that passion to others. Embracing new technologies gives school librarians the chance to foster a love of the written word in students accustomed to 140-character tweets. Options include:

Virtual bookshelves. Librarians use apps such as Shelfari to curate virtual bookshelves of must-reads for students. Shelves can be created based on genre, age level or other divisions.

Reading challenges. Incorporating social media into reading challenges is a great way to get students motivated to read. Consider implementing a prize for the student who reads the most or consistently meets reading goals.

Promote new arrivals. Savvy librarians promote new arrivals by sending students emails or discussing them on the library's Facebook or Twitter page, creating buzz about the latest books.

Student recommendations. One of the best ways to get kids reading is to involve their peers. Choose a handful of students each month to write a brief recommendation for a favorite book. Post the reviews on the library website to highlight students' favorites.

Tags: Educational Technology

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5 Ways School Librarians Embrace Technology | Resilient Educator

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With the days of dusty card catalogs long gone, school librarians are taking a leading role in bringing technology into K-12 education. Promoting the importance of technology in education is just one of librarians' many roles in schools.

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You are here: Home / Library Advocacy / How to Effectively Advocate for your School Library

Last Updated on February 12, 2022 by

We continue to grapple with uncertainty around what school will look like this fall. School district administrators and educators are meeting during the summer to plan how to safely reopen schools, continue distance learning, or create a hybrid model of education for the 2020 – 2021 school year. For reasons I mentioned in the previous post Why You Should Advocate for Your School Library, it is important that school librarians are prepared to advocate effectively for their school library programs.

What to Say?

How to effectively advocate for your school library? The information I shared in my previous blog post would be excellent talking points for you to share:

More than 34 statewide studies show a positive correlation between state certified school librarians and student achievement.

Students who attend a school with a full-time certified school librarian tend to earn higher test scores.

Strong school libraries have been linked to graduation rates and student mastery of standards.

The benefits are strongest for low-income students, students with disabilities, and students of color.

School libraries can bridge the gap of inequity by providing access to technology and databases as well as print resources.  Instruction, guidance, and assistance in the use of these resources also helps bridge that gap.

Where to Advocate for Your School Library?

http://pexels.com

For advocacy on a formal level, I recommend that you seek out opportunities to speak to organized groups. Ideas include your school board, parent group, state legislature, and any community organization that supports children and families (in my community, Kiwanis and Masons have initiatives that encourage reading and academic achievement). Throughout the years I have worked with my fellow school librarians and fellow school specialists to make presentations to our school board. We also have attended committee meetings of our state legislature to share information during crucial decision-making times.

But, advocacy doesn’t always have to be a formal presentation. The act of doing your job and making that visible to educators and families is a form of advocacy. Take the time to communicate regularly with families through a newsletter, library website, or social media pages. Show up to school events in person and be a visible part of your school community.

Advocate with Personal Experience

Use statistics and data from your school library to communicate what is happening. Circulation statistics, numbers of library visitors outside of class time, class visits, and database usage statistics can become evidence of a vibrant, important school library program. You can post this information in your library or throughout your school. You can also send it in a monthly email to your administrator, teachers, and parents.

And don’t overlook anecdotal observations. A personal story of how a student was able to find the answer to an information question of personal interest can sometimes be more compelling than facts and figures. Interactions that are routine to you are often remarkable in the eyes of an outsider and can be powerful reminders of the importance of a school librarian.

More Advocacy Ideas for Your School Library

Be sure to check out AASL’s Advocacy Hub for more resources and ideas for advocating for your school library program. Bring the national standards into the discussion with these one page resources to share with administrators, teachers, and parents:

Your School Library in the Learning Community: for Adminstrators

What School Library Standards Mean: for Educators

How Does the School Library Support Your Child?: for Parents

Because Everyone is a Learner (Libraries Transform)

Save School Librarians

Every Library’s Save School Librarians campaign has resources and information that can be helpful as you advocate for your school library. Read up on news regarding school libraries across the country. You can also sign a petition, report a threat to a school library, and access resources to help you email your state lawmakers in support of school librarians.

Learn More!

Are you ready to dive deeper into school library advocacy? This online, on demand school library advocacy PD will help you become a more confident and effective school librarian. Learn why advocating for your school library program is important and get some ideas to help you in your advocacy efforts.

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Be the light!

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How to Advocate for your School Library Program

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How to Advocate for your School Library Program

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Advocate strong school libraries using the IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto and Guidelines and other resources

The IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto defines the mission and goals of the school library or resource center and the profile of its staff. To help schools and school librarians to implement the principles expressed in the manifesto, the IFLA/UNESCO School Library Guidelines were published. The Guidelines help in developing a mission and a policy for the school library. They state which resources and staffing are essential for a well functioning school library.

Librarians and library associations can use both documents to raise the profile of school libraries and resource centers in their own schools, their own regions and their own countries.

School librarians who want to use these documents successfully, will have to develop a strategy that is adapted to the local situation and legislation. There is not one recipe that can be used worldwide. In this document, the Ifla Section School Libraries and Resource Centers presents useful ideas and relevant resources to develop such a strategy.

Network with other librarians

In many countries and regions around the world there are (school) library associations. They have experience in lobbying and raising awareness. Contact you local association and find out how they can help. Or perhaps they are just waiting for your ideas to develop a successful action.

You can find the address of your association through:

Is there no association in your area? Consider raising your own school library association. Ideas on how to do that, can be found on the IASL website. The IFLA Section Management of Library Associations has prepared a series of brochures that provide advice about establishing and managing a library association. The brochures are available on the section's pages at the IFLA website.

Networking is always a good idea. Become a member of an international association. Join the IFLA School Libraries Section (indicate you want to become a member of Section 11, School Libraries) and the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL). Both have there own Newsletter and other publications and organise conferences and meetings around the world. Check out their websites for more information.

Learn how to advocate your case

There are several websites providing ideas on how to support your case.

Or refer to well known school librarians, like Laura Bush, ex First Lady of the USA. She has a master's degree in library science and worked as a public school teacher and librarian in the Houston, Dallas and Austin school systems. In 2002 she organised a White House Conference on School Libraries and now hosts the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries. Look for influential advocates in your own community.

Use the International School Library Month (ISLM) to promote your library in your institution. ISLM also is an excellent opportunity to contact your (local) government. Ask them to make one Monday in October your local School Library Day. Use the event to confront principals, administrators, and politicians with the IFLA/UNESCO documents and the research findings.

Refer to (international) research

Research around the world demonstrates that school libraries improve student achievement. Easily accessible reports are available on the internet:

Refer to other important statements

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Advocate strong school libraries using the IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto and Guidelines and other resources The IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto defines the mission and goals of the school library or resource center and the profile of its staff. To help schools and school librarians to implement the principles expressed in the manifesto, the IFLA/UNESCO School Library Guidelines were published.

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Advocacy. How often do you think about how to advocate for your school library? How often do you read blogs, articles, and essays published with ideas on how and why to advocate for your program? It is an almost constant thought in my mind.

Will I receive funds this year?

What laws protect my school library program?

How can I safely advocate for my school library program?

How can I get student/parent/teacher/administrator buy-in for the school library program?

How? How? How?

1. Share Your Calendar

Share your calendar with your faculty and staff. It can be a paper copy or digital. This will inform everyone of your program's activities, library events, and scheduled school functions. Not only that, but sharing your calendar can invite collaboration. Add in your planned events, national events, and dates that coincide with pre-organized events, such as Hour of Code, National Game and Puzzle Month, School Library Month, and more. Have a pamphlet or digital copy available at Open House to share with your local stakeholders. Parents and community members may have some feedback or offer to come speak or attend an event.

2. Wear a T-shirt

I realize that t-shirts are not the most teacher-appropriate attire; however, if they relate to your program or an activity taking place in your school library...why not? For Hour of Code week last year, the computer lab teacher and I made and wore shirts each day inspired by coding and computer science. One of our favorite shirts was iTeach in binary. Each and every time I wear it, someone will stop me to ask what all of the numbers mean. I'm able to share about our program and advertise events just by wearing a t-shirt.

If you are unable to wear t-shirts to "the office," simply post it on social media. Wear it to a sporting or school event. In my experience, teachers LOVE t-shirts. Offer the option to purchase the t-shirt to your faculty and staff.

3. Mug Your Supporters

As part of a campaign to advocate for school library programs, one of our state organizations has been "mugging" our supporters. These mugs refer to the many titles a school librarian may have and has been a great way to share what we do with our supporters. Many AAIM members have shared mugs filled with candy and AASL advocacy cards. Personally, I use my mug quite often.

Arkansas is not the first state to conduct a mug campaign. North Carolina, as well as others, have held similar campaigns to advocate for school libraries. Gifting a mug to someone with a package of hot cocoa, a short note about school libraries, and a smile is a simple (non-invasive) way to spread advocacy.

4. Decorate!!!

Personally, I do not have much wall space in the library to utilize; however, I do have several doors that become bulletin boards and advertisement spots. Decorating your school library is a great way to advocate for programs, your faculty and staff, and your students. Ask them to participate in photographs and contests, like Complete the Cover (found on A Love of Teaching's blog) or Book Face. Share teachers' favorite books, authors, and illustrators. Place a small index card in their mailbox that can be filled out with that information. Index cards can then be displayed throughout the library.

Ask teachers to send in pictures of students getting caught reading and post on social media and in your library. Decorations and photographs not only add to the atmosphere in your library, but they also provide an excellent way to advocate for your students and your program. A picture is worth a thousand words!

5. Make & Take Activity

During school events like Open House or family nights, offer the library space to be a Make & Take Activity area. Parents and students can use the area to create a craft to take home. This is a great time to showcase your MakerSpace area or any awesome technology you might have, like a 3-D printer. Recruit other special class teachers to assist and monitor the activities.

During Open House on our campus the cafeteria and bus info can be found in the library. I provide coloring pages and easy crafts for students. This allows parents time to register for bus routes, fill out cafeteria or other paperwork, and talk with the counselor. Not only does this help the night run more smoothly, but it also allows parents to see the library and get a sense of how libraries are evolving.

Categories: Advocacy/Leadership, Blog Topics

Tags: advocacy, collaboration, Library Media Specialists, school librarians, school libraries

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5 Ways to Advocate for Your School Library This Year -

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Advocacy. How often do you think about how to advocate for your school library? How often do you read blogs, articles, and essays published with ideas on how and why to advocate for your program? It is an almost constant thought in my mind. Will I receive funds this year?

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Intellectual Freedom: Issues and Resources

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A commitment to intellectual freedom transforms your library. ALA actively advocates and educates in defense of intellectual freedom—the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profe…

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By Amanda Pagan, Children's Librarian

So you want to start reading manga?

We're here to help. Here, we break down the basics you need to know before delving into the wide, fantastic world of Japanese graphic novels, a.k.a manga.

What is manga?

Manga is an umbrella term for a wide variety of comic books and graphic novels originally produced and published in Japan. Unlike American comic books, which are usually printed in full color, Japanese manga are almost always published in black and white. Full-color prints are often only used for special releases.

Japanese manga is read right-to-left rather than left-to-right, which is the norm for English language publications. This can take some getting used to if you have only ever read English publications, but you will hardly notice once you've practiced enough.

In Japan, manga are typically released on a monthly or a weekly chapter-by-chapter basis through manga magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Jump, (which has been in circulation since 1968). If a series is popular enough, its chapters are then collected and published into volumes called tankōbon volumes, which usually feature a few chapters of the overall story.

Most manga series are long-running and can span multiple volumes. This is something to keep in mind when starting a new series as it is imperative you read the volumes in the correct order. This might be easier for small series, such as Naoko Takeuchi's Sailor Moon, which only has about 12 volumes, versus longer-running series such as Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, which has 42 volumes.

What is the difference between manga and anime?

Anime is yet another umbrella term for all forms of animation created and published in Japan. When most people hear the word 'anime,' they think of adaptations of manga series, such as Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. Both television shows boosted the popularity of Japanese anime in the west when they aired on American TV during the 1990s.

If a manga series is popular enough, it might then become an anime, as was the case with both Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon. In some cases, the opposite is true; a popular original anime will be given a manga adaptation. However, the two terms are not interchangeable.

Anime is animation. Manga is print. That is the difference.

Where should I start?

The most important thing to remember about manga is there is something for everyone. Whether you like high school romantic comedies or high-fantasy epics, there is a manga for you.

Manga is chiefly categorized by audience first, then genre. For example, CLAMP's Cardcaptor Sakura is a shojo (young girls) "magical girl" (sub-genre) manga. However, this does not mean a boy cannot enjoy the series. That is simply how they are marketed. If you were looking for manga for a young boy who likes fantasy or mystery, you would search for "shonen (boy) fantasy" or "shonen mystery" manga.

We would need an entirely different blog post to cover the gargantuan number of manga genres and sub-genres that exist so, for now, we will simply cover the types of audiences to which manga are marketed. If you are looking for more information on manga genres and subgenres, then check out: Beginner's Guide to Manga 3: Genres and Subgenres.

Don't forget to check out our handy Manga for Middle-Schoolers guide for further recommendations!

Primarily, there are five demographics of manga:

Is there anything else I should know about manga?

There is no rule stating a grown man cannot read a shojo series or, likewise, a teen girl cannot enjoy a seinen series. It all boils down to personal taste.

Many manga series cross gender and age divides to be enjoyed by everyone, such as Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist. There are also manga that defy the conventions of their genre, such as Kaiu Shirai's Promised Neverland and Kiyohiko Azuma's , which are technically shonen manga, although both feature female protagonists.

We mention this so readers can have a better understanding of what differentiates certain manga series. More often than not, people assume all manga is geared towards teens or children, which can lead to problems if a well-meaning educator, parent, or librarian unwittingly gives a young child access to a sexually explicit manga meant for adults.

As with any other form of narrative, manga can run the gamut from serious, heart-wrenching drama to silly, mindless fun. Most manga feature over-exaggerated situations, comedy, or art, as over-exaggeration is practically a staple of the brand.

A Brief Warning: Fan Service and Oversexualized Characters

Fan service is also something to keep in mind. This refers to art that only exists to please or titillate the fans. Acts of fan service never further the plot or offer character development, and simply serve as gratuitous content, such as featuring a series' prominent character in a revealing costume or pseudo-sexual situation. Nakaba Suzuki's Seven Deadly Sins is a high-fantasy series that features an overabundant amount of fan service that makes it unsuitable for young children. Fan service appears in almost all types of manga and can range from harmless fun to seriously disturbing.

Unfortunately, a large chunk of manga (specifically those targeted towards the male demographic) tend to feature a disproportionate amount of oversexualized female characters. It is not unusual for female characters to randomly lose their clothing, wear revealing clothing, or be accosted in a sexual manner by the other male characters. Sexual assault is not something to be taken lightly, however, it is often played for laughs within these manga. For this reason, we encourage you to double check and read through the manga yourself before giving them to your children, especially young impressionable boys. There are plenty of thoughtful, well-developed series out there that are perfectly appropriate for readers of all ages. We have listed several titles for younger children in our Manga for Middle-Schoolers guide.

Our job is not to censure readers, but we do want to empower and inform our patrons so they can make their own decisions. Again, we mention this as a warning to parents, educators, and librarians before they unwittingly give someone the wrong material.

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A Beginner's Guide to Manga | The New York Public Library

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Want to start reading manga? You've come to the right place. We've defined five major categories of this Japanese-based comic book art, and...

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9 Powerful Inquiry Learning Examples to Use in the Classroom - Learning by Inquiry

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The inquiry learning examples below will give you some ideas for launching a successful project or unit that is engaging and motivating for students.

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Madison Metropolitan School District

Guidelines for Analyzing Your Data

Design a systematic approach to analyze your data. This may develop as you become more comfortable with what you are learning.

Do not be afraid to let the data influence what you are learning as you go deeper with your analysis.

Look for themes and patterns to emerge. Look for those unique ideas that you had not considered which may influence your thinking.

Make sure that you are organizing your data based on what you are actually learning from the data, not on the assumptions you bring with you to your analysis.

Don't censor the data, even if you don't like what you are learning. Include data that doesn't necessarily reflect change or growth. All of this is part of the learning experience and can still inform our practice.

Go through your data several times. New ideas will occur to you with a fresh perspective.

Think about creating visual images of what you are learning. A grid, an idea map, a chart, or some visual metaphor are all possibilities to help make sense of the data and display a powerful presentation of your ideas.

Write lots of notes to yourself (post-its work well) as you are sorting. This kind of reflection will help you as you step back and try to look at the big picture.

Share your findings with a colleague. Do new questions emerge from this discussion?

Let the data influence you. Jot down ideas for actions you will take as a result of what you are learning.

Back to C.A.R. Home Page Back to MMSD Home Page
Back to Staff Development Home Page

We have had since March 2001

Last Updated: March 5, 2001
Editor & Publisher: Melanie Donnermdonner@madison.k12.wi.us
Webmaster:webmaster@madison.k12.wi.us

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Madison Metropolitan School District Guidelines for Analyzing Your Data Design a systematic approach to analyze your data. This may develop as you become more comfortable with what you are learning. Do not be afraid to let the data influence what you are learning as you go deeper with your analysis.

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This is an interesting article on how Makerspace Activities have a positive impact on student learning.

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Makerspace Impact on Student Learning, Success, and Education

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Makerspaces are physical locations where people gather to share resources and knowledge. They create a learning environment to imagine, design, prototype, invent and solve. It offers a hands-on approach to learning by allowing students to experiment and invent as they dive deeper into learning science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts.

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The Art and Science of Collection Development - Knowledge Quest

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The Art and Science of Collection Development - Knowledge Quest

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Collection development is a science and an art that certified school librarians are specifically trained for. In addition to the preparation provided during graduate courses, school librarians continue to learn about collection development via conference sessions, webinars, journal articles, profess…

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I thought this was an interesting article on how to provide students the books they want when unable to come to the library.

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As we all think about going back to school and how we will get books into the hands of our students, we are dreaming up creative and fun ways to make this successful and meaningful for all readers.

Ideas are being shared on social media, in blog posts and in webinars. One of my favorites was from my dear friend, Jennifer Malphy, who is the 4K-12 teacher librarian at Kickapoo Area Schools.

She shared the Kickapoo Library Book Menu that she created in Buncee. It is so cute! Her students will fill this out and she will make up book bags to deliver to the classrooms each week. Jennifer will also change and rotate the different selections that she has available to the students.

You can now find Jennifer's Library Book Menu in the Buncee Ideas Lab here.

After I saw this her idea, I was inspired to create one for our students at Van Meter.

I found a Buncee Background that I loved in the Library Backgrounds and used that to create the Van Meter Library Menu Buncee that I will print off and have the students fill out each week.

If I save the Buncee, I can also print four on a page in black and white, which will save paper too.

You will find the Buncee I created here. This will allow you to make a copy and edit for your students and library.

Our amazing friends at Buncee also created two Library Book Menu templatethat we can use.

When you click on Create a New Buncee,

this screen will pop up and you will find the two as circled above.

You can make any change that you....

...want to make it work for your school and library too.

The possibilities are endless on how we create our Library Book Menus using Buncee. You can share them digitally or print them off; you can add video or voice; you can add photographs of your library and book sections; you can make these for any grade; and so much more.

Thank you Jennifer for this wonderful idea! I love how we are being positive and creative about how we will keep our libraries open and continuing to serve all readers.

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As we all think about going back to school and how we will get books into the hands of our students, we are dreaming up creative and fun ways to make this successful and meaningful for all readers. Ideas are being shared on social media, in blog posts and in webinars.

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The ISTE Library group is a place for librarians to ask questions and get feedback about Library/Media information.

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A great resource supporting the need to add diverse books to a library collection.

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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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The Four Basic Ebook Models for K-12 Libraries

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The Four Basic Ebook Models for K-12 Libraries

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This series of articles discuss the ebooks in school libraries. The first one talks about the K-12 ebook business model, the next one discusses the options, issues, and possibilities. The last one talks about choosing an ebook platform.

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This is the second article in a three-part series on ebook business models in K-12 libraries. In the first article, we looked at what a business model is and at the four main kinds of ebook business models that K-12 librarians need to know about. In this article, we will look at each of the four basic models in more depth and glance at some examples of them. We will not attempt to compare product offerings in depth, but I will mention an example or two of each model. Because ebook technology is still in its early stages, the platforms and feature sets of each offering change rapidly, so any comparison is bound to be a snapshot at best.

As you read, keep in mind that ebooks are not simply digital versions of printed books. Legally, they are licensed as software, so when you buy an ebook you are buying a license to use a piece of software. You are not buying a physical object. You do not own it in the same way that you would own a printed book. Technologically, they are completely different, too. While they may look like pictures of books on the screen, under the skin they are software.

On the one hand, this brings some limitations, but at the same time, it is possible to use ebook technology to empower readers in ways that cannot be done with print technology.

Balancing the ebook needs and wishes of creators, publishers, resellers, librarians, and readers has been and continues to occupy the best efforts of many professionals. Most of these professionals agree that in an ideal world information would be free, but in the real world we all need to eat so information is not free. We need multiple ebook business models for various kinds of books and for their various uses in order to accommodate everyone involved. As you think about the different ebook business models, keep in mind that each one is an attempt to balance the needs of these different groups so that all may prosper and so that our common enterprise of bringing education and culture to students and adults may flourish.

Before looking at the four main business models, I want to make clear that there are several ways of buying books that we will not consider as separate business models. These may look like unique business models, but for our purposes they are not. They use the same business models we are already planning to look at, though in different ways.

Let's start with consortial purchasing. Your library may belong to a consortium that offers ebooks. That can be great for improving your buying power and getting you better terms, but it does not affect the business models that your suppliers use. To them, they are offering you a better deal than they would if you bought directly from them, but they are staying with the same business models. For instance, if you subscribed to a database of ebooks through your consortium, the supplier might offer you a 10% discount, but the business model would stay the same. You would still be purchasing a subscription to a database of ebooks for a specified period of time. Hence, we will not consider consortial purchasing as a separate business model.

Another apparently new business model is for publishers that have traditionally served K-12 libraries to sell directly to parents, especially to homeschoolers. While home schools may be a new market for these publishers, the publishers are not using a new business model to sell to them. They are using the same business models that they use with public and private schools.

Lastly, Amazon, Scribd and other players offer authors platforms with which to self-publish their books. Self-publishing or indie publishing is a field in itself, and we intend to write more about it. For now the key idea is that, while it is a different business model for the authors (they intend to make money by publishing and selling their books without the help of a traditional publishing company), it is not a different business model for the platform companies that provide the technology to the authors. They are selling the books with the print book model or with the subscription model. That is, you can buy a permanent license to books of your choice, or you can buy a subscription to a collection of books.
Ebooks as Printed Books: The One User/One Copy Model
The first ebook business model we will look at is one in which ebooks are treated as if they were printed books. This is easy to understand, because we are all familiar with it. In this model, publishers and resellers earn money by selling ebooks just as they would by selling printed books. Librarians and patrons use the ebooks just as they would printed books. One patron can use each book at any given time, and each book must be deleted from or disabled on one patron's devices before it can be used on another patron's devices. Librarians select books one at a time, purchase licenses to them, and then manage them in their ILS much as they do printed books.

This model provides three technological advantages over printed books. First, the ebooks do not require physical processing or management in the library. This saves space and labor for librarians, as well as for publishers and resellers, not to mention for readers. Second, when one patron returns a book (or the loan period expires and the book is automatically disabled), the next patron in the queue can immediately check out the book. Neither patron has to schedule and make a trip to the library. This can result in a faster circulation rate and more efficient use of library resources.

Third, ebooks will not wear out, be stolen, or be lost, so they will not have to be replaced. This can conserve library funds; however, for some publishers this is a concern because they need the revenue from replacement sales to maintain their profit margins. These publishers charge libraries higher prices per copy or they limit the number of circulations before requiring purchase of a new license for a title.

Other than these three, this model does not take advantage of the ebook technology. In fact, there is often a disadvantage in that many of the suppliers charge an annual platform fee, which acts like a subscription charge on top of the book purchase price. If the library is unable to pay the platform fee, then it loses access to the books it has paid for.

This model has many variations. Sometimes, the terms are more generous to the library, such as when several students are allowed to use a single book concurrently. This works well for reading groups. At other times, the terms are more onerous and involve high prices or limits on checkouts before repurchase is required, as mentioned above. Depending upon the supplier's platform, the ebooks may come with various high tech features, such as online note taking and sharing, but the fundamental business model is the one we all know from printed books. Sometimes called the one user/one copy or one to one model, its essence is to treat ebooks like printed books.

Most of the companies that supply school libraries with ebooks offer books with this business model, though they may also offer books on other business models. OverDrive, Cloud Library, Axis360, Follett Shelf, and MackinVIA are examples.

Online retailers (Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble) also offer their consumer business model to school libraries. This is still the one user/one copy model.

If you want current popular nonfiction and bestseller fiction, you will need to use at least one of the suppliers that offer this model.
Ebooks as Journal Articles: The Subscription Model
Moving a further step away from treating ebooks as if they were printed books, we come to subscription business models. Librarians are familiar with subscriptions to databases of journal articles. The model is the same with ebooks. The library subscribes to a collection of ebooks for a period of time, usually for one year. The suppliers who offer this model have assembled collections suitable for school use. Often, the selection is updated every year to keep the content current.

The details of this business model vary from simple unlimited simultaneous use to complex levels of purchasing that are based on Demand (or Patron) Driven Acquisition, to be discussed, next. Along with the three technological advantages that carry over from the ebook and printed book model, the additional technological advantage of treating ebooks as elements within a database is that the library is able to provide access to sometimes large collections of books at minimal cost. The disadvantage is that if the library loses funding and cannot renew the subscription, then it loses access to the entire subscription collection.

Some examples are Gale's GVRL and ebooks on EBSCOhost. Collections often contain reference books as well as fiction and nonfiction. Follett and Mackin also offer this model.
Demand Driven Acquisition: Something Like a Bookstore
Demand Driven Acquisition is our third kind of ebook business model. In the ebook as printed book model, we treated ebooks as if they were printed books. In the ebook as subscription item, we treated them as if they were database content. In the DDA model, we blend the two.

An analogy from the world of the book trade may help you understand this model. Imagine that you entered a bookstore and began to browse. You then became engrossed in a book. After you had read for a few minutes, a store clerk tapped you on the shoulder and said that if you intended to read the book, then you were going to have to pay for it. At this moment, a librarian magically appeared and said that the library would be happy to buy the book for you.

In DDA, the supplier provides a bookstore full of ebooks curated for your needs. Your students read whatever they want, and you pay only for the books that they pull from the shelves or read.

In some cases, you may have to pay a startup or other fee to begin, but this can be very low. It is only when a student checks out or reads a book that the library pays. Your supplier intends to earn money based on downloads, time spent, or some other metric. So, at the outset, this is like a subscription, but as time goes on it becomes more like the ebook as printed book model. Of course, there are many variations as to when payment for a book is required, whether the library then has a perpetual license to the book or a temporary license, etc. An straightforward example of DDA is Brain Hive, which rents ebooks for $1.00 per checkout. Their collection is tailored to school libraries and includes titles from Lerner and other school library oriented publishers.

The last model we will look at is unlimited simultaneous use with perpetual access. It takes full advantage of the low cost of copying and distributing ebooks, and it has none of the limitations that inhibit the free flow of information that are found in other models.

The publishers that offer this option typically have built their business on supplying school libraries rather than public libraries or the general reading public. They have close relationships with the school library community and are staffed by editors with teaching and curriculum backgrounds, who have in-depth knowledge of school library needs. In this model, all students and faculty have full access to the ebooks, so it is almost the opposite of the ebook as printed book model. In the ebook as printed book model, only one person can read a book at any one time, and the library must buy multiple copies, when needed.
Unlimited Perpetual Simultaneous Access: A Model for Curriculum Support
In the unlimited perpetual simultaneous access model, the library has the equivalent of an unlimited number of copies for the price of one copy, and everyone in the school can read the same book at once. The key differentiator of this business model is that the publisher intends to earn money by providing content that will inevitably require replacement in time, such as curriculum support that is closely correlated to a specific curriculum and that will need replacement when the curriculum changes, or nonfiction material that will need replacement as science uncovers new knowledge. Otherwise, the burden of operating the platform without receiving additional payment would put the company out of business.

An example is Rosen Publishing's epointplus. Resellers including Mackin and Follett also offer this model.

To conclude, we have looked at the four basic ebook business models that school librarians need to know about. Each of these models has permutations, and often more than one model is offered on a single platform. We have also given examples of each model, but we have not compared examples. Article 3 in this series looks at how a school library might combine several business models to serve its needs, and I will provide links to additional reading.

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The Four Basic Ebook Models for K-12 Libraries

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This is the second article in a three-part series on ebook business models in K-12 libraries. In the first article, we looked at what a business model is and at the four main kinds of ebook business models that K-12 librarians need to know about.

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This article is making a comparison of students and swimming pools to students and the Internet. The article talks about not relying on content filters but teaching students the proper 21st Century Skills including how to navigate the Internet.

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UTEP Library Research Guides: Information Literacy: TEKS to ACRL: Cites Sources Correctly

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UTEP Library Research Guides: Information Literacy: TEKS to ACRL: Cites Sources Correctly

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This is a research guide published by UTEP and includes information from TEKS to ACRL.

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UTEP Library Research Guides: Information Literacy: TEKS to ACRL: Cites Sources Correctly

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Relates Texas Expectations of Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) information literacy standards Goal 7

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This website contains Makerspace lessons, activities, articles.

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This is a site posted by a retired librarian and contains links every new and experienced librarian can use.

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The links were last checked on February 19, 2020

This site is maintained by Linda Bertland, school librarian (retired). Please address any comments, additions, or corrections to info@sldirectory.com.

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The links were last checked on February 19, 2020 This site is maintained by Linda Bertland, school librarian (retired). Please address any comments, additions, or corrections to info@sldirectory.com.

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Ex Post Facto Self-Censorship: When School Librarians Choose to Censor

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Ex Post Facto Self-Censorship: When School Librarians Choose to Censor

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This is an article about self-censorship. As I was reading I found myself being reprimanded because I do sometimes censor material I am looking to include in my collection on the basis of my beliefs. This is one of the hardest things I have had to deal with when choosing books.

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This webpage is part of the Future Ready Schools network that promotes innovative learning opportunities for students.

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As schools seek to become future ready, it is necessary to identify and cultivate leadership beyond district and building leaders. School librarians lead, teach, and support the Future Ready goals of their school and district in a variety of ways through their professional practices, programs, and spaces.

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I came across this resource while searching for resources. This site is maintained by a retired librarian and has many good resources.

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The links were last checked on February 19, 2020

This site is maintained by Linda Bertland, school librarian (retired). Please address any comments, additions, or corrections to info@sldirectory.com.

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The links were last checked on February 19, 2020 This site is maintained by Linda Bertland, school librarian (retired). Please address any comments, additions, or corrections to info@sldirectory.com.

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This is an online journal published by AASL.

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Courtney Pentland, AASL President 2023-2024

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Knowledge Quest provides news from the American Association of School Librarians and thought-provoking blog posts, with opportunities for community discussion.

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This is the home page for the American Library Association which contains information pertaining to all libraries.

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Assn. for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS)

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This is the website for the Texas Library Association which supports all librarians for the state of Texas.

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Between the Lines: May Member Spotlight

John D. Hayden Library Director, Bonham Public Library What inspired you to become a librarian? My grandmother inspired me to become a librarian. She was a public and church librarian and was the one who would take me to storytime. I always remember the bookshelf she had at her house and every time I would [...]

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TLA Statement on Executive Order to Open Texas in Phases

Texas libraries are community centers, offering critical services to hundreds of people a day, many from high-risk backgrounds such as seniors, and families with children. Protecting the health and safety of library employees, and the people they serve is the priority of all library leaders across the state. The Texas Library Association supports our members [...]

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Texas Library Association Launches First-Ever TLA Virtual Conference

TLA 2020 Virtual combines speakers, live chat and exhibitor info for successful online event TLA launched its inaugural virtual conference on April 21, 2020 with a stunning and heartfelt live presentation by renowned young adult (YA) author and National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jason Reynolds. More than 1,500 people from across Texas and the [...]

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Between the Lines: April Member Spotlight

Dennis Quinn Director of Library Services Cozby Library and Community Commons (City of Coppell, TX) What inspired you to become a librarian? Seeing the library as a playground for the mind, and a hub of connection, and the great things that can come from both. I don't think I fully realized that until [...]

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Open Education Resources Deliver Savings

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You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience. Join us for a Virtual Summer of Learning We'll have live events in June, July and August. Learn more Free 5-Week Email Series In Partnership with The Texas Tribune Help your patrons brush up on Texas politics and policy ahead of the 2020 elections.

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Americal Association of School Librarians

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Americal Association of School Librarians

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The home page of the American Association of School Libraries. This site provides links to the library standards, advocacy information and various publications for libraries and librarians.

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Jennifer Legarde is an amazing librarian, speaker and role model. I was lucky enough to attend one of her sessions.

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I've long said that I am the luckiest librarian around, and you should be aware, this post will do nothing to disprove that claim. All of that said, one of my own personal goals related to this residency was to actively and intentionally reflect on my work there. To that end, and taking inspiration from Colby Sharp, I created
Last summer, I was given the opportunity to spend a year working with the Teacher Librarians and Technology TOSAs (Teachers On Special Assignment) of Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, Washington. This residency consisted of spending (just about) one week per month in Vancouver where I got to hang out with the TLs, TOSAs and their students at each school. And then, I prepared and facilitated professional development for the TLs and TOSAs to take place on one of those days, during each of my weekly visits. .
Now that the first year of this residency is over (I'm returning for year two in the fall. Yay!), I've been thinking a lot about the work I've seen, and been a part of, in this mid-sized school district located just across the bridge from Portland, OR. And here are some of my biggest takeaways:

When educators harness the power of their own passions to tackle the expectations of their schools and districts, not only is the work easier and more fun, but that passion often fuels them to achieve more than they ever thought possible. Whether that passion is Star Wars (which middle school TL, Paul Warner, incorporated to just about everything, but most notably his epic sci-fi READcon event where kids, parents and community members gathered to celebrate reading, robotics, comics and everything powered by The Force!) or Pickle Ball (a sport middle school TL, Michelle Arnott, coached in weekly, after school and weekend tournaments, using all the entry fees to fund the most epic and instructionally rich makerspace I've ever seen!) week after week, I saw EPS educators flexing that muscle to make the heavy lifting of their work so much easier. Plus, passion is contagious, y'all. Even if your thing is not their thing, students and teachers will be inspired when you let your geek flag fly.

The primary goal of any district technology dept should be to remove barriers for teachers. I've worked in places where the response to teacher complaints/concerns about technology (think: "my kids can't login" or "if I give students devices, they'll be off task!") were met with irritation and even hostility - which resulted in an adversarial and unhealthy relationship between the technology dept and the teachers on the front lines. Conversely, when teachers in Vancouver expressed concern about how difficult it was for younger students to login to their device, instead of faulting teachers for not taking the time to teach kids how to do it, the tech dept developed an innovative solution involving the student ID cards made available by school picture companies and QR codes. Whether the tech department thought the concern was legitimate or not, they knew that if they removed the obstacle, the more opportunities there would be for students to use technology in meaningful ways. Plus, when teachers feel heard, the more likely they will be to take chances on new technology or be patient when roll-outs don't go exactly as planned.

The root word of personalized (as in personalized learning) is PERSON - not technology! At some point, I will write at length about the "library endorsement' program created by EPS elementary TL Kevin Suenkel, but for now, let me just say it's all about harnessing what students are interested in to create unique learning opportunities that allow them to demonstrate their learning in completely individual ways. Earning some of the endorsements requires students to use technology, while others are completely analog. But wherever the technology is utilized, it's because it makes the learning BETTER. The most important part of this truly personalized learning experience is the learner! The technology is only a tool to help the learner achieve something special.

A fixed schedule does not have to mean a fixed mindset. The elementary TLs in EPS, like most of their colleagues around the country, work in a fixed schedule, seeing back to back, 30 minute, classes on most days. That 30 minutes has to include time for both instruction and book checkout. Obviously, this schedule presents challenges, but everywhere I went, I saw librarians using every single second they had with kids to create meaningful learning opportunities that involved making, building, creating, coding, researching, problem solving and, above all, developing rich reading lives. I had plenty of conversations where these librarians said things like, "can you help me figure out how to do ______ on a fixed schedule?" But I NEVER heard one of them say "I can't do that on a fixed schedule." Ever.

When you lose your way, revisit your why. No school or district is without challenges or areas for growth and EPS is no exception. But by constantly circling back to WHY they chose to be an educators in the first place, these professionals always seem to find the opportunity hidden within every obstacle.

Speaking of great things...#BestPartofMyDay videos, capturing the things I saw each day that inspired me. I started this process at the beginning of my time with EPS and continued to do so every week I was there. I've written before about how powerful this process was for me, so I'll simply say here that as someone who hates to have her photo taken and who struggles to see herself on screen, making these videos was personally challenging, but oh so worth it. Not only did it force to me to take stock of my day and consider which part landed at the top of the awesome pile, but as a result, I learned something important about expectations: when you go into each day looking for great things, you tend to find them.
I've been wanting to write about the last professional development day I got to spend with the TLs of Evergreen Public Schools, and now seems like a good time. I had several goals for the session, which were:

1. To create a stress relieving learning opportunity (the end of the year is fraught with more than enough stress creating opportunities - end of year testing, inventory, etc).

2. To create a session that included at least one strategy they could take back and use immediately.

3. To use a picture book to spark meaningful conversation.

4. To share the concept of a library "vision board."

5. To create an opportunity for revisiting the WHY of our work. And...

So here's what we did....

Step 1: In small groups, the TLs read Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal. Then, together, they discussed what Alma learned about herself by thinking about her name, the people who share (at least part of) her name, and what those namesakes contributed to the world. Step 2: Then,I asked them to individually reflect on the title of "teacher librarian" and what that name meant to them. I asked them to think about the teacher librarians who came before them and what they've contributed to their schools, districts and the world. And I asked them to reflect on why they decided they wanted Teacher Librarian to appear on their own name badge and how THEIR contributions will be different from previous TLs.
Step 3: Next, I gave them a few minutes to individually explore the resources curated on this "TL Vision Board" Padlet - where I've curated articles/posts about why the work of the teacher librarian is so important. While they explored, I encouraged them to jot down some quotes, ideas or take-aways that stood out to them or related to their core beliefs as a teacher librarian. ​

Step 4: After that, using the conversations they'd had with their group about Alma, their own reflections about what it means to be a TL and their notes from exploring the TL Vision Board Padlet, we then created Thumbprint Biographies/Poems that captured who they are as Librarians. If you're not familiar with these, checkout this awesome post from teacher Julie Ballew. Now, I'll admit, this process got a little messy. And some folks were a little uncomfortable. But, we plowed forward, breaking out the stamp pads and markers as well as more paper when a few of us needed a "do over."

Step 5: I then had the TLs share their masterpieces using a shared google slide deck, which I then downloaded as a PDF and then uploaded to the online tool AnyFlip to create this flipping book anthology of their work. (You can checkout their final products by clicking the image below).

To say that I was thrilled with the results would be an understatement. As always, these educators blew me away with their thoughtful and inspiring work! Just like real thumbprints, each biography/poem is unique and I'm in love with some of the different ways they each chose to express their passion for our work. But also, at this time of year, especially, my heart swelled to hear their laughter and camaraderie. All points in the school year have their challenges, but the end of the year... y'all. It's tough. When you've got an opportunity to let me people laugh and make stuff, take it.

That said, if you're interested in recreating this professional development with your learners (of any age), In fact, not that long ago, I had a conversation with a TL from another district who told me she felt that elementary and secondary libraries had very different missions. I can't remember how I responded at the time, but I've been thinking about her assertion ever since. And the more I think about it, the more I respectfully disagree. At their heart, I think here's a link to the site I used with EPS on that day. Have fun!
Finally, I'd probably be remiss if I didn't share my own messy and imperfect thumbprint biography as a part of this post. I created a sample version as part of the PD and found the process fun and meaningful, in large part because it required me to really think about what I believe as a librarian - something I think about a lot, actually.
all libraries share the same mission: to change the world by 1) being democratizing forces in their schools/communities - places where anyone, regardless of their race, religion, income, gender/identity, sexual orientation, ability, etc., can access the same information. And by 2) connecting people to lives that are informed and inspired by story. While I do think the WAYS in which elementary and secondary librarians go about achieving those goals vary greatly, the mission remains the same. And when you spend a little time immersed in that mission and in what it means to do this kind of work, particularly at this point in history, the weight of it lingers. This work. It matters, y'all.
So, keep on. Won't you?

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I've long said that I am the luckiest librarian around, and you should be aware, this post will do nothing to disprove that claim. All of that said, one of my own personal goals related to this residency was to actively and intentionally reflect on my work there.

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Shannon McClintock Miller is a remarkable librarian, international speaker and spokesperson for Future Ready Librarians. I enjoy her articles, blogs and conference sessions.

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Our StickTogether webinar on September 21 was so much fun! Brianna and I welcome our friends, Zee Ann and Connie, to talk about Bringing Literacy, Learning and Creativity to Life With STEAM.

You will find the recording of the webinar here in the StickTogether YouTube Channel.

And the webinar Google Slides can be found here.

You will love what they shared and gain so many ideas to take back to your classrooms, libraries and school communities.

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A library and education blog and place to be heard through creating, technology, connecting, reading, collaborating and noise.

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ALA Workbook for Selection Policy Writing

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ALA Workbook for Selection Policy Writing

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Information about writing policy for selecting collection materials.

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| Top | WHY DO I NEED A POLICY? | BASIC COMPONENTS OF A SELECTION POLICY | Objectives | Responsibility for Selection | Criteria | Procedures | Special Areas | Policies on Controversial Materials | Reconsideration | SAMPLE LETTER TO COMPLAINANT | INSTRUCTIONS TO RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE | SAMPLE REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY RESOURCES | SELECTION POLICY DISTRICT #1 | Part 1: Selection of Learning Resources | Statement of Policy | Objectives of Selection | Responsibility for Selection of Learning Resources | Criteria for Selection of Learning Resources | Procedures for Selection of Learning Resources | Part 2: Procedures for Dealing with Challenged Materials | Statement of Policy | Request for Informal Reconsideration | Request for Formal Reconsideration | Bottom |

Why Do I Need a Policy?

Every school system should have a comprehensive policy on the selection of instructional materials. It should relate to and include all materials; for example, textbooks, library books, periodicals, films, videocassettes, records, audiocassettes, and CDs. The reason should be obvious: haphazard patterns of acquisition will result in waste because some-perhaps many-materials will overlap in content, or will be unrelated to changing patterns of instruction.

A comprehensive policy on the selection of instructional materials also will enable school professionals to rationally explain the school program to the community. And, most important in a crisis, when there are complaints about social studies texts, human development materials in the media center, or fiction in the English class, the use of the "objectionable" item can be explained more easily.

A good policy on the selection of instructional materials will be relevant to your particular system and include basic sections on objectives, responsibility, criteria, procedures for selection, reconsideration of materials, and policies on controversial materials.

Basic Components of a Selection Policy

Objectives

Your policy should state succinctly what your system is trying to accomplish in its educational program, and, in somewhat more detail, the objectives of selection.

Your overarching goal may be very broad. For example:
For the School District:

Instructional materials are selected by the school district to implement, enrich, and support the educational program for the student. Materials must serve both the breadth of the curriculum and the needs and interests of individual students. The district is obligated to provide for a wide range of abilities and to respect the diversity of many differing points of view. To this end, principles must be placed above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality and appropriateness.
For the Library Media Center:

The main objective of our selection procedure is to provide students with a wide range of educational materials on all levels of difficulty and in a variety of formats, with diversity of appeal, allowing for the presentation of many different points of view.

The objective of the media center is to make available to faculty and students a collection of materials that will enrich and support the curriculum and meet the needs of the students and faculty served.

More specific goals should be established by professionals for each learning level.

The objectives for selection should reflect the specific goals of the instructional program. For textbooks, the goals may vary from subject to subject. For example, in the sciences, one principal goal might be accuracy (e.g., the latest scientific knowledge), and in history, balance in the presentation of conflicting points of view. For materials in the library media center, the goals may include meeting individual learning needs, abilities, and learning styles; providing background materials to supplement classroom instruction; providing a broad range of materials on controversial issues to help students develop critical analytical skills; etc.

Responsibility for Selection

Your policy should name by professional position those persons responsible for selecting textbooks and other instructional materials.

In most states, the locally elected or appointed school board, by law, has broad powers and responsibilities in the selection of instructional materials. This authority should be delegated by policy to appropriate professionals for day-to-day exercise.

While selection of materials involves many people, including administrators, supervisors, teachers, library media specialists, students, and even community residents, the responsibility for coordinating and recommending the selection and purchase of library media materials should rest with the certificated library media personnel. Responsibility for coordinating the selection and purchase of textbooks and other classroom materials may rest with appropriate department chairpersons or with textbook or media evaluation committees.

Write into your policy under Responsibility for Selection (or similar title) exactly who is responsible for selection of materials; for example, department heads, curriculum specialists, directors of curriculum and instruction, librarians, or media specialists.
Sample statement of responsibility for the school district:
The elected Board of Education shall delegate to the Superintendent of Schools the authority and responsibility for selection of all print and non-print materials. Responsibilities for actual selection shall rest with appropriate professionally trained personnel who shall discharge this obligation consistent with the Board's adopted selection criteria and procedures. Selection procedures shall involve representatives of the professional staff directly affected by the selections, and persons qualified by preparation to aid in wise selection.

For the subject matter covered, your policy will include criteria, and the application of criteria, relevant to your objectives: excellence (artistic, literary, etc.), appropriateness to level of user, superiority in treatment of controversial issues, and ability to stimulate further intellectual and social development. Consider authenticity, appropriateness, interest, content, and circumstances of use.

You probably will want to include technical criteria in your policy; for example, clarity of sound in audio materials and cinematography in videocassettes.

Specific criteria should be spelled out to guide all professionals involved in selection in deciding on specific items:

Staff members involved in selection of resource materials shall use the following criteria as a guide:

educational significance

contribution the subject matter makes to the curriculum and to the interests of the students

favorable reviews found in standard selection sources

favorable recommendations based on preview and examination of materials by professional personnel

reputation and significance of the author, producer, and publisher

validity, currency, and appropriates of material

contribution the material makes to breadth of representative viewpoints on controversial issues

high degree of potential user appeal

high artistic quality and/or literary style

quality and variety of format

value commensurate with cost and/or need

timeliness or permanence

integrity

The following recommended lists shall be consulted in the selection of materials, but selection is not limited to their listings: Bibliographies (latest editions available, including supplements)

American Historical Fiction

Basic Book Collection for Elementary Grades

The Best in Children's Books

Children and Books

Children's Catalog

Elementary School Library Collection

European Historical Fiction and Biography

Guide to Sources in Educational Media

Junior High School Catalog

Reference Books for School Libraries

Subject Guide to Children's Books in Print

Subject Index to Books for Intermediate Grades

Subject Index to Books for Primary Grades

Westinghouse Learning Directory

and as part of the vertical file index, other special bibliographies, many of which have been prepared by educational organizations for particular subject matter areas.

AASA Science Books and Films

American Film & Video Association Evaluations

Booklist

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Horn Book

Kirkus Reviews

School Library Journal

The following criteria will be used as they apply:

1. Learning resources shall support and be consistent with the general educational goals of the state and district and the aims and objectives of individual schools and specific courses.

2. Learning resources shall meet high standards of quality in factual content and presentation.

3. Learning resources shall be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of the students for whom the materials are selected.

4. Physical format and appearance of learning resources shall be suitable for their intended use.

5. Learning resources shall be designed to help students gain an awareness of our pluralistic society.

6. Learning resources shall be designed to motivate students and staff to examine their own duties, responsibilities, rights, and privileges as participating citizens in our society, and to make informed judgments in their daily lives.

7. Learning resources shall be selected for their strengths rather than rejected for their weaknesses.

8. The selection of learning resources on controversial issues will be directed toward maintaining a diverse collection representing various views.

9. Learning resources shall clarify historical and contemporary forces by presenting and analyzing intergroup tension and conflict objectively, placing emphasis on recognizing and understanding social and economic problems.

The following kinds of material should be selected for the media center:

1. Materials integral to the instructional program.

2. Materials appropriate for the reading level and understanding of students in the school.

3. Materials reflecting the interests and needs of the students and faculty served by the media center.

4. Materials warranting inclusion in the collection because of their literary and/or artistic value and merit.

5. Materials presenting information with the greatest degree of accuracy and clarity possible.

6. Materials representing a fair and unbiased presentation of information. In controversial areas, the media specialist, in cooperation with the faculty, should select materials representing as many shades of opinion as possible, in order that varying viewpoints are available to students.

Procedures

Your procedures should describe all steps from initial screening to final selection. They also should include provisions for coordinating among departments and professionals working at different learning levels, etc.; for handling recommendations from other faculty and students; and for reviewing existing materials (for possible replacement, etc.).

Include at least a partial list of selection aids (e.g., reviewing sources). You also may want to list sources that should not be used.

This will be a large part of your selection policy. It is important to list the type of materials you collect, why you need them, and how you obtain them. Include here your policies on reevaluation (weeding), replacing and repairing materials, etc.
Sample procedure statements:

1. In selecting learning resources, professional personnel will evaluate available resources and curriculum needs and will consult reputable, professionally prepared aids to selection, and other appropriate sources. The actual resource will be examined whenever possible.

2. Recommendations for purchase involve administrators, teachers, students, district personnel, and community persons, as appropriate.

3. Gift materials shall be judged by the selection criteria and shall be accepted or rejected by those criteria.

4. Selection is an ongoing process that should include how to remove materials no longer appropriate and how to replace lost and worn materials still of educational value.

5. Requests, suggestions, and reactions for the purchase of instructional materials shall be gathered from staff to the greatest extent possible and students when appropriate.

6. Reviews of proposed acquisitions will be sought in the literature of reputable professional organizations and other reviewing sources recognized for their objectivity and wide experience.

7. Materials will be examined by professional staff to the extent necessary or practicable to apply criteria. Preview copies are available for on-site examination by the public upon written request to the District Director of Instruction.

8. Textbooks will be selected after examination by a representative committee of teachers, principals, curriculum specialists, directors of instruction, and others who have professional expertise in objective evaluation of materials.

9. Materials for the District Film and Video Center will be selected by preview committees, curriculum specialists, and through use of professional review sources.

10. Building media center materials selection will be coordinated by the building media specialist, or the principal, where there is no professional staff, and involve teachers and curriculum specialists.

11. Area Advisory Councils may be used to review materials recommended by professional selection committees.

12. Materials for media centers are selected by the professional media staff with due regard to suggestions from the faculty, parents, and students. Final selection is made by the media specialists of the school in which the center is housed. Professionally recognized reviewing periodicals, standard catalogs, and other selection aids are used by the media specialists and the faculty to guide them in their selection.

Special Areas

Some miscellaneous items to consider in your policy are gifts, sponsored materials, expensive materials, ephemeral materials, jobbers and salespersons, locked case, special requests, etc.; free and inexpensive materials; professional materials; and procedure for handling lost materials. Do you charge fines, maintain special collections not available to all patrons (e.g., a collection of materials for teachers only), handle special requests? These "special concerns" can be detailed in this section of your policy. Make sure to include your procedures for integrating gifts and sponsored materials. Usually, it is stated that criteria for inclusion of gifts and sponsored materials are the same as for purchased materials.

Policies on Controversial Materials

Here, or in another place in your policy, you should include a statement on intellectual freedom and why it is important to maintain. You may wish to include the text of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution-"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceable to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances," and the Library Bill of Rights .
Sample Statement on intellectual freedom:
The school board subscribes in principle to the statements of policy on library philosophy as expressed in the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, a copy of which is appended to and made a part of this policy.

Reconsideration

Occasional objections to instructional materials will be made despite the quality of the selection process; therefore, the procedure for handling reconsideration of challenged materials in response to questions concerning their appropriateness should be stated. This procedure should establish the framework for registering a complaint that provides for a hearing with appropriate action while defending the principles of freedom of information, the students' right to access of materials, and the professional responsibility and integrity of the school faculty. The principles of intellectual freedom are inherent in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and are expressed in the Library Bill of Rights, adopted by the Council of the American Library Association. If instructional materials are questioned, the principles of intellectual freedom should be defended rather than the materials.

List here the specific steps that will be taken when you are asked to reconsider materials in your collection. These steps should include:

The procedure for handling complaints should describe every step, from the initial response to the complaint through the highest appeal.
Procedure for handling complaints:
No duly selected materials whose appropriateness is challenged shall be removed from the school except upon the recommendation of a reconsideration committee , with the concurrence of the Superintendent or, upon the Superintendent's recommendation, the concurrence of the Board of Education, or upon formal action of the Board of Education when a recommendation of a reconsideration committee is appealed to it.
Procedures to be observed:

All complaints to staff members shall be reported to the building principal involved, whether received by telephone, letter, or in personal conversation.

The principal shall contact the complainant to discuss the complaint and attempt to resolve it informally by explaining the philosophy and goals of the school district and/or the library media center.

If the complaint is not resolved informally, the complainant shall be supplied with a packet of materials consisting of the District's instructional goals and objectives, materials selection policy statement, and the procedure for handling objections. This packet also will include a standard printed form, which shall be completed and returned before consideration will be given to the complaint.

If the formal request for reconsideration has not been received by the principal within two weeks, it shall be considered closed. If the request is returned, the reasons for selection of the specific work shall be reestablished by the appropriate staff.

In accordance with statement of philosophy, no questioned materials shall be removed from the school pending a final decision. Pending the outcome of the request for reconsideration, however, access to questioned materials can be denied to the child (or children) of the parents making the complaint, if they so desire.

Upon receipt of a completed objection form, the principal in the building involved will convene a committee of five to consider the complaint. This committee shall consist of the curriculum director and these people from the school involved: the principal, the library media center director, a teacher, and a PTA representative.

The committee shall meet to discuss the materials, following the guidelines set forth in Instructions to Reconsideration Committee , and shall prepare a report on the material containing its recommendations on disposition of the matter.

The principal shall notify complainant of the decision and send a formal report and recommendation to the Superintendent. In answering the complainant, the principal shall explain the book selection system, give the guidelines used for selection, and cite authorities used in reaching decisions. If the committee decides to keep the work that caused the complaint, the complainant shall be given an explanation. If the complaint is valid, the principal will acknowledge it and make recommended changes.

If the complainant is still not satisfied, he or she may ask the Superintendent to present an appeal to the Board of Education, which shall make a final determination of the issue. The Board of Education may seek assistance from outside organizations such as the American Library Association, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, etc., in making its determination.

Sample Letter to Complainant

Dear :

We appreciate your concern over the use of ______________________ in our school district. The district has developed procedures for selecting materials, but realizes that not everyone will agree with every selection made.

To help you understand the selection process, we are sending copies of the district's:

1. Instructional goals and objectives

2. Materials Selection Policy statement

3. Procedure for Handling Objections

If you are still concerned after you review this material, please complete the Request for Reconsideration of Material form and return it to me. You may be assured of prompt attention to your request. If I have not heard from you within two weeks, we will assume you no longer wish to file a formal complaint.

Sincerely,

Principal

Instructions to Reconsideration Committee

Bear in mind the principles of the freedom to learn and to read and base your decision on these broad principles rather than on defense of individual materials. Freedom of inquiry is vital to education in a democracy.

Study thoroughly all materials referred to you and read available reviews. The general acceptance of the materials should be checked by consulting standard evaluation aids and local holdings in other schools.

Passages or parts should not be pulled out of context. The values and faults should be weighed against each other and the opinions based on the materials as a whole.

Your report, presenting both majority and minority opinions, will be presented by the principal to the complainant at the conclusion of your discussion of the questioned material.

Sample Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources

[This is where you identify who in your own structure, has authorized use of this form-Director, Board of Trustees, Board of Education, etc.-and to whom to return the form.]

Example: The school board of Mainstream County, U.S.A., has delegated the responsibility for selection and evaluation of library/educational resources to the school library media specialist/curriculum committee, and has established reconsideration procedures to address concerns about those resources. Completion of this form is the first step in those procedures. If you wish to request reconsideration of school or library resources, please return the completed form to the Coordinator of Library Media Resources, Mainstream School Dist., 1 Mainstream Plaza, Anytown, U.S.A.

Name ___________________________

Date ___________________________

Address ___________________________

City ___________________________

State ___________________________

Zip ___________________________

Phone ___________________________

Do you represent self? ____ Organization? ____

1. Resource on which you are commenting:

____ Book ____ Textbook ____ Video ____ Display

____ Magazine ____ Library Program ____ Audio Recording

____ Newspaper ____ Electronic information/network (please specify)

____ Other ___________________________

Title ___________________________

Author/Producer ___________________________

2. What brought this resource to your attention?

3. Have you examined the entire resource?

4. What concerns you about the resource? (use other side or additional pages if necessary)

5. Are there resource(s) you suggest to provide additional information and/or other viewpoints on this topic?

Revised by the American Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee
June 27, 1995

Selection Policy School District #1

Part 1: Selection of Learning Resources

1. Statement of Policy The policy of the Board of Trustees of School District #1 is to provide a wide range of learning resources at varying levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal and the presentation of different points of view to meet the needs of students and teachers.

2. Objectives of Selection

1. For the purposes of this statement of policy, the term "learning resources" will refer to any person(s) or any material (whether acquired or locally produced) with instructional content or function that is used for formal or informal teaching/learning purposes. Learning resources include textbooks, other books, supplementary reading and informational materials, charts, community resource people, agencies and organizations, dioramas, filmstrips, flash cards, games, globes, kits, machine-readable data files, maps, microfilms, models, motion pictures, periodicals, pictures, realia, slides, sound recordings, transparencies, and videocassettes.

2. The primary objective of learning resources is to support, enrich, and help implement the educational program of the school through the interaction of professional personnel and other members of the school community. It is the duty of professional staff to provide students with a wide range of materials at varying levels of difficulty, with diversity of appeal, and the presentation of different points of view.

3. To this end, the Board of Trustees of School District #1 affirms that it is the responsibility of its professional staff:

1. To provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, learning styles, and maturity levels of the students served;

2. To provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and societal standards;

3. To provide materials on various sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may have an opportunity to develop under guidance the practice of critical analysis and to make informed judgments in their daily lives;

4. To provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and that contribute to our national heritage and the world community;

5. To place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate to the school community.

3. Responsibility for Selection of Learning Resources

1. The Board of Trustees delegates the responsibility for the selection of learning resources to the professional staff employed by the school system, and declares that selections made shall be held to have been made by the Board of Trustees of School District #1.

2. While selection of learning resources involves many people (administrators, teachers, students, community persons, resource center personnel) the responsibility for coordinating the selection of school learning resources and making the recommendation for purchase rests with the principal and professional personnel.

4. Criteria for Selection of Learning Resources

1. The following criteria will be used as they apply:

1. Learning resources shall support and be consistent with the general educational goals of the state and the district and the aims and objectives of individual schools and specific courses.

2. Learning resources shall be chosen to enrich and support the curriculum and the personal needs of users.

3. Learning resources shall meet high standards of quality in:
artistic quality and/or literary style
authenticity
educational significance
factual content
physical format
presentation
readability
technical quality

4. Learning resources shall be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social development of the students for whom the materials are selected.

5. Learning resources shall be designed to provide a background of information that will motivate students and staff to examine their own attitudes and behavior; to comprehend their duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges as participating citizens in our society; and to make informed judgments in their daily lives.

6. Learning resources shall provide information on opposing sides of controversial issues so that users may develop under guidance the practice of critical analysis.

2. The selection of learning resources on controversial issues will be directed toward maintaining a balanced collection representing various views.
Learning resources shall clarify historical and contemporary forces by presenting and analyzing intergroup tension and conflict objectively, placing emphasis on recognizing and understanding social and economic problems.

5. Procedures for Selection of Learning Resources

1. In selecting learning resources, professional personnel will evaluate available resources and curriculum needs and will consult reputable, professionally prepared aids to selection and other appropriate sources. Among sources to be consulted are:

1. Bibliographies (latest edition available, including supplements):

American Film & Video Association Evaluations
American Historical Fiction
Basic Book Collection for Elementary Grades
Basic Book Collection for Junior High Schools
The Best in Children's Books
Booklist
Children and Books
Children's Catalog
Elementary School Library Collection
European Historical Fiction and Biography
Guide to Sources in Educational Media
Junior High School Catalog
Library Journal
Reference Books for School Libraries
Subject Guide to Children's Books in Print
Subject Index to Books for Intermediate Grades
Subject Index to Books for Primary Grades
Westinghouse Learning Directory
and as a part of the vertical file index, other special bibliographies, many of which have been prepared by educational organizations for particular subject matter areas.

2. Current reviewing media:
AASA Science Books and Films
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Horn Book
Kirkus Reviews
Booklist
Library Journal
AFVA Evaluations
School Library Journal
Other sources will be consulted as appropriate. Whenever possible, the actual resource will be examined.

2. Recommendations for purchase involve administrators, teachers, students, district personnel and community persons, as appropriate.

3. Gift materials shall be judged by the criteria outlined and shall be accepted or rejected by those criteria.

4. Selection is an ongoing process that should include the removal of materials no longer appropriate and the replacement of lost and worn materials still of educational value.

Part 2: Procedures for Dealing with Challenged Materials

1. Statement of Policy
Any resident or employee of the school district may formally challenge learning resources used in the district's educational program on the basis of appropriateness. This procedure is for the purpose of considering the opinions of those persons in the schools and the community who are not directly involved in the selection process.

2. Request for Informal Reconsideration
The school receiving a complaint regarding a learning resource shall try to resolve the issue informally.

1. The principal or other appropriate staff shall explain to the questioner the school's selection procedure, criteria, and qualifications of those persons selecting the resource.

2. The principal or other appropriate staff shall explain the particular place the questioned resource occupies in the education program, its intended educational usefulness, and additional information regarding its use, or refer the party to someone who can identify and explain the use of the resource.

3. If the questioner wishes to file a formal challenge, a copy of the district Selection of Learning Resources policy and a Request for Reconsideration of Learning Resources form shall be handed or mailed to the party concerned by the principal.

3. Request for Formal Reconsideration

1. Preliminary Procedures

1. Each school will keep on hand and make available Request for Reconsideration of Learning Resources forms. All formal objections to learning resources must be made on these forms.

2. The Request for Reconsideration of Learning Resources form shall be signed by the questioner and filed with the principal or someone so designated by the principal.

3. The area assistant superintendent and the assistant superintendent of curriculum services shall be informed of the formal complaint received.

4. The request for reconsideration shall be referred to a reconsideration committee at the school level for reevaluation of the resource.

5. Requests for reconsideration of materials in district collections shall be referred to the school resource center consultative committee for reevaluation of the resource. This committee may involve additional personnel as appropriate.

2. The Reconsideration Committee

1. Upon receipt of a request for formal reconsideration of a learning resource, the principal shall:

1. Appoint a reconsideration committee including the following membership as appropriate:
One member of the district staff chosen by the area assistant superintendent;
One member of the school teaching staff chosen by the school staff;
One member of the resource center professional staff chosen by the resource center professional staff;
One member of the school consultative committee chosen by the school consultative committee;
Two students chosen by the student body.

2. Name a convener of the reconsideration committee.

3. Arrange for a reconsideration committee meeting within 10 working days after the complaint is received.

2. The reconsideration committee may choose to consult district support staff and/or community persons with related professional knowledge.

3. The reconsideration committee shall review the challenged resource and judge whether it conforms to the principles of selection outlined in the district's Selection of Learning Resources policy.

3. Resolution

1. The reconsideration committee shall:

1. Examine the challenged resource;

2. Determine professional acceptance by reading critical reviews of the resource;

3. Weigh values and faults and form opinions based on the material as a whole rather than on passages or sections taken out of context;

4. Discuss the challenged resource in the context of the educational program;

5. Discuss the challenged item with the individual questioner when appropriate;

6. Prepare a written report.

2. The written report shall be discussed with the individual questioner if requested.

3. The written report shall be retained by the school principal, with copies forwarded to the assistant superintendent of curriculum services and the area assistant superintendent. A minority report also may be filed.

4. Written reports, once filed, are confidential and available for examination by trustees and appropriate officials only.

5. The decision of the reconsideration committee is binding for the individual school.

6. Notwithstanding any procedure outlined in this policy, the questioner shall have the right to appeal any decision of the reconsideration committee to the Board of Trustees as the final review panel.

4. Guiding Principles

1. Any resident or employee of the school district may raise objection to learning resources used in a school's educational program, despite the fact that the individuals selecting such resources were duly qualified to make the selection, followed the proper procedure, and observed the criteria for selecting learning resources.

2. The principal should review the selection and objection rules with the teaching staff at least annually. The staff should be reminded that the right to object to learning resources is one granted by policies enacted by the Board of Trustees.

3. No parent has the right to determine reading, viewing, or listening matter for students other than his or her own children.

4. School District #1 supports the Library Bill of Rights, adopted by the American Library Association. (A copy of the Library Bill of Rights is attached to this policy.) When learning resources are challenged, the principles of the freedom to read/listen/view must be defended as well.

5. Access to challenged material shall not be restricted during the reconsideration process.

6. The major criterion for the final decision is the appropriateness of the material for its intended educational use.

7. A decision to sustain a challenge shall not necessarily be interpreted as a judgment of irresponsibility by the professionals involved in the original selection and/or use of the material.

Revised October 1998 Links to non-ALA sites have been provided because these sites may have information of interest. Neither the American Library Association nor the Office for Intellectual Freedom necessarily endorses the views expressed or the facts presented on these sites; and furthermore, ALA and OIF do not endorse any commercial products that may be advertised or available on these sites.

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Every school system should have a comprehensive policy on the selection of instructional materials. It should relate to and include all materials. A comprehensive policy on the selection of instructional materials will enable school professionals to rationally explain the school program to the community.

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Tools & Resources - Texas Library Association

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The Texas Library Association (TLA) holds that the freedom to read is a corollary of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press. Freedom of choice in selecting materials is a necessary safeguard to the freedom to read and shall be protected against irresponsible attempts by self-appointed…