School libraries under threat: How to ensure survival?

School libraries under threat: How to ensure

survival?

LIB 600 Libraries and EducationSpring 2013

2Storms ahead!

The economy is stormy, and principals and superintendents are looking for ways to save money.

That threatens school libraries and school librarians, and they are often among the first to succumb to the storms.

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What Could be the Result?

Formula: School library position minimum: 0.02 FTE = 20% or 1/5 position

Kentucky is no exception! 4

Another Kentucky example! 5

Other states 6

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Imagine a newly modernized school with a built-in library/media center — but no books to put on the shelves. Actually, you don’t have to imagine.Read about what’s going on with libraries in D.C. public schools (DCPS) in this open letter to Mayor Vincent Gray from D.C. resident and school library advocate Peter MacPherson. He’s been fighting a move by DCPS to cut funding for dozens of school librarian positions.

Read MacPherson’s letter athttp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2012/10/09/school-libraries-without-books/

11From cuts . . . 11

12. . . to capers

13How did they do it?

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Now a parked, unused domain:

An emulation attempt that fizzled 14

Now a parked, unused domain:

Nancy Sullivan, a media specialist at James Madison High School in Portland, OR, and a founding member of Fund Our Future Oregon.

Preventing it from happening

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• Crisis Planning

• State and National Support: Contacting AASL and Other Associations

• Resources

After “it” happens

17Research evidence

*This was in 2008—several more states have since added their studies

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21What needs to be done?

22School Librarians Must Build Supportbefore the crisis happens! • Step 1 - Know Your Stakeholders

– Students, Parents, Teachers, Administrators, Community Members, Legislators

• Step 2 - Alignment – Align your goals with those of the stakeholders– Use the latest research you can find

• Step 3 - Program Promotion– Build promotional efforts around stakeholder needs

• Step 4 – Evaluation and Evidence– Collect and analyze relevant data about programs,

resources and services– Measure what is important to stakeholders

• Step 5 - Share Findings– Organize and utilize the data that shows

contributions to educational goals

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Crisis Planning when the unthinkable looms

• Define the situation• Know your mission• Determine a communication structure• Identify the stakeholders• Craft the message• Share the message• Get people involved• Ask for letters of support

24What is the problem? Among others:

25We Need a Little Insurance!

• Protection–But what?

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We need to present

EVIDENCE!

27What does AASL say?

• Empowering Learners (2009)– GUIDELINE: The school

library media program is built by professionals who model leadership and best practice in the school community

• ACTION: The school library media specialist . . . uses research to inform practice and makes evidence-based decisions

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Grand research

evidence?

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Not really enough!

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What kind of evidence, then?

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Organized evidence about your own school library

• Action research– Action research is any systematic inquiry

conducted by teacher researchers, principals, school counselors, or other stakeholders in the teaching/learning environment to gather information about how their particular schools operate, how they teach, and how well their students learn. • (An excerpt from Geoffrey Mills book Action

Research) reproduced as part of Unit 1: What is and why use action research on

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Sounds intimidating?• It’s really quite simple!

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1. Identify the problem

From Action Research Powerpoint - Presented at November 7, 2005 Delsea Regional High School In-service. (no longer available)

34What makes a good problem statement?

• State it as a question that should

35Sample questions?

• How can the library promote reading, writing and listening skills with English-language learners?

– “Ipods and English-Language Learners: A Great Combination.” Teacher Librarian 34, no. 5 (2007).

• Does collaboration with the school librarian make a difference for the senior research paper?

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2. Collect data• What data?

–How are we going to measure what we’re looking for?

• What does “make a difference” mean?

–Operationalize!• “Difference” suggests a comparison

» Compare what?» Final products?» Compare research papers of two high school classes—

one where the librarian was involved, and one where the classroom teacher worked alone

» Or interview the students about their experience

373. Interpret data

384. Act on evidence

395. Evaluate results

406. What’s next?

• Rinse and repeat!

41Then, just as important!

• Tell ‘em about it!

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Present and share!

• Ross Todd:

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Example of action research• Improving research paper

assignments:– English teachers and the school librarian

collaborate to gather data in a qualitative action research study that investigates the effectiveness of an assignment that requires primary research methods and an essay of two thousand words. • Gordon, Carol.

Students As Authentic Researchers: A New Prescription for the High School Research Assignment School Library Media Research vol. 2, 1999

44Goals of action research

• Making things better!

– Ghaye, T. (1997). Some Reflections on the Nature of Educational Action Research. School Libraries Worldwide, 3(2), 1-10.

Collaboration for Success!