Library Media

School library

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide

Untitled Slide

School Libraries were...

• Unwelcoming
• Quiet
• Intimidating
• Uncomfortable
• Not much meaningful instruction
• Mostly independent work

school libraries have changed.

Today's 21st Century School Libraries

Guided by AASL Standards

• Inquire- acquire new knowledge by thinking critically and solving problems.
• Include- operate in a global society by interacting with and acknowledging the perspective of others.
• Collaborate- work with others to achieve a common goal.

Untitled Slide

• Curate- collect, organize, and share resources.
• Explore- harness curiosity and employ a growth mindset to explore and discover.
• Engage- follow ethical and legal guidelines while engaging with information.

Serve to Facilitate "Active Learning"

• Teaching methods and strategies that involve student participation and engagement with the material in a meaningful way during class time.

Enable UDL Practices

• The more ways we can represent information, the better we accommodate various learning styles.
• The more ways we allow students to express what they know and what they can do, the more authentic our assessment will be.
• Representation+Expression = Engagement

Support the District's Mission

• which defines the nature, purpose, and role of the schools, focuses their resources, and guides their strategic planning.

They are vibrant, active, inspiring places

Warm and welcome where everyone feels represented

They are a hub for innovation

And offer a quiet spot to read.

They are place where teachers collaborate

Where students learn to use digital tools.

work together

And connect to the world around them,

Cindy Long describes today's school library environments in an NEA Today article entitled "Not Your Grandfather's School Library - How School Libraries are Evolving to Thrive in the Information Age."

"Students research and collaborate on projects or presentations, create video games, record podcasts, experiment in the makerspace, or work on fan fiction or graphic novels. There are places for clubs or study groups to meet, and guest speakers and authors to provide lively booktalks. It's like your favorite indie bookstore, minus the grumpy barista."

Today's 21st century school libraries prepare students to become...

curious learners who inquire

enthusiastic readers

skilled researchers

content evaluators

ethical users of information

critical thinkers

safe internet users

and creative producers of media.

In today's school libraries, students are attaining the essential skills to be successful in higher education, work and life in the 21st century.

Comprehensive research studies conducted across the U.S. for the past 30 years prove that strong school library programs have a direct positive impact on academic achievement.

"Across the United States, studies have demonstrated that students in schools with effective school library programs learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized tests than their peers in schools without comparable resources."
-American Library Association.

"Since 1992, a growing body of research known as the school library impact studies has consistently shown positive correlations between high-quality library programs and student achievement"
-PA School Library Project, HSLC, 2013.

A key factor to impacting academic achievement is the collaboration of library teachers and classroom teachers on instruction and their ability to provide dynamic, engaging active learning experiences.

A study conducted in Illinois in 2005 stated, "In Illinois high schools, 11th grade ACT scores were highest when there was a degree of true collaboration between library media specialists and classroom teachers in a wide spectrum of activities."

Librarians help teachers integrate technology, find digital resources and craft lesson plans accessible by students with a variety of learning styles. Many teachers consider the partnership with librarians essential to their work.

"A trained school librarian can evaluate online databases for potential licensing, investigate open educational resources, locate resources in languages other than English, and seek out texts written at specific reading levels, thus saving teachers valuable instructional time."

-Why School Libraries Matter: What Years of Research Tell Us by Keith Curry Lance and Debra E. Kachel.

In a study conducted in Idaho in 2009, "teachers were three times more likely to rate their literacy teaching as excellent when they collaborated with librarians."

Stoneham Central Middle School Library Program

Per AASl, SCMS Library is "Highly Effective"

• staffed by full-time certified librarian and support staff.
• librarian provides direct instruction and at times collaborate with teachers.
• has a fair budget of $12 per student.
• is rich in technology resources with 1:1.
• has a larger, newer collection of digital and print resources.

However...

• Classroom teachers do not collaborate in the library to deliver instruction often.
• Students don't come to the library to read quietly or work together on group projects, or innovate with digital tools and makerspace materials.
• The library is used mainly for lecture- style instruction, professional development and group meetings.

Why?

• Simply put...
• The library facility is outdated and not designed to support 21st century learning and an active learning pedagogy.

Untitled Slide

• The furniture is very heavy which makes it challenging to create a flexible instruction space needed for collaborative instruction.
• Book shelves and unused desk top computer stations fill the room.
• There is no furniture or space to inspire reading, enable group work or to innovate with a makerspace.

To support teacher collaboration and prepare our students with essential skills for success in work and life in the 21st century, SCMS needs a library designed to offer a variety of learning experiences.

The SCMS library needs to be reimagined to meet the needs of our 21st century learners.

"With the advent of modern technologies and the rise of participatory and active learning pedagogy, the traditional library model [and design] is no longer effective."

-Diana Rendina, Author of Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space On Any Budget.

"Classrooms are moving away from a 'front of the room' mentality and adapting to students' learning styles. Libraries need to embrace the same logic and change to reflect the way students prefer to learn. Flexibility is vital."
- Margaret Sullivan, Author of Divine Design: How to create the 21st century school library of your dreams.

Where do we go from here?

Introducing our SCMS Library Mission

“The mission of our library media program is to provide a safe, welcoming space where learners are inspired to inquire about new topics, explore resources, collaborate with one another, develop a love for reading and use digital tools to create original works. Students attain essential skills to achieve success in school, college, work and life."

To design a space that allows us to fulfill this mission, we will follow the recommendations Diana Rendina shares in Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space on any Budget.

We will create six active learning areas:

-Large Group & Community Area-
Teachers host lectures, class discussions, professional development sessions and special guest speakers.
School committee and other groups host meetings.

-Small Group Area-
Students collaborate and host brainstorming sessions. Teachers provide 1:1 instruction and host team discussions.

-Quiet Area-

Students read quietly, relax or work independently. Teachers review resources or take a needed break.

-Makerspace Area-
Students explore new ideas and have creative play experiences.
Teachers host active learning experiences by incorporating maker activities into lessons.

-Technology-Rich Area-
Students experiment with digital tools, develop new ways to demonstrate their learning and share.
Teachers host professional development sessions and classes rich in tech integration.

Think, Create, Share, Grow

The library staff will weed the collection, remove some shelving, move remaining shelving to help create these distinct active learning areas, and purchase flexible, functional, comfortable furnishings.

Capital Budget Request = $60,000

• Year 1: $20,000
• Year 2: $20,000
• Year 3: $20,000

With a 21st Century School Library...

• Teachers will collaborate and offer a variety of active learning experiences that fulfills the standards, enables UDL and supports the district's mission.
• Students are given new opportunities to think, create, share and grow.
• The community gains a dynamic, adaptable facility guaranteed to be relevant for years to come.

Thank you!