Service Learning: Putting the World in LIS Education

Service Learning:Bringing the World into LIS Education Carolyn Doi, McGill University Melanie Sellar, Marymount CollegeErin Walker, Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library

Session Goals Introduce the concept of service learning (SL) Connect SL to work of Librarians Without Borders (LWB) Present case studies of LWB-SL projects

Overview of Presentation1. Introduce Service Learning (SL)2. Introduce Librarians Without Borders (LWB)3. Connect work of LWB to SL4. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Costa Rica5. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Guatemala6. Answer your questions!

What is Service Learning? It is a form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address community needs together with structured opportunities intentionally designed to promote student learning and development.

History of Service Learning • Renaissance of civic engagement on campuses1960s • Peace Corps, Civil Rights Movement • First conference in United States • Resurgence in response to materialistic image1980s • Launch of many national service organizations • Campus Compact is founded • Becomes a formally established field1990s • Emergence of conferences, journals • Growing body of research literature • Adoption of pedagogy begins in Canada2000s • Canadian Alliance for Community Service Learning • LIS Literature begins to recognize SL

Service Learning is Different From:Recipient BENEFICIARY ProviderService FOCUS Learning Service- Learning Community Field Education Service Volunteerism Internships Pictorial from Andrew Furco, “Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to Experiential Education.” 1996.

At the Intersection: Service Learning Academic Material Relevant Critical Service Reflection

Why Care About Service Learning?Internationalize Higher Respond to Campuses Education Workforce Needs PrioritiesAccess Funding EnrichOpportunities Pedagogy

Where We Began Linguistics LIS program, Angola – Course, UWO UWO UWO collaboration

How We GrewExecutive Team (across North America)Board of Directors (across North America)>1,000 members (across the world) 2005 2007 2007 2009 2010

Who We’ve BecomeLibrarians Without Borders is an non-profit organization thatstrives to narrow the information divide worldwide by supportinglibraries in developing regions.We collaborate with partner communities to identify their needsand then mobilize our volunteers — the core being studentlibrarians — for in-the-field development.

At the Intersection: Service Learning Academic material Relevant Critical service reflection

Attributes of Effective Service Learning Ownership of projects  Via autonomy, but not independence Sense of mastery and fulfillment  Via accomplishments of clear goals and feedback from clients Sense of connectedness  With colleagues, instructors, community Meaningful experience  Prolonged involvement, intensity of effort Reflection and assessment  Frequent, structured, and guided

LWB in Costa RicaProject Overview September 2009-April 2010 Student-led project Goal: to build school library in El Humo, Costa Rica  Fundraise for books & building supplies  Develop start-up collection  Service-learning trip to construct & set-up library  Partner with local organization, VIDA

Local Partner: VIDA

Costa Rica

Pre-departureTimeline: September 2009 to April 2010 Recruiting trip participants & forming work teams Planning trip itinerary and budget Fundraising activities Collection development Learning about Costa Rica

Fundraising Calendar sales; PancakeFundraising Goal = Breakfasts; Wii Raffle; $5,000 Silent Auction; Button Sales; Knit-a-Thon; Donations

Collection Development Start-up Collection Spanish- Science & Costa Rican Basic English Geography Literature English dictionaries books • Picture Books • English Language Learning

Collection Development Questions & Challenges Curriculum How to find & Cultural Getting the support or evaluate considerations: books to El recreational Spanish- • Language Humo? reading? language • Relevant & How much couldSize of collection children’s appropriate we purchase books? locally? Dealing with foreign vendors

Collection DevelopmentSelection Tools & Resources: IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Fundalectura (Columbia) Banco del Libro (Venezuela) Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children & Adolescents School Library Journal reviews Críticas (English-lang review source for Spanish-lang books) CR Ministry of Education curriculum & required reading

Collection DevelopmentBooksellers: Tap Peques ̶ Oakville, ON Libreria Lehmann ̶ San José, Costa Rica Libreria Legado ̶ San José, Costa RicaPublisher Donations: Annick Kids Can Press Scholastic Canada Groundwood Books

Collection Development

On the Ground Getting to know the El Humo school and community National Library of Costa Rica Physical construction of library building Setting up the library  Created a cataloguing method, processed books, created a basic card catalogue, and wrote a policy/handbook for the school staff

Escuela

Una casa típica

Los chiquitos

¿Habla Español?

¡Bailamos!

National Library of Costa Rica

Building site

Digging post holes

Mixing cement by hand = least favourite job!

Moving very heavy concrete beams

Concrete wall slabs

We were never short on spectators

Walls are up!

Working on the floor

Peeking from behind the newly installed door

Setting up the library Basic system based on subject area and author surname – had to be simple enough for staff and volunteers to maintain Simple card catalogue Policy manual & procedures

Setting up the library

Finished space

Presenting the library to the school

Impact of the Library El Humo students learned about libraries and how they work in class Project inspired the El Humo community to fundraise to purchase computers for the library & additional resources Practicum student from LIS program at University of Costa Rica from neighbouring village

Presentación de gratitud

One Year Later Update from school principal, Don Jorge Continue to benefit from presence of LIS practicum student Computer now available for student use in library Source of pride for the school and greater El Humo community Believe that it is inspiring student success and encouraging literacy

What did we learn? Practical application of “hard” professional skills  Information Resources  Reference & User services  Community Development Development of essential “soft” skills  Creativity  Leadership  Project Management  Time Management  Communication  Flexibility

LWB in GuatemalaThe Asturias Library Project

Project  Partner institution: Miguel Angel Asturias AcademyOverview  Location: Quetzaltenango,Project Goal GuatemalaCollaborate  Started in 2009 by McGill studentwith the committeeAsturias  Asturias identified a need forAcademy to library expertsimplement a  Ongoing fund raisinglibrary at the  Service-learning trips in springschool. 2010 and 2011

The Miguel Angel Asturias Academy

Introduction to the  Private, non-profit Pre K-12Asturias Academy school  Location: Quetzaltenango,Two main missions Guatemala(1) Get ALL  Founded: 1994 Guatemalan children in school  Serves students from(2) Break cycles of varying background: poverty through Indigenous, non- education indigenous, poor, working class and middle class.  Implements teachings of Paulo Friere

The Asturias LibraryWhen LWB arrived inGuatemala in 2010, theAsturias Library was in apre-construction phase.Since then, the AsturiasLibrary has gone from beingan idea to a functionallibrary space.The library is currently openduring school hours, and isused on a daily basis byAsturias students and staff.

Partnership Benefits for LWB students Make a positive impact on a community in need Partner with an organization that can use expertise in the field Apply lessons and knowledge from the classroom Prepare to enter the workforce by getting hands on experience

Asturias Library Project – Year One Begin and develop relationship with Asturias Initial work in Guatemala – 2010 Trip Manual of recommendations Deliver books and school supplies Reflection  Articles  Presentations

Asturias Library Project - Year OneOn the ground in Guatemala (April – May 2010):  Cultural Activities  GOAL: Better get to know the community  One week of service work at the school  Developed handbook of recommendations including cataloguing, layout, shelving, programming, etc.  Meet the students: classroom visits, recess, reading club  Communicate with Asturias staff and volunteers  Blogging  2847 visitors during the trip

Library Space PlanningConceptual Drawings – April 2010

January 2011 First story time at Asturias Library, January 2011

Asturias Library Project – Year One Participants

Asturias Library Project – Year Two Participants

Asturias Library Project – Year Two Bigger scope  Organization wide:  Fundraising push  Collection development projects  2nd service learning trip to Guatemala  27 participants  Members from executive and 4 library schools  Cultural activities  Week of work at the school

Cultural Activities

Collection Development• 350 Books purchased by 4 LWB student committees• Increase size of Asturias collection to 2000 items.

Activities at AsturiasDeveloped & based on discussions with library staff  Day 1: brainstorm, prioritize, pitch (short & long term)  Day 1: division into project teams; set goals:  Organization Team  Information Literacy Team  K‘iche‘ Audio Books Team  Knowledge Management Team  Blogging/Photography Team  Day 2-5: work, work, work towards goals!  Day 6 + (in Canada): document and compile materials

Meet the students

Library Organization

Information Literacy  Guides for teachers on how to use the library  Classification  Floor plans  How to implement library into curriculum  Resource lists  Book talk best practices  Information literacy games

Knowledge Management Wiki  High turnover rate among Asturias volunteers  Goals  Capture best practices  Document and organize collective knowledge  Share knowledge with future volunteers Survey  Evaluate trip for future improvement

K’iche’ Audio Book Project K’iche’ is the predominant Indigenous language in Xela Audio to support Asturias K’iche’ language curriculum Work with students to create audio material for the collection Build library holdings Give students a sense of ownership over the collection Manual of best practices

Blogging/Photography Teamhttp://lwb-online.org/?cat=27

What’s next? Continue to create opportunities for reflection Continued collaboration with Asturias As their priorities change, so will our relationship with them:  Another trip  Continued fundraising  Expansion of the library

“We can never repay you, but know thatyou are cultivating a love of reading inGuatemalan students. We hope you takewith you in your hearts a sense that youhave done something good, not only forour students, but for the whole ofGuatemala, you have made a difference.” Jorge Chojolán, Founder and Director

Opportunitiesfor Reflection

Reflection “Structured opportunities for reflection can enable learners to examine and Wrap up form their beliefs, values, Articles webinar opinions, assumptions, judgments and practices related to an action orPresentations Blogging experience, gain a deeper understanding of them and construct their own Trip Document meaning and significance for future actions.” Moon, J. Reflection in Learning and Professional Development . London : Kogan Page Limited, Stylus Publishing Inc, 1999.

Student learning outcomes SocialExperience Skills JusticeCollection development Problem Solving Education and Literacy in Guatemala Time management Budget management Flexibility Challenges facing local population Cataloguing Team Work Communication Paulo Friere teachingsCollection Maintenance & Organization Leadership Incorporating local Technical Writing challenges into library Project Management planning

Relevant course work2010 Trip: “What aspects of your MLIS program were applicable to the Asturias Library Initiative?” Cataloguing Library Space Planning Collection Development Information Literacy User services Group Work Programming Writing Training Manuals

Relevant Skills 2010 Trip: “What skills or knowledge did you feel were most important during the Asturias Library Project?” Spanish Team Work Communication Presentation skills Analysis of user needs Flexibility Cataloguing Understanding needs of user group

Summary of Benefits of LIS StudentsConnects curriculum to real-world, complex experiences, which:  Engages them in problem-solving, critical thinking  Promotes deeper learning: no “right” answers  Develops interpersonal skills and teamwork approach  Develops leadership and management skillsProvides immersion into societal issues relating to LIS, which:  Socializes them into values of the profession  Sensitizes them to the realities, experiences, and needs of marginalized people  Develops civic responsibility through community involvement

Into the Future How can we formally integrate LWB with the LIS curriculum?

Thank You! www.libarianswithoutborders.orgtwitter: lwb_online

Service Learning: Putting the World in LIS Education

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Service Learning: Putting the World in LIS Education Presentation Transcript