School Library Reporting Advice

Library Reporting
Why?
What?
How?
Can’t they see I’m
doing a good job?

You cannot expect them to know, unless you tell them! And when you do the telling, it is important to do it well. (Spin it!)

Reporting is Advocacy “ School librarians will not be heard until their day-to-day practice is directed towards demonstrating the real, tangible power of their contribution to the school’s learning goals.” Ross Todd 2002. School Library Journal

GUIDELINES FROM NATIONAL LIBRARY - Annual Report
Purpose
To show your Board of Trustees (and the school community) how the investment they have made in the library throughout the year has made a difference to student learning
To document the impact of any major changes, special programmes and developments in your library, including progress on any development objectives that feature in your school’s Annual or Strategic Plan
To identify key areas for development for the coming year and seek BOT support
To acknowledge assistance, donations and BOT support
http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/developing-your-library/tools-and-guides/school-library-annual-report

Essential Items
Report on following that relate to your school:

Support for Inquiry Learning
Development of your library collection
Evidence of library usage
Library ICT
Library staffing summary
Library Environment
Financial Management
Communication/Promotion
The level of detail depends on whether your school
requires you to use a specific template for the School
Library Annual Report, to make a full report
or a brief summary.

Support for Inquiry Learning Outline ways in which the library has supported inquiry learning, and information literacy development, with evidence to support your statement. Note where there has been an increase in collaboration between library team and teaching staff, or if the school has developed an inquiry approach in which the library has played a part. You can include how you supported learning using tools other than books: ie internet, databases, http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/developing-your-library/tools-and-guides/school-library-annual-report

Support for your school’s reading programme
Describe how the library has responded to the analysis of reading data through:
targeted book-buying
reading incentive programmes involving the library
special events supporting reading or writing
collaborations between teachers, literacy leaders and library team
any collaborations with outside agencies, e.g. public library
If you have undertaken a student survey to gauge reading
preferences, present the summarized results in an appendix,
but refer here to main findings, actions and the impact.

Development of your library collection (books and online)
Relate your summary of buying to your focus for the year
Identify topics where you can focus more on e-resources
Review your Collection Development Plan and how it impacted on purchasing
Acknowledge any donated resources
If you have assessed or weeded part of the collection, mention
what you have done (or are planning to do) as a result
Summarize any initiatives in developing your collection
to promote reading for pleasure

Evidence of Library Usage
Give a brief summary of issue statistics which may show changes in usage
Provide any other evidence such as increased use by classes, individuals and small groups, increased usage of online resources (i.e. usage which won’t be reflected in issue statistics) and relate to reasons why
If you have targeted any specific groups of library users this year (e.g. students, or teachers) provide some data that shows how successful this has been.
If you have changed any procedures or resourcing priorities as the result of user feedback from student or teacher surveys, provide brief summary.
Report on any impacts on library usage resulting from Web 2.0 initiatives, e.g. a library blog, especially if you are reaching new users
Summarize what you did for any special events or programmes, who was involved, and the impact on usage.
If the library opening hours have changed, provide evidence of how this has impacted on usage, and include examples of user feedback if you have some.

Library ICT
Include any new developments in ICT provision or usage in the library, e.g. software upgrades, web-based catalogue, library blog
Acknowledge the contributions of those who have contributed to and managed the library presence on the school website.
Summarize any issues around technical support, hardware upgrades, broadband speed, etc. and how these were resolved
Database useage
E-book planning
Librarian ICT
Online activity- blogs, webpages, wikis
Library social networking

Library Staffing Summary
Acknowledge the library team, their strengths, highlights of the year and their paid hours of work.
Acknowledge the hours given by adult volunteers, and student librarians
List any professional development or study undertaken by library staff this year, including external courses, SLANZA meetings, network groups, and conferences attended
If paid hours of staffing insufficient, use evidence already provided to support your proposal for an increase in paid
hours.

Library Environment
Acknowledge staff/class/local community contribution to library displays or other tasks.
Acknowledge any new equipment and how it has impacted on the library and it’s users.
Include reference to library building, or items of furniture and equipment that need upgrading or replacement. (For all capital expenditure, check with your principal or executive officer as to what process your school uses for capital expenditure proposals.)
Communication/Promotion
Detail all the ways in which the library has promoted itself
Detail all ways the library has communicated to their members ie newsletters, blogs

Financial Management
State the amount allocated for the maintenance, management and development of the library, excluding wages
If you have received donations, or funding from any grants or fundraising events, state how these have been used
Acknowledge the BOT funding.
You may include a record of expenditure in the appendix
State the level of funding required for the coming year to enable priorities to be achieved. (Your budget proposal for next year can be attached in an appendix.)
Appendices
The following information can be attached to the annual report where relevant:
Record of expenditure for the last year
Buying Plan for the collection and detailed budget proposal for the coming year
Library statistics

Format - what to put in, what to leave out?
Keep your report as brief as you can
Clarity is important
Replace long descriptions with graphs and photos
Use bullet points or numbers
Provide data to support your statements

Accentuate the Positive! Know Your Audience KEEP IT SIMPLE! DO- “ Figures are important to show what value the library provides to the students' learning and to the school generally, but the anecdotes / stories of students' successes / photos of events / reports of people from other schools coming to look at the library / are also really important. Also, statements from research about school libraries is good.”

Who is your audience? In most cases you will be reporting to your Board of Trustees What do you know about them? What is their area of focus, expertise? What is there current level of support for the library? What can you include in your report that would have a positive impact on library services and/or finance? What do they want to know? Talk to teachers at your school and ask how much detail they include and what formats have worked best. ( Try and make sure you are meeting / exceeding the school standard ). Ask a Board member what they think is important. Think about the people on your board and how to best present to them.

Evidence of Library Usage
This is particularly important record if you are not in the Library full time. use snapshots rather than words

Top five books borrowed this year: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The Recruit by Robert Muchamore Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney Vital Statistics Save everything!
Other useful info:
Casual useage
Numbers during breaks
Student librarian support
Teacher support
Surveys
Activities
New Stock Write-off End of Year Stock 2010 532 559 6189 2009 423 383 6216 2008 544 134 6176 2007 522 145 5766

The Library Request Book:
Remember to take photos of:
Groups in Library
Any special event
in Library
Author visit
Displays
Everyday classes
You !
Use your ammunition! You can recognise actual useage and pinpoint underuse as an area for development. Don’t feel to blame for what isn’t happening. Provide suggestions for improvement – not just the problem. You need FACTS to back up your ideas. Date Name Request Result

What shouldn’t be in my report?
Do NOT use your report to complain! It is not an opportunity to get back for things that have not gone your way.
Do NOT report specific behavior, if there is an issue that must be presented, find a way to generalize ie most classes in the library follow the guidelines. (This is not the time to name names.)
Do NOT send off a breezy letter, take the time to report properly.
Grammar and spelling mistakes.

Magazine Style http://issuu.com/scsdmedia/docs/scsd_mc_annual_report_2009_2010?AID=10829131&PID=3662453&SID=skim725X536022X411e17a7e5aaa94da03e88e4a3f96a76

http://issuu.com/scsdmedia/docs/scsd_mc_annual_report_2009_2010?AID=10829131&PID=3662453&SID=skim725X536022X411e17a7e5aaa94da03e88e4a3f96a76 http://theunquietlibrary.libguides.com/content.php?pid=117200&hs=w http://www.slideshare.net/theunquietlibrary/the-unquiet-library-annual-re port-200910?from=embed http://issuu.com/joycevalenza/docs/annualre port11 http://www.macalester.edu/library/dashboard/2010/index.htm l http://readingpower.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/library-reports/ SOME TO ASPIRE TO: Advocacy for school libraries in New Zealand http://slanzawiki.wetpaint.com/page/Advocacy+for+school+libraries

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School Library Reporting Advice

by Ruawai on Jul 23, 2011

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School Library Reporting Advice — Presentation Transcript

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