Creekview High School Media Center Annual Report 2008 09

2008-09 Creekview High School Media Center Annual Report Woodstock High

Annual Report Media Center: Creekview High School Media Specialist: Buffy Hamilton and Ruth Fleet Media Clerk: Tammy Beasley Submitted: May 29, 2009 Program Highlights: Building Partnerships for Learning TEACHER ~ (Collaborates with school staff analyzing learning and information needs, locating and using resources that fulfills those needs and understands and communicates the information the resources provide) Collaboration and Research Projects (Teachers and Students) We served 1027 class visits/sessions between August 1 , 2009 and April 30, 2009 in our media center. Our peak usage occurred in October 2008 with 181 class sessions. We operated on a flexible schedule during 2008-09 with library hours of 8:00—4:00 daily. Students were able to visit with a lunch pass during all three lunch periods; students with a 90 or better GPA were issued semester long lunch passes as an incentive for good grades. In addition, students who demonstrated regular library use and good library manners during lunch also received semester lunch passes. We saw our highest number of student visits during our morning, lunch, and afternoon hours during October 2008 with 2,540 student visits. Approximately 15,000 students were served by the media center during non-scheduled class visits. Page 2

For the third consecutive year, we primarily collaborated with members of the English Department during 2008-09. Highlights included: Literary criticism of poetry, short stories, and novels The Elizabethan and Renaissance time periods The Jazz Age and Roaring Twenties Hysteria in History/Persecution Throughout History Role of Women in Classical Literature Veterans issues The Senior Research Project Current and controversial events British Romantic Poets The pros and cons of the Iraq War Nobel Prize authors and their works Georgia Peach Book Award Nominees Economic issues Other topics for collaboration and research pathfinders included: Linear regression Science Fair Projects American Revolutionary Wars and battles of the Civil War The Cold War Hot Global Issues Paris and France Careers Genetic disorders Bioethical issues Famous scientists Periodic Table Stem Cells Ecosystems Juvenile Justice Careers in Law Enforcement Chemical elements Principles of catapult design Presidents Diseases and Viruses Body systems Page 3

The chart below indicates the degree of collaborative planning with each department. Department Number of Number of Number of Collaboratively Collaboratively Collaboratively Planned Lessons Planned Lessons Planned 2006-07 2007-08 Lessons 2008-09 Social Studies 17 12 14 English 28 42 35 Science 10 3 18 Mathematics 5 3 1 Foreign Language 3 5 3 Career and Technical 10 6 7 (includes JROTC) Fine Arts 4 1 1 Physical Education 7 1 2 Total Collaboratively 84 73 82 Planned Lessons 9th and 10th grade 9th, 10th, 11th 9th, 10th, 11th, grades 12th While the quality of collaboration seems to have improved, we have not seen a significant increase in the degree of collaboration this year as we had hoped. We have offered to provide teacher training and provided orientation to all departments during pre-planning, but these steps have not proven effective in increasing teacher collaboration. We are hopeful that if more teachers participate in Teach 21 and that if information literacy becomes a more explicit schoolwide initiative, then we can engage in more effective and seamless collaboration to facilitate learning and inquiry at Creekview High School. We have also requested to be able to meet with departments more regularly and to provide some required training to faculty to improve communication and idea-sharing with our faculty. Page 4

Involvement on School Instruction and Leadership Teams None Professional Development Trainings Attended Buffy Hamilton and Ruth Fleet, Cherokee County School District Media Specialist /CHAMPS 2008-09 meetings Buffy Hamilton and Ruth Fleet, COMO (Georgia Council of Media Organizations) Conference, October 2008 Buffy Hamilton and Ruth Fleet, Georgia Teen Conference, December 2008 Ruth Fleet: Podcasting, Information Literacy, Smart Board 101 Ruth Fleet, Doctoral Coursework (12 hours), August 2008—May 2009 Ruth Fleet: Kennesaw State Young Adult and Children’s Literature Conference Buffy Hamilton: Smart Board 101 Buffy Hamilton: GaETC Conference, presenter Buffy Hamilton: Georgia Council of English Teachers Conference, presenter Buffy Hamilton: University of Georgia Children’s Literature Conference, presenter Buffy Hamilton, BIGGER Conference 2009@ Georgia Southern University, presenter Publications Buffy Hamilton and Ruth Fleet, guest bloggers for the GLMA blog Buffy Hamilton, appointment to the AASL blog team Buffy Hamilton, May-June 2009 issue of Knowledge Quest Service Ruth Fleet, Book Drive for the Cherokee County Family Violence Center that collected over 500 books. Ruth Fleet, Creekview High School Reading Bowl sponsor; team placed third in the district. Ruth Fleet, referee, Northwest Georgia Reading Bowl Competition, February 2009 Buffy Hamilton, Judge, Georgia Exemplary Media Program Buffy Hamilton, guest speaker and presentation on “Avant Garde Cataloging 2.0”, EDIT 6380, University of Georgia, Dr. Mary Ann Fitzgerald, July 2008. Buffy Hamilton, guest speaker for Dr. Katherine Mason’s English Education students, Kennesaw State University, April 2009 Buffy Hamilton, guest speaker for Dr. Nancy Everhart, Florida State University “Leadership in Technology”, May 2009. Page 5

INSTRUCTIONAL PARTNER~ (Identifies curricular content, learning outcomes and a wide variety of resources for instruction) ~ Development of policies, practices related to curricula At this time, we are not serving on any academic committees, but we have expressed our willingness to serve to assist as needed. Design of authentic learning activities We continued to work closely with the members of the English Department to introduce and integrate NoodleTools as an essential component of the research process. We reviewed strategies and skills for citing an array of information sources, including traditional print materials, database articles, journals, and websites. We also taught students how to use the electronic notecard feature in NoodleBib; now students can take advantage of the seamless integration of the entire NoodleBib suite. Students and teachers responded favorably again to the new notecard feature and felt the electronic notecards improved the quality of students’ research papers. We also integrated several Web 2.0 tools into our research pathfinders during 2008-09. We have continued to use the social bookmarking service, del.icio.us. We regularly bookmarked and tagged favorite web resources, including specific database articles, under our del.ici.ous account, http://del.icio.us/creekview_hs_library . We are looking to add the use of Diigo next year as a part of students’ personal learning networks. This year we added a wiki (http://theunquietlibrary.wikispaces.com) and a new platform, LibGuides (http://theunquietlibrary.wikispaces.com) , for creating research pathfinders. We also incorporated the use of videos from news resources like CNN, CBS, and YouTube as part of our research pathfinders. We also created several research pathfinders on topics such as the Presidential Election 2008 and environmental issues news through our Pageflakes account at http://www.pageflakes.com/theunquietlibrary/20173160 . We have added an official YouTube Channel, Friend Feed account, Meebo Instant Chat for virtual reference service, a Facebook page, and Google Calendar to better serve and communicate with our patrons. View our complete web presence at http://theunquietlibrary.wikispaces.com/socialmedia . Collaboration/Involvement in meeting subject matter standards In addition to the research pathfinders and mini-lessons we designed to support standards addressed in content area research projects, we provided the following training for faculty to support student achievement: iGoogle and Google Reader Page 6

INFORMATION SPECIALIST ~ (Provides leadership and expertise in acquiring and evaluating information resources in all formats and models for students and staff strategies for locating, accessing and evaluating information within and beyond the media center) Technology integration/inclusion in instruction Technology plays a major role in library instruction at Creekview High School. Topics of instruction whole group, small group, and one-on-one instruction this past year included: Office 2007 “How tos” Del.icio.us Glogster iGoogle Google Reader Google Books Google Calendar Advanced Google search tips RSS feeds Instruction on how to use all non GALILEO databases Instruction on GALILEO resources and databases Turnitin NoodleTools Website evaluation PageFlakes Evaluation of Wikipedia articles Use and evaluation of news videos, YouTube videos, podcasts as authoritative sources of information Creative Commons licensing/Advanced Flickr Search Soundzabound In addition, we continued to tap into the powers of Wikispaces, LibGuides, WordPress, LibraryThing, and Twitter to communicate with our patrons and to facilitate instruction. Our media center blog, “The Unquiet Library Blog”, continues to be popular. We use our blog for posting announcements, favorite resources, podcasts, videos, and RSS feeds to our favorite resources, including our library del.icio.us account. The chart below shows our blog hits for 2008-09: Page 7

Our media center is widely recognized as being on the cutting edge of “Library 2.0”. Both Mrs. Fleet and Mrs. Hamilton have led instruction on Web 2.0 tools at district media specialist meetings. In addition, Mrs. Fleet publishes a quarterly Web 2.0 newsletter for faculty and fellow media specialists, and Mrs. Hamilton is one of the instructors for the Teach 21 “Information Literacy” course for the district. Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Fleet are guest bloggers for the Georgia Library Media Association; Mrs. Hamilton is a member of the AASL Blog Committee. The Unquiet Library was also featured in Joyce Valenza’s blog in March 2009 as well as the March/April issue of PAGE (Professional Association of Georgia Educators). Use of electronic resources Our databases are invaluable resources for information for our students. Database access provides our students the opportunity to learn outside of the normal school day. Our GALE Virtual Library, which features over 300 titles, and our research databases allow multiple classes to access material quickly and efficiently. Please see the end of this report for more detailed statistics on database usage. As the chart below depicts, our GALE databases continue to be very popular for student research. Our total GALE usage declined slightly from 37, 752 in 2007-08 to 35, 948 hits for 2008-09. Usage of Gale Literature Resource Center declined from 3504 to 1191, reflecting fewer literary criticism assignments from teachers this year. However, our usage of GALE Opposing Viewpoints jumped from 4606 in 2007-08 to 7624 in 2008-09. Page 8

Ethical use of information in all formats (Teachers and Students) We used our mini-lessons on NoodleTools and Turnitin as springboards for conversations about ethical use of information and intellectual property. In addition, these mini-lessons were a medium for discussing forms of plagiarism and academic honesty. Our mini-lessons on Web 2.0 tools were authentic and effective vehicles for discussing copyright rules related to digital images, music, sound, and other creative works. We introduced Soundzabound and the Advanced Flickr search for photos usable under Creative Commons Licenses. Page 9

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR ~ (Collaborative member of school learning community defining media program policies and activities, advocate for media program and leader for school’s vision of 21st century school environment) Management of media staff, program budget, equipment and facility Program Budget Our total budget for the 2008-09 year was approximately $74,000; this amount does not include our local school account that is set up for monies collected through fines and donations. Our purchases included: Additional fiction and nonfiction titles requested by students and faculty (approximately 3,000 + new titles) Additional research databases and e-books to support learning standards Four new HP scanners External hard drives for backing up crucial media center files 2008-09 magazine subscriptions Renewal of database access fees for GALE Literature Resource Center and GALE Virtual Reference Library Bookmarks from ALA Media Center Staff Our media center is staffed by two fully certified media specialists, Buffy Hamilton and Ruth Fleet. Both media specialists have their Ed.S. degrees in School Library Media; in addition, Mrs. Fleet is pursuing her doctorate degree in Curriculum. Both media specialists share the responsibility of lesson planning and design, the creation of research pathfinders, and material selection. Both media specialists are also participating in the Media 21 program. We also have a full time media clerk, Tammy Beasley, who helps with all aspects of daily operation. Mrs. Beasley handles the primary responsibility of circulation, lunch passes, lamination, and general maintenance of the media center commons area. Her work in these areas is critical as her efforts keep the media center running smoothly and efficiently so that the media specialists are free to focus on instruction and collaboration. Page 10

Media Center Program Activities Our media center patrons have enjoyed many exciting and fun activities this past year. Highlights include: Blatant Bibliophiles Book Club Book Club cookie Decorating Party Book Club Movie Night (May 2009) Trivia Days Ice cream and sundae parties Pizza parties National Teen Read Week festivities Poetry Month celebrations Additional puzzles and games for student enjoyment during lunch periods 2008-09 Inventory We have completed inventory of our collection as of Friday, May 22, 2009; the inventory will be finalized on Wednesday, June 3, 2009. Future Directions for 2009-10 Expanding our YouTube and TeacherTube video channels with more screencasts/tutorials and events Expanding our MySpace presence Creating a BookSprouts account for book discussions for our Reading Bowl and book club members. Expanding our use of LibraryThing and branching out to the use of GoodReads and Shelfari. Exploring more ways to use Ning as part of our library program The incorporation of Mrs. Hamilton’s Media 21 project as a model of research that we hope to replicate with our teachers. See http://theunquietlibrarian.wikispaces.com/media21capstone-buffy .Students will be engaged in more research based projects and will expand their use of Web 2.0 tools to create personal learning networks for authentic learning. I will be working with my partner classroom teacher to increase the role of information portals as part of this effort to create learning experiences that integrate information literacy and new media literacies. The work of Wendy Drexler (https://consortium.wikispaces.com/Wendy+Drexler+- +Shorecrest+Preparatory+Academy) and Dr. Michael Wesch (see http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/?p=199 and http://www.netvibes.com/wesch#Digital_Ethnography ) are my models and inspiration for this pilot project. Increasing our use of library and student created podcasts and VoiceThreads. Implementing a “23 Things” learning program for students, teachers, and parents. Incorporating the use of our new SmartBoard and Qwizdom devices for information literacy instruction. Incorporating the use of Diigo for research projects and group bookmarks. Page 11

Circulation Data Our ninth grade patrons continue to show the greatest number of checkouts; sophomores and juniors were similar in circulation statistics, but seniors only checked out half the number of books as our sophomores and juniors. Overall, our total circulation doubled for 2008-09. Each grade level showed significant increases; this year’s juniors checked out 2394 books compared to last year’s juniors with 879. The data below shows the monthly circulation statistics for each grade level: Page 12

Collection Data Our collection represents a body of materials that support the Georgia Performance Standards; the materials in the collection are timely, relevant, and objective. The chart below compares our collection to the recommendations from Wilson. After reviewing the data, we are satisfied that the collection reflects the curricular needs and demands of our students and teachers. In addition, the chart does not reflect our digital reference holdings. Page 13

The following chart represents the percentage of each main classification in our collection. Page 14

The next two charts show the currency of our collection; as you can see, the majority of our titles are copyrighted 2000 or later: Page 15

GOALS FOR 2009-2010 ~ Overarching Goal: To continue to build a program that will be worthy for consideration as the Georgia High School Media Center of the Year in 2009-2010, the first year that we will be eligible to qualify for this honor. Subgoals Goal One: To continue to build and maintain a collection that is current and reflective of the school’s curricular needs and achievement goals. Rationale: A growing body of research shows a correlation between a quality school library collection and higher student achievement. “The library media program is essential to learning and teaching and must be fully integrated into the curriculum to promote students’ achievement of learning goals” (Information Power, 1998, p. 58). Action Steps: 1. Purchase young adult fiction that will appeal to a wide range of reading levels and interests. Sources for selection of these materials may include but are not limited to: Wilson’s Senior High Reputable library journals, such as School Library Journal ALA’s Young Adult Library Services Association Booklists and Awards books, including Best Books for Young Adults, Margaret Edwards Award, Michael Printz Award, AASL Outstanding Books for the College Bound, and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. These lists are available at http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.htm Georgia Peach Teen Readers’ Choice Award nominees. Titles suggested by faculty and students. 2. Purchase new reference and non-fiction materials that are aligned with each department’s curriculum maps and Georgia Performance Standards. Administer a needs assessment to faculty and students to determine areas of need. Meet with department heads and faculty prior to and during the school year to determine topics and concepts that will be targeted for research and project based learning. Work with representatives from reputable and approved vendors to select materials for accuracy, relevance, and interest to patrons. Page 16

3. Purchase equipment and technology devices to serve the instructional needs of faculty. Administer a needs assessment to faculty to determine areas of need. Meet with department heads and faculty prior to and during the school year to determine what pieces of equipment and technology will be needed for instruction. Work with representatives from the approved vendor list from reputable and approved vendors to select materials for reliability, ease of use, and cost- efficiency. 4. Continue to maintain and acquire research databases that meet the research needs of our students and teachers. Work with representatives from the approved vendor list from reputable and approved vendors to select materials for reliability, ease of use, and cost- efficiency. Evaluate effectiveness of databases using surveys and anecdotal feedback from students and teachers. Review database usage statistics monthly and annually to determine if the service meets instructional needs. Goal Two: To establish and increase collaboration between the media center and teachers. The target goal is to collaboratively plan a lesson, project, or unit with every teacher at least once per semester. Rationale: “Effective collaboration with teachers helps to create a vibrant and engaged community of learners, strengthens the whole school program as well as the library media program, and develops support for the school library media program throughout the whole school” (Information Power, 1998, AASL, p. 51). Action Steps: 1. Promote and explain collaboration at teacher orientations and faculty meetings. 2. Meet with each department monthly and share collaboratively designed lessons at department meetings. 3. Invite teachers in to the media center for treats and communication, including discussions on curriculum mapping, project-based learning, and materials acquisitions. 4. Maintain a web page of collaboratively planned lessons and units for teachers on the media center website. 5. Create, share, and promote a collaborative planning form with teachers. 6. Provide staff development activities for teachers (real time and digital) that will help faculty become familiar and comfortable with the array of resources available for their use. >Web 2.0 technologies >Research strategies and end products in the content areas >Scaffolding effective research tasks >Emerging sources of social scholarship Page 17

Goal Three: To cultivate new media literacy and enhance existing information literacy skills for students. Rationale: Social networking and social media are responsible for these shifts in which any author may be valued as an “expert” in the production of scholarly knowledge. What does this mean to us as school librarians and our interpretation of “information literacy”? Laura Cohen says, “We can no longer be content to train students to understand the difference between peer-reviewed journals and popular magazines, to appreciate the value of books, newspapers and reference sources, and to understand how to evaluate garden variety Web sites” (Cohen 2007). Action Steps: Mrs. Hamilton’s Media 21 Project will be the driving force in creating a new model of collaboration and learning to help students become truly immersed in authentic research. 1. Create their own personal learning networks that have relevance and meaning for their research projects. 2. Collaborate and connect with their fellow students through their journey as student researchers in a course. 3. Give students responsibility for their learning and help them become engaged learners. A complete action plan is available at http://theunquietlibrarian.wikispaces.com/media21capstone-buffy . Page 18

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Creekview High School Media Center Annual Report 2008 09

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