Wrapping the Gift? The Role of the School Library and Evaluating the School Library Program
1. 1
Wrapping the Gift?
• The Role of the School Library
• Evaluating the School Library
Program
LIB 620 Library Management
Fall 2012
2. 2
What are school libraries for?
The Mission of the School
Library
– The school library provides
information and ideas that are
fundamental to functioning
successfully in today’s information and
knowledge-based society. The school
library equips students with life-long learning
skills and develops the imagination, enabling
them to live as responsible citizens.
– IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto
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3. 3
AASL Mission
The mission of the school library
media program is to ensure that the
students and staff are effective users
of ideas and information. The school
library media specialist empowers
students to be critical thinkers,
enthusiastic readers, skillful
researchers, and ethical users of
information . . .
– Empowering Learners (2009).
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4. 4
What about school librarians?
4
Roles and Responsibilities
of the School Library Media Specialist
– Leader
– Instructional Partner
– Information Specialist
– Teacher
– Program Administrator
5. 5
More on the role of the LMS
Guiding principles
– Principle One: School libraries have no
boundaries.
– Principle Two: Library and information
professionals should be flexible.
– Principle Three: Ensure that students are
effective users of ideas and information.
– Principle Four: Information is everywhere,
essential, and central.
• Lowe, C. A. The Role of the School Library Media
Specialist in the 21st Century. ERIC Digest. 2000-11-00
5
8. 8
Leadership
Are there many
types of leaders?
– Appointed Leaders
– Expert Leaders
– Interpersonal Leaders
– Social/Informal Leaders
• Are you a “born leader”? If not, you can develop
skills to help you become an effective leader.
Just as you become a better teacher through
experience, you'll become more comfortable as a
leader over time.
• The Teacher Librarian as Manager
8
10. 10
Beyond Proficiency @ your
library® supporting documents:
– Beyond Proficiency @ your library Webcast
– Library Media Program Rubric
– Sample Evaluation Tool for School Media Librarians
Characteristics of Highly Effective Teaching and
Learning in the Library
10
12. 12
Preemptive Action:
The busy librarian’s guide to
program evaluation
Based in part on:
A workshop developed by the
Pennsylvania School Librarians Association
Professional Development Committee
(No longer available online)
indicates the slide was originally from the above presentation
14. 14
What about school library program evaluation?
Evaluation of
school library media centers:
– When you examine something or
someone, you examine the subject and
make a judgment about the quality,
significance, or condition of whatever is to
be evaluated.
• Emanuel T. Prostano and Joyce S. Prostano,
The School Library Media Center 5th ed. (Englewood, CO:
Libraries Unlimited, 1999), 44.
15. 15
Purposes of evaluation
To find out what is right
To find out what is wrong
• Summary of definition in Blanche Woolls, The School
Library Media Manager 2nd ed. (Westport, CT: Libraries
Unlimited, 1999).
16. 16
What can you evaluate?
Everything!
– Collection
– Personnel
– Library Layout
– Programs
– Curriculum collaboration
– Reference
service/collection:
• Interview skills
• Quality of the
answers provided
• Satisfaction of your
patrons
– Students or
teachers—or other
school staff
17. 17
What should you evaluate?
That depends . . .
– On your priorities
– On your economic needs and situation
– On the policies and procedures established by
your school, school district and/or state
– On how much time you have left over from your
other duties to devote to planning and executing
an evaluation project
18. 18
Why evaluate?
Because you have to
– Continuous assessment of services can be an
ongoing requirement for accreditation/funding,
etc.
Because you want to
– You want to find out how well you’re doing
– You want to find out how well others think
you’re doing
– You want to find ways to improve your service
19. 19
Why Evaluate?
• Schools are being evaluated by student
academic achievement in reading,
writing and math.
• Recent studies show student
achievement correlates positively with
effective school library programs.
20. 20
Why Evaluate?
Studies show the positive correlation with
student achievement occurs when there is an
effective school library program [and]:
– School librarians are full time and
– Librarians collaborate with teachers on
instructional planning.
21. 21
Why Evaluate?
Studies also show an
effective school library program
includes the following attributes:
– Quality collections;
– Increased hours of access beyond school day;
– Professional development for teachers and
librarians;
– Student access to technology; and
– Collaboration with other types of libraries.
22. 22
Why Evaluate? Because. . .
To improve, the librarian must
have baseline data about the program.
To be relevant, the librarian must
know if the library services and
resources are aligned with the school’s
goals for student achievement.
To build a case for better support, the
librarian needs data that demonstrates
the value of the program.
23. 23
An evaluation enables you to:
– Determine success in attaining program goals.
– Determine students’ and teachers’ needs so they can
be incorporated into the program.
– Provide a basis for resource allocation.
– Recognize strengths and accomplishments.
– Examine the impact of the program on
student learning.
What Can an Evaluation
Do?
• Nancy Everhart, Evaluating the School
Library Media Center (1998)
24. 24
It makes sense—
Focus data collecting and
evaluation on those components of a
school library program that the
research shows correlate with student
achievement.
25. 25
Types of Evaluation
Formal
Informal
External
Internal
Formative
During a program
Summative
After the program is completed
26. 26
Evaluation requires standards
How do you know if the school library
is “good”/ “not good” or even “good enough”?
– “Good enough” for what? For whom?
Guidelines or rubrics or objectives for collections,
performance, etc. can be found in:
–
27. 27
Types of Data
Quantitative Qualitative
Number of OPAC
searches
Size of collection
Number of
lessons planned
with teachers
Students’ success rate in
locating appropriate
resources in OPAC searches
Collection supports the
curriculum
Comprehensive and
collaborative planning is in
place
31. 31
Interpretation means creating goals and
objectives
The purpose and study goals should
determine the types of methods and measures
you use to conduct the evaluation
Objectives will define your standard of
excellence--the minimum level of appropriate
service for your particular clientele
– Jo Bell Whitlach, Evaluating Reference Services
32. 32
Methods of Evaluation
Obtrusive
– People are aware of the evaluation
• Self-evaluation
• Surveys
• Observation
Unobtrusive
– data collection that does not require intrusion into
the lives of participants by investigators
• Glossary for Responsible Conduct in Data Management
– People are unaware of the evaluation
• Unobtrusive measures of physical facilities
• Use of proxies—“mystery patrons”
33. 33
Obtrusive reference evaluations in a school
library context
Questionnaires or
interviews of students or teachers
Numbers gathering:
– Reference question counts
– Numbers/types of reference books used
– Circulation statistics
Observation
– By external observer
– Self-observation: Journal
34. 34
Evaluation Model
1. Define the question.
2. Collect data--determine needed data
and method of collection.
3. Analyze the data.
4. Formulate recommendations.
5. Develop an action plan.
35. 35
Research Finding
Students whose school
librarian plays an
instructional role
tend to achieve higher
than average scores.
What data are
needed to
determine whether
or not the school
librarian plays an
instructional role
in the school?
The Question
Evaluation Model Step 1.
Define the Question
37. 37
Empowering Learners
Building collaborative partnerships:
– Guideline:
• The school library media program
promotes collaboration among members of
the learning community and encourages
learners to be independent, lifelong users
and producers of ideas and information
– Empowering learners, p. 20.
37
38. 38
Addressing multiple literacies:
– Guideline:
• The school library media program
provides instruction that addresses
multiple literacies, including
information literacy, media literacy,
visual literacy, and technology literacy.
– p. 23.
According to Empowering Learners
39. 39
Determine the type needed.
– Quantitative/Qualitative
Determine the method of collection.
– Existing statistic
– Survey, questionnaire, focus group, observation
Evaluation Model Step 2.
Collect data
40. 40
– Identify areas of agreement and disagreement
among groups.
– Identify areas of strength and areas that need
improvement.
– Identify areas where more data is needed.
How can the data be analyzed to determine
whether or not the librarian plays an effective
instructional role in the school?
Evaluation Model Step 3.
Analyze the data
44. 44
Weakness Area Example--
Target Indicator:
Students are engaged in reading, writing,
speaking, viewing & listening for enjoyment,
enrichment, & understanding.
Library Staff Response
____Basic 100% Proficient ____ Exemplary
Administrative Response
100% Basic ____ Proficient ____ Exemplary
Teaching Staff Response
82% Basic 18% Proficient ____ Exemplary
45. 45
Contradictory Data Example—
Target Indicator:
Effective teaching modeled & promoted.
Library Basic ____ Prof. 100% Exemplary
Admin. ____ Basic ____ Prof. 100% Exemplary
Teacher Basic 60% Prof. 40% Exemplary
Target Indicator: Student achievement is
assessed.
Library 100% Basic Prof. Exemplary
Admin. 100% Basic ____ Prof. Exemplary
Teacher 90% Basic 10% Prof. Exemplary
46. 46
Back to Step 2
Collecting More Data –
Focus Groups
1. How are student products and performances
assessed in units involving use of the library?
2. How do you determine the products and
performances to demonstrate mastery of content
in units involving use of the library?
3. What is the role of reflection in student work
involving use of the library?
47. 47
• Review the data, formulate recommendations.
• For example:
– Because of the strong correlation between the
school librarian’s instructional role and student
achievement, the Advisory Committee establishes a
three year goal of reaching the Exemplary level in
all target indicators in the Teaching and Learning
Rubric
Role of an Advisory Committee of
stakeholders—
Evaluation Model Step 4.
Analyze the data
48. 48
Example:
Recommendations for First Year
– Review the Standards for the
21st Century Learner to ensure
they align with content standards
and set student expectations for analysis,
evaluation and inquiry.
– Meet with teaching teams to solicit
recommended revisions.
– Convene a workshop for new teachers to
review the standards.
Standards for the 21st Century Learner
Adapted from
49. 49
Example:
Recommendations for First Year
Collaborative Planning
– Establish regular common planning time for
teachers with the library media staff.
Curriculum Development
– Review school policies to remove any barriers
that prevent librarians from participating in
building and district curriculum sessions.
50. 50
Example:
Recommendations for First Year
Reading, Writing, Speaking, Viewing
– Provide a series of author workshops and develop
plans with teachers for student reading, writing,
speaking, and viewing responses to the author
workshops.
– Involve Parents.
Effective Teaching
– Clarify conflicting feedback through focus groups
targeting use of assessment, differentiation, &
inquiry in instruction.
– Develop recommendations based on new data.
51. 51
Library staff develop an action plan for each
recommendation.
The Advisory Committee of Stakeholders
reviews and approves the action plans.
Evaluation Model Step 5.
Develop an action
plan
52. 52
Action Plan Example:
Target Indicator:
Curriculum development is modeled and promoted
Objective Activity Documentation Participants New
Resources
Completion
Date
Review
barriers
preventing
librarians
from
participating
in curriculum
sessions.
Review
policies
School Council
minutes
School
Council &
admin.
None
projected
Sept. 1
Secure
schedule
Post schedule in
lib. & faculty
rm.
Principal None Sept. 10
Participat
e in mtgs.
Meeting
minutes
Librarians None
projected
June 1
Report
back
Faculty mtg.
minutes
Librarians None Monthly
Written
material
In professional
library
Librarians None Within 5
days of mtg
53. 53
This example of an evaluation
was…
• Type (which one?)
– Formal
– Internal
– Formative
• Data collection methods:
– Research
– Rubric-based
questionnaire
– Focus Group
• Data type:
– Quantitative
– Qualitative
54. 54
Unobtrusive evaluation in schools 1
Unobtrusive measures of physical facilities
– “The basic premise . . . is that you can learn a
great deal . . . by looking at how things wear
(‘erosion’), how things are left in the building
(‘traces’) and how things are rearranged
(‘adaptations for use’).”
• Nancy Everhart, Evaluating the School Library
Media Center: Analysis Techniques and
Research Practices. Libraries Unlimited, 1998.
55. 55
Unobtrusive evaluation in schools 2
Use of proxies—“mystery patrons”
– Technique used more often in academic libraries
and government documents reference services
• Half-right reference: the 55% rule
• 5-minute rule
– Peter Hernon and Charles R. McClure, “Unobtrusive
Reference Testing: The 55 Percent Rule” Library Journal
April 15, 1986, 37-41.
• “It’s not true, and now we know why . . . the so-called
“55% rule” has never been tested against a truly
representative field sample.”
– John V. Richardson, Jr., “Reference Is Better Than We
Thought,” Library Journal April 15, 2002, 41-42.
56. 56
Importance of a sophisticated model
Richardson:
– “The reference service performance model [that led to
the 55% rule] was overly simplistic, samples were way
too small, and the test questions were not representative
of real-world reference questions.”
– “Students of reference service should learn about the
existence of multiple performance outcomes (i.e.,
accuracy, utility, and satisfaction) and to recognize that
each outcome is driven by different factors.”
• “Reference Is Better Than We Thought.”
57. 57
Characteristics of good models
Measures of reference service must be
– Valid
• They “accurately reflect the concept being studied.”
– Reliable
• They “are stable and dependable, and provide
consistent results with each repeated use.”
– Practical
• They “require that data be relatively easy to collect.”
– Useful
• They “provide information that can be used to
improve reference services.”
– Whitlach, Evaluating Reference Services.
58. 58
Problems of Evaluation in School Context
Often the school librarian is the only one
working in the library
An evaluation project can be time-
consuming to plan and to put into action
59. 59
Solutions to evaluation problems
Depends on your local situation
– Your resources:
• Time, money, available warm bodies
– You and your creativity
Make evaluation part of your routine
– As you plan/prepare your program(s),
include an evaluation component
• Appropriate, affordable, accessible,
accountable
Seek collaborative partners whenever
possible
