The media center at Union Elementary School provides resources like books, periodicals, and technology to approximately 650 students and staff. It is overseen by one full-time media specialist and one part-time clerk. The center aims to develop students' literacy and technology skills but is currently undergoing changes that have limited access. Recommendations include establishing a student visit schedule, providing teacher orientations, and improving technology support response times.

1. Executive Summary
Media Center Overview: The media center is centrally located inside the Union
Elementary School. The school houses approximately 650 students from Pre-K to 5th
grade. The center provides resources to staff including but not limited to books,
periodicals, curriculum support materials, 21st
century carts and Balanced Literacy Kits.
The Media Center Specialist acts as the technology coordinator as well as librarian.
Observations and interviews convey an overwhelming sense of upheaval and change for
the Media Center and school staff.
Organizational Chart

4. and collection development. Stakeholders for the Media Center include students,
teachers, administrators, guardians and the surrounding business and community
members.
Job Title & Description:
Media Specialist
 Use planning calendar to schedule media center activities.
 Inform and update teachers of media resources.
 Collaborative plan with teachers to provide appropriate literacy skills that
are integrated with curriculum.
 Promote reading for pleasure through activities such as read-alouds, book
talks, etc.
 Encourage individuals and small groups, as well as entire classes, to use
the media center.
 Maintain Spectrum catalog system including resource and patron records.
 Purchase new media resources.
 Process, catalog, shelve and weed collections as needed.
 Provide copyright information expertise and classroom support materials.
 Provide instruction to staff regarding new resources and technology.
 Assist the Technology Specialist with technical support in classrooms.
 Maintain and update school and technology inventory twice a year.
Media Center Clerk
 Check in and out media materials using specified software.
 Run overdue notices weekly.
 Shelve materials according to the Dewey Decimal System.
 Check shelves regularly for order.
 Return all unshelved materials to their proper place.
 Update periodicals as they arrive.
 Assist individuals in finding materials when needed.
 Assist Media Specialist in processing new materials for circulation.
 Assist with projects as requested from administration.
Media Committee
 Develops procedures for implementing the system’s instructional media

5. and equipment policy.
 Establishes media program objectives and priorities based on
instructional goals.
 Develops long range plans for media center.
 Assesses available media resources as related to instructional needs and
recommends priorities for media budget proposal.
 Recommends media policy revisions.
 Assists in identifying and planning media or technology related staff
development activities.
Center Activities
Book Fair - Scholastic Book Fairs are held at the school in the Fall and
Spring. Parents are invited to shop along with their students to purchase
materials appropriate for their reader.
Barnes and Noble Reader Appreciate – Coordinate the annual reader
appreciate night at Barnes and Noble Book Store. Students perform a
Christmas program in the children’s reading area of the store. A portion of
the proceeds from the night will be given to Union Elementary.
American Education Week - Coordinate guest speakers for a week long
tribute to education. Invitations are extended to honored volunteers and
veterans. Special attention is afforded to science and math speakers.
Dr. Seuss Week - Coordinate guest speakers from the Macon Mentors
Project to read Dr. Seuss books to grades Pre-K through 2nd
grade.

6. Mission and Goals: Mission: The mission of Union Elementary School Media Center is
to produce discerning, information literate problem-solvers who are prepared to
succeed in the 21st
century; to promote reading through collaboration with teachers
and other staff members; to provide age appropriate resources and meaningful
learning experiences. The mission of the media center is for each student to have
strength of character and to be college ready. Goals are to provide students with
reading comprehension skills, understanding and use of research skills, assimilating
critical thinking and technology skills.
Personnel: The media center is staffed by one full time Media Specialist and one
part time Media Clerk.
Evaluation: The Media Center is presently going through a process of change from
old to new. The previous Media Specialist retired after 17 years in the position. The
current Media Specialist has been in a middle school setting for the past 7 years.
Assimilation to an elementary school setting has not been simple or easy as the
books and technology are outdated. To help assimilate patrons to the “new” Union
Media Center, a cosmetic update was performed. Freshly painted walls, decorative
curtains and a faux tree have been placed in the media center creating a “new” feel.
The media center is currently not meeting its mission and goals. Because of the
overhaul, students do not have access to the media center as intended.
Recommendations: The center and the Media Specialist would benefit from a bi-
weekly schedule for student visits. In the middle school setting, students are more
apt to visit the center in small groups. Elementary students, especially K-2, need to
visit as a group. Also, an orientation session at the beginning of the school year
would be appropriate, especially for K and 1. The center would also benefit with
more communication and interaction with staff as teachers are not aware of the new
policies and procedures of the Media Center. Many technology issues are not resolved
in a timely manner, which falls on the responsibility of the Media Center but is
largely out of their control. Technology is lacking due to the outdated
infrastructure of the building.
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7. Evaluation
Based on my research, the center is meeting its goals and mission. It
provides resources to teachers and students to aid in the overall learning
experience. The technology available to staff and students is adequate and its
resources are widely used throughout the school. However, there are areas that the
media center could improve upon.
Providing Resources: The center does a very good job in providing resources to
staff and students. The center has CPS kits, camcorders, DVDs, listening centers, and
many other types of instructional materials that can be checked out and utilized in
the classroom. Students are able to request books and other resources to help
update the center with new high-demand items.

8. Technology Management: Most technology issues are resolved by the media
center paraprofessional. In his interview he stated that, “The media center is the
frontline for technology issues.” Teachers can come to the media center whenever
they are having issues with technology in their classrooms. The media center’s
paraprofessional get between ten and twenty requires for support every day. The
issues are generally basic and only involve simple troubleshooting, fixing audio
issues, Promethean board connections, and projector issues. If the media center’s
paraprofessional cannot resolve the issues, a work order gets submitted to the
district’s IT department help desk. The majority of teachers are unhappy with the
effectiveness of the IT department’s help desk. Many of them stated that it took
weeks for a technician to arrive and fix the issues. In some cases, no one ever came.
Recommendations
Providing Resources: I learned through my interviews with teachers that many of
them didn’t know about the types of resources that were available to them. One
teacher had mentioned wanted some instructional materials for a lesson on the
weather cycle and wasn’t aware that the media center had Bill Nye the Science Guy
and Science Court DVDs on the topic. There was also an issue with keeping track of
some of the available resources. One teacher came to the media center to checkout
a camcorder and tripod, but the equipment could not be located. I recommend
sending out a monthly email or creating handout that provides teachers with
information about the resources that are available to them and their students.
Instructional materials should also be managed in a way that allows staff to locate
them more easily. If materials are already checked out, there should be a log that
provides information on who checked it out and when.
Technology Management: Many teachers skip the media center’s help and go
straight to the district’s help desk for support with technology issues. There is a
common misconception that this is system policy. Many of them would save time

9. and frustration if they would check with the media center first. The school has
several new teachers who are unaware of the process they should take when trying
to troubleshoot technology. I recommend conducting a new teacher orientation to
inform these individuals on the support that is available to them. More needs to be
done about the response time of the IT department’s technicians. However, this is a
district issue and does not affect the evaluation of the media center.

10. Appendix A
Interview Questions for Media Specialist and Paraprofessionals:
1. What is your title/position?
2. What are your responsibilities?
3. What is the mission of the center?
4. What are the goals of the center?
5. Who are the stakeholders?
6. What role do you have in technology at the school?
7. What support do you provide with technology resources?
8. What activities are carried out by the center?
9. How many students do you work with on a daily basis?
10. What types of technology related activities/centers are provided to students?
11. What types of special events has the media center been involved in?
12. What type of support is required for you to be productive at your job?
13. What is your favorite part of the job?
14. What former experiences have prepared you for your current position?
Interview Questions for Teachers:
1. What types of resources are offered to you by the media center?
2. How long does it normally take to get a tech issue resolved?
3. What types of activities or centers have been provided by the media
center this year?
4. What is the best strength of the media center?
5. What would you consider a weakness of the media center?
6. Has the media center provided you with any training this year?
7. What types of technology do you use the most in the classroom?
8. How frequently do you have technology issues that need to be resolved?

11. References
Three-Year Technology Plan. (2012). Retrieved November, 11 2013 from
http://www.docoschools.org/technology/CompleteTechPlan2012-2015.pdf
Sherwood Acres Elementary. (2013). Retrieved November, 11 2013 from
http://destinylms.docoschools.org/common/welcome.jsp?site=111