This document summarizes several studies that examined the benefits administrators, teachers, and students receive from strong school library programs. The studies found that administrators and teachers value librarians' roles in areas like instructional support, reading motivation, and professional development. When librarians collaborate with teachers, it leads to better teaching of skills like information literacy. The studies also found students are more likely to succeed academically when administrators support library programs and librarians work closely with teachers.

1. What’s In It For Me?
How Administrators & Teachers
Benefit from Strong School Library
Programs
K E I T H C U R RY L A N C E

2. WII FM
Everybody’s
Favorite
Radio
Station:
What’s In It
For Me

3. Quantitative Studies Timeline
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MA TX MN [FL] MN ON1 CA ON2
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NC
Other Researchers
Related Events

4. Studies Focusing on Principals & Teachers
 Indiana
 Information literacy
 Idaho
 ICT literacy
 Pennsylvania (in progress)
 21st Century Learner skills

5. What’s In It For Me?
 In what roles they see librarians
 What administrators value about
library programs
 What teachers experience with
library programs
 How they assess teaching of info
literacy
 How that relates to test scores

8. Most Popular Librarian Roles
1. Reading motivator
2. Instructional support
3. Teacher
4. Instructional resources
manager
5. In-service professional
development provider

9. Administrator Quotes
This elementary school has a librarian who has
instilled a love of reading in all students,
including the most reluctant. She finds books that
are appealing to individual students & sets them
aside. This individual attention has created a
library that is magical in the eyes of our students.
Our high school has an inspiring new librarian.
She makes the library a study, technology &
research resource. She encourages teachers to
partner with her on writing, technology & subject
exploration. Our librarian’s vision & dedication
make our library welcoming to all—especially
poor and refugee students.

10. Teacher Quotes
My kids use the library like crazy, and our
librarian has a very inviting & friendly
personality. Kids just get better the more
the use the library. Thank goodness we have
a librarian who is so available to us.
Ours is a school of readers. The librarian is
instrumental in this. If students don’t like a
book they are reading, they don’t have to read it.
Our librarian helps students find books they are
excited to read. Time and again, reluctant
readers say “I want another book like that.”

11. More Teacher Quotes
Our librarian sends us links to helpful
websites and resources on the web almost
weekly. She always thoroughly checks them
out, and gives us a quick summary of how
they may be helpful in the classroom.
I am lucky & grateful to work in a school with
an excellent librarian. The library truly is
“the academic, social, and emotional
hub of the learning community” as
declared in its mission statement.

13. What Administrators Value in Library Programs
Idaho Administrators Indiana Principals
 9 out of 10 value as  Almost all value as
essential or desirable: essential or desirable:
 Librarian on committees  Collaboration
 Collaboration with teachers  Librarian as in-service
 Flexible scheduling provider
 8 out of 10 value:  Librarian on committees
 Librarian as in-service  9 out of 10 value:
provider  Flexible scheduling
 Librarian & principal  Librarian &R principal
meeting regularly meeting regularly

14. Principal Quote
The library should be the heart
of the school.
The librarian is the key to
successful collaboration among
the academic components of a
school culture.

17. Most Common Library-Related Activities Engaging
Teachers
1. Librarian provides
instructional resources
2. Classes to library on fixed
schedule
3. Classes/students to library on
flexible schedule
4. Teacher requests instructional
resources
5. Teacher accompanies students
to library (4th in IN)

19. Value of Collaboration with Librarian to Teachers
 When it comes to teaching
their students …
 Information literacy
 Independent learning
 Social responsibility
 More teachers believe they do a
better job when
collaborating with their
librarian than when going it
alone

21. Instructional Collaboration & Access to I-Design
Resources
 Librarians provide teachers with
 Instructional partners
 Access to instructional design resources
 Sometimes librarians initiate
partnerships & pro-actively offer
resources. Sometimes teachers
initiate partnerships & ask for
resources.
 Regardless, students are more likely
to succeed when librarian & teachers
work together.

22. Teacher Quotes
I have a very collaborative relationship with
our librarian. Our latest endeavor has lasted 5
years. It has enriched me as an instructor.
Being a fairly new teacher, I am still learning. Our
librarian is one of the first resources I go to
for help.
Our librarian was incredibly helpful to me in
putting together a research project. I have
more confidence as a teacher because of her efforts.

26. Administrator Support of Libraries Leads to More Successful
Schools
 Schools more likely to  When administrators
succeed when believe their library
administrators value programs do a better job of
 Librarians & teachers teaching ICT literacy,
working together students more likely to
 Librarians provide in-service excel at
to teachers  Reading
 Librarians & principals meet  Language arts
regularly
 Principal appoints librarian
to key committees
 Librarian role addressed in
teacher hiring interviews

27. Administrator Quote
I have served in several school
districts over 25 years.
Successful schools have an
active, forward-
thinking, highly involved
librarian.

28. Pennsylvania (In Progress)
 National Leadership Grant research project of the
Institute of Museum & Library Services
 Updating 2000 PA school library impact study
 First such study to incorporate 21st Century Learner
standards from American Association of School
Librarians as well as state and Common Core
Standards
 Will produce infrastructure specifications and cost
estimates for 21st Century school libraries

29. For More About
School Library Impact Studies
 Library Research Service’s School
Library Impact Studies page
http://www.LRS.org/impact.php
 Mansfield University’s School Library
Impact Studies Project
http://library.mansfield.edu/impact.
asp
 Rutgers’ Center for International
Scholarship in School Libraries
Impact Studies page
http://cissl.rutgers.edu/joomla-
license/impact-studies