Public and School Library Collaboration

Public and School Libraries Collaborate

Gonzalez, Rogelio


Keasler, C. (2016). Working Together: Simple ways public and
school librarians can collaborate. School Library Journal. Retrieved from
https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=better-together-simple-ways-public-and-school-
librarians-can-collaborate

Public libraries and school libraries have the opportunity to develop
partnership and become much more effective if they were to work
independently. The article  Working Together: Simple Ways Public
and School Librarians Can Collaborate provides insight in ways school
and public libraries can work together (Keasler, 2016). Through collaboration
students and parents could be able to transition from school and public
libraries without having to decide which organization to invest their time.
Public Librarians can bring the library to school and encourage students
to visit the library during times that do not conflict with school activities (Keasler, 2016). 

By cultivating a positive relationship both institutions stand to gain and
provide better resources for their community members (Keasler, 2016).
They also can organize events that do not conflict one another which prevents
community members from choosing one over another. School libraries and public
libraries have the ability to purchase relative resources that effectively target
an audience. In this case, children and teenagers can reap the benefits. In a curricular
focus or during a fleeting fad public libraries have an opportunity to build a positive
relationship with community members and faculty at schools in their zone (Keasler, 2016).
This is known as capitalizing or “striking when the iron’s hot,” a metaphor for
promoting the library during events or a craze to capture an audience's attention
(Keasler, 2016). 

The coordination with schools and public libraries illustrates the importance
of teamwork in which other entities can do the same. Collection development
can be inclusive with partnership and collaboration with different organizations
that have similar objectives. In addition, the collaboration also guarantees that
resources within the library will be utilized as they are intended. Moreover, 
partnering up can also be cost effective in that school libraries and public libraries
split the cost in necessary supplies (Kealser, 2016). Whether it’s programs or
supplies  participation can boost up circulation and program success. Creating a
collaborative community can change the effectiveness of school and public libraries. 

Collaborative Resource Sharing between Public and School Libraries

Perez, Rosa

Reference: Smith, D., Shea, M., & Wu, W.N. (2014). Collaborative resource sharing between public and school libraries. Interlending & Document Supply, 42(4), 159–164. https://doi-org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.1108/ILDS-09-2014-0045

In this article, the authors explore the importance of collaborative resource sharing between public and school libraries. The study focused on collaborative collection development and interlibrary loans between public libraries and school libraries. The methodology used to conduct the study was a survey sent to 265 youth service librarians across the USA. The results show that the majority of the libraries involved in the study believe it is important to collaborate with their neighboring school libraries. They believe in collaboration because it helps both institutions save money and shelf space. By sharing resources the libraries can stretch their limited funding and purchase more materials and programs for patrons. Furthermore, this collaboration is a good promotional tool for public libraries. Students already use the school library but may not use the public library during school breaks because they are unaware of the programs and resources available. But through this collaboration, they are made aware of the resources they have access to during those breaks. This increased awareness increases foot traffic and usage in the public library. The school library benefits from the additional resources they can provide to their students. The collaboration is beneficial to both the public library and the school library but the ultimate beneficiaries are the patrons being supported by both institutions. 

This article reminds me of the current collaboration my school district (Anaheim Union High School District) has with the Anaheim Public Library. This connection called ACES (A Card for Every Student) allows all AUHSD students to access the Anaheim Public Library’s online resources by using their student ID card. This resource is helpful because it helps fill the digital gaps that the AUHSD libraries face. ACES allows students to access ebooks, audiobooks, databases, and homework help platforms among other resources. 

School Library Research From Around the World

Brenna Smith

Gavigan, K. (2018). School library research from around the world: Where it's been and where it's headed. Knowledge Quest, 46(5), 32-39.

Summary: In this article, repeated keywords from issues of School Libraries Worldwide from 2010 to 2016 are studied. The recurring topics are advocacy, collaboration, impact studies, reading and reading promotion, and technology. They found that staff who advocate for the library are recognized as being leaders and indispensable members of the school community. In 2011, Ewbank published a study where half of 381 school librarians around the U.S. did not engage in advocacy activities due to lack of time and awareness. They found that collaboration between librarians and teachers help development of programs, improve instructional planning, and decreases plagiarism. Canadian-based study in 2011 found that school libraries that were more accessible, better funded, professionally staffed, and had more resources resulted in higher standardized test scores. Findings in several studies show that partnerships between school libraries and public libraries helped develop students’ reading skills. It was also discussed that school librarians need to develop and use their technology skills to become technology leaders. Two important factors to becoming school technology leaders is having support from principals and being proactive about how librarians approach their technology role. Overall, as for many studies, additional research is needed to find what effects school library programs have on student achievement.

Evaluation: I thought that this article was very informative, and reiterates what we have been learning throughout library school. It was interesting to find out that the same topics are being discussed and studied across the world, and that despite the populations, we all want to focus on the same ideas in the library.

Win-win: When school libraries partner with local organizations, everybody benefits

Riggs, Michelle


Jacobson, L. (2015, December). Win-win: when school libraries partner with local organizations, everybody benefits. School Library Journal, 61(12), 60+. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A436437268/PROF?u=pott50179&sid=PROF&xid=f19f1cae


Jacobson provides several specific examples of successful community partnerships with school libraries. He points out that relationships should be collaborative, with all parties involved participating in discussions, planning, and brainstorming. In addition, relationships should ideally be reciprocal, with the community organization receiving something in return, whether a simple thank you note, a social media post, or the opportunity for involvement with school activities. Jacobson also states that volunteers and partnerships in no way replace school librarians; instead, they offer librarians the valuable asset of more time to spend be with their patrons.

I found several of the ideas for community collaboration to be thought-provoking and worth exploring for my own school library. We are located in an area with very active animal advocacy, so the idea of bringing in therapy dogs made me think about ways that could benefit my population. We also have a wide variety of nonprofit organizations run by families in our district, which are an untapped resource for volunteers and collaboration. Prior to this class, I did not do much in the way of connection development, so this article was valuable in getting the gears turning.

"Let's Do It!' - A New Approach to Collection Development

Anna Fenerty

Citation

Loertscher, D. V., & Koechlin, C. (2016). Collection Development and Collaborative Connection Development: Or, Curation2. Teacher Librarian, 43(4), 52–53.

Summary

The authors, Loertscher and Koechlin, discuss the progress of implementing Learning Commons in the school libraries and offer a list of tools and templates to help the librarians make the transitions. In 2015, the authors conducted a survey of 900 teacher librarians, which showed some progress in connection developments since most schools were shifting from exclusively traditional book and database collections by adding online resources. On the other hand, shifting from one-way library websites to participatory virtual spaces was still in the very beginning stages in most of the schools surveyed. The authors suggest approaching collection development with a new attitude; WE, librarians, teachers, and students have a collective responsibility “to curate the very best educational resources” together. All need to pitch in at the building, district, state, and national level to develop connections to community resources and OERs that benefit everyone involved.

Evaluation

A relevant and inspiring article that shows the current state of digital collections and trends in school libraries. The authors offer “hands-on” advice, tools, and templates to help school librarians transition into a leadership role to “mentor collaborative curation” of connections and participatory resources instead of building collections of “owned” resources that are constricted by individual and finicky budgets. Everyone can benefit from connected participatory collections. So, “Let’s do it!”

Megan Pinheiro da Silva
Fall 2018

Collins, Karla B. and Carol A. Doll. 2012. " Resource Provisions of a High School Library Collection", American Association of School Librarians. http://www.ala.org/aasl/slr/volume15/collins-doll


Summary

This study explores teachers’ perceptions of the instructional role that the school library collection plays in one particular high school. Two different surveys were sent out to 80 teachers with 28 teachers responding. Four teachers agreed to participate in interviews. Teachers perceived students’ preference of library resources: first websites, next print, then videos, databases, other, eBooks in descending order. Students access information via computer first, then teacher provided materials, then textbook, then library, then print, and lastly video. More surprising than teacher perceptions of students preferences were teachers non-use of the library. Some teachers, even veterans, lack understanding of the school library's resources, including its most valuable resource--the librarian. Although teachers are often overwhelmed and lack the time to explore new resources, they spend a significant amount of time searching for quality resources on their own, without the help of the librarian or library collection.

Evaluation

Despite serious limitations acknowledged by the researchers, this study of one school's teacher perceptions reveals a significant barrier to effective use of library resources. If teachers are overwhelmed by the amount of new information, lack time, and don't know how the librarian can help them, they are not using the library, nor are they relying on the librarian for assistance. Collins and Doll acknowledge that trust is a key factor. An unexpected result of the study was the discovery that textbooks are being used less and that teachers are spending considerable amounts of time searching for their own materials. It is difficult for the librarian to support the curriculum if she does not know what is actually being taught in the classroom. It is also not easy for the librarian to gather this information, as it requires a working relationship of trust. The implications of Collins and Doll's research are sobering. School librarians will have to work much harder to make known what they offer and, more importantly, continue to build relationships with teachers over time.

Friends for School Library Improvement

Poser-Brown, Lora

Kaun, T. (2014). Friends of the Oakland Public School Libraries: Building bridges to the local community. CSLA Journal, 38(1), 20-23.

Reflection: Reading about the Oakland, CA, public schools and their diminishing library existence engaged my mind. The district has formed a strong partnership with vested community members, who in turn formed a new Friends of School Libraries group. The article details how the district and Friends have invested in community relationships and bettering their school libraries, some of which have now been completely overhauled. The article contains great step-by-step information on the process of reviving a dying sector of the district’s budget: the school libraries.

Futuring for future ready librarians

School librarians can lead change in specific areas by seeing trends and forecasting the future. Noticing trends makes it easier to anticipate the future. And because school librarians have the unique role of working with both students and teachers, they are better able to see global changes in learning and social behaviors. Prioritizing these trends means looking at the curriculum, using space, ensuring digital infrastructure, and creating professional partnerships among other things. Assessing and organizing trends allows librarians to see what services should be invested in or not.

Furthermore, librarians should be aware of ongoing trends in order to proactively respond appropriately to create effective change. In addition, it is best to communicate well so that other organizations and stakeholders of the library understand the direction the librarian wants to take. Librarians are the advocates for the future.

Figueroa, M.A. (2018). Futuring for future ready librarians. Knowledge Quest, 46(4), 14-18.

Resource Provisions of a High School Library Collection

Lopez, Carrie

Collins, K.B. & Doll, Dr. C. A. (1 August 2012). “Resource Provisions of a High School Library Collection”, American Association of School Librarians. Retrieved from:

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/vol15/SLR_Resource_Provisions_V15.pdf

Really interesting study of a high school and how it’s teachers and students used and perceive the resources of the school library. I felt that it reflected much of my own teaching experiences and observations of the declining use of print media and increased used of digital media by both teachers and students.

Collaboration: ILL and Resource Sharing Between Public and School Libraries

Chapman, Sherry

Smith, D., Shea, M., & Wu, W. (2014). Collaborative resource sharing between public and school libraries. Interlending & Document Supply, 42(4), 159-164. Retrieved from https://www-emeraldinsight-com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/ILDS-09-2014-0045



Summary: This study proposes that school librarians invite public librarians to school events to sign students up for public library cards. They should also work at collaborating on developing interlibrary loans. This collaboration and resource sharing may increase overall impact on learning in the community. It is noted that this study focuses on the perspective of public librarians but does not include the perspectives of school librarians.

Response: This is an interesting study that proposes a non-traditional layer of collaboration between schools and public libraries. The findings suggest that there are possibilities that need further study to benefit youth and develop lifelong learning.

The Access Gap: Poverty and Characteristics of School Library Media Centers

Tipton, Katy

Pribesh, S. s., Gavigan, K. k., & Dickinson, G. g. (2011). THE ACCESS GAP: POVERTY AND CHARACTERISTICS OF SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTERS. Library Quarterly, 81(2), 143-160.

This article is about the disparity between school libraries in poor areas and school libraries in more affluent areas. As someone who started her career at a school where every student received free lunch and breakfast, this article served to reinforce what I had gathered from personal experience. 

Through surveys and studies of demographics, the authors seek to prove what they call the "access gap" - "namely, the differences in school library characteristics (staffing, books added to collection, schedule, and number of days closed) in schools with various concentrations of students living in poverty." (Preibesh, Gavigan, & Dickinson, 2011) Their findings are sobering and reinforce the need for libraries in schools.

Making Friends and BUYING ROBOTS.

Tipton, Katy

Kvenild, C. c., Shepherd, C. c., Smith, S. s., & Thielk, E. e. (2017). Making Friends and BUYING ROBOTS. Knowledge Quest, 45(3), 62-69.

This article is about a school library system navigating the pitfalls and ultimate success of integrating robot building kits into their maker space.

This is a very detailed read - almost a how-to step-by-step. It's fascinating to follow the librarian's, teacher's, and student's progress as they figure out how to best supply and execute the program. Great information for those of you planning to implement something like this in your own school library. Plus, ROBOTS!!!!😁

Our Future in Times of Change: How values guide our understanding of trends and transitions

Figueroa, M. (March/April 2017). Our futures in times of change: How values guide our understanding of trends and transition. American Libraries, 44(3/4), 32-37.  https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2017/03/01/our-futures-in-times-of-change/

In this article about the future of library services, author Michael Figueroa (director of ALA’s Center for the Future of Libraries) seeks to study change, but notes that in order to do so, core values--“confidentiality and privacy, diversity, equitable access, intellectual freedom and expression, preservation”-- must be considered (p. 33).   This article collects interview responses from three librarians, Emily Drabinski (Coordinator of library Instruction at Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York), Sarah Houghton (Director of San Rafael Public Library in California), and Charlotte Roh (Scholarly communications librarian at the University of San Francisco Gleeson Library) on the subject of change in light of values.

The interview highlights the importance of the above core values in implementing value-infused services and programs.  Most notably are core values that, in the current political and social climate in the U.S., unflinchingly continue to provide or seek to provide equitable access, sensitivity toward diversity, and policies that guard patron rights to privacy and intellectual freedom.   For example, interviewee Charlotte Roh notes, “Across our communities, people are demanding cultural competency from people traditionally considered experts...As librarians, it is important that our cultural competencies are on par with the depth and breadth of our critical knowledge-seeking behaviors” (p. 35).  

The article includes a subsection on pages 36 and 37 devoted to takeaways for the future.  It’s not a stretch to say that all nine takeaways are relevant to collection development have to do with pushing traditional boundaries to providing equitable, diverse access to patrons. The first is entrepreneurship--libraries can offer a “network of support” to aid patrons who lack access to minority, low-income patrons.  Second, libraries are poised to offer programs that boost civic engagement and innovation, whether in the form of microcollections, maker spaces, or meeting places to spark communication.  Thirdly, school libraries even now are pushing communication boundaries to connect with innovators, experts and other students to promote a positive global awareness, whether in hosting authors, or Skype conferencing, or using social media platforms to make connections.  The fourth takeaway is sustainability--as we take measures to provide our patrons with access to various informational formats, we must make sure that they are “environmentally sound, economically feasible, and socially equitable”.  The fifth is expanding horizons through virtual reality--using VR as “place-based learning that moves beyond the traditional field trip”.  Sixth is accessibility, which for most of us is a pretty obvious concern, but one that, nevertheless, must be a focus for the future of libraries.  The seventh takeaway is providing welcoming communities that builds unity for all Americans, no matter their background.  Eighth and ninth are geared toward young learners--it is vital that librarians in schools and youth public librarians are invested in technology trends AND understand and practice 21st century ethics (often relatable to current technology).  Speaking as a teacher librarian currently employed in a public high school, I thoroughly agree that students who are educated about online rights and privacies are well-equipped to handle the myriad ins and outs of life in a tech-focused society.

My greatest take away from the article is the importance of staying informed about information--keeping my eye on the services we offer to make sure that they are sustainable.  In continually evaluating patron needs and matching them with resources, I can make sure that the programs and services embrace ALA values.

Where do I start? A school library handbook produced by the Library Services Staff of the Santa Clara County Office of Education

Library Services Staff of the Santa Clara County Office of Education. (2000). Where do I start?

A school library handbook. San Jose: Santa Clara County Office of Education.

This is the first edition of the handbook; a second edition, published in 2012, is available for purchase on amazon.com.

While this 156-page handbook is helpful for any library service staff entering into work with schools, I focus my attention here on two sections: Library Overview (which includes sections on copyright and acceptable use, and selection policies) and Library Collection.  The areas I read but am NOT covering here are Library Space (organization, displays, safety), PR/Marketing, Library Programs, Internet and Technology, Library Procedures (purchasing, filing rules), and Library Automation, and contains an index and glossary for easy reference.  

Within the handbook the SCCOE Library Services Staff has several sample policies and guidelines.  The first that I found particularly helpful is part of the section called “Library Overview.”  In it is the Sample Library Selection Policy, wherein the purpose is noted thus: “To ensure that students and teachers are provided access to a wide variety of appropriate print and nonprint resources” (p.9).  It goes on to detail the procedure by which new materials are selected for the collection.  Ironically, our district LMT group was scrambling recently to locate a similar document--not that any complaints have been made, but in preparation for the possible eventuality.  This guide and the sample policy will really help us to cement our district procedures.

The collection development section of the handbook identifies four activities that work in a circular path (nothing new here--we’ve already learned this from Dr. L): knowing patrons, their needs and interests, knowing the purpose/mission/vision of the library (on its own, and as related to school mission/vision), knowing what’s in the collection and getting rid of the stuff that doesn’t belong, and knowing how to select the best materials to fill in gaps in the collection (p. 57).  Just as we’ve done in Dr. L’s class, the handbook suggests surveying teachers about what they need from us!  While it’s important to study the standards and frameworks, it’s important to recognize the leeway granted by CCSS and NGSS to allow teachers flexibility in the way they teach toward essential learning outcomes (ELOs).  Aside from textbook selection, which is often in the hands of subject departments and the teaching and administrative staff, there is the development of the library collection.  In chapter 2 of our Collection Development Using the Collection Mapping Technique text, we are counseled to form library advisory committees, who help with collection development.  Many of our California libraries are impacted by lack of funding, and although the numbers are shifting toward more library service, a majority of schools lack sufficient library service representatives to form advisory committees.  So the school library handbook also recommends both checking district selection policies and seeking counsel from other district librarians (if available) before making library selections, especially if the library in question is being run by volunteers or paraprofessionals. (p.1,3, 75).  

Ultimately, the handbook’s goal is to provide library service training to this group of people, those who are handed a key to the library, but who are given very little training on how to implement school library services and programs.  Inasmuch as library courses in the iSchool program offer to fill the gaps that a handbook like this leaves, I find the manual to be instructive in the essentials.

Technology Connections: Online Tools for Primary Resources

Amy Woods
Fall 2016

Citation: Moorefield-Lang, H. (2016). "Technology connections: Online tools for primary resources." School Library Connection, Nov/Dec 2016. 35.

Summary: In the Instructional Leadership Column of the latest School Library Connection, author Heather Moorefield- Lang, an associate professor of Library and Information Science, highlights a few helpful sites with great online sources for primary sources:

• Library of Congress features "historic newspapers, digital collections, photographs and veteran histories." With tons of easy-to-search, digital archives, this is a great resource for students. 
• The Smithsonian site contains a variety of resources great for language arts, history, science, and other K-12 courses. This site is vast, so librarians will want to share searching strategies with students before they delve into their research. 
• Digital Vaults is an interactive site "where users can work with photos, documents, and popular media from the National Archives." This interactive tools provides great opportunities for students to create a story with their sources. 
• DocsTeach features primary sources from the National Archives. Teachers can access letters, photos, speeches, posters, maps, and videos, spanning American history, to create rich learning experiences for students. 
• IWitness is an excellent resource for first person accounts of the Holocaust. The site features over 1500 videos from survivors and witnesses. 
• Zoom In is an interactive site that features both primary and secondary sources. Designed for U.S. history students, the site also provides lessons and ideas for teachers. 

Evaluation: There are tons of online resources available to teachers and it's hard to keep track of all of them. Although this article is by no means exhaustive, it does provide a "best of" list for primary sources. 

Reinventing ELA for the Digital Age

Micka, Tracy

INFO 266, Fall 2016

Jenkins, H., & Kelley, W. (2013). Reading in a participatory culture: Remixing Moby-Dick in the English classroom. [Kindle version]. Retrieved from amazon.com.

Summary:

Imagine teaching a high school unit on the notoriously long and plodding Moby-Dick and having the students love every minute of it. Daring? Yes. Easy and without hiccups, no. This book chronicles the experience. Employing multimedia mashups, comic strips, staged and recorded plays, music videos, social media, fan fiction, and other ‘new media’, teachers set out to use different expressive practices to enable students to engage with the text in a deep and personally meaningful way. It wasn’t about entertaining the students or making a boring book more palatable, but rather about developing a community of readers and giving students a chance to express their ideas across a range of participatory media platforms and practices.

My comments:

At first blush, it’s easy to miss what this book has to do with collection development in school libraries. This happens when you have a limited view of what a library collection is and does. When you view a library’s collection as x number of books and educational resources, then you are seeing the collection largely as “stuff”; if, however, you are able to envision the collection as a platform for collaboration, or a body of resources that goes beyond “stuff” to include programming, connection-development, and people; as a place that exists both physically and virtually according to a set of norms and practices that emphasize and enable collaboration, participation, and knowledge-sharing, then you can understand that this book has everything to do with collection development in school libraries. With this premise, allow me to share some of the exciting theories and conclusions offered by this book.

This book is the result of the burning desire to reinvent the ELA classroom for the digital age. We are now well into an era that could be characterized as the fall of the ‘expert’. For example, the role of teacher is morphing from the ‘sage on the stage’ to the ‘guide on the side’- since information has become ubiquitous with the internet, teachers (experts) are no longer the gatekeepers to content (information), and instead, use their skills to enable students to productively, ethically, and creatively act upon a distributed network of expertise in a way that is meaningful for both the student and the global community to which the s/he is inextricably linked. This concept has huge ramifications for how schools and classrooms (and, indeed, libraries) work. Reinventing the ELA classroom, then, involves moving the knowledge culture toward the idea that, “no one knows everything, everyone knows something, all knowledge resides in humanity” Levy’s Collective Intelligence (as cited in Jenkins & Kelley, 2013, Loc 3609). In this paradigm, learning is not an individual, solitary pursuit- locating and using information is as important as knowing how to collaborate with others and generate new information from that process. In this context, it becomes clear that ELA is as much about writing as it is about reading; about consuming information, yes, but also creating it; about traditional literacy, but, crucially, also about the new media literacies. A library’s collection can either hamper this ‘new’ kind of learning, or propel it forward.

This is not a book aimed at librarians, per se. It is a book for educators though. And to the extent that a librarian resonates with the role of educator, it is a book for them. Digital curation, issues of copyright, reading motivation, and intellectual freedom are all explored from the lens of What would happen if school work aligned closer to out-of-school / informal learning experiences? This question is of great concern to school librarians who expect to remain useful. Reading in a Participatory Culture is a landmine of ideas, both disruptive and comforting, that will help librarians understand the larger forces at play with regard to transliteracy, and to integrate the values and logic of participatory culture into their collection.   

On eBooks in the Elementary School

Christopher Fluetsch

Hendricks, F. (2013). Ebooks in the elementary. Arkansas Libraries, 70 (1), 17.

Sun, T. (2014). Ebooks take hold - slowly. School Library Journal, 60 (12), 12.

Taylor, M. (2012). Digital reading: a look at a second grade class. School Library Monthly, 29 (2), 11-14.

Ebooks are a growing part of nearly every school library collection. Even libraries that do not intentionally invest in ebooks may find that physical copies come bundled with free e-versions of the text. There is as yet no widespread consensus on best practice uses for ebooks, but the literature on the subject is growing.

These three articles all address different aspects of ebook use. Sun’s article is a general overview. Hendricks provides us with a case study of her elementary school library. Taylor’s academic article addresses some of the literature on the subject to date before reporting on a specific second grade class.

According to Sun, ebook collection sizes are trending upwards. More than two-thirds of schools now offer ebooks of various kinds. Interestingly, such books are most often read on desktop computers, not on dedicated ebook readers or smart phones. In fact, school library collections tend to be directed towards classroom use and direct instruction, instead of pleasure reading or “flipped classroom” instructional models (Sun, 2014).

This corresponds to how Henricks describes ebooks in her school library. She reports a slow introduction of ebooks, along with parent and teacher directed training on accessing and using the books. At her school, students read ebooks using classroom devices like desktop computers and iPads. She has not yet seen much use of ebooks outside the classroom environment, but hopes to encourage such use in the future (Hendricks, 2013).

Taylor’s qualitative study looked specifically at how second grade students responded to ebooks. The study found that ebooks were about as popular as print texts with her subjects. They did not report much difference in preference, though ebooks read on computers were associated with positive feelings based on other computer activities. For instance, students who read an ebook on a computer on which they had previously played games felt more positively about the book than those who did not play the unrelated game (Taylor, 2013, 12).

Taylor specifically points out ways in which ebooks can be considered superior to print texts. Among these are the ability of students to share copies of the book more easily, the ability of ebooks to include audio components for second language and reluctant readers, and the ability of ebooks to be accessed from a variety of locations (Taylor, 2013, 13).

All three writers advocated for an expanded role for ebooks in the elementary school library, but from different points of view. All three article a useful starting points for a school librarian considering an ebooks collection.

Ebooks and the school library

Christopher Fluetsch

Lamb, A. & Johnson, L. (2014). EBooks and the school library. Teacher Librarian, 41 (3), 58-61.

The issue of whether to invest in a large ebook catalog is an important one for school libraries. Most school libraries function under severe funding constraints, and every purchase is an exercise in opportunity cost. The authors of this article offer some advice for making best practice ebook purchase decisions.

First, the authors strongly state that ebooks will not replace traditional print materials in most libraries. Instead, ebooks serve to supplement in those cases where it is more convenient or cost conscious to provide ebooks.

One case where ebooks work is in libraries with significant space and size restrictions. Useful, comprehensive  print collections can take up a lot of space, but ebook collections take up almost none. A school looking to turn the library into a learning commons might be attracted to the opportunity to eliminate the shelving needed to store a traditional collection.

Another case where ebooks make sense is when the desired book is out of print. There are a number of cases where ebook editions are still readily available, but actual print editions are only available through third party sellers.

Ebooks can be cheaper than print books, another major selling point for budget conscious school libraries. If a school library can buy twice as many ebooks as print books, it behoves the teacher librarian to strongly consider the benefits.

The authors encourage school libraries to partner with their local public libraries. The school librarian should think very carefully before duplicating the public library ebook collection. Instead, the school library should buy more specialized ebooks that are useful for the curriculum at that school, while leaving the best sellers to the public library.

Unfortunately, the article does not discuss any ethical issues with regard to access that ebooks can cause. Ebooks require an investment in ebook readers, and privileged students are more likely to have that kind of access. It would have been useful for the authors to discuss ways to make sure all student have equal access to the ebook collection.

Overall, this article is a useful introduction to the use of ebooks in school libraries.

Budgets Are Limited, Student Interests Are Not

Micka, Tracy

INFO266, Fall 2016

Bill Ferriter (2014, March 3). Is Stocking Library Shelves with Nonfiction Content a Waste of Money? [Web log post]. Retrived from http://teachingquality.org/content/blogs/bill-ferriter/stocking-library-shelves-nonfiction-content-waste-money

Summary:

The basic idea here is that when school libraries are pushed into a forced choice between developing their nonfiction section by either spending money on print or spending it on digital (and this IS the case for most libraries as there is never enough funding), then the author suggests digital - in the name of student choice, currency, relevance, and expediency. Putting it succinctly, the author explains the lack of digital access as a situation where students are “forced to study what they CAN study instead of what they WANT to study.”

My Comments:

I spent longer than I planned on this article because I read every last word, including all the reader comments. And then I read it again. I think this is one of the most important articles I’ve read for this assignment yet...particularly for what it says about connection development.

If our job is to open the world of nonfiction to students and enable them to be self-directed, lifelong learners, then I think digital content is a must, and probably preferential to print books, which are quickly outdated and, without an unlimited budget, cannot adequately cover a breadth of subjects for curious children. That last point on breadth of subject matter may be contestable- for there are ways to incorporate student choice into purchasing decisions, and there is the idea that the collection should be focused (narrowed) anyway by the unique needs of the school’s community and curriculum.

Still, it seems common sense to me to build up nonfiction collections with digital access. There are nuances to the argument, however, and the real gold here is in the comments section, where readers make of number of important objections and clarifications. Such points include the idea that young and reluctant readers benefit from the tactile experience of physical books; not all students have digital access at home, so they need print books; and most importantly- providing digital access is not enough- kids need information literacy instruction.

Ultimately, this article is about how to get more bang for your buck and Jennifer Henry’s comment  (titled “Cooperation & Innovation”) has some great points about connection development that might help those of us on a tight budget not feel so constricted by that forced choice.

Dewey Lite: Flippant or Forward Thinking?

Gattullo Marracolla, E. & Parrot, K. Dewey-lite: a solution to the nonfiction problem (PDF document). Retrieved from Institution Handouts: http://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/NI14Handouts/Dewey-Lite_Handout1.pdf

From a collection development standpoint, is reorganizing the school library using a system other than Dewey Decimal a good plan?  The 2014 ASLA Institute presentation, Dewey-lite: A Solution to the Nonfiction Problem, explains some of the potential benefits of this method, such as a significant rise in nonfiction circulation, better visibility of a wider variety of titles, and ultimately a patron-focused collection.  This presentation may be an oversimplification of these benefits, although this has become a trend across US children's libraries, as well as in Canada and others.  So what would one of these library collections look like?

First, nonfiction sections are broken up into, what is considered more intuitive categories such as these mentioned in the presentation from Darien Library,

• Create: which includes music, arts, gardening, dance, and cooking
• Then & Now: which includes geography, history, and current events
• Animals: which includes all living things prehistoric and currently living

Or these from the Metis system as mentioned in a School Library Journal 2012 article,

• Languages
• Humor
• Community
• Countries
• Machines
• Ourselves

When the reorganizing first takes place, sorting, organizing and weeding will likely take place too.  These new categories may bring unidentified collection needs to light and/or may help to address some needs that had been previously identified.  

Here is a look at this process in action, and the reaction afterward of two elementary school librarians in Ontario, Canada.  

J. Hasselberger

Spring 2016