Build Reading Enthusiasm with Student Book Awards

Amy Jessica McMillan

INFO 266

April 4, 2016

McCormack, J. J. (2014). Rock self-directed reading with student book awards. Library media connection, 32(4), 48-49.

Summary: McCormack is a K-6 librarian who runs an academy-awards-style book contest every year in her school library. Kids read as the spirit moves them--with guidance but not requirements from the teacher librarian and classroom teachers. Classes nominate favorite books, and the at the end of the year there is a special ceremony for winners. Students are the emcees. Winning books are stamped with a "Kids Choice" sticker and placed in prominent locations around the library.

Evaluation and Analysis: I think this plan would be a great way to build school-wide enthusiasm for reading with the caveat that the whole staff is on board to help. The secondary version would probably only require that the English department help with nominations and voting. Maybe each English class could nominate two titles and then there could be a school-wide vote using a Google form. I also like that students can read and nominate whatever they want. Teachers are not allowed to make value judgments about what students like to read. The students are in charge of what gets nominated and selected.

Modern Special Collections: Embracing the Future While Taking Care of the Past

Evans, M. R. (2015). Modern special collections: Embracing the future while taking care of the past. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 21(2), 116-128.

This article was highly informative because it addressed special collections, which I know very little about.  Evans, a librarian at Washington University in St. Louis, provides a very good primer and background on special collections, and in addition, offers a framework to archivists to ensure continued collection development and access for the next generation of users.  This strategy for modern special collections includes: collecting, connecting, collaborating, and community.  The bulk of the article goes in-depth into each concept, but Evans provides an overview, stating: “Collecting content from the past and the present and preparing for the future; Connecting with people through events, exhibits, and use of technology; Collaborating with immediate constituents and external entities such as other cultural institutions; Community: engaging the community that owns, supports, or serves the repository or creating a new community that will advocate for and donate to the repository” (p. 117).  Insofar as collecting, Evans advocates that archivists think in innovative ways, outside the box, that the materials include both physical and digital, and that collecting should be “in the now.”  The author acknowledges that special collections are the least understood and most overlooked part of a library, yet too can be the most valuable due to the rarity or uniqueness of the collection.  Unique entities in their own right, special collections are considered “microcosms of a library.”  If anyone has an interest in special collections, I highly recommend this article, for it articulates a vision of “managing forward,” which is about preserving the past, but also championing the future.

The Art of Change: The Impact of Place and the Future of Academic Art Library Collections

Falls, S., & Hatheway, H. (2015). The art of change: The impact of place and the future of academic art library collections. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 21(2), 185-195.

I found this to be an interesting article because it addresses art libraries, which are a subset of the larger libraries we study.  From my experience, they are rarely, if often, discussed.  This article explores two art libraries, the Fine Arts Library of the Ohio State University, and the Haas Arts Library at Yale University, and how over time the architecturally significant spaces they occupy have changed, and how this has impacted their collections.  The authors state that, “as subject specific collecting on campuses has been decentralized by collaborative collection development, consortial borrowing, and the quick availability of materials in both digital and print formats” (p. 185), the need for a physical space for research in the library has diminished.  Circulation at the Fine Arts Library has decreased over the years, in addition to less use by patrons.  One way the space has been repurposed is using it as an exhibit space.  A series of successful art exhibits were displayed in the library as a way to engage users.  The Haas Arts Library experienced the reverse, where because study space is at a premium on campus, the library has been inundated with students.  The library itself is not able to accommodate more materials, but having a study space for patrons, and providing specialized assistance to them, is deemed more important.  As both libraries are in a state of flux, there are no guaranteed answers, in regards to their collections, and their space.  The authors conclude that they “are further challenged to promote our space as one of many options to study for all disciplines, and remain the principle location to receive specialized help and guidance for arts research…In the future, at both institutions, a service model that balances the needs of the general library user with those of the special subject user is being investigated” (p. 193).

OERs and You

Amy Jessica McMillan

INFO 266

March 29, 2016

Valenza, J. (2016, Feb. 28). OER and you: The curation mandate. Neverending search. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/neverendingsearch/2016/02/28/oer-and-you-the-curation-mandate/

Summary: In this short blog post, Valenza gives an overview of #GoOpen, a U.S. Department of Education-endorsed initiative in favor of open education resources, and explains what this means for school librarians. According to OER Commons, "Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost" (qtd. in Valenza). Valenza challenges librarians to prepare themselves for this movement and to enhance it by curating quality OER collections in our schools. In other words, teacher librarians need to make OERs discoverable, select and curate appropriate resources, promote inquiry using OERs and preexisting purchases, and educate people about Creative Commons.

Evaluation and Analysis: OERs have the potential to make up the majority of our "connections" as school librarians, and possibly for other types of librarians as well. As noted by Valenza, OERs might be the "game changers" or our profession. Through OERs, students might really be able to access multiple perspectives and unlimited content without worrying about textbook biases or payment. I am particularly interested in Amazon Education's initiative to provide teachers with a database in which they can upload, search, and manage educational resources for free. Right now the #GoOpen initiative feels a bit disorganized and overwhelming, but the movement shows no signs of going away. In fact, it seems to be growing In her blog, Valenza writes, "It's our gig," when explaining why OERs need to be curated by librarians. I agree. School librarians can start now by adding OERs to their virtual learning commons and by publishing the best ones to staff and students.

Next Steps: I have already created a short list of OERs relevant to my K-12 school district. Click the link OER Source Page to see what I have so far. If you know of any I missed, please add to the comments below.

Are School Libraries Providing Adequate Collections of LGBTQ-Themed Literature?

Amy Jessica McMillan
INFO 266
March 29, 2016


Hughes-Hassell, S., Overberg, E., & Harris, S. (2013). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ)-Themed Literature for Teens: Are School Libraries Providing Adequate Collections? School Library Research, 1-18.

To read the whole report, go to the American Library Association's link here.

Summary: Researchers Hughes-Hassell, Overberg, and Harris set out to discover whether school libraries maintained adequate collections of lesbian, gay, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ)-related titles. According to the authors of the study, a typical high school's LGBTQ population is about 5.9 percent of the total population. Therefore, there should be at least that percentage of LGBTQ-related books in a school library collection. However, researchers found that LGBTQ-themed titles made up an average of only .4 percent of the collections studied. This was true for literature, as a well as nonfiction. Reasons given for this discrepancy included possible biases held by librarians or fears of repercussions by communities perceived to be "anti-gay."

Hughes-Hassell et al., endorsed increasing LGBTQ-related collections in school libraries, citing Article V of the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, which states, "A person's right to use the library shall not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background or views." They also cited several studies in which LGBTQ-themed books were found to have positive impacts on readers in the midst of the "identity formation" stage of adolescence. 

Ultimately, while Hughes-Hassell et al. acknowledged the barriers to building LGBTQ-related school library collections, they encouraged librarians to equip themselves with the "courage, honesty, and fortitude" necessary to do so anyway. In their view, a robust and diverse collection will "open up a world of understanding to other students, teachers, and administrators," who may soon become "allies and advocates."


Evaluation and Analysis: One aspect of this study that I found very interesting was the authors' use of LGBTQ book lists for teenagers, particularly from the book Webber's (2010) Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning Teen Literature. I recommend opening the link to this study in order to see the books the researchers recommend. I noticed the study was published shortly after California's FAIR Education Act (2011), which mandated the inclusion of LGBTQ-related content into the curriculum. In California at least, the situation may be improving in response to that legislation. Finally, as a middle school teacher, I wonder what LGBTQ-related titles are appropriate for younger adolescents. This study focused solely on high school students, and I would argue that middle school students have different needs than older teenagers.

The Collaboration of Libraries, Archives and Museums

Megan Hamby
INFO 266
March 24, 2016

Novia. J. (2012). Library, archival and museum (LAM) collaboration: Driving forces and recent trends. Endnotes, 3(1), 1-10.

This paper focuses on the importance of collaboration between libraries, archives and museums as well as the benefits not only for the institutions, but for the patrons. Libraries, archives and museums can all build on each others collections and by working together, they share a wealth of information with their patrons. This paper also discusses collection development and how archives and libraries must choose what to digitize while museums are able to digitize and upload an entire exhibit for users. Other issues addressed include funding and support between libraries, archives and museums as well as the importance of a relationship between the three which would aid collection development and management.

This paper was interesting because the collaboration between libraries, archives and museums are not uncommon nowadays. Many libraries have archival materials in their holdings and even occasionally host exhibitions. Museums utilize both archival and library materials for exhibitions and all three use similar collection management systems and have outreach programs to draw in more patrons and visitors.

Connection + Collaboration = Successful Integration of Technology in a Large High School: Formula for Success

Mitchell, Ruth

Lankau, Louise. (2015). Connection + collaboration = successful integration of technology in a large high school: Formula for success.  Knowledge Quest, 44(2), 66-73.

This article focuses on ways to use technology in the high school learning commons to create connections.  It recognizes that the library media teacher is co-teaching with a few teachers and has connected students to the subscription databases but that there is more to do.  It encourages the library media teacher to continue to connect with more teachers through school leaders such as administrators, instructional coaches, and respected teachers.

The author recommends two technology tools:  Symbaloo and QR codes.  Both of these tools can be used in the learning commons and created for teachers for use in the classroom.  She also offers strategies for meeting with department leaders and a variety of services you can support them with. This article subscribes specific strategies to make you, the library media teacher, the best resource available.