Self Evaluation of School Libraries in the USA

Self Evaluation of School Libraries in the USA
Dr. Nancy Everhart Florida State University

Good afternoon!

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Topical Outline
 Advantages of a national self-evaluation model  Similarities and differences of school libraries in the U.S. and Portugal  School library evaluation in the U.S.
 National  State

 Similarities and differences in relation to the auto-evaluation model  Possible next steps

Congratulations!

“The School Libraries Network in Portugal”
Jeremy Saunders School Libraries in View Issue 22: Spring 2006

How are school libraries alike and how are they different in the USA and Portugal?

Universal truths
 We want teacher-librarians and school libraries to make a difference.  We want students to become lifelong learners.  We want school libraries and teacherlibrarians to be valued.  Evidence and evaluation are so very important.

First Lady Laura Bush
former teacher-librarian

Recent newspaper headlines
 Officials Defend Cuts for Dayton Schools. November 15, 2006. Dayton Daily News (Ohio)  Librarian Protests Provo District Cuts. May 8, 2006. Desert News (Utah)  After Budget Cuts, Aides Running School Libraries. September 2, 2008. The Arizona Republic (Arizona)  In Parents’ Book, Library Cuts Go Too Far. December 23, 2007. Los Angeles Times (California)

Advantages of a national evaluation model
 Describe institutional characteristics  Enlist cooperation from administrators and faculty  Understand changes in user behavior  Compare information from peer institutions  Identify best practices  Increase assessment capacity

National

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics Schools and Staffing Survey – School Libraries

 Longitudinal survey  School Libraries Count!  2007 & 2008  Health of school library media programs

Staff Activities

Hours Open Per Week

Collections

Computers

Visits

Expenditures

Schools and Staffing Survey School Libraries
School library media center surveys are designed to obtain information about the amount and experience of library staff, and the organization, expenditures, and collections of the library media center.

Research

Achievement data
 Hours of endorsed library media specialists per 100 students Total LMC staff per 100 students Weekly LMC visits per student Weekly circulation per student Net loan rate Interlibrary loans per 100 circulations ratio Time spent in leadership Time spent in collaboration         Volumes per student Print subscriptions per 100 students Video material per 100 students Computer software per 100 students Print materials expenditures per student Electronic format expenditures per student Non-print materials expenditures per student Total operating expenditures per student

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Self-Evaluation Instruments
Examples by States

ExC3EL – Expectations for Collaboration, Collections, and Connections to Enhance Learning: A Program Evaluation Rubric

Components
 Instruction  Curriculum assessment/support  Resource management  Program administration  Environment

Instructional Support
1 Materials, reserve collections, bibliographies, etc. are occasionally provided. 2 Materials, reserve collections, bibliographies, websites, etc. are occasionally provided or when requested. 3 Materials, reserve collections, bibliographies, websites, etc. are provided in conjunction with collaborative planning. 4 Systematic consultations and planning occur with instructional design team and/or curriculum council to ensure maximum use of LMC resources and staff development sessions offered by or coordinated through LM program

Achieving Exemplary School Libraries: School Library Media Program Recommendations and Evaluation Rubrics

Components
         Collaborative planning Flexible scheduling Resources Reading Data collection Decision-making committees Advisory committees Staffing, funding and facilities Faculty, student, and administrator survey

Reading
  Exemplary - Objective 4 is exceeded. The media center professional staff are actively involved with the planning and implementation of the school’s reading initiatives, events, and activities. At the elementary level more that 75 percent of students participate in one or more reading events or activities throughout the year. At the secondary level, more than 30 percent of students participate in one or more reading events or activities throughout the year. The LMC professional staff report regularly to the school and district leadership data showing the effect of the reading initiatives, events, and activities on student reading attitudes and achievement

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School Library Media Program Evaluation Rubric

Components
 Professional staff  Support staff  Facilities  Climate  Collection  Scheduling  Collaborative planning  Collaborative teaching and learning  Library automation  Technology for instruction and access  Networking  Budget  Administrative support  Professional development  Advisory committee

Facilities
Non-existent In progress NO SCHOOL LIBRARY. Do not complete rest of form. Basic Proficient Exemplary Library space Library space Large, flexible Very large, arranged accommodate library facility flexible library traditionally s whole class. with space facility with with large Limited space and furniture space and tables for and furniture available for furniture for whole class for simultaneous simultaneous instruction. No simultaneous whole class, scheduling of space for class, small small group, multiple simultaneous group, and and individual groups of whole class individual use. use. At least students. and individual two groups Production student use. able to work in space, library at the presentation same time. space, and flexibility in design provided in the library.

What Evidence do Principals Use to Evaluate Teacher- Librarians?
Relationships to the National Model

Most Prominent Forms of Evidence

1. Informal visits 2. Faculty interviews 3. Examine student work for evidence of library use 4. Student interviews 5. Library use reports 6. Standardized test scores 7. Teacher lesson plans

8. Librarian lesson plans 9. Faculty Surveys 10. Non-teaching observation 11. Circulation Reports 12. Teaching observation 13. Budget reports 14. Student surveys

When you visit the library informally what leads you to believe that appropriate activities are happening?
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Students are “actively engaged” with books or technology Librarian is interacting with teachers and students Organized, clean, inviting environment Variety of materials available Relevant displays Students are borrowing books

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When you visit the library informally what strikes you that appropriate activities are not ongoing?
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The library is empty Materials in poor condition Students doing busy work Students made to feel unwelcome Materials going unused

When you examine student work for evidence of library use, what do you look for?
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References students have consulted Work that supports the school’s goals A literary quality to writing Presenting results of inquiry in a variety of ways

What types of informal interviews do
you conduct with students to get a feeling that the library is operating effectively?

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Asks students, “What are you reading?” Asks students, “What did you learn in the library today?” Asks students, “Does the library have good books?” Asks students, “Can you find what you need in the library?”

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What types of informal interviews do you conduct with faculty to determine if the library is operating effectively?
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Tries to find out how knowledgeable the librarian is Looks to see if teachers are enthusiastic about taking their classes to the library Asks teachers if they feel that staff development activities conducted by the librarian are useful Tries to determine how extensively the library is being used

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How are we alike and how are we different generally in relation to school library evaluation?

How are we alike and how are we different specifically in relation to the self-evaluation model?

How are we alike?

Areas being assessed
 Support for curriculum development  Reading and literacy  Projects, partnerships, and free activities open to the community  Management of the school library

How are we different?

Areas being assessed
 Support for curriculum development  Reading and literacy  Projects, partnerships, and free activities open to the community  Management of the school library

Overall impressions
 Richness of evidence  Instructions on what to do after evidence is collected  Faculty and community involvement  Reflection  Other

Next steps
 Link to research  Dissemination  Best practices  Collaboration  Web 2.0

Share Your Story
Ask Your Questions

Contact Information
Nancy Everhart [email protected] (also on facebook)

Project LEAD ci.fsu.edu/projectlead