Demonstrating Value The School Library Media Specialist Joel Shoemaker LIS 793 March 1, 2015

Early Cuts / Early Studies 0 “During the height of ‘social contract’ negotiations in 1992, the Ontario Public School Board Association offered up the teacher-librarian job category as one in which costs could be lowered by replacing educationally qualified staff with para-professionals.” (Gilbert, 1995) 0 Once dedicated money for school libraries lost & some state requirements dropped in 1980s (Lance, 2010) 0 Early studies, “mostly experimental in nature” (Lance, 2010)

Colorado Study (Glick, 1998) 0 data from published in examined teacher-student ratios, low-income students, size of collections, student interactions with staff 0 correlated data with Iowa Test of Basic Skills

Other Lance Studies (Lance, 2002) 0 Alaska (2000) 0 Pennsylvania (2000) 0 Second Colorado Study (2000) 0 Oregon (2001) 0 Iowa (2002) 0 New Mexico (2002) 0 Illinois (2005)

Powerful Libraries Make Powerful Learners: The Illinois Study (Lance, 2005) 0 Fall 2003 – 657 schools surveyed 0 hours of operation (10%/11%/6%/5%) 0 staff & staff activities (13%/8%/7%/5%) 0 library collection (8%/8%/14%/4%) 0 educational technology (8%/8%/11%/5%) 0 library expenditures (5%/9%/12%/7%) 0 library usage (6%/11%/10%/5%) 0 ISAT (5 and 8), PSAE (11), ACT (11)

Ways to Demonstrate Our Value 0 surveys 0 test scores 0 census data 0 testimonial/anecdotal evidence - "Now, remember one time when the school library really helped you. Write about the help that you got, and what you were able to do because of it.“ – (Todd, 2005) 0 focus groups (Dent, 2006) 0 continuum – “The single best criterion for evaluating a library program is, given the context, do the choices that have been made serve to maximize the time spent teaching by the teacher librarian.” – (Lee, 2011)

A Continuum for Evaluating Impact (Lee, 2011) 0 library’s role in school 0 teacher-librarian’s role in school 0 instruction 0 program 0 administration 0 finance 0 four levels of exemplary libraries – none at level four, considered the “ideal”

Questions? 0 Dent, V. F. (2006). Observations of school library impact at two rural Ugandan schools. New Library World, 107(9), doi: 0 Gilbert, J. (1995). Future fears and actions (Halton Roman Catholic Separate school board replaced its teacher librarians with librarians and its teacher-librarians in its elementary schools with library technicians). Quill & Quire, 61(3), 21. Retrieved from 0 Glick, A. (1998). Colorado researchers will repeat landmark study showing benefits of school libraries. School Library Journal,44(11), 15. Retrieved from 0 Lance, K. C. (2002). How school librarians leave no child behind: The impact of school library media programs on academic achievement of U.S. public school students. School Libraries in Canada, 22(2), 3-6. Retrieved from Lance, K. C., Rodney, M. J. & Hamilton-Pennell, C. (2005). Powerful libraries make powerful learners: The Illinois study. Illinois School Library Media Association. Retrieved from 0 Lance, K. C. (2010). Motivations and research model [Chapter 2]. The Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement: Exploring the School Library Impact Studies. Retrieved from 0 Lee, E. A., & Klinger, D. A. (2011). Against the flow: A continuum for evaluating and revitalizing school libraries. School Libraries Worldwide, 17(1), Retrieved from Todd, R. J. & Kuhlthau, C. C. (2005). Student learning through Ohio school libraries, part 1: How effective school libraries help students. School Libraries Worldwide, 11(1), Retrieved from online.org/advocacy/make-a-difference.htmlhttp://iasl- online.org/advocacy/make-a-difference.html