School Libraries Matter

How? Research studies prove that a strong school library program administered by a professional librarian improves academic achievement in schools

Why? School librarians can make a difference in the improvement of standardized reading test scores

Baughman Study “Of all the expenditures that influence a school’s effectiveness – including those for facilities, teachers, guidance services, and others – the level of expenditures for library and media services has the highest correlation with student achievement.” - James C. Baughman

Baughman Study Results At each grade level schools with library programs have higher scores students score higher on tests when there is a higher per pupil book count schools with increased student use have higher scores

Baughman Study Results Elementary schools students score higher on tests when there is a library instruction program average scores are higher in schools with larger per pupil expenditures for school library materials students who are served by a full-time school librarian have higher scores than those in schools without a full-time librarian students score higher on tests when the library is aligned with the state curriculum frameworks

Baughman Study Results Middle schools students score higher on tests when there is a library instruction program average scores are higher in schools with larger per pupil expenditures for school library materials High schools students who are served by a full-time school librarian have higher scores than those in schools without a full-time librarian

Lance Studies Having endorsed (certified) librarians at schools positively impacts student reading scores on standardized tests much more than any other library staffing option

Lance Studies Results Negative impact of losing librarians due to budget cuts fewer librarians translated to lower performance - or a slower rise in scores - on standardized tests the increase in scores of states that gained librarians was two times that of states that lost librarians states that gained librarians from 2004–2005 to 2008–2009—such as New Jersey, Tennessee, and Wyoming—showed significantly greater improvements in fourth-grade reading scores than states that lost librarians, like Arizona, Massachusetts, and Michigan

Lance Studies Results Librarians have an impact separate from classroom teachers lower reading scores can’t be blamed on cuts to other school staff regardless of whether there were fewer classroom teachers schoolwide, students in states that lost librarians tended to have lower reading scores—or had a slower rise on standardized tests—than those in states that gained librarians

Schools with the largest percentage of lower unsatisfactory reading scores in 2011 and lower increases in that figure between 2005 and 2011 (34%) were those that gained an endorsed librarian during the interval Lance Colorado Study Results

School library programs that were not managed by endorsed librarians—whether the alternative was a non-endorsed librarian or library assistant—had no measurable association with CSAP reading scores Lance Colorado Study Results

The Value of a Media Specialist According to Information Power, a media specialist is a teacher an instructional partner an information specialist a program administrator Mission: To ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information

Media Specialists are Curriculum experts who can help your school to integrate state standards Collaborators who can support teacher instruction Resources for professional development for teachers by providing in-service training Information literacy experts

Together we can improve student achievement in our school With children in mind, Your Media Specialist

Resources American Association of School Librarians and Association for Educational Communications and Technology. (2009). Empowering learners; Guidelines for School Library Media Programs. Chicago: American Library Association. Anderson, M. (1999). Information Power: Because Student Achievement Is the Bottom Line. Multimedia Schools, 6(2), Retrieved from c5a6447b27bf%40sessionmgr111&hid=8&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ c5a6447b27bf%40sessionmgr111&hid=8&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ Baughman, J. (2000, October) School Libraries and MCAS Scores. Retreived March 3, 2013 from libraries/Baughman%20Paper.pdfhttp://web.simmons.edu/~baughman/mcas-school- libraries/Baughman%20Paper.pdf Boehm P. The New AASL Program Guidelines for School Library Programs. School Library Monthly [serial online]. September 2009;26(1): Available from: Professional Development Collection, Ipswich, MA. Accessed March 7, Retrieved from Curry, K. (2000). How School Librarians Help Kids Achieve Standards The Second Colorado Study. Library Research Service. Retrieved March 8, 2013, from Dickinson, G. K. (2009). What Do We Do with the Guidelines?. Library Media Connection, 28(1), Retrieved from c5a6447b27bf%40sessionmgr111&vid=3&hid=15&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=lfh&AN= c5a6447b27bf%40sessionmgr111&vid=3&hid=15&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=lfh&AN= Francis, B. (2011). The Impact of Library Media Specialists on Students and How It Is Valued by Administrators and Teachers: Findings from the Latest Studies in Colorado and Idaho. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 55(4), Hartzell, G. (2012). WHY DOESN'T SCHOOL LIBRARY IMPACT RESEARCH HAVE MORE INFLUENCE ON SCHOOL LEADERS?. Library Media Connection,31(2), Kaplan, A. G. (2008). Is Your School Librarian 'Highly Qualified'?. Education Digest, 73(7), dea3d26430%40sessionmgr115&hid=7 Lance, K., & Hofschire, L. (2012). Change in School Librarian Staffing Linked with Change in CSAP Reading Performance, 2005 to 2011.Denver, CO: Colorado State Library, Library Research Service. Retrieved on March 4, 2013 from Lance, K., & Hofschire, L. (2011, September 1). Something to Shout About: New research shows that more librarians mean higher reading scores. School Library Journal. Retrieved on March 4, 2013 from Morris, B. J. (2005). The Emerging School Library Media Center From the Past into the Future. Knowledge Quest, 33(5), Scholastic. (2007). School Libraries Work! Scholastic: Research and Results. Retrieved February 27, 2013 from Todd, R. J., Gordon, C. A., & Lu, Y. (2011, September). One Common Goal: Student Learning Executive Summary of Findings and Recommendations of the New Jersey School Library Survey Phase 2. New Jersey Association of School Librarians. Retrieved March 12, 2013, from content/NJ_study/Phase2_ExecSum.pdfhttp:// content/NJ_study/Phase2_ExecSum.pdf Young Jr., T.E. (2005). BETTER DATA…BETTER DECISIONS. Library Media Connections, 23(4), dea3d26430%40sessionmgr115&hid=101