1. What is the Future of Libraries in Chinook’s Edge? Re-envisioning Libraries for the 21 st Century

2. What Are the Issues?  Some of our libraries exist as islands, not connected strongly to learning.

3. What Are the Issues O The majority of our library staff were hired with no training for their role.

4. What Are the Issues?  The digital age provides instant access to current information.

5. What Are the Issues?  Libraries are easy targets when budgets are tight.

6. When We Think About a Library… O What do we think of… O http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufu5sqJ h24Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufu5sqJ h24Q

7. So Why Bother?  Research indicates that strong library programs:  support student literacy and school-wide literacy initiatives  positively impact student learning and achievement  encourage and support self-initiated inquiry.

8. Transforming Libraries  Globally, progressive libraries are moving toward the learning commons concept of flexibility, so activities and spaces in the library and on the library’s web site are flexible in design to accommodate a variety of learning activities; e.g., collaborative community space, a coffee house concept.

9. How is This Good for Kids?  A school library learning commons supports ongoing critical thinking, inquiry, action research, interdisciplinary learning and brain-based learning.  A learning commons becomes a place of active learning in real-time or online with project, problem-based, experiential, and cooperative learning that is ideally coordinated by a teacher-librarian.

10. What Does it Look Like  Elizabeth Rummel School video http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=play er_detailpage&v=EpwhQYafNp4

11. How Will We Get There? By engaging in a visioning process.  What Does a Quality Learning Environment Look Like in a Contemporary Library and How Does This Support Tomorrow’s Learner?

12. Visioning, To What End?  A vision statement that guides our division… O That provides in-depth research O That helps to inform decision making O That helps to inform other procedures as well (budgeting, hiring, training) O That helps to align with Alberta Education (SLSI) O That helps in transforming libraries to foster a quality learning environment O That supports tomorrow’s learner

13. March 5 th – Innisfail