a five-year program enhancement plan for a secondary...

A Five-Year Program Enhancement Plan

For A Secondary School’s

Library and Information Program

Alice M. Cantwell LIS 585

Winter Quarter March 14, 2001

Table of Contents

Introduction to Current Library and Information Programs ........................................................... 3

The Five-Year Plan for Program Enhancement .............................................................................. 4

Library Program.......................................................................................................................... 4

Library Curriculum ..................................................................................................................... 4

Appendix A: Five Year Plan Overview ........................................................................................ 10

Appendix B: Five Year Plan Goals and Objectives ...................................................................... 13

Appendix C: One Year Plan Goals, Objectives, and Action Strategies....................................... 15

Appendix D: Five Year Plan Budget ........................................................................................... 18

Appendix E: SLJ Book Cost List ................................................................................................. 20

EDITORIAL ............................................................................................................................. 20

Dead Trees and Wooden Nickels.............................................................................................. 20

Appendix F: Five Year Budget by Subject .................................................................................. 22

A FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT PLAN

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Introduction to Current Library and Information Programs

The library media center strives to meet the needs of the school community in which it

resides. It offers its community an extended day, a place for meetings, and scheduled activities

through out the year. Services offered to the school clientele include training, a voice in

collection development and weeding, and a voice in periodical selection. As a result, the

collection reflects the school community and the curriculum. Lesson plans are developed in

collaboration with teachers to address the library curriculum within the realms of the classroom

curriculum. Currently the library program provides access to technology through a fully updated

lab as well as six computers within the library media center (four with Internet connection). The

teacher librarian employs a professional staff that understands their role as part of a team. All of

these together build a strong library media program

Although the program remains strong, with the ever-changing dimensions of technology

and information, the library school media center needs to remain both flexible and dynamic. At

this school this library program already fulfills this need. However, a close examination and

analysis of the program reveals six areas of focus that need to be addressed in the next five years

to further enhance and strengthen the program—Library Programs with an ongoing evaluation,

Library Curriculum with emphasis on integrating freshman orientation into the classroom

curriculum, Recreational Reading promotion program, Job Descriptions for all staff including

students, and a built- in-ongoing Five-Year Plan evaluation and appendage.


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The Five-Year Plan for Program Enhancement

Library Program

The school mission clearly states that the school “will provide every member of its

community with the opportunity to develop to his/her potential.” To fulfill this part of the

mission, the school library program will include the goal to continually build the library program

in relation to the need of the school community. The objective is to evaluate and list the

strengths and weaknesses of the current program as a basis for deciding upon future library

program changes. This is an ongoing process that takes place two times within a school year. At

the end of the first semester and then again at the end of the school year, the teacher librarian

decides to continue to offer successful programs and then identifies and uses the weaknesses to

clarify the need for any change to existing programs or the need for all new programs.

Establishing this process in the five year plan ensures its undertaking on a regularly scheduled

basis and demonstrates a self-reflective and flexible program that meets the needs of its users.

The only expense incurred with this action if the budgeting of twelve hours per year for the

teacher librarian with a total of 60 hours over the full five year plan).

Library Curriculum

Currently in the freshman orientation, students complete worksheets by locating

information in print or in databases (Catalog, SIRS, and Proquest) and writing the information on

the sheet. The information found does not relate to the classroom curriculum. These worksheets

serve as mere fill in the facts information. A strong goal is to integrate the library freshman

orientation with classroom curriculum and then have students demonstrate application of learned

skills through a project or report. The process takes place in a two-pronged approach. The first

prong takes place in the fall when students come into the library to become familiar with the

facility and receive Internet Policy instruction. The second prong takes place in the second


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quarter when students come back to the library classes that integrate electronic resources into

their class curriculum. Detailed action strategies for the first year can be found in Appendix C.

Integrating the curriculum into the orientation process and following with both revisit,

reinforce, and expand strategies promotes constructivist leaning. The integration further makes

the library media center part of the core curriculum and reinforces the school mission’s emphasis

on providing a strong core curriculum. Since this part of the program involves technology, the

two programs remain merged for the first year (see Appendix B for visual timeframe of the five

year plan). Targeting the freshmen class allows for the largest number of students in a single

grade to be served and set the stage for the following years. Once the plan is developed it will

continue on a basic level and does not reappear in the five-year plan until year five when a

revisit/evaluation of the program takes place. Revamping the freshmen curriculum requires a

budget of $700 and twenty-seven hours of staff time. Since the revamping of the program

requires the cooperation of teachers to integrate the material, a budge amount of $25 has been set

aside to provide snacks at meeting (Appendix D and E).

Technology Tools

First, as technology grows information also grows. The school library media within the

next year needs to address the use of technology as a tool as part of the library curriculum.

Currently students use the technology lab attached to the library however, currently no one

teaches classes in this room. Access to electronic resources takes place mostly on four

computers within the library media center. The Technology Tool portion takes place in small

portions over the entire five-year plan—Freshmen Orientation, Information Resources,

Technology, Teacher Web Pages, and Multimedia. The goal of the program is to promote

effective use of ideas and information by blending technology into the library program. The


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objective is to develop resources fliers and handbooks to serve as guides in using electronic

sources of information.

The program begins with the development of a single sheet procedural handout on

electronic information access for the district and public libraries, Proquest , and the Internet. The

handouts will be distributed and used by freshmen as part of a class. Changes that need to be

made to the form will be documented. During the second semester the handouts will be

rewritten and printed. The printed handouts will be placed in a rack near the computers in the

library, in teachers’ mailboxes, and in binders that will reside next to each computer in the lab.

The second year of the program includes updating the library web page so it can be used

as a resource. In year three a class for teachers will be held and the enticement of snacks will be

provided. During this time the teachers also have the option of having a student help them create

the web page. These web pages serve as the teacher’s and librarian’s information resource when

the class works in the library and also lightens the load of the teacher librarian in trying to find

and bookmark specific sites. Year five entails collaborating with teachers to build lesson plans

that integrate multimedia into the learning process. Again this program works in conjunction

with the Library Curriculum program in years one and three. The expense over five years is

$696 and twenty hours of time.

Most importantly, this program addresses the mission of the school library media

program in ensuring “that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information.”

Furthermore, the program in conjunction with the Library Curriculum provides the skills and

resources needed for information literacy. A teacher librarian participating in this program also

fulfills the role of information manager/officer.


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Recreational Reading

Another area addressed immediately for enhancement is the promotion of recreational

reading. Although the library continues to increase its recreational periodicals as educational

articles become available online, no other promotion of recreational is currently being made at

this time. Since the collection leans heavily towards supporting the curriculum, most students

check out the nonfiction and fiction books only as part of a class assignment. To address this

problem, a goal to develop and promote reading is set and the objective is set to build the fiction

and biography collection along with using a student committee to assess and make

recommendations for a recreational reading program.

In the first year this entails soliciting teachers as volunteers to help weed the fiction and

biography collection. This event with snacks will take place in the second semester. During

May and June of the first years, solicitations for titles for the collection will be accepted from

teachers and students. These solicited titles will be evaluated and an authoritative source will be

used to develop the collection further. The library clerk will order the books at the end of the

year so the district office may process them over the summer.

In the second year, booktalks will take place in the classrooms and students who express

an interest in a book will be provided with the title immediately in exchange for their name on a

piece of paper. This method puts the books in the hands of the students immediately with the

hope of promoting recreational reading. During year three a student committee will be

established to develop a plan to promote recreational reading. The group will consist of a

mixture of recruited students and volunteers. This committee allows students to develop and

employ leadership and team skills as fulfillment of the school mission. Furthermore, it serves to

empower the students with ownership of the library and collection. Only library staff will be


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allowed to oversee the group and the teacher librarian has the final say. Year four set the

complete program in motion with the implementation of the committees plan.

The purpose of this program is to meet a need currently missing in the library media

program. It promotes the role of the teacher librarian as a promoter and guide for reading. Often

this role is overlooked in the secondary setting. Hopefully, the program will also help students

develop a life long love for learning and reading.

Job Descriptions

Since the first two years focus on curriculum that directly impacts students and staff, they

take priority over this program. The Job Description program entails identifying and establishing

written job descriptions for the library staff (this includes students). The objective is to develop

a policy/job handbook that clarifies the roles and duties of each library staff member. It serves as

a written policy to support the staff and for the student assistants it outlines their duties and

obligations as well as their grading criteria.

The process begins in the third year in developing a description for library student

assistants. The fourth year moves into the clerk’s duties and then in the fifth year an examination

of the teacher librarian role. The written job descriptions serve as insurance when problems arise

and as a reference for future employees who may arrive on the job after an employee leaves. It

also helps with guidelines for training new staff. Developing the job description helps improve

the library function by defining roles but does not impact student or teacher on a high level so no

funding was designated to its development. Regular on the clock school time will be used to

complete the task.

Five Year Plan

A five-year plan serves an excellent purpose in moving a program forward. However, if

the plan remains set only for a specified five-year period, then the needs of the clientele may


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suffer. For this reason this five year plan includes the five-year plan as a program component.

Writing it into the plan helps ensure it will be carried out. The goal is to create a dynamic,

rolling five-year plan with a futuristic view. The objective is to evaluate the five-year plan at the

end of every school year to allow for changes in the plan and to add a new additional year so the

plan always looks ahead by five years. It is important that five-year plans remain dynamic rather

than static for the library media program itself is a dynamic program.

The role of the teacher librarian is one of information manager. Information currently is

multiplying at great rates and the teacher librarian needs to look ahead to the future of

information. By looking ahead, the program has a better chance of meeting the clientele’s needs.

Furthermore, yearly revisit of the plan plus the development of a new year will press the program

forward into the future preparing a path and enabling students and staff to be effective users of

ideas and information. The only cost incurred in the five year plan program involves fifty hours

of time over the five years.

Conclusion

The library media center represents a living, growing, integrated program that serves as

an essential component of the school. It has been carefully crafted over the years to serve the

staff and students, it helps fulfill the mission of the school and it helps fulfill the mission of the

school library media program. Within the walls of the school resides a school library media

center with a signature program. The recommendation set forth in this document serves to

enhance this program further and to meet the future needs of the school community.


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Appendix A: Five Year Plan Overview

Library Programs

Library Curriculum

Technology Tool Recreational Reading

Job Description Five Year Plan

Year One Freshman Orientation Collection Development

Year Two Information Resource

Book Talks

Year Three

Technology Student Committee Student Assistants

Year Four Teacher pages Implement student plans

Clerical

Year Five

Evaluation

Revisit/Evaluate Multimedia Teacher Librarian

Evaluation and

Planning

Program Details

v LIBRARY PROGRAM

• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the program in terms of meeting the needs of the school community. • Completed each year at the end of the school year by the teacher librarian.

v LIBRARY CURRICULUM

Year One--Freshman Orientation • First Quarter:

Map and Internet Policy instruction (2 days in library) —If student returns consent form and has completed assignment by the second day, then student may

access the internet).


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• Second Quarter: Electronic information access class (3 days in technology lab) Lesson One: District Union Catalog and Local Public Library Catalog Lesson Two: Proquest Direct Database

Lesson Three: Internet • Fourth Quarter:

Research Paper (15 days in library and technology lab—see Appendix C for details) Year Five

• Revisit freshmen material to evaluate its effectiveness and to revise as necessary.

v TECHNOLOGY Year One

• First Quarter: Collaborate with teachers of freshmen English and Social Studies to outline curriculum ties for Technology component.

• Second Quarter: As part of freshmen curriculum, develop and evaluate handouts and fliers as resource for using electronic information resources.

• Fourth Quarter: Refine handouts and fliers based on how freshmen use them in conjunction with their research report.

Year Two • All quarters

Create and update the library’s web page to allow it to serve as an information resource. Year Three

• Develop through collaboration lesson plans integrating technology. Year Four

• Hold class for teachers to allow them to create a subject web page to serve as an information resource. If they desire, they may consult/recruit students to help build the page.

Year Five • Implements collaboratively built lesson plans and teach and integrate multimedia into the process.


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v RECREATIONAL READING

Year One • Collection Development—Weed and rebuild collection.

Year Two • Visit classrooms giving booktalks and passing books out to student’s who are interested the subject/theme. • Year Three • Create a student committee to develop a plan to promote recreational reading. • Year Four • Implement committee plan per budget allocation.

v JOB DESCRIPTION

• Develop job description and policy handbook for student assistants. • Define clerical classification • Define Teacher librarian classification. • Develop handbook for each position.

v FIVE YEAR PLAN

• Evaluate the five-year plan at the end of every year and to append with an addition new year with a futuristic view.


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Appendix B: Five Year Plan Goals and Objectives

Goal--Library Programs To continually build the library program in relation to the needs of the school

community. Objective

Evaluate and list the strengths and weaknesses of the current program as a basis for deciding upon future library program changes.

Supports the mission of the school “to provide opportunity to develop his/her potential” by developing and evaluating programs that meet the needs of the clientele (students) and staff.

Goal--Library Curriculum To integrate the library freshmen orientation with classroom curriculum and then to

demonstrate application of learned skills through a project or report.

Objective Create a two-prong lesson with first prong relating to the library’s physical facility and Internet policy and the second prong using classroom curriculum as the base for teaching electronic information skills.

Promotes constructivist learning by providing curriculum that students can relate to their classroom learning base. Addresses the school mission of providing opportunities for learning and skill development “through strong core curriculum...” The integration further makes the library media program part of the core curriculum rather than an addendum to it.

Goal--Technology Tool To promote effective use of ideas and information by blending technology into the library

program. Objective

Develop resource fliers and handbooks to serve as guides in using electronic sources of information.

This goal addresses the mission of the school library media program in ensuring “that students…are effective users of ideas and information.” This program also provides the skills and resources to develop information literacy.


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Goal--Recreational Reading To develop and promote recreational reading.

Objective Build the fiction and biography collection along with using a student committee to assess and make recommendations for a recreational reading program.

The purpose of this program is to meet a need currently lacking in the library program. Furthermore, it meets the role of the teacher librarian as a promoter and guide for reading. Often this role is overlooked in the secondary setting. Promotes a life long love of learning. The establishment of a student committee is to empower students through the process for them to claim the changes as their part of the library.

Goal--Job Descriptions

To identify and establish written job descriptions for library staff. Objective Develop a policy/job handbook to clarify roles and duties for student assistants,

clerks, teacher librarian and other library staff as appropriate.

Written job descriptions serve as insurance when problems arise and furthermore serve as a reference to future employees who may come to the job when one of the current staff leave. The student description serves as a written clarification so the student knows his or her responsibilities and grading requirements.

Goal--Five Year Plan To create a dynamic, rolling five-year plan with a futuristic view. Objective Evaluate the five-year plan at the end of every school year making necessary

changes to the current plan as well as writing a new additional year so the plan always looks ahead by five years.

One of the roles as a teacher librarian is one of information manager. With information growing at a rapid rate, the teacher librarian needs to always look to the future. Make the evaluation and appending of the five-year plan as part of the plan sets in place a system of ensuring this.


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Appendix C: Year One Plan Goals, Objectives, and Action Strategies

Goal--Library Programs To continually build the library program in relation to the needs of the school

community. Objective

Evaluate and list the strengths and weaknesses of the current program as a basis for deciding upon future library program changes. Action 1 (End of first semester—Teacher librarian responsibility)

Create a list of strength and weaknesses of program using input from other library staff.

Action 2 (End of first semester and school year—Teacher librarian responsibility)

Continue offering successful programs as they stand and create a “needs not met list” for weaknesses to be used to identify new programs to add to the five-year plan.

Goal--Library Curriculum To integrate the library freshmen orientation with classroom curriculum and then to

demonstrate application of learned skills through a project or report.

Objective Create a two-pronged lesson with first prong relating to the library’s physical facility and Internet policy and the second prong using classroom curriculum as the base for teaching electronic information skills.

Action 1 (August-September—Teacher librarian responsibility) Write new lesson plan in collaboration with 9th grade English and Social Study teachers who will meet for three hours to integrate the orientation with classroom curriculum. Teachers unable to attend may submit written input. Use the following criteria in the development:

1st Quarter (2 days in library) Students come to library to become familiar with library facility and to receive instruction on Internet policy. Provide parental consent forms to all students on first day. If student returns completed form on second day and completes library map, the student may use the Internet.

1st Quarter (3 days in technology lab) Electronic information access class covering


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District union catalog and local public library catalog Proquest Direct database Internet

3rd Quarter (15 days in library and technology lab) Research paper with the following objectives

q To collect, analyze, and evaluate information for authority and accuracy.

q To analyze and evaluate information for importance through the narrowing of a research topic.

q To construct a strong thesis statement and provide supporting material for the statement.

q To learn note taking skills (summarize, paraphrase, quote) and the use of 3x5 cards.

q To learn how to construct an outline from 3x5 note cards.

q To use MLA style in the construction of a report and citation page.

Action 2 (September-October—Teacher librarian responsibility) Sign up of freshman classes for the library program beginning with those who participated in lesson planning and then extend to the rest of the classes when material is presented to them at department meeting.

Goal--Technology Tool To promote effective use of ideas and information by blending technology into the library

program. Objective

Develop electronic information procedural guides in conjunction with freshman library curriculum program.

Action 1(Fist Semester—Teacher librarian and library clerk responsibility)

Create single sheet procedural handouts on electronic information access for district union and public library catalog, Proquest Direct, and the Internet.

Action 2 (Second Semester—Teacher librarian and library clerks responsibility)

Distribute and use handouts as part of freshman electronic information classes. Note changes and make changes to forms as necessary.


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Action 3 (Second Semester—Teacher librarian and library clerks responsibility)

Rewrite and print procedural handouts and handbooks.

Action 4 (Second Semester—Teacher librarian responsibility) Place procedural handouts in racks near computers in library, in teachers’ mailboxes, and in resource binder to be placed at each computer in technology lab.

Goal--Recreational Reading To develop and promote recreational reading.

Objective Build the fiction and biography collection.

Action 1 (First Semester--Teacher librarian responsibility) Solicit teacher volunteers to assist in the weeding of the biography and fiction collection.

Action 2 (End of Second Semester—Teacher librarian and volunteer teachers responsibility)

Weed fiction and biography session (with snacks).

Action 3 (May-June—Teacher Librarian and library clerks responsibility) Place flier in teachers’ mailboxes to solicit recommendation for rebuilding fiction and biography collection. Teacher librarian compiles collection development additions based on teachers’ recommendations and authoritative professional sources. Library clerks order the books and the district will process over the summer.

Goal--Five Year Plan To create a dynamic, rolling five-year plan with a futuristic view.

Objective Evaluate the five-year plan at the end of every school year making necessary

changes to the current plan as well as writing a new additional year so the plan always looks ahead by five years.

Action 1(June—Teacher librarian and library clerks responsibility)

Solicit input from freshman English and Social Studies teachers on the new curriculum.

Action 2 (June—Teacher librarian and library clerks responsibility) Use the information gathered plus their own input to evaluate the first year of the plan. Use the evaluation to append the plan with a new year with a futuristic view.


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Appendix D: Five Year Plan Budget KEY:

Regular Type = Single year cost. Italics = Total for recurring expenses over the full five years [Five year total for individual program]

Library Program Evaluation process [60 hours]

q Time = 12 hours by Teacher librarian = 60 hours by Teacher librarian

Library Curriculum Freshman Orientation [$700 and 27 hours]

q Time = 15 hours for 1st year = 27 hours (15 hours first year plus 12 hours for years 2-5—planning

and scheduling by teacher librarian). Ø Planning time for teacher librarian and 9th grade English and Social

Studies teachers—3 hours Ø Planning development time of lesson plans by teacher librarian—12 hours Ø Presenting to 9th grade teachers and scheduling—3 hours

q Snack supplies for meeting— $25

q Supplies and Printing = $135/yr * 5years = $675 Ø Printing library facility map worksheet

700 x*.05 = $35.00 Ø Computer Printing Supplies $100.00 (based on 2000 budget)

q NOTE: Internet forms and stickers supplied by district and not part of school

budget Technology Tools [$696 and 20 hours]

q Time = 20 hours 15 hours teacher librarian planning and developing procedure sheets 5 hours library clerk word processing and sending off to be printed.

q Supplies $30.00 Binders for material: 30 * $1.00

q Printing Freshman copies for first year only 700* 8 pages = 5600* $.05 = $280 (catalogs 4 pages; Proquest 2 pages; Internet 2 pages = 8 pages/person) Copies for binders 30 * 8 = 2400*$.05 = $120. Copies for racks 20 * 8 = 60 * $.05 = $30 Copies for teachers mailboxes 90 * 8 = 720 * $.05 = $36

q NOTE: The binders replace the individual handouts to freshmen in years 2-5 thus eliminating a recurring print expense.


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Recreational Reading [$3,395 and 30 plus hours] q Time = 30 hours not including booktalks

Collection development = 25 hours teacher librarian and staff Student committee = 5 hours (meet five times/ year)

q Printing Flier to recruit staff volunteers and collection suggestions 90 * .05 = $45

q Snack supplies = 5 student meetings and 1 weeding party—6 * $25 = $150 q Collection development $2,200

Budget just over half of book fund for this purpose = $2,200 This allows the purchase of between 105 to 122 new books using the following formula Trade Paperbacks 8.41 + Hardcover Adult fiction 22.53 + Paperback Adult fiction 13.88 + Paperback Adult nonfiction 24.67 = 69.49 / 4 = $18/book average. (Prices from SLJ’s price list--copy attached)

q Implementation of student plan = $1000 The student committee is not provided with a budget amount although $1000 is set aside from the book budget to purchase furniture or other supplies.

Five Year Plan [50 hours]

q Time Solicit oral input from teachers at department meetings = 2 hours by teacher librarian Planning time to evaluate and develop new year to append plan = 8 hours total for teacher librarian and staff


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Appendix E: SLJ Book Cost List

EDITORIAL

Dead Trees and Wooden Nickels

by Julie Cummins Editor-in-Chief March 1, 2001

Every year, in the March issue, SLJ calculates the average prices for books. These statistics are among the most important pieces of information we provide. As someone who has sat on the other side of the editorial page and relied on those figures to help me plan and make a case for budget needs, I know their value and importance to our readers.

SLJ's Average Book Prices 1999 2000 2001 Hardcover (children's and YA titles)

Average price (all titles) $16.66 $17.57 $18.58 Preschool to grade 4 $15.97 $15.55 $16.01 Grade 5 and up (fiction) -- $15.91 $16.10 Grade 5 and up (nonfiction) -- $21.26 $21.49 PAPERBACK (children's and YA titles)

Trade paperbacks $8.15 $8.41* -- HARDCOVER (adult titles) Fiction $21.92 $22.53* -- Nonfiction $50.82 $51.75* -- PAPERBACK (adult titles) Fiction $13.49 $13.88* -- Nonfiction $24.06 $24.67* --

*The 2000 figures are based on 1999 data, the latest available, which will be published this summer in the Bowker Annual 2001. Courtesy of Gary Ink, research librarian at Publishers Weekly.


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The numbers this year reinforce the need for sharp-eyed perspicacity. A significant influence contributing to the increasing cost of children's books is the proliferation of nonfiction series priced at more than $20 per title. School media specialists and public youth librarians are up a tree when it comes to the buying power of their budget dollars. The $1.01 increase from last year in the average cost of a children's book becomes even more significant when configured into a percentage--5.7 percent. In terms of collection development, that's no wooden nickel. As government pooh-bahs increasingly dictate how much, when, and how libraries can spend their funds, it's crucial for librarians to spend their dollars wisely. Like taxes, it is certain that the costs of paper, printing, and publishing will only rise, making it all the more critical for librarians to be frugal and prudent as they tackle the knotty challenge of book buying. J. Patrick Lewis sums it up in his poem "Great, Good, Bad": A great book is a homing device / For navigating paradise. A good book somehow makes you care / About the comfort of a chair. A bad book owes to many trees / A forest of apologies.

Julie Cummins

Editor-in-Chief

[email protected] Editorial

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URL: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/articles/opinion/20010301_9637.asp


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Appendix F: Five Year Budget by Subject

Magazines 5,000

Newspapers 1,750

Supplies

Snacks 675

Printing/other 1,416

Books 21,000

Computer SIRS 7,500

Total 37,341

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