THE FUTURE IS HERE: ESSENTIAL QUALITIES FOR 21ST CENTURY SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTERS

Mary Mehsikomer

NW-LINKS/Region 1

TIES

LET’S TALK ABOUT…

21st Century Skills Partnership Role of the School Library Media Specialist Standards Students Recommendations and Ideas

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IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT BOOKS ANY MORE…

• Reading remains critical to student success • Books are viable (mostly) but… • Other forms of reading

audio e-books on-line resourcesdevicesInternet

READING, WRITING AND THE WEB

Web 2.0 Blogs Wikis Mini Blogs Social Networking YouTube Second Life Instant Messaging

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST TODAY?

• Teach information and technology literacy• Promote reading • Collaborate with teachers• Market • Procure and maintain resources to support

curriculum • Promote intellectual freedom • Manage a program(s)• Keep up with technology

DID YOU EVER THINK

People would challenge Huckleberry Finn and Scout Finch?

Vampires would become a social norm? Testing would take over your computers? You would have computers? People would question whether having a

library is NECESSARY? That a nook might be something other than a

cozy corner?

REFRESHED ISTE STANDARDS

Students, Teachers and Administrators Creativity and Innovation Communication and Collaboration Research and Information Fluency Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision

Making Digital Citizenship Technology Operations and Concepts

AASL 21ST CENTURY LEARNER

Inquire, think critically and gain knowledge Draw conclusions, make informed decisions,

apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge

Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society

Pursue personal and aesthetic growth

REFRESHED MEMO STANDARDS FOR INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY LITERACY

• Inquiry, Research and Problem Solving • Expanding Literacies • Technology Use and Concepts • Ethical Participation in a Global Society

SO WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF A 21ST CENTURY SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER?

MEMO Standards for Effective School Library Media Programs – 2000

• Essential and fully integrated • Information literacy standards integral to

curriculum • Models and promotes collaborative planning

and teaching • Full range of information resources and

services

MEMO STANDARDS (CONTINUED)

• Flexible and equitable access to learning resources

• Collection and resources supports curriculum• Shows commitment to intellectual freedom• Supports mission and goals of school• Adequately and professionally staffed • Ongoing administrative support• Program assessment

MEMO STANDARDS (CONTINUED)

• Encourage reading, viewing, and listening• Support diverse learning needs, abilities and

styles• Integrate use of technology• Links to larger learning community• Intellectual access to information and ideas• Physical access to information and resources• Climate conducive to learning

MEMO STANDARDS (CONTINUED)

Adequately funded Mission goals and impact of program clearly

communicated Human, financial and physical resources

effectively managed

WHAT KIDS ARE TELLING US

• “Whenever I go to school I have to power down.” – a student

• “The cookies on my daughter’s computer know more about her interests than her teachers do” – Henry Kelly, President, Federation of American Scientists

• “When you lose your mobile, you lose part of your brain.” – a Japanese student

Source: Don’t Bother Me Mom, I’m Learning, by Marc Prensky

THE 21ST CENTURY SCHOOL LIBRARY

Integrated and essential – don’t forget VISIBLE

Promotes collaborative planning and teaching Supplies full range of information resources

in multiple formats Supports diverse learning needs, abilities and

styles Integrates technology with real world

learning Promotes 21st century information and

technology literacy skills Suggestions?

FOR EXAMPLE THE LIBRARY WEBSITE

At a minimum: Access to MnKNOWS resources (ELM, etc.) Destiny Catalog or Library System Online Curriculum Resources –

http://www.thinkfinity.org Administrator Resources Hours of operation Contact information

TRY THIS YOURSELF:

Google a school district not your own Go there and choose a school From the school web page can you find the

media center? Can you even find the link to the catalog? How long did it take you? Is there any information there besides links

to data bases or the catalog? Did you see anything you could use? What would you do differently?

VISIBILITY AND PROGRAM DATA

What data are you collecting on your program?

Do you report regularly to your administrator?

Do you reach out to the parent community? Do your teacher colleagues rely on you to

accomplish their goals? Do you reach out to them?

Do you design projects? Do you teach? Do you participate in curriculum design? Do you have a relationship with the

technology department?

COLLECTION

Are you making maximum use of FREE online databases (ELM)

Are you weeding? Do you maximize use of your automation

system? Does your collection proactively support the

curriculum? Do teacher colleagues know how to use

library resources? Are you exploring new technologies or

media? Do you provide professional resources to

colleagues?

FACILITY

How is it arranged? Does the physical arrangement encourage

collaboration? Or solitude? Is it accessible all day? Or longer? Are materials readily accessible? Is it attractive and welcoming?

ACCESS

Before and after school? Online 24 X 7? When is the librarian available? Is the catalog automated and searchable? Are other groups able to use the library? Do you have enough computer access?

THE LIBRARIAN

Are you nice or scary? Do you understand the needs of a 21st century

student? Are you embracing technology? Would

“technology integrationist” describe you? Are you knowledgeable about online resources? Are you actively collaborating with your

teachers and administrator(s)? Do you read journals and keep up with trends

in your profession? Are you a MEMO member? Are you tired?

WHAT DOES ONE LOOK LIKE: THE UNQUIET LIBRARY

https://sites.google.com/site/theunquietlibrary/

Buffy Hamilton Creekview High School Cherokee County School District Canton, Georgia

WHAT NEXT

Small steps are OK! What would you like to do differently? How can you start accomplishing your goals?