Reflection 4.1
Managing information resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using
Candidates select, analyze, and evaluate print, nonprint and electronic resources using professional selection tools and evaluation criteria to develop a quality collection designed to meet diverse curricular and personal needs. Candidates organize the library media facility and its collections – print, nonprint and electronic – according to standard accepted practice. Candidates support intellectual freedom and privacy of users. Candidates plan for efficient use of resources and technology to meet diverse user needs.
The Library Selection Policy and Procedures Manual artifact from ISTC 615 (Collection Development) fits well with this standard. The criterion for selecting quality print and nonprint materials is described and the unique cultural, developmental, and learning needs of the school population are reflected upon. Having this document will serve as a statement to the larger school community if ever a policy is called into question. Also, in its local application, it will be a valuable resource for every incoming media specialist in the future of Willards Elementary School.
Follett’s website is a tremendous help when placing book orders. Whenever I receive a group of books (through book fair, unexpected sources, or my yearly budget) and their cataloging is completed, I upload my entire library collection to Follett’s Titlewise section and it will be analyzed. This service not only gives me a general overview or detailed account of my collection, it also will alert me to any duplicate books I might choose to order in the future. Follett’s Titlewave order area gives many pieces of information when deciding on an appropriate book. Reviews by respected magazines like School Library Journal, Horn Book, and Book List are cited, along with interest group, reading level, both lexile and Accelerated Reader, and publisher are cited. Having served in my school library for eight years, I know the books I need for curriculum enhancement and the reading preferences of my students. As a matter of fact, I keep an ongoing list throughout the year of requests, recommended books from journals, magazines, LM_Net, and popular series. If I were new to a library, I would utilize Follett’s book suggestions which include multiple areas, such as; Literacy Trends, Expert Picks, State Awards, Guided Reading, Professional Materials, and books aligned with state standards.
In my particular school community, I have to be aware of areas that require a lot of books. For instance, as I have many beginning readers, our teachers regularly take large baskets of books to keep in their classrooms. I need to be cognizant of having quantity, as well as, quality leveled readers for our clientele. I also need to have plenty of nonfiction resources for my students, as this is their favorite book type to check out of the library (my Dewey 500’s and 600’s have consistent student traffic). A couple of years ago, I decided to invest in Playaways. They were new to Follett and sounded like a wonderful addition to our library. Unfortunately, by the next year, almost every one of them had stopped working. Follett readily replaced them, they have a newer look now, and hopefully these will hold up.
The Facility Design Project in ISTC 601 (Library Media Administration) also fits this standard and serves as an ideal facility plan to meet the needs of students, teachers, and as a space to promote learning. We looked at workspaces, electrical outlets, ventilation, carpeting, instructional areas, shelving, lighting, and many other variables in detail, and explained our purpose in each. The ADA requirements we reviewed enabled me to see that my school library was not in total compliance with aisle width. I was able to activate a work order to have a moving company move four heavy shelves of books.
The purpose of the WES Library Media Center’s mission is to “support, extend, and enrich the educational process in partnership with the classroom teacher. It is the duty of the media center to provide the school community with a wide range of materials on appropriate levels of difficulty. The library media center provides materials and services that will encourage growth in knowledge, foster information literacy, and encourage a love of reading. These materials and services will also help to develop literary, cultural, and aesthetic appreciation of the arts.”
Managing information resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using
Candidates select, analyze, and evaluate print, nonprint and electronic resources using professional selection tools and evaluation criteria to develop a quality collection designed to meet diverse curricular and personal needs. Candidates organize the library media facility and its collections – print, nonprint and electronic – according to standard accepted practice. Candidates support intellectual freedom and privacy of users. Candidates plan for efficient use of resources and technology to meet diverse user needs.
The Library Selection Policy and Procedures Manual artifact from ISTC 615 (Collection Development) fits well with this standard. The criterion for selecting quality print and nonprint materials is described and the unique cultural, developmental, and learning needs of the school population are reflected upon. Having this document will serve as a statement to the larger school community if ever a policy is called into question. Also, in its local application, it will be a valuable resource for every incoming media specialist in the future of Willards Elementary School.
Follett’s website is a tremendous help when placing book orders. Whenever I receive a group of books (through book fair, unexpected sources, or my yearly budget) and their cataloging is completed, I upload my entire library collection to Follett’s Titlewise section and it will be analyzed. This service not only gives me a general overview or detailed account of my collection, it also will alert me to any duplicate books I might choose to order in the future. Follett’s Titlewave order area gives many pieces of information when deciding on an appropriate book. Reviews by respected magazines like School Library Journal, Horn Book, and Book List are cited, along with interest group, reading level, both lexile and Accelerated Reader, and publisher are cited. Having served in my school library for eight years, I know the books I need for curriculum enhancement and the reading preferences of my students. As a matter of fact, I keep an ongoing list throughout the year of requests, recommended books from journals, magazines, LM_Net, and popular series. If I were new to a library, I would utilize Follett’s book suggestions which include multiple areas, such as; Literacy Trends, Expert Picks, State Awards, Guided Reading, Professional Materials, and books aligned with state standards.
In my particular school community, I have to be aware of areas that require a lot of books. For instance, as I have many beginning readers, our teachers regularly take large baskets of books to keep in their classrooms. I need to be cognizant of having quantity, as well as, quality leveled readers for our clientele. I also need to have plenty of nonfiction resources for my students, as this is their favorite book type to check out of the library (my Dewey 500’s and 600’s have consistent student traffic). A couple of years ago, I decided to invest in Playaways. They were new to Follett and sounded like a wonderful addition to our library. Unfortunately, by the next year, almost every one of them had stopped working. Follett readily replaced them, they have a newer look now, and hopefully these will hold up.
The Facility Design Project in ISTC 601 (Library Media Administration) also fits this standard and serves as an ideal facility plan to meet the needs of students, teachers, and as a space to promote learning. We looked at workspaces, electrical outlets, ventilation, carpeting, instructional areas, shelving, lighting, and many other variables in detail, and explained our purpose in each. The ADA requirements we reviewed enabled me to see that my school library was not in total compliance with aisle width. I was able to activate a work order to have a moving company move four heavy shelves of books.
The purpose of the WES Library Media Center’s mission is to “support, extend, and enrich the educational process in partnership with the classroom teacher. It is the duty of the media center to provide the school community with a wide range of materials on appropriate levels of difficulty. The library media center provides materials and services that will encourage growth in knowledge, foster information literacy, and encourage a love of reading. These materials and services will also help to develop literary, cultural, and aesthetic appreciation of the arts.”