A principal’s guide to understanding why the media center is beneficial to any school.

No longer just a “Keeper of Books” A principal’s guide to understanding why the media center is beneficial to any school.

How we got here… In the 90’ the American Association of School Libraries in partnership with the Association for Educational Communication and Technology published Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning (1998). To professional media specialists, Information Power standards represented a shift in their roles as "keepers of the books" to information technology specialists and instructional partners in a collaborative teaching and learning environment.

The Information Power Guidelines for School Media Programs highlights the standards that are necessary for a successful media program. • Student achievement IS the bottom line. The following standards and goals help reach that achievement through an effective LMC. • Information Literacy Standards states students who are information literate access, evaluate, and use information efficiently, effectively, and creatively. • Independent Learning Standards states students who are independent learners are information literate and pursue information related to personal interest, appreciate literature, and strive to become better information seekers. • Social Responsibility Standards state students who contribute positively to the learning community are information literate IF they recognize the importance of information, practice ethical behavior while using information technology, and participates effectively in groups to pursue information.

What the Media Center and Media Specialist can do for you Research shows that • the Media Center can increase test scores. • the Media Specialist can support you. • the Media Specialist can support teachers. • the Media Specialist can also help increase test scores. But we need your help to do this.

The Media Center can increase test scores The Lance Studies and Baughman studies have been conducted in many states. The results of these studies are as follows: The Baughman studies were based on a state wide survey in Massachusetts on the importance of library media centers. The survey focused on the 1998 MCAS test scores in relation to data information on the survey. • In the end the findings showed a strong and consistent relationship between the library media center and an increase in students’ test scores in schools where the media center had a developed program, open flexible hours, increased student use, and a were served by a full time media specialists. “It is a terrible thing to waste the mind of a child. And children learn better when their schools have libraries—libraries that are well stocked and well-staffed.” (Baughman, 2000)

The Lance Studies Alaska The study looks at the relationship between media specialist and academic achievement. It examines such relationships such as staffing and student achievement, as well it identifies media center activities that affect test scores, hours of operation, available technology, and selected policies. Partnerships, Technology & Policies Test scores also tend to be higher where •there is a cooperative relationship between the LMC and the public library. •the library media program provides online access to information—particularly the facilities required to reach the Internet and World Wide Web •the LMC has a collection development policy that addresses reconsideration of materials. (Lance etc…, 1999) Library Media Program Usage • The more often students receive library/information literacy instruction in which library media staff are involved, the higher the test scores.

The Lance Studies Indiana Schools scored better on tests when there LMC was better staffed, better stocked and better funded library programs. At the elementary and middle school • Better test results were viewed when the LMS took the initiative to provide teachers with resources needed to design instruction. At the elementary school level • Schools averaged better test results when the LMS believed the Principal and teachers understood their roles as school leader, curriculum designer and administrator. Also, there was better collaboration on teaching of information literacy standards, and both the LMS and teacher are more familiar with the document that correlates information literacy and academic standards. At the high school level • Better test scores were seen when teachers reported that they initiated collaboration with LMS on the design and delivery of instruction.

The Lance Studies Illinois Higher library staffing levels are linked to higher reading performance for elementary, middle, and high schools (increases of almost 13 percent, over eight percent, and more than seven percent, respectively). (p.iv) At all grade levels, test scores tend to be higherwhere: • access to school libraries is more flexibly scheduled, • school libraries are staffed more fully, • school librarians spend more time collaborating with classroom teachers, • larger collections are available, • educational technology is more widely available to augment the local collection and, generally, to extend access to online resources into the classroom, • school libraries are better funded, and where students use school libraries, both individually and in groups, to learn and practice the information literacy skills they will need to excel on tests and as lifelong learners. (p. xxi)

The Lance Studies Kentucky • The statistical analysis undertaken in this study indicates that • Media specialists who are engaged in formal collaborative planning, assigned full time to schools with no teaching duties are associated with higher achieving schools. • These results concur with other state studies which also indicate that media specialists who are able to engage in collaborative planning for instruction positively impact student achievement (Lance & Loertscher 2003).

The Media Specialist can increase test scores Alaska • LMS plays three critical roles: • Teacher • Information specialist • Administrator In a study of library media programs in Alaska, 41% of elementary students and 49% of secondary students scored below average when only a clerical staff member was present in the library. With a fulltime library media specialist, only 17% of elementary students and 8% of secondary students scored below average (Lance & Loertscher, 2002).

Alaska Continued Test scores tend to be higher where there are the following: Staffing • a full-time librarian rather than a part-time oneor a part-time librarian rather than no librarian at all Staff Activities • The higher the level of librarian staffing, the greater the percentage of library media staff hours dedicated to the following • delivering library/information literacy instruction to students, • planning instructional units cooperatively with teachers, and • providing in-service training to teachers and other staff. Regardless of level of librarian staffing, the more library media staff time devoted to these activities, the higher the test scores.

Pennsylvania Findings indicated that reading scores increased with increases in the following characteristics of school library media programs: • Staffing in the hours of the librarian and support staff • Information technology where classrooms, labs, and other instructional sites and school libraries were linked with networked computers (Higher scores were also linked to the numbers of computers. • Integration of information literacy into the curriculum, in which school librarians spent more time teaching cooperatively with teachers, teaching information literacy skills independently, providing in-service training to teachers, serving on standards and curriculum committees, and managing information technology • Higher levels of operating expenditures

Colorado Study 1 Findings show that • 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. • States such as Alaska, Maryland, and Oklahoma, for instance, all of which gained librarians, had average reading scores for all students increase by 1.5 percent—a half a percentage point more than all states (1 percent) and almost three times more than states that lost librarians (0.5 percent). • Average reading scores for poor students in states that gained librarians increased by 2 percent and four times the percent change for states that lost librarians (0.5 percent).

Colorado Study 2 • Schools that either maintained or gained an endorsed librarian between 2005 and 2011 tended to have more students scoring advanced in reading in 2011 and to have increased their performance more since 2005 (45% and 49%, respectively) than schools that either lost their librarians or never had one ( 33% and 29%). (p.3) • Schools that either lost a librarian during that period or never had one (33% and 39%) tended to have fewer students scoring advanced in 2011 and to have seen lesser gains—or indeed, losses—since 2005 than schools that maintained or gained a librarian (23% and 18%) (p.3) • Schools that either maintained or gained an endorsed librarian between 2005 and 2011 tended to have fewer students scoring unsatisfactory in reading in 2011 (i.e., lower scores) (28% and 26%, respectively) (p.4) Regardless of how rich or poor a community is, students tend to perform better on reading tests where, and when, their library programs are in the hands of endorsed librarians. Furthermore, at schools where library programs gain or maintain an endorsed librarian when school budgets get tight, students tend to excel. (p.9)

North Carolina Finding show that: • Advising in the development of essential resource collections • Collaborating with teachers in delivering instruction • Identifying critical research and/or participating in such can ensure strategic assistance in this momentous movement. The goals of today’s library media program denote the development of a community of learning that is centered on the student and sustained by a creative, energetic library media program.

Additional Studies show Students perform better academically where the LMS: • Is part of a planning and teaching team with the classroom teacher, • Teaches information literacy • Provides one-to-one tutoring for students in need. • Provides quality collections of books and other materials selected to support the curriculum • Provides state-of-the-art technology that is integrated into the learning/teaching processes, and • Supports cooperation between school and other types of libraries, especially public libraries.

When Media Specialist and Teachers Support Each Other… Indiana At the elementary school level: Schools averaged better test results when the • LMS believed the Principal and teachers understood their roles as school leader, curriculum designer and administrator. • There was better collaboration on teaching of information literacy standards. • Both the LMS and teacher are more familiar with the document that correlates information literacy and academic standards.

Illinois At all grade levels, test scores tend to be higher when: • School libraries is more flexibly scheduled and fully staffed. • School librarians spend more time collaborating with classroom teachers, • Larger collections are available, educational technology is more widely available to augment the local collection, and to extend access to online resources into the classroom, • School libraries are better funded, students use school libraries, both individually and in groups, to learn and practice the information literacy skills they will need to excel on tests and as lifelong learners. (p. xxi)

Alaska • The value of flexible scheduling was likewise corroborated in this study. Freedom in the middle school to visit the library media center as an individual separate from a class visit was a strong indicator of higher test scores. Middle schools with high test scores tended to have library media centers that reported a high number of individual visits to the library media center on a per student basis. • Although leadership involvement of the school library media specialist did not produce a direct effect on test scores, it was determined to have a strong impact on test scores. At both elementary and middle school levels, the more the library media specialist was involved in school and library media professional activities, the higher level of collaboration. Higher levels of collaboration resulted from media specialists meeting regularly with school administrators, serving on standards and curriculum committees, working with faculty at school-wide staff meetings, and meeting with library media staff at the building level. • At the elementary level, library media program development (including staffing, collections, and expenditures, along with technology) were strong predictors of each other as well as test scores. At the seventh grade level, a strong relationship existed between library media program development and flexible scheduling.

In Lance’s review of the state studies, he lists the following practices that have been found to be statistically significant in all of them: • Professionally-trained and credentialed school library media specialists do make a difference that affects student performance on achievement tests • In order for library media specialists to make this difference, the support of principals and teachers is essential • Library media specialists cannot do their jobs effectively unless they have support staff who free them from routine tasks and enable them to participate in a variety of one-to-one and group meetings outside the library media center • Library media specialists have a two-fold teaching role. They are teachers of students, facilitating the development of information literacy skills necessary for success in all content areas, and they are in-service trainers of teachers, keeping abreast of the latest information resources and technology • Library media specialists also much embrace technology to be effective. They must ensure that school networks extend the availability of information resources beyond the walls of the LMC, throughout the building, and, in the best cases, into students' homes. (2002a, Common findings, para. 1)

Media Specialist as Leaders Texas Data in the area of leadership comprised two types of activities. • Library staff at all three levels reported involvement with a range of school professionals and colleagues through meetings and committees within their respective schools, and also within the profession. • Leadership activities with significant positive correlations with student performance included librarians meeting with the principal and other school administrators, attending faculty meetings, serving on the school’s curriculum committee, and meeting with colleagues in the district. • The leadership activities pursued by library staff at the high school level were similar to the activities at the other two levels, but yielded a higher correlation.

Texas Continued • These included librarians planning instructional units with teachers, teaching cooperatively with teachers, providing training to teachers, and assisting teachers in accessing and using information about state funded programs related to reading. • For high schools, in addition to the first three aforementioned activities, three other activities were correlated with student performance – librarians engaged in providing information skills instruction to individuals or groups, identifying materials for instructional units developed by teachers, and serving on curriculum committees – all at significant levels.

Additional Leadership Roles • Role expansion allows librarians to deliver additional important services, such as • Research support for administrators. Freed from clerical duties and aware of developing challenges and opportunities through their extra-library involvement, librarians can draw on the Internet and subscription databases to supply principals with up-to-the-minute information on any given topic in planning sessions and prior to any board, faculty, parent, or business partner meeting. Consistent access to such information can only result in improved administrative decision-making • Librarians also can support targeted faculty and student groups, including counselors (White & Wilson, 1997), beginning teachers (Barron, 1998), and at-risk (Bluemel & Taylor, 1991), latchkey (Feldman, 1990), and special needs youngsters (Wesson & Keefe, 1995).

How You can help the Media Center Better performing schools have Principals that value the following • Collaboration between LMS and teachers in the design and delivery of instruction • Flexible scheduling of library • Regular meeting between Principal and LMS • Have LMS serve on a school committee

Four techniques recommended for principals to ensure their LMC is accountable and successful: Technique #1: Measure the amount of collaboration among library media specialists and teachers. • To facilitate and encourage collaboration LMS can keep a “collaboration log” showing the planning and teaching time spent with fellow teachers. Technique #2: Ascertain the effect of information literacy taught by the library media specialist during a collaboratively taught unit of instruction. • LMS can include content-related items and process-related items (information literacy) on the rubric for any library-based project. Teachers assess the content, LMS assess the process.

Technique #3: Assess and encourage the use of technology on collaboratively taught units of instruction. Encourage LMS and teachers to include technology-use items on rubrics to ensure students are taking advantage of the best possible learning and research outlet. Technique #4: Find out the amount of reading being stimulated through the library media program. • Assess this by asking the following questions: • What percent of students would say they are reading a “library book or two” right now? • Can students check out unlimited quantities of library books? • Are the abuses of electronic reading programs under control? • Are there mountains of fascinating, exciting, and interesting books stocked in the library media center, in rotating classroom collections, and at other appropriate places in the school?

The SKILLS Act “Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries”, sponsored by Senators Jack Reed and Thad Cochran and Representatives Raul Grijalva and Vernon Ehlers, was an essential step in ensuring that students across this country have the resources and support they need. In addressing these critical library resources, Chairman Fitzsimmons noted that Representative Grijalva’s remarks introducing the legislation clearly articulated the need. He stated, “school libraries often serve as a second classroom” and “our children are losing out on qualified professionals trained to collaborate with teachers and engage students meaningfully with information that matters to them both in the classroom and the real world.”

When learners of all ages have the opportunity to read stories and explore information that matters to them, various forms of literacy and numeracy can emerge. Research has shown that school libraries have the tools to inspire literacy in learners of all ages.

References American Association of School Librarians. (1998). Information Power: building partnerships for learning. Retrieved from http://www.d91.net/LRC/LRCPDF/Attachment%201-A.pdf Baughman, James C. (2000, October 26) School Libraries and MCAS Scores. Retrieved March 10, 2013 from http://web.simmons.edu/~baughman/mcas-school-libraries/Baughman%20Paper.pdf Burgin, R., B, B. P., & Kathy, B. (2003). An Essential Connection: How Quality School Library Media Programs Improve Student Achievement in North Carolina. Retrieved March 12, 2013, from http://www.lrs.org/documents/impact/NCSchoolStudy.pdf Champlin, C. & Loertscher, D. (March 2003). Reinvent your school’s library and watch student academic achievement increase. Retrieved from http://www.principals.org/Portals/0/Content/46815.pdf Hartzell, G. (2002, November). Why Should Principals Support School Libraries? Retrieved March 14, 2013, from Eric Digests: http://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED470034.pdf

References Houston, C. (2008, March). Getting to Proficiency and Beyond: Kentucky Library Media Centers' Progress on State Standards and the Relationship of Library Media Program Variables to Student Achievement. Retrieved March 12, 2013, from http://libres.curtin.edu.au/libres18n1/Houston_Final_rev.pdf 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 Lance, K.C., Rodney, M.J., Russel, B., RSL Research Group. (February, 2007). How Students, Teachers, & Principals Benefit from Strong School Libraries The Indiana Study. Retrieved from http://www.ilfonline.org/clientuploads/AIME/2007MSArticle.pdf Lance, K. C., Hamilton-Pennell, C., Rodney, M. J., Petersen, L., & Sitter, C. (1999). Information Empowered: The School Librarian as an Agent of Academic Achievement in Alaska Schools. Retrieved from http://www.library.state.ak.us/pdf/anc/infoemxs.pdf Lance, K, Rodney, M, and Hamilton-Pennell. (2005) Powerful Libraries Make Powerful Learners: The Illinois Study. Retrieved March 11, 2013 from http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com/illinoisstudy/TheStudy.pdf

References Lance, K. C. (2001). Proof of the Power: Recent Research on the Impact of School Library Media Programs on the Academic Achievement of U.S. Public School Students. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/2002-2/proof.htm Lance, K., & Hofschire, L. (2011). Something to Shout About: New research shows that more librarians means higher reading scores. School Library Journal. Retrieved March 11, 2013 from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/891612-312/something_to_shout_about_new.html.csp Scholastic Research and Results. (2007, September). School Libraries Work! Retrieved March 13, 2013, from http://www.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/s/slw3_2008.pdf Technology, A. L. (1998). Information Power. Retrieved March 14, 2013, from Information Power: Guidelines for School Media Programs: http://www.d91.net/LRC/LRCPDF/Attachment%201-A.pdf

A principal’s guide to understanding why the media center is beneficial to any school.