The School Library Media Specialist: Course Materials: Email Archives

Welcome to e-class!

Read the Syllabus, Calendar, Requirements and Checklist. The Course Guide will take you step-by-step through the course materials and assignments. As you move through this course guide, you'll work your way through five sections of online readings: Overview, Library Media Program, Information Access and Delivery, Program Administration, and Program Advocacy. Use the navigation on the left side of the screen to locate particular topics.

If you think you may have missed class email communications, the email archives are located BELOW. Questions? Contact Larry Johnson.

Class Email Archives

12 Dec. 2009 - S671Update: School Media
Hello,

The course has almost wound down. Grading continues; I will email you direct with scores of final two Toolkits. All the DPs are graded and posted at Oncourse. Contact me with any questions and concerns.

CHANGE
Seems like the last several decades, our school libraries, schools, and our lives have been increasingly impacted by changes. Global, political and certainly what many of you identified in your final DP discussion - technology changes. It makes our lives and jobs interesting and poses several related challenges, but granted it sometimes makes people very uneasy. If possible maintain a level attitude, don't over-react, and step up where you can to help make some of those recommended changes. Look through the flash and pizzazz to identify real improvements and gains that will positively impact your students, teachers and communities.

But we do need to work with our teachers, administrators and colleagues to change some things. Its disappointing to hear examples of the roadblocks encountered in schools - - like the situation mentioned by Elissa about using Skype in the classroom. Feed such persons information about the positive use of technologies and help them to recognize the need to change.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6515247.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/using-skype-at-school.html
http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/02/15/the-many-roles-of-skype-in-the-classroom/
http://www.wtvi.com/TEKS/05_06_articles/skype-in-the-classroom.html

Sylvia Martinez recently posted discussion about issues related to technology use in schools; primarily issues on discrepancies between student use and teacher / school policy and practice. Food for thought, and perhaps we (teachers too) can share discussion with teacher and administrator colleagues. This posting connects to related writing by Doug Johnson and Will Richardson; all three are worth the attention.
Students say Teachers Limit Technology Use from Generation YES Blog by Sylvia Martinez
http://blog.genyes.com/index.php/2009/12/09/students-say-teachers-limit-technology-use/

The National Literacy Trust (UK) has published findings from an online survey study of 3001 students, age 9-16, in England and Scotland. The report - Young People and Writing: Attitudes, Behaviour and the Role of Techonology explored gender and age differences and examined the link between socio-economic background (in terms of free school meals) and writing. The Study also examined student's writing with respect to mobile phone ownership, having a blog and profile on a social networking site. Nearly half of the students thought writing was boring, but when tied to technology, attitudes generally improved and kids became more confident of their skills.
http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/research/writing_survey_2009.html

Take time to view Welcome to My PLE! - - a video clip at YouTube. This project was conducted as part of dissertation research implementing the use of networked learning and construction of personal learning environments in a 7th grade life science class.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEls3tq5wIY
What would / will your middle school library have to offer to this student?

CAREER FAST TRACK
If you do not already think of yourself as a teacher librarian, then its time to make the jump. Yes, do that now - - you don't have to wait until you have the piece of paper in hand. Hopefully you have gained ideas and information that will serve you in your career. But this course did not cover everything. Here are a few small tips to consider:

Make a positive impact during your first months and years-on-the-job. Waiting till you know all the ropes is too risky; in a few years the perception of you and your job role becomes entrenched . . . and it becomes very difficult to break out into a leadership role.

Tackle a few / handful of changes at a time; that is make some priority choices based on your identified needs and goals and concentrate of getting them into place. Analyze and plan carefully, but take a few risks. If you see a change that needs to be made in your library media program, get going with it. If it fails, you have learned something and don't let that stop your strive for continued improvement.

If you are not already, (I sense that many of you are) become a lifelong learner. Keep up-to-date on the trends and issues in school library professions and education. We are information professionals. Skim and scan the journals, literature, and develop your own personal learning environment that supports your career and personal interests. Todays technology makes that possible.

Get involved with professionals outside your building. Network with your colleagues in the district. Join the school library association in your state; strongly consider national membership also. Many of us work in buildings where we are the only library media professional. Make sure that you do not isolate yourself.

Many of these above recommendations are aimed at establishing you as a leader in your school and district. But if you want to extend to eventually leading at the state and national level:

Develop a presentation proposal; submit a session proposal to a conference. Get on the program at ILF or another organization. AASL meets every two years (Charlotte, NC in June 2009). Put together a detailed and logical plan - - persons reviewing proposals only have your documents to make a judgement about how well your presentation will be. Once you have been accepted (you may have to submit more than one time to get on a program), then follow through with an outstanding presentation. Over plan rather than under plan, anticipate need for contingencies - plan for unexpected events. If you use a PowerPoint presentation, insure that it is rich and detailed, contains lots of visuals, and does not overly rely on text bullet lists (there are lots of good resources for designing and developing presentations). Incorporate appropriate multimedia elements (audio, video clips) in addition to images, photos and graphs. If the same information remains on the screen too long (15-20 seconds or longer), know that some of your audience's eyes and minds begin to glaze over. Break up those audience losing spans by chunking the information into bite-size amounts, inserting lots of examples, and providing a different viewpoint for the same concept or ideas. Remember that many people never make a presentation; the more that you do . . . the better you will become. And some of us begin developing those skills first in our school and school district by taking a role in staff development.

Volunteer for a committee or task in your professional association; i.e., serve on a committee (contact the President or President-elect and make them aware of your interest), help with the student media fair / festival (AIME in the Spring http://www.ilfonline.org/Programs/mediafair.htm), get involved with planning / facilitating a professional conference or meeting. Again this will add to your professional support network and expand your leadership skill and experience.

Write an article for a professional journal. Find and follow the online guidelines for each specific publication. Editors of School Library Monthly (formerly SLAMM), Teacher Librarian, School Library Journal, Crinkles, and other publications are looking for new material with fresh viewpoints, ideas, and examples. Don't forget the journals of your state associations.

Create, develop, write. Keep a professional journal; write down your thoughts and ideas. That can be a private journal or a public blog or website. Again writers become better writers how - - by writing. I'm largely thinking of writing in the arena of the school library media professions, but don't bound yourself there if your interest takes you to other fiction, poetry, non-fiction writing.

TEXTBOOK
This is the last semester that the Information Power will be required text; it will be moved to the recommended list and largely replaced by Empowering Learners. If you are planning to work / continue working in school library media, you will want to have a copy of Standards for the 21st-Century Learner in Action - the AASL Standards text
http://www.amazon.com/Standards-21st-Century-American-Association-Librarians/dp/0838985076/
(required in other IUPUI courses). And yes, I do wish that ALA would bring their prices down; paying that much for a 64-page book (Empowering Learners) does seem excessive.

KEEPER OF BOOKS?
Many of you in your discussions and summaries wrote about library materials only in the form of books? Maybe that is harsh, but I saw that in many of the postings about budgets and collection development. What about non-print? Are you willing to give that arena over to just being subscriptions to streaming video and online databases and say that's taken care of . . . I don't have to deal with that? I'm concerned if teacher librarians revert to decades old visions and become just keepers of books. Granted that today, much of our non-print resources may come to us via the Web but many non-print items are bona fide information and learning resources. There are audiobooks, DVDs, e-books, Play-a-ways, and even traditional books are sometimes evolved into multimedia experiences; for example, the "39 Clues' series from Scholastic starts with a book - - then readers go online to follow clues, learn more about characters, and play games to extend their reading experiences beyond the printed page.

Storing and circulating traditional books is changing too. The automated retrieval system at The Christopher Center, Valparaiso University was mentioned in the DP10 discussions. Recently The British Library’s Boston Spa site in West Yorkshire announced similar plans to use seven robotic cranes for retrieving items from a new Additional Storage Building (ASB) that will eventually house approximately seven million items from the UK national collection.
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-44212520091124

Don't misunderstand, I am an avid reader of books. You only have to visit my / our eduscapes collection catalogued at Library Thing to see that Annette and I still purchase and read books, lots and lots of traditional printed books. So many books, so little time? (8-) But some people read a book, others listen to the e-book, watch a video, or read online. I love that today anytime and almost anywhere I encounter an unknown term or concept, I can immediately begin finding out about that topic. I focus on the information aspects rather than how it is delivered. Sure I expect that for several more years, printed books will exist, but the sheer cost and economics of printing / producing books points to continued move to digital forms. My daughter is a writer / editor for the American Osteopathic Association (professional organization) and until recently she was editor of one of their two print journals. Decision was made to discontinue printing both, and she is now the editor for their website. Some things will be printed into traditional book forms, but many others will only exist in electronic digital forms - - its already happening.

Another technological evolution that I've been following for several years is the development of e-ink. Learn more about this at:
Experimental Xerox Paper Erases Itself, Results In Temporary Documents On Reusable Paper
http://www.xerox.com/innovation/news-stories/erasable-paper/enus.html
Philips and Sony create first ePaper Book
http://www.gizmag.com/philips-and-sony-create-first-epaper-book/2789/

DP9 DEBRIEFING - QUIZ THAT WAS NOT A QUIZ
First thanks for everyone's participation on this activity; I enjoyed reading through and gaining new insights and ideas from all of you. Some hit the nail on the head; the idea posed by one of you that "many questions can be argued." Here your insights and discussions after the quiz process were the most important activity. And to do that you had to complete the online quiz. In some cases, I can disagree and state why, but I am also interested in your thinking with regard to issues and ideas covered. Also within any worded item, the interpretation of terms comes into play (Jennifer wrote to that issue). I wanted positive outcomes to be gained by everyone (I hope so) and to reduce the threat of score penalties to a minimum and serve as a review and reinforcement of the reading material in the course.

Quiz items were administered to each of you in random order, therefore item ten on your quiz probably was not in the same location for others. All of the questions have been used several times and validated in previous semesters of this course. I have selected some of the items that were most often discussed and will add my thinking below. Remember that you can still disagree, but that I did set the scoring for the quiz (8-).

Morris recommends that school library media center planning be aided by an advisory group
A. composed of representative administrator(s), teachers, support personnel, parent(s) and student(s)
B. that decides needed resources, hardware, and technology purchases
C. that formally meets once a year
D. all of the above

Correct answer is 'composed of representative administrator(s), teachers, support personnel, parent(s) and student(s)'
Advisory committees do NOT decide; the name advisory gives that totally away.
Advisory committees meet as often as needed; once a year, twice a year, or more - - dependent on who sets up and facilitates / leads the group (usually the SLMS).

10.Whether planning for facilities, planning a program, planning for collections, or marketing the program - - the process should begin with
A. advocacy
B. budgeting
C. needs assessment
D. all of the above

Correct answer is 'needs assessment'.
People at all levels do conduct informal needs assessments all the time. For example, they wake up and find the water pipes are frozen. If they are the responsible person who has to handle the situation, they begin to gather information and make a decision about what they should do - pick up the phone and call the plumber, grab the hair dryer and apply heat somewhere, etc. They sometimes make the wrong decisions but the more problems they encounter and solve, the better they are the next time a new situation is encountered.

A needs assessment can be done by a teacher, teacher librarian - - sure you can hire a consultant(s) to complete the process, some are not that good and in many cases the costs are too great. Note: My PhD is in IST Instructional Systems Technology (IU-B) so I've been formally trained and had on-the-job experience as a needs assessment consultant, but I also complete my own needs assessments all the time. Hire an outside consultant when the risk of error is so high that it covers the cost of making a mistake many times over - - but that is not a guarantee that the outside consultant will not make a mistake or will just identify what the powers-that-exist want to take place - the 'tell them what they want to hear as opposed to what needs to be done' approach. It does mean that the responsibility is spread to include other people.

Process of needs assessment is to identify why something is needed; identify the gap between what is and what you believe should be. Once the need or needs (why) are determined; then the who, what, when, etc. can follow. One should not begin advocating for something until you know what that is or budgeting for something until the core information is defined. Establish the firm foundation of identified need(s).

Which of the following is the best example of a collaborative partnership?
A. The classroom teacher and media specialist work together to create a unit on Ancient Mesopotamia.
B. The media specialist gives a PowerPoint presentation at a faculty meeting.
C. The teacher schedules time in the library for a class review on electronic databases.
D. All of the above are great examples of collaboration.

Collaboration is working together, especially in a joint intellectual effort as opposed to working independently. The one item that includes more than one person working together is 'The classroom teacher and media specialist work together to create a unit on Ancient Mesopotamia.' Making a presentation does not mandate that collaboration / working together was involved, could mean that someone agreed to schedule it. Review of electronic databases may mean that the teacher sends their class and again does not work together with the librarian.

Of the following activities of a school library media center’s program, the most critical or essential task(s) is
A. cataloging and processing materials
B. planning and sharing ideas with teachers
C. maintaining records and retrieving overdue materials
D. all of the above

I believe that working with teachers is the most critical / essential task. As a teacher librarian, I would spend as small amount of time possible cataloging and processing materials. Pay for it to be done or train someone to do it . . . but at a professional salary, it's just too much time that could be better spent working directly with students and faculty.

A pentacle, Ankh, and other Wiccan symbols have been burned into the front lawn of the school. The principal requests the names of all students who have checked out books on the topic of witches and Wicca. Which of the following statements is TRUE based on the ALA Confidentiality of Library Records policy?
A. The library community recognizes that children and youth do not have the same rights to privacy as adults.
B. Records held in school libraries that connect specific individuals with specific resources are not confidential.
C. Records that connect specific individuals with specific resources should be eliminated as soon as possible.
D. None of the above statements is true.

Confidentiality of library records is a basic principle of librarianship. Avoid creating unnecessary records. Only record a user’s personally identifiable information when necessary for the efficient operation of the library. I believe the best answer is C. If records are not there, then the issue of protecting student rights to materials and confidentiality is supported. Sure if the record is still there and a local government order is presented, then one may have to turn over that record. Hope that you are not placed in this position, but before I would turn over anything I would seek counsel with ALA as well as the school lawyer(s). AASL is a large part of ALA but question might be improved by changing to AASL. ALA's policy includes statement: 'Resist the issuance of enforcement of any such process, order, or subpoena until such time as a proper showing of good cause has been made in a court of competent jurisdiction.' Personally I would NOT erase records once an official order or subpoena was presented but would resist as best possible until court process and decision. NO, I have never been in the position.

Currently, 48 states and the District of Columbia have laws protecting the confidentiality of library records, and the Attorneys General of the remaining two states, Hawaii and Kentucky, have ruled that library records are confidential and may not be disclosed under the laws governing open records. Confidential library records should not be released or made available in any format to a federal agent, law enforcement officer, or other person unless a court order in proper form has been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction after a showing of good cause by the law enforcement agency or person seeking the records. To be sure, check with your school attorney to learn if there are laws or policies addressing record retention and in conformity with these laws or policies, develop policies on the length of time necessary to retain a record.

Finally connecting the checkout of materials on witches and witchcraft to some criminal or not-so criminal mischief is too large a leap for me - - just too thin of line to follow. Amateur detective work that could hurt an innocent student(s) and family relationship. When I was media specialist at a middle school, our books on witchcraft, the occult, paranormal events - - all were relatively popular items. The purpose of the question was to make you think about the complexity of the situation, and avoid a quick knee-jerk reaction if you are ever in a similar position.

Often a question is defined by its wording and the communication involved in words and phrasing; therefore how each of us interpreted the meaning of specific words or phrases then came into play. For example:

Question about what LMS will most likely be involved with:
A. remodeling the school library media facilities
B. rearranging school library media facilities
C. planning a new school library media facility
D. moving a school library media facility

Some suggested rewording to renovating rather than remodel; renovate means to make new or to renew. Remodel means to alter a structure or remake (these definitions come from Merriam Webster). To me, the term remodel best describes the condition that I had in mind. Rearrange means to reorder or move things around. I recommend making small facility changes often; move something around (rearrange) to improve the facility. Try new arrangements. Small changes often create interest. Moving a school library involves changing the entire location; i.e., relocating the media center so that a section of the building can be remodeled or moving a library media center to an entirely new building.

A few of us just happen to be at the right place to be involved in planning a renovation or even a new school library. I've done both and also been involved in closing and moving a school library collection. But I made smaller rearrangements of elements within the facility frequently; if you want something to be noticed more - - just move it to a new prominent position.

Quick responses to a few others - I will let you connect the ideas here to the item:
Avoid completing tasks perfectly. Who does that - - I mean who completes tasks perfectly? How do we recognize perfect? Maybe once in a blue moon, but I usually have to settle for very good, impressive, good enough, or that will work in this situation.

It is difficult to successfully collaborate without a flexible schedule; however it is not impossible. In other words, if you are stuck with a fixed schedule and cannot work to change that - - then make the best of the situation and collaborate with faculty as much as possible. If you cannot collaborate, then work to make you and your program as integral to the the teaching and learning in your building as possible. A SMS who does not have needed people skills will probably not initiate collaborative activities.

Regarding questions like According to Morris, the three most important aspects of a school library media center are:
A. its staff, budget support, and the facility
B. its staff, program, and budget support
C. its technology, facility, and the teacher librarian
D. materials collection, facility, and services

I don't believe that knowing exactly what Morris wrote as the three most important aspects should be committed to long-term memory or even written in stone. Some of you found the paragraph the question was drawn from and others may have chosen the correct answer. However it did serve as a way to direct attention and thought to what you believe to be most important. That is what I wanted to occur, and why I like the quiz to be administered in this fashion.

Again I was pleased with how attentive you were the quiz task and in your thoughts and reflections after completion. Well done.

If I did not touch on the quiz item that is still of most concern to you, just email me and I will reply direct to you with my comments.

Around and online through most of the weekend; watching and waiting for more snow to come over the mountain and down the canyon.
Larry

9 Dec. 2009 - S671Update: School Media
Hello everyone,

Hope that you are holding up well during this final week of class. If for any reason you are not able to meet the Friday midnight deadline, make sure that you are in communication with me.

Grades for DP have been posted for DP up through #8. Working on Toolkit3 and will then score final ones before your last Toolkit.

Some of you missed the need to include all of the following elements in your Toolkit choices for C and D. Instructions at http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/toolkit.htm read:

"In general, all projects should identify the setting (where), participants (who), objectives (why), strategies & activities (what & how), and the timeframe (when) needed for completion / implementation."

So far I have deducted only small partial pt. for this, but if you are able to correct that on the final two Toolkits - - you can save that.

STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS OF LIBRARY AND MEDIA (INDIANA)
In addition to national standards, most states including Indiana have a listing of standards for school library media.
http://www.doe.in.gov/dps/standards/LibraryMediaContStds.html

MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS
Some have noted that they visited schools where the teacher librarian is saving money by cataloging books. Do you think that is a good use of professional time? Consider the real costs in terms of their time / salaries as compared to cost of buying books already catalogued, processed ready for the shelf. Like many of the discussion points in the class; I am not here to tell you what the right answers are . . . but I do have a strong opinion. Granted there are sometimes situations where one may have to do some original cataloging; but even if that is the case, use shortcuts. See if you can find partial information needed at resources such as Library of Congress Online Catalog http://catalog.loc.gov/ WorldCat http://www.worldcat.org/ Open Library http://openlibrary.org/ or Library Thing http://www.librarything.com/ (One can sign up at LT and enter first 500 books of your own collection for free). Once you have your account, you can access MARC records of any other public collection, most are open. Another location to find cataloging is to check for catalog record at New York Public Library http://catalog.nypl.org/ or OhioLink http://olc1.ohiolink.edu/search/ As last resort, one can complete an online search for cataloging of an item. Use search term "MARC record" plus item title. Check with your jobber that you order most materials / cataloging from to see if you can also purchase cataloging for items that you already have. Bottom line, if one can buy the cataloging and you consider the hidden costs for doing the work, then it is pretty cheap.

There is the SLMS whose position whose position is seen as providing teachers with a prep hour. My concern is that at some point, administrators and the community might decide that this is not a high priority program . . . hire more teacher aides or use volunteers to staff library and circulate. I do believe that teacher librarians can have effective programs with fixed, flexible, or mixed schedules. But the schedule does not necessarily dictate that students receive info lit instruction at a time that they need or are ready to learn. Again I have a preference but also have faced reality of working within a scheduling system that I did not feel was optimum for the SLM program. Our job often encompasses making the best of a given situation in the constraints we have; there are very few 'perfect jobs' but there are rewarding positions that are dynamic and challenging. We have lots of control about how we perceive our positions; I choose to remain positive and keep striving to reach reasonable goals.

Interesting blog posting titled "Shifting the Print Paradigm" looks at changes in information sources that are important to students and school librarians.
http://futura.edublogs.org/2009/11/25/shifting-the-print-paradigm/

And almost daily, I am reminded of how value-ridden the class discussions can be - - that is how many ideas are shared. What a fast way to pick up tips about Follett Titlewave, biometric identification, various ways of transferring MARC records; all things gained by skimming through one group of DP postings.

NATIONAL BOOK AWADS
Recently the National Book Foundation announced the winners of the National Book Awards; awards given to writers by writers for literary excellence. Recognition is given to writers in four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature. http://www.nationalbook.org/

VOLUNTEERS
Lots of you had great ideas for recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers. One of the inherent issues that the DP contains is the need to lessen the 'drudgework' and upgrade volunteer work so that it is a perceived important function. Volunteers are important but all to often, they are mired down in the details of routine tasks. I like what one colleague instituted at a school several years ago: 'Everybody shelves, but no one for more than ten minutes'. Then on to other important tasks. He avoided some one coming in time after time and facing the undending, overflowing book cart (student, parent, community volunteers).

DIGITAL DIVIDE
What's been called the "digital divide" is changing. Although more people have better connection to technology and particularly Internet access than in the past, my perception is that 'equity gaps' continue to exist in our cities and rural communities. Our Internet infrastructure for much of the U.S. is rather slow compared to some other countries. Although it's true that some metro areas are providing open Internet service; someone (usually the taxpayer or a large corporate contributor) foots the bills for the system. What's termed 'high speed' DSL connection can vary significantly from area to area. Although almost all schools have access, many rural schools aren't able to stream video or use tools such as Google Earth that require lots of bandwidth. Although television ads tout "full coverage" there are still areas of the US that aren't covered by cell phone access. Since these areas represent a small percentage of the population, they are often overlooked. A more troubling issue is HOW this technology is being used. A number of you noted that although a person may have access to technology, they may not have the knowledge, skills, attitude, and values to use it in a positive way that promotes learning.

If you're interested in current statistics about broadband adoption in various areas, check out the latest Pew Internet statistics at http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/10-Home-Broadband-Adoption-2009.aspx?r=1

For those of you who live in rural areas, you'll be happy to hear about programs funded by stimulus money that might help the rural/urban digital divide: http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/11/smallbusiness/stimulus_billions_for_rural_broadband.smb/index.htm

ARTICLE - RECOMMENDED READING
A November online article by R. Brenner at School Library Journal provides an excellent example of how circulation records / statistics were used to make informed decisions about collection development - - in this instance, graphic novels. See how the author went deeper than just the surface level reports and 'crunched the numbers' to extend her knowledge.
Number crunching: How Looking at Graphic Novel Circulation Statistics from Many Perspectives Help You Know What's Really Flying Off the Shelves
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/540000654/post/1790050779.html

Have a good week,
Dr. J

23 Nov. 2009 - S671 D9 Process / The Quiz: School Media
Hello everyone,

The online quiz is set to go at Oncourse; find it in the 'Original Test and Survey' section.

Consists of 30 multiple-choice questions that will be presented to you in random order. It can be taken with textbooks open and access to any and all materials that you find / have at your disposal. It is in no way a comprehensive exam that covers everything in the course; however it does touch on material throughout the semester.

Throughout the course, you were assigned readings on the Web and from the required texts. You are now to log on to the site for this class at Oncourse. Then take the online quiz that you will find in the 'Original Test and Survey' section (random order, multiple choice, you are permitted to one attempt; in other words you may not change answers once submitted). This is an open book, open computer opportunity - use as much time as needed. There is no time limit. Do the best possible, but your quiz score will not determine your DP score.
Note: The online Quiz will be made one week before DP9 is due (DP9 is due at midnight Monday of next week). Quiz items will only cover assigned reading up to this point. Remember also that the Quiz at Oncourse will only be available for the week until next Monday.

Rather your DP9 score will be based upon your post-quiz analysis and discussion related to this experience. Identify the question or questions that you disliked most; what were the worst quiz items? Discuss the best and the worst items, explain your thinking. Were the items fair? Make suggestions to improve quiz items.

The not-too-transparent purpose of this DP is for you to again deal with the assigned reading materials - - and to make the quiz activity a positive a learning exercise. You are welcome to also include comments regarding this DP process itself. Make sure that your reply / response to a fellow classmate's posting is more than just agreement or disagreement, more than feedback.

Reminder: There are a total of 30 multiple-choice items on the Quiz. You are to pick the 'one best' answer. There is not time limit; but as far as I know, there is no way to stop before finished and return another time to complete. Again, there is no time limit. The questions are randomly given; therefore Item 10 on your quiz is not likely to be Item 10 on anyone else's quiz. Because the items are scrambled, your discussion should identify the text / identify the specific question. All items have been used in several previous classes and have been validated.

Do your best,
Larry

21 Nov. 2009 - S671 KwiqNote: School Media
Hiya gang,

Fast approaching the holiday.

CHANGE
You just completed readings about advocacy and promotions, special events in the school library. Soon you will be reading about change. I'm sure that most of you sense some of the dynamics currently occurring that are impacting our work field. School libraries and funding for their operation are being impacted. Many programs are on the 'chopping block', positions are being eliminated or drastically cut. In many cases, budget cuts are not being made on a logical or pedagogical basis. And realistically many states have not seen the bottom . . . because even though there are many signs / indicators of economic recovery, sales tax and state funding usually lags behind.

School library facilities are another area where change is occurring. Earlier this Fall a private school in the Northeast announced that it was following the lead of a few universities and was adopting a totally digital collection. Learn more at C
That's no printed books / material of any kind.

Also read Scott McLeod's posting on Dangerously Irrelevant Libraries.
http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/11/10-questions-about-books-libraries-librarians-and-schools.html
Think about these issues.

ISTE recently focused discussion on 'Do Schools Still Need Brick-and-Mortar Libraries?'
http://www.iste.org/...Volume3720092010/schools_still_need_brick_and_mortar_l.htm
Some would just like to put their heads in the sand (so-to-speak) and ignore such thought but that will not help. We need to be aware and change our operations so that they serve the needs of today's students and their schools.

Others are radically re-designing their operations to embrace a 'Creative Commons' approach.
K. Globe (Dec. 8, 2008). New 'Learning Commons' Defies Commonplace: Chelmsford Library Revamped. Boston Globe.
http://www.boston.com/news/education/...2008/12/08/new_learning_commons_defies_commonplace/

Presentation by Elizabeth Waterbury
http://www.davidvl.org/The_TRIUMPH.pdf

Loertsher, David (Nov. 1, 2008). Flip This Library: School Libraries Need a Revolution. School Library Journal
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6610496.html

Learning Commons Overview at Rundlett Middle School
http://library-media-center.rms.concordnhschools.net...sessionid=d7e237559878....

Suzanne Sannwald (May 2009). How Will This New Library Learning Commons Be Different From Our Current School Library? Grossmont Union High School District
http://librarylearningcommons.pbworks.com/Differences-From-Our-Current-School-Library

In my decades working in education and library media centers, budget cuts / crunches have been somewhat cyclical. The current reality is that there are jobs out there, but you may have to be able to move to their location. School Library Journal recently reported that this Fall the state of Oklahoma had many unfilled positions in school library media.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS
Few words about presentation software: PowerPoints are a way to share truncated information; however most lack a richness or depth of details, examples, and insights. PowerPoints are one of the most mis-used tools around. Too many rely on text lists in bullet point fashion and expect that the viewer will understand what they mean. PowerPoint presentations are seldom developed for effective stand-alone use. Consider most slides can be read in 5 to 20 seconds; how long are you engaged in the content, how much real content is shared? PowerPoint presentations are best when they incorporate multimedia (sound, images) that are integral to the messages. Information is chunked and structured into a logical fashion but they usually rely on the presenter's added narration / explanation for fuller understandings.

Note: I worked a number of years as an instructional designer. I was thrilled when the capability came to digitally create presentations. However most that I see are totally text (could have stayed with old fashioned transparencies), and allow the same image to stay on the screen way too long while the presenter talks. I usually think of a ppt slide staying on the screen from 10 to 20 seconds each - - otherwise the viewer can become bored and lose interest. Break the information up into bite-sized chunks, incorporate multimedia for interest and add information, and design for simple elegance (that is every design element serves a need). Get rid of cutesy, irrelevant artwork and background colors, and provide a richness of information. Use the power of the technology effectively. I will step down of the soapbox (8-).

BOOKS AND LIBRARIES
With a few exceptions, most of you in your Reality Check reports and other postings considered only books or maybe electronic databases. What about non-print media; e-books, streaming video, and audio and video materials? If we concentrate only on printed information, we neglect an array of other materials that appeal to diverse students. Have you ever seen a reluctant reader get excited about listening to a audiobook or reading a graphic novel. People have different preferences, different styles and we need to try other avenues to engage students.

STUDENT WORKERS
Those of you who were intrigued by the greater utilization of student workers (J. Cecil-Jessie's Reality Check) might also want to read the blog interactions with John McDonald (Sept. 2005 and Oct. 2006).

Have a great weekend and holiday. I am back to grading and will be back in touch soon.
Larry

4 Nov. 2009 - S671 Update: School Media
Hi everyone,
I am not where I want to be with scoring your DP postings . . . DP2 and 3s have been completed and posted. Have switched to scoring your Reality Check assignments next and then back to more DPs.

AL DIRECT
ALA has recently opened up subscriptions to their AL Direct electronic newsletter. Previously this was only available to ALA members; now you can sign up for free at http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/aldirect/aldirect.cfm

WEEDS IN THE COLLECTION
Always interesting to see the different approaches take with Decision Point 4 and weeding. Many of you noted that the process sometimes involves examining the physical condition of material. Copyright date can not tell you the wear and tear to an item. One can learn a lot from examination and analysis of the online records, but sometimes one needs to flip and scan a few pages or open the box in order to make a final decision as to keeping or removing.

Another one - this from comments about biographies. Even though a person has died years ago, new information and viewpoints often continue to emerge. One important thing about biographies is that each biography reflects not only the details of the subject's life but also includes the author's viewpoints, experiences, and exhibits their access to primary source materials. In recent years, there have been a number of biographies written about America's 'founding fathers.' Many of those are distinguished by the larger viewpoint taken by authors who have researched written letters and documents, examined materials of their subject's contemporaries, and brought new perspectives to light about historical persons.

A more recent example relates to writings on the life of Everett Ruess (regional interest in the Southwest):
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/us/01ruess.html?
New books are being planned and written because of new information, and there are still mysteries.
http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_13611950
So even though lives have ended and much has been written; there are often new ideas and information discovered or re-discovered about that life.

YOUMEDIA LEARNING SPACE FOR TEENS
A recent article in School Library Journal told about Harold Washington LIbrary Center's (Chicago Public Library) new learning space for high school students that connects teens, books, and technology. Learn more at Chicago Public Library Unveils 21st-Century YOUmedia Learning Space for Teens http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6702816.html?rssid=190

ON THE LOOKOUT FOR NEEDED FUNDING
If your school library is in need of a technology boost, consider entering Acer's (and Intel's) School Library Makeover competition (Deadline, Jan. 17, 2010) and possibly win 10 new notebooks and two desktop computers for your media center.
Entry form at https://usspringpromo.acer.com/Campaign/SchoolLibraryMakeover/index.htm?LS=Intel
SLJ article about the contest at
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6704981.html?rssid=190

MORE ON COLLABORATION
This is a topic that comes up throughout the class; it is interwoven into almost every aspect of being a school media specialist. But It can be one of the most difficult concepts for teacher librarians to fully understand and grasp and even more difficult to effectively practice - -to initiate and enact on-the-job. Why is that? For one, the emphasis on this is relatively recent. I know that Information Power has been out since the late Eighties - - that would be in the previous century, right (8-)! But we need to have more examples, more models of good practices. Most of us did not experience school libraries where the professionals interacted in this way. And when we visit or work in schools today, we often do not see successful collaborations.

Also people often use the term "collaboration" to loosely apply to a variety of relationships. In some cases, I think the situation being described is closer to "cooperation." These two terms, cooperation and collaboration, are often interchanged, but are actually very different. For me, the term cooperation involves working side-by-side with a teacher. For example, you might act upon a request for materials or teach a lesson that parallels and supports the classroom teacher... however the lesson may not be planned together. Collaboration infers a greater degree of interdependence and truly working together. For example, the teacher and teacher librarian might together design, develop, and deliver a lesson activity that is based upon joint, mutual learning goals. The activity is aimed at having greater impact than could be achieved individually. The teacher and teacher librarian each have something unique to contribute to a collaborative venture. I believe that we sometimes elevate activities to the level of collaboration (It just sounds better!), when they are largely based upon cooperation. Consider ways that your interactions with teachers can transform learning. For example, rather than simply gathering those books that are requested every year, talk with the teacher about redesigning the assignment to also incorporate electronic databases or emphasize specific information skills.

The following comment came from a student in another online class - - talking about a visit with a SLMS:
"I truly admire this school media specialist. In order for the relationship between school media specialist and teacher to be effective, the school media specialist has to be the initiator. Often times, teachers are too busy running their own programs and don’t think to include the library or the expertise of the school media specialist. She said that when she first came to the school, some teachers didn’t even include the school media specialist in research report writing. They just wanted to bring the students down to the library to do research, but it wasn’t guided by the teacher or the school media specialist. That’s why it is so important for the school media specialist to establish him or herself as an open book, ready and willing to help teachers. He or she also has to be the one to initiate ideas, lessons, and feedback from faculty, students, and parents. This helps to create an awareness that the school media specialist is there to work collaboratively with everyone. She now leads the research portion of the unit on research report writing for all the English classes’ grade 9-12. She also, teaches the writing of bibliographies. Her lesson plans change according to the students’ grade level and were very impressive."

WHAT DO ADMINISTRATORS LOOK FOR?
From Barbara Stripling's book: Dr. Mary Beth Lehmanowsky and Ceciliar Rulia (administrators in Lincoln, Nebraska) say they look for the library media specialist that:

"Think and do, not watch and observe.
Lead, not manage.
See possibilities, not limits.
Love kids, not data.
Work, not shirk.
Interact, not impede."

Doug Johnson recently updated his checklist for School Principals to use in evaluating the effectiveness of school library media programs.
Examine the 2009 version at http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2009/10/23/13-point-checklist-2009.html This can be a useful tool for evaluation and self-evaluation.

ASSIGNMENTS
This week's reading assignments were:
Service http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/service.html
Professional Development http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/profdevelop.html

Next week's reading is all about budgets.
Read Chapters 5 & 11 in the Morris text.

Online readings:
Budget Management http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/budget.html
Budget Planning http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/budget2.html
Acquisition http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/acquisition.html
Accounting http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/accounting.html
Funding Sources http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/grants.html

DP7 should be completed by next Monday. Also a second Toolkit component http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/toolkit.htm is to be completed and posted to Oncourse.

Annette and I will be driving and flying most of the day tomorrow; I will get back online as soon as possible but just wanted you to be aware if delayed in responding to your email. We are on our way to the AASL Conference in Charlotte, NC.

Have a good week,
Larry

19 Oct. 2009 - S671 Update: School Media
Hello again,

The semester is speeding along; we are at the mid-point. I have scored a few more of your Forum Discussions and posted to your gradebook. Currently working on grading your DP4 postings and your first Toolkit component. I will send brief e-note when those are complete.

Reading assignments this week (text and online) are about school library facilities; the building structures that house the school library media centers. Your readings follow the traditional models for planning and design. However many of you recognize that some radical changes are beginning to surface; i.e., the private high school that is adopting a 'bookless' center (article in earlier update message). I know other schools in recent years have considered departing from a traditional library media center to look at 'open commons' designs. Consider the role of a school library when it no longer needs to be a warehouse of books and when users can obtain information without setting foot in its doors. These changes are occurring now. Think about facilities in terms of what our students need to prepare them for their lives - - that is not the same type of school library media center that we experienced. When you think about information media - - consider all the forms, including books.

In addition to reading assignments, another Decision Point discussion is due the week. Also be working on the Reality Check activity and the next Toolkit component. Visit the Calendar, Requirements, and Course Guide webpages for details.

BLOGGING ENDS THIS COMING WEEK
Our schedule of blog guests is swiftly drawing to a close. One more guest on Thursday; that's it for this semester. We have had a stellar group, and the discussions have touched on numerous issues and ideas pertinent to teacher librarian positions. Those of you attending ILF this week may get the chance to meet and interact with some of the Indiana bloggers in person.

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL INFORMATION LITERACY AWARENESS MONTH
Never happened before - - Presidential Proclamation of National Information Literacy Awareness Month
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-National-Information-Literacy-Awareness-Month/
October 1, 2009, President Barack Obama declared October 2009 to be National Information Literacy Awareness Month.
"More than just job security, acknowledgment, a pat on the back, this declaration brings to the forefront something so integral and necessary to making sense of this information age… and finally may end those casual comments from well meaning persons who, upon learning my vocation, say something along the lines of ‘you must read a lot.’ "
Brian Johnstone, Digital Resources Librarian, Bucks County Community College

RECENT DECISION POINT DISCUSSIONS
I always enjoy reading your Decision Point postings. May have already stated that I do not generally impose my view into these important conversations. But some of you asked about my opinion or input with some of these tough issues. I follow with some current thoughts but in no way want to dictate agreement - - rather I just ask you to consider these ideas. Continue thinking about and considering your views . . .

About Evidence-based Decisionmaking - As always the varied perspectives from the class add unique insights and examples. However a few missed part of the discussion focus in the Decision Pt. 2 posting. In general this was about the evidence to be gathered - - what, who, and how it is collected. For those who chose Option 1, I was also looking for strategies to convince teacher(s) to collaborate in the effort(s). All too often, we assume that teachers will see the benefit and wisdom of our plans, but in reality that is not always the case. Looked for your ideas and insights, specific details on how to win over 'reluctant' partners. It can be done, but in most situations it does not just happen. However winning over the support and collaboration of teachers is paramount to succeeding in our positions. The days are gone when a SLMS is only the keeper of the books, the expert on information, the maintainer of order, and the leader of reading promotion in the library media center. These are still central responsibilities, but we have to reach outside into the classrooms and be involved in curriculum and learning.

Without teacher buy-in you will probably not be successful or have the impact that is needed. I would add that going-it-alone as a SLMS dooms one to a mediocre level; in order to have significant impact on students and their learning and on teachers and their teaching, we must be involved in the classrooms.

Pleased to see the collective manner in which you dealt with the real issues related to student records and privacy and 'hot button' issues (DP3).

Those who thought of following an administrator's opinion seem to be bypassing a responsibility to protect students' rights to privacy and right to access materials. In other words, it is the easy thing to do - - just let them handle it. But it is not always the right thing to do. Administrators come and go and many are not expert or even up-to-date on library media administration and laws and practices related to student rights to access materials and records privacy. I would never advocate defiance of a court order (search warrant for example); however, I would take steps to ensure that procedures are systematically followed and as much protection provided as possible. Contact the expertise provided by ALA and a school's lawyer. Avoid a 'rush to action' and taking of hasty inappropriate steps that override individual rights.

The most important result from this discussion activity (DP3) is to convince you not wait for one of these type events to occur at your library media center; rather learn about the issues, prepare for events, and work to get policies and procedures in place 'before hand.' If the needed policies exist, make sure that they fit today's school library media situations. Critically look to see if they need to be revised and updated. Think in terms of student needs, today's technologies, and prepare for the unexpected. Insure that the collection development policy includes a procedure for challenged materials. If one does not exist, form a working committee and draft proposed procedures, then take them to the school board for examination and approval. Within procedures, look at the way student records are maintained - - take steps to ensure that records are erased / removed in a timely fashion, once they are no longer needed.

We were indeed fortunate to have again had as a guest blogger this term, Helen Adams, one of the leading experts in our field on intellectual freedom and privacy and confidentiality. Her postings from the past two years are important resources as well as the several journal articles that she has authored (many of you cited her work in your postings). Her blog comments from this year and the year before remain open and accessible for your use. Same with all our bloggers of the past five years.

Likewise shaping the collection or procedures followed probably should not just be based upon whether one views a community as being conservative or liberal. Personally I feel the labels are overused and if I really examine the political positions of most individuals, I find diverse viewpoints that blend viewpoints. That is, people may feel or demonstrate a liberal stance in some situations (voting) yet also be conservative in their approach to handling other things (money / fiscal responsibility). People and their social actions generally seem to be more complex than any one label can define. And many opinions and viewpoints are open to reconsideration.

Those of you at ILF; enjoy the Conference.

Have a good week,
Larry

1 Oct. 2009 - S671 Quik Note - SLJ Summit
Just in case someone is looking for an online conference to attend.

SLJ Summit - Librarians as Leaders of 21st Century Learning

The School Library Journal Leadership Summit 2009 takes places this week on October 2 and 3. If you are not one of the lucky ones getting to attend in person — you can still participate virtually! Here are some entry points into the virtual presentations and conversations:

SLJ Summit Ning http://sljsummit.ning.com/
Official Summit Website and Blog http://sljsummit09.weebly.com/
Learn more from this posting at the Georgia Library Media Association
http://glma.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/participate-virtually-in-the-slj-summit-october-2-3-2009/

1 Oct. 2009 - S671 School Media - BE SURE TO READ
Hello everyone,

The added warning in the subject line (BE SURE TO READ CAREFULLY) is meant to alert everyone. If you printed out the Checklist for the course, you may have noticed a discrepancy between that and the course guide. That has been corrected, main problem was on the checklist and now it has been brought in line with the course guide. A few more details have also been added to the Course Guide section for the Decision Point actvities.

Here is the explanation. There were two quiz activities noted on the old Checklist; now only one and it is near the end of the course. For your understanding the quiz will be administered in Oncourse and will be open book, open computer - welcome to use any resources at your disposal. After you complete the quiz and review your performance, you will then discuss items for your DP9 activity. The quiz score will not be counted; rather your analysis and discussion related to the quiz will be scored. Overall purpose is to check your understandings and insights related to assigned readings throughout the course, and intention is to make this a positive learning experience while still challenging your thinking. The quiz will cover assigned reading online and the textbooks.

So make sure that you update your understandings related to these sections:
Checklist (Replace previous version) http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/checklist.htm
Course Guide (Decision Point activities; DP9 is the Quiz) http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/courseguide.htm

ASSIGNMENTS
Following up and continuing from the previous readings related to policies, procedures, and issues related to collections, this weeks online readings cover:
Intellectual Freedom http://eduscapes.com/sms/access/cdfreedom.html
Rights of Library Users http://eduscapes.com/sms/access/patriot.html
Internet Access & Filtering Issues http://eduscapes.com/sms/access/filtering.html

Textbook assignment is to read Chapters 8 and 9 in Morris.

Decision Point 3 Tough Issues http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/courseguide.htm#dp3 is due next Monday and the following week is DP4 Fun with Weeding http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/courseguide.htm#dp4 This latter activity involves a visit to both a public and school library.

Recent weeks have also given time to work on the Toolkit components. We are nearing the midway point for interactions with our online guests in the blog discussions. At the end of this week, there are only five more practitioners scheduled. You are required to interact with a minimum of four and to develop an extended discussion - more than just question, answer, looking for leading question(s) followed by logical added discussion.

Also on Monday, Oct. 12 your first Toolkit component is due http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/toolkit.htm This is not the first Toolkit assigned or any one particular Toolkit, rather it is a Toolkit that you have selected determined by your activity choices and calendar requirements for each. Again a reminder that you are not to submit partial sections of any component; turn all parts in together.

Finally with assignments, be sure that you are looking forward and seeing the required due date for the Reality Check. http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/realitycheck.htm

ALA WEBSITE
In recent weeks ALA has revised their websites (Including AASL). This has impacted several linked articles and websites in the course materials. Some of you have emailed me and I appreciate the help. I will continue to correct these links (Includes ALA sites and some journal articles). Finding that a few resources have disappeared entirely and others return in a new location. This is about the third website revision in five or six years, and for those of you who are or will be involved with website development - it is helpful to maintain the URL address of resources rather than continue to move them to new locations (8-). Some articles that were once hosted at ALA / AASL can be located in the IUPUI databases (generally found at EBSco Academic Search Premier or occasionally only available through WilsonWeb).

AASL POSTS LEARNING4LIFE TEMPLATES
Need some (free!) resources for promoting the AASL Learning4Life implementation effort - - this includes promotion of the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, the Standards in Action book, and the Empowering Learners guidelines? http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learning4life/resources/resources.cfm
-- Adding to course materials --

ARE WE DOING THE SAME OLD THING WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES?
In a recent blog posting titled "Lessons Learned from the Microsoft School of the Future" K. Fontichiaro echos what many of us have sensed . . . change the way that things are done. Start now, one small step at a time.
http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/index.php/2009/09/26/lessons-learned-from-the-microsoft-school-of-the-future/

IUWARE
As an IU system student, you can download (for free) new versions of all the Microsoft software, the entire Adobe Creative Suite (Includes Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Photoshop, Flash, and more), and many more software programs. In some instances you can purchase the software on discs for a very low price. Connect to IUWare and use your login to gain access http://iuware.iu.edu

AVOID USING MS PUBLISHER
While we are focused on software; you may not be aware that MS Publisher documents are not able to be viewed by persons using a Mac computer platform (My preferred computer). If you want to create a MS Publisher document for this or other classes, then also provide a PDF file of the same work. The nice thing about a pdf is that your document will retain all formatting including margins and fonts. It will look the same, regardless of the computing platform.

IDEAS & INFORMATION FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Edutopia offers a free download of a brochure: Ten Top Tips for Teaching with New Media - with goal of providing "succinct and practical ways to prepare students for 21st century success."
http://www.edutopia.org/ten-top-tips
Requires that you sign up with a name and email address.

INTERESTING ARTICLE
Not directly for this class but a genuinely interesting article:
Gemmell, Jim & Gordon Bell (Sept. 15, 2009). The E-Memory Revolution. Library Journal
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6695134.html
The rise of digital records of daily life means unmatched access to our pasts, presents both challenge and opportunity to libraries.

I've 'bent your ears' long enough but don't hesitate to email me when needed. Have a good remainder of the week and weekend. Back with you soon.

Larry

15 Sept. 2009 - S671 Kwik Note: School Media
Hi everyone,

Here are further instructions regarding the Toolkit assignment - specifically for the blog interactions with expert guests.

BLOG INTERACTIONS - LEARN FROM EXPERTS IN THE FIELD
Blogging session with Helen Adams begins this Thursday and continues through Saturday.

The blogsite for these interactions at http://slmsbridge.blogspot.com/

If you have a blogger account at Blogger, you can use that or or follow these instructions:
1) At the blogsite, click on the '(number) comments' link (next to the pencil icon) at the bottom of the introductory posting for session.

2) Then keyboard in your message in the "Leave your comment window." You should add your first name (full name if you want) at the end of your message (identify yourself); also can put any information here that you want displayed publicly.

3) When you have a message as you want it, click on the "Anonymous" button under "Choose and Identity." Next, click on the light blue "Login and Publish" Bar.

If any of this is confusing, email me back . . . I try to stay online - be around virtually most of the days, especially these first few days.

The complete schedule for virtual visits this Fall can be found at School Library Media Specialists http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/slms.html

Read through the directions for this activity http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/toolkit.htm#2

These people have a wealth of experiences and successes in administering strong school library media programs. Look over the brief introduction and compose your initial questions based upon their interests and backgrounds. You are required to interact with at least four different people and to summarize that interchage. But you are not limited to only that number.

Interaction means more than a one question, more than one blog posting for each discussion interaction. Engage guest experts with more than a one question - one answer discussion. Avoid long run-on questions; a deluge of multiple / extended questions in one posting. Make your interactions with the expert guests as meaningful as possible. Carefully construct your posted comments and focus them to your and your guest's interest and expertise. Provide enough explanation and concrete information so that a mutual understanding of the concept and issue is gained. Extend your conversations with followup discussion to gain more deep and richer understandings. You have access to "pick these people's brains," so make the best of that opportunity.

You are to interact, discuss issues and ideas with a minimum of four different guests. Remember, you can choose with whom and when to interact - - but each of our guests will only be available for the scheduled 3-day time period. They will not be online all of the time but will be online one, two or more times a day. They are busy, working people and may not attend to your messages until late in the evening or early the next day. Be patient and plan your use of their time well.

Thanks and enjoy these visits. Take time to read through all of them - lots to be gained.
Larry

14 Sept. 2009 - S671 Update: School Media
Hi,

You are moving along in this course. I greatly enjoyed reading your discussions for Decision Point 1. The scores have been posted at Oncourse in your gradebook.

I try and 'remove' myself from those discussions. As soon as I would post my viewpoint as the instructor, my expressions influence the ongoing conversations. The collective information (All the discussions as a whole) is impacted. But occasionally, I will followup after grading with a few observations:

With regard to the scenario in DP1; it is not all that far fetched. I've known schools and library centers to suffer catastrophic destruction. Most large libraries have disaster plans in place and often different versions for different impacts. Collectively you came up with the needed ideas; i.e., taking the program outside the center, partnering with nearby school & public libraries, utilizing portable computer labs, collaborating with teachers & students, ramping up the virtual aspects of the library, etc. I would just point out that in order to be successful, much of this would need to be started or in-place before the disaster. Administrators, teachers, students, and many parents have a general impression of the library program. That impression needs to match the plan.

Moreover if a facilities disaster situation were to occur, a teacher librarian would need to be taking their library program directly into the classrooms; be an integral part of the teaching / learning process. It's got to be more than library orientation sessions and instruction on how to use the library resources. Library instruction needs to be integrated into the classroom curricula and delivered in as real of context as possible; that is, introduced / taught when students need it for their learning. That means being ready with news and information after the earthquake / fire etc., jumping into a collaboration (example: working with a math teacher and using digital cameras with students to examine patterns in nature), and nurturing ongoing relationships with teachers across the curricula. It's sometimes a one-shot opportunity that you don't want to let pass by or its a longer ongoing curricular project that involves you directly with teachers and students. It's what makes our jobs exciting and challenging . . . takes a lot of energy. That's why I always discourage someone who is looking to switch careers to school library media when they mention that it will be easier than classroom teaching. I've done both, and if you do this job right - there's no comparison. You will lose your prep period, lucky if you can grab a few minutes for a quiet lunchtime, and you're there before and after school most of the time. But you can impact many more students and their teachers and their learning.

THIS WEEK"S READING ASSIGNMENTS
Read Morris Chapter 14 - Evaluation
Read Empowering Learners Apendices B, C, & D + G

Also this week, the following web materials are assigned:
Approaches to Data Collection http://eduscapes.com/sms/program/datacollect.html
Collection Mapping http://eduscapes.com/sms/program/mapping.html
Inventory http://eduscapes.com/sms/program/inventory.html
Data Sources http://eduscapes.com/sms/program/data.html
Surveys http://eduscapes.com/sms/program/survey.html
Evaluation http://eduscapes.com/sms/program/evaluation.html
Accountability http://eduscapes.com/sms/program/accountability.html

Decision Point 2 - Evidence-based Decisionmaking is due today, Monday.
Continue work on Toolkit Item(s). Your first Toolkit is due October 12th.

REMINDER
When you are submitting an assignment activity which has choice options (complete either A or B, this or that), be sure to identify the option that you have completed. Thanks.

BLOGGING WITH VIRTUAL GUESTS - TOOLKIT B COMPONENT
One component of the Professional Connections 2 assignment of the Toolkit http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/toolkit.htm#2 requires that you interact with expert 'guests' at a blogsite. The scheduled 3-day interaction sessions are scheduled to begin this Thursday and finish up in late October. This year's participant list and schedule is online http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/slms.html

Each year highly qualified guests give of their time and expertise to interact with you. Before Thursday, I will provide added guidance about specific process for posting questions and comments and provide a few suggestions. This has always been a fun and rewarding activity; it's has been a good way to bring in outside guests to our class.

Helen Adams of WI is our first guest blogger (This Thursday). Begin thinking of possible questions for Helen.
She is expert in areas concerning intellectual freedom. She authors an ongoing column:
IF Matters: Intellectual Freedom @ your library(R) in School Library Monthly (formerly School Library Media Activities Monthly)
Find a brief bio page for Helen Adams at http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/adams.html

A recent installment is titled:
Banned Books Week: Just the Beginning (Sept 2009; 26(1), 48-49)
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=43915580 (Access requires login)

ARTICLES OF INTEREST
A recent issue of California Schools Magazine, a publication of the CA School Boards Association, describes the plight of school libraries and teacher librarians in that beleaguered state. Read P. Martineau's (Sept. 8, 2009) "Out of Circulation: School Librarians are in Short Supply" online: http://www.csba.org/NewsAndMedia/Publications/CASchoolsMagazine/2009/Fall/InThisIssue/Libraries.aspx

The September issue of Educational Leadership focuses partnership for 21st Century skills, 67(1). You can read several of the articles online http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/current_issue.aspx

Judy led the way by posting information about Cushing Academy's embracing digital and discarding their print collection. If you missed them, here are the two articles :
Sutter, John D. (Sept. 4, 2009). The Future of Libraries, With or Without Books. CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/09/04/future.library.technology/
Abel, David (Sept. 4, 2009). Welcome to the Library. Say Goodbye to the Books. Boston Globe.
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2009/09/04/a_library_without_the_books/

As you can imagine, this recent news has caused a bit of a stir in the library media field. Will this be the trend in the near future? What will be the role of the teacher librarian? How will this impact the facilities design?

BANNED BOOKS CELEBRATION & HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Throughout the school year, most school library media centers hold special observances and events. Later in the course, you will read and explore some of these programs. Coming up is Banned Books Week, Sept. 26 to Oct. 3rd. Banned Books Week is an event in which thousands nationwide will read from banned or challenged books, speak out and learn about censorship, and celebrate the right to choose reading materials without restriction. Some may have already read the School Library Journal article by Rocco Staino (Sept 9, 2009):
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6692454.html?rssid=190

September 15 marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15). Tuesday marks the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. More information at these sites:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/hispanic/
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/hhm1.html

LGBT YOUTH
Discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth often increases in rural and so-called impoverished areas, according to a new report by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). GLSEN believes school librarians can play a significant role in helping to stem this kind of harassment. Read more at Lauren Barack's (Sept. 9, 2009):
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6687521.html?rssid=190

STUDY 'FIRST LOOK' RESULTS RELEASED
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is a go-to location for concrete data regarding education. They recently (June 2009) released "Characteristics of Public, Private, and Bureau of Indiana Education Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Centers in the United States: Results from the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey."
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009322
in 2007-08, about 57% of paid professional library media center staff in traditional public schools had a Master's degree in a library-related major, which is a higher percentage than comparable staff in public charter schools (29%) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools (27%). The 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey contains a variety of information about school library media centers in public and BIE K-12 schools in the 50 States and the District of Columbia. Selected findings are presented in this First Look report. Topics covered include: access to and use of a variety of information technologies, library facilities, services and policies, library staffing, feedback on students' level of information literacy and collections and expenditures. (This information will replace older study within course materials).

These days, most of you have experienced other Web classes. The course environment is somewhat familiar, and a few find your own 'shortcuts.' Be aware that you are expected to follow the Course Guide http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/courseguide.htm, read the online and text materials, and meet the course requirements. Those articles and resources in the mainline of the webpage materials are to be read completely, some are designated to be explored or skimmed, and most webpages have a list of supplemental resources at the bottom (these are optional resources provided for people who need added depth and further understanding).

Hope that today you are on-track with the course. One of the major characteristics of a web course is the shift in greater responsibility to you the student. Therefore pay close attention to the Course calendar, Course Guide and Requirements pages. Use the Checklist to track your progress. Remember if you have a question, do not understand something about the course, or just want to communicate - email me.

Until next time.
Larry

2 Sept. 2009 - Kwik Note: School Media
Hi gang,

Back with you.

I'm hearing reports from some of you and my wife's students regarding difficulties with Oncourse. Oncourse is usually reliable, even if clunky in some ways, but early in the semester (especially Fall term) it is not unusual to have problems. This is largely due to the increased numbers of instructors and their students that are coming to use capabilities of the system. Don't fret if you are having problems getting the DP posted today. If you need another day or two - there will be no penalties. So relax and try again later - late if you are a nite person or early if you have to be up then. Odd hours usually help. Things should settle down in a few hours or a day or two.

Also for the record:
Your replies / responses to the Decision Point postings are due within the week following the original posting. Remember you may post as many replies as you wish. Try to make them more than just the 'way to go' and 'I like that' sort of comments. For the needed score your reply must extend added ideas, insights, examples, or bring in new information directly related to the original discussion.

Have some fun today,
Larry

2 Sept. 2009 - Kwik Note: School Media
Received reply today regarding the videos at the 2002 Collaboration Grant Projects webpage. They are no longer available. I will remove them from the course materials.

CLARIFICATION ABOUT TOOLKIT
You are to complete four separate Toolkit components. The numbers and letters are just to differentiate - but are not an order of completion. Each can be completed in any order and for some (Professional Practice items) you have a choice as to the type of Toolkit assignment. More often, students are working on two or more items at once.

For each Toolkit item, you will need to select one that you can complete within the time frame of each calendar due date - - so if you are attending the ILF Conference, that Professional Connections component can NOT be your first Toolkit component submitted.

The reason that I have the Professional Connections items listed and explained first is that they take planning and scheduling to complete. That is if you are attending ILF, then you need to get that on your personal schedule early (Now?). I am working on finalizing our guest bloggers for the Professional Connections 2 and will notify everyone of that schedule in the next few weeks. Hope to get them in by early November (Most in October).

Finally I strongly recommend that if you have never attended ILF (Conference includes IAME), this would be an excellent opportunity. But if that is not a possibility, find an alternative - - that will be fine. Key is to find a meeting that is new to you. If you have already attended ILF or IAME conferences, then you already have a general idea of what happens there (even though each is unique in some ways).

Happy to listen to your ideas for an alternative,
Larry

1 Sept. 2009 - School Media Update
Hey everybody,

Hope that you are caught up with the readings and getting started with planning - - plus working on the Decision Point (DP) assignment for tomorrow.

Enjoyed reading the introductions that you placed at Oncourse, but these were not primarily for me. Meant to begin process of establishing feeling of community among students in this course. I'm serious when I say that it is you students that will make this class an outstanding one. By sharing ideas, discussing issues, and explaining your thoughts, the content of this course can far exceed what is at the website or within the textbooks.

ASSIGNMENTS
So with that in mind, a little about the current reading assignments for this week (Listed on the course Calendar):
Morris text; Chapters 3, 4 & 13 and Appendices I, II
Also read in the Doll textbook: Chapters 4, 5, 6 & Appendix (Watt)

Web Read:
The School Library Media Specialist http://eduscapes.com/sms/specialist.html
Your Role as a Professional http://eduscapes.com/sms/professional.html

Web Skim:
Professional Organizations - http://eduscapes.com/sms/orgs.html (Explore six sections)
E-Communication - http://eduscapes.com/sms/lists.html (four sections plus linked page at Teacher Tap)
Professional Journals - http://eduscapes.com/sms/journal.html (three sections)
Professional Books - http://eduscapes.com/sms/print.html (List of supplemental texts for this class, optional readings)
Professional Websites - http://eduscapes.com/sms/web.html (seven sections)
Notable Library Professionals - http://eduscapes.com/sms/people.html (35 people who, by the end of this course, you should know something about plus an article)
Government Resources - http://eduscapes.com/sms/government.html (three sections and a linked article/site)
Collection Development Resources - http://eduscapes.com/sms/selectiontools.html (ten sections)

Glitch in the online materials: Thanks to Jenny for bringing a problem to may attention. Earlier readings in the Learning Community webpage, there is a active link to '2002 Collaboration Grant Projects.' However when you get to the linked IDOE webpage, none of the links to the project summaries work. I have emailed folks at IN DOE and not gotten a reply yet. When and if I get a response, I will pass it on. Meantime, we will have to rely on the Doll text and other class materials.

Decision Point
The first Decision Point assignment is due tomorrow (Wed Sept. 2). This activity is to be posted in the Oncourse Forum. Remember to focus on the task assigned; make sure you cover the topic. There is not a certain length for a posting. Looking for you to succinctly discuss the given situation, include your ideas, insights, experiences, and examples. But looking for quality rather than quantity and organization rather than a ramble.

SCHOOL LIBRARY CLOSINGS
Throughout the course you may hear my tone of concern that school library media specialists must make themselves indispensable in their school media jobs - - for me that means that teacher librarians (slms) should be an integral part of instruction - - directly involved in much of the the teaching and learning that is occurring. And by that, I am not thinking about the standard types of library instruction; orientation, how to use the library, and similar types of endeavors. All too often these type lessons are conducted not when the student needs the information; instruction is given without practical application at hand and done in sort of a factory training model approach - line'em up and run them through. These sessions can be an interest killer. Rather I'm pushing for the slms to be centrally involved with the curriculum; maintaining a high level of collaboration with teachers, students, administrators, and the community that positively impacts learning. Collaboration is a tough task and many colleagues 'let themselves off the hook' and just give up for the most part.

It's not easy to make the needed changes and things rarely go as planned. But those who keep striving are often more successful than not, and I believe that they might save their centers and positions. Teacher librarians must be seen as more than just the managers of school libraries and media centers. Given ongoing changes in funding and shifts in priorities, many more states may begin to experience what is taking place in California .
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6686591.html?rssid=190

ELIMINATING TAGS IN THE ONCOURSE POSTINGS
First use the 'Practice Posting' area in the Oncourse Forums to ensure that you have the process down for creating clean postings. Usually the problem is caused by MSWord. The way to clean it up is to convert to plain text (pull down menu selection with the text selected) or you use NotePad rather than MSWord (In Windows, go to Programs and look inside Accessories). Mac users have similar program called TextEdit.

Problem is caused by the hidden proprietary coding that Microsoft increasingly builds into their software.

POSSIBLE ONLINE CONFERENCES
A few places that may have suitable online workshops for meeting a Toolkit component:
Thinkfinity http://www.thinkfinity.org/pd/national_training.aspx
Webjunction Events & Webinars http://www.webjunction.org/events/webinars (Check the Archives)
Techsoup http://www.techsoup.org/hsc/webinars/index.cfm
SirsiDynix Institute http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/ Archives at http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/archive.php
Infopeople - Archived Webcasts & Webinars http://infopeople.org/training/webcasts/list/archived
Five Weeks to a Social Library http://www.sociallibraries.com/course/

Check these and similar locations for programs that would serve your needs for school media. And yes, you can pick sessions / combine ones from different locations - - kind of a build your own virtual conference sort of thing.

NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL
The 2009 National Book Festival organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2009, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The first batch of podcasts with Festival authors are now online (Included are Junot Diaz, Rickey Minor, James Patterson, George Pelecanos, Nicholas Sparks and David Wroblewski):

Podcasts for 2009 http://www.loc.gov/podcasts/bookfest09/index.html

On personal note, Annette and I were tentatively thinking of taking off for a day and a half of tent camping and exploring more of Boulder Mountain - where we live. There is close to a 100,000 acres above us that is relatively uninhabited (unless talking about elk, black bear, bobcat, cougars and such), 70 fishable lakes, and a few back roads. But a forest fire about 100 miles to the SW of us has brought smoke into our area for the last few days. Not the atmosphere that we want to breathe all that much, so we are staying put . . . inside with air conditioning until at least the situation improves. If we do get a chance to take off, I will send a brief note giving the specifics so that you will know when I am expect to be back online.

Have a good week, back with you soon.
Larry

26 Aug. 2009 - School Media Update
Hey there,

Read, read . . . don't delay getting going and staying up with the assignments. Once you get through the first few weeks of readings, the assignments begin to shift to activities and tasks such as the Professional Toolkit components and Reality Check assignments, plus the Decision Point postings.

I've made a few additions to the Course Calendar such as including the reading assignments for Empowering Learners. I still have some update changes to make on the Decision Point activities (No changes on the ones early in the course) and I will give brief explanation when those are done. Keep reading these update messages carefully.

ASSIGNMENTS
Already assigned for the week (Listed on the course Calendar):
Morris text; Chapters 1, 2 and 10

Add to that (there are reading assignments for most weeks):
Read the Introduction to the Doll text and Chapters 1, 2, & 3

And one or both optional texts:
Read the Preface for Empowering Learners Preface plus Chapters 1, 2 and Appendix E
and / or
Read Information Power Chapters 1, 2, & 7
For now on, I will just list the assignments for both the Empowering Learners and Information Power textbooks. Some will be reading one or the other, some both.

Read the following sections online (course website):
Overview: Introduction http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/index.htm (Leads to following sections)
The Vision http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/overview.html
Learning Community http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/theme.html
Collaboration & The Learning Community http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/collaboration.html
Leadership & The Learning Community http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/leadership.html
Technology & The Learning Community http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/technology.html
Note: The articles in the "Read More About It" sections at the bottom of the webpages are not assigned reading. They are supplemental articles that may be of interest or that can provide additional insights and understandings. You decide if you want to skim / scan or read.

PROFESSIONAL TOOLKIT & REALITY CHECK
Even though it is early in the course, you should begin examining the requirements for the Toolkit and Reality Check assignments. Notice that one of the options in the Professional Connections section of the Tookit is to attend a professional conference or meeting (Option of attending live conference / meeting or the alternative of a virtual / online meeting). If you have never attended the ILF or IAME conference, I recommend that you attend the Indiana Library Federation (This is also the conference of IAME - Indiana Association for Media Educators). But if that is not possible there is no penalty for anyone who completes the alternative. There are a number of possibilities for this (Some that I am aware of, others that you may know about). But at this stage, I want you to be aware and start planning / scheduling for these tasks.

Explore and understand:
Professional Toolkit http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/toolkit.htm (Connect to the 4 separate components - A, B, C, & D)
Reality Check http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/realitycheck.htm (Requires visits to school libraries)

In completing the Reality Check assignment and in a couple of the Decision Point activities (Information on those next week), you will be called upon to visit school libraries / media centers in your region. For the maximum benefit, you should try to select school facilities that interest you. Remember that these school facilities can be different types (public, private, charter, magnet, etc.), rural, urban, suburban, and elementary, middle, high school, etc. Also one Decision Point also calls for visiting both a school and public library (making a specific comparison check). More details on these assignments later but want you to also begin thinking about these tasks. Make these visits work for your benefit.

The 2009 Indiana Library Federation Conference is meeting October 18-20th at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne.
http://www.ilfonline.org/Upcoming_Conferences/2009_ILF_Annual_Conference.htm
(One-day attendance will meet the course requirement).

Getting involved in the school library field by participating in a professional organization is a great way to 'jump start' one's career. After attending the conference, the next steps are to submit a presentation proposal and get on the next year's program as a speaker/ presentor or get involved in the governance of the association by volunteering to serve on a committee, task group, or get involved with conference planning and facilitation.

Do not worry If you are not able to attend the ILF meeting this year. Other state and regional meetings are acceptable if they are related to school libraries. Select a workshop, meeting, conference that you have never been involved with before. I will accept any professional meeting that can be related to the work of a school library media specialist. I just wanted to mention this early in the class so that you can begin to consider and look for various opportunities. For those who cannot get away from work during the week, look for weekend or after-school / work events. An though I recommend attending a professional meeting of some sort for this assignment, I understand completely if someone is unable to arrange that this semester. There is no penalty for completing the alternate activity of attending a virtual conference / meeting. Make the best choice that fits your current needs in the course.

If you are on the SLIS mailing list, there are sometimes announcements of possible meetings posted there. If you are not on the list, contact the SLIS office and ask for your email address to be added to the list.

I'll close with my oft-repeated phrase: "If you are having difficulty with the course or need a little extra information, some added help - - don't panic, communicate directly with me.." That's my job! I am happy to do what I can . . . . And if I don't answer your questions or clear up understanding the first time, come back again.

Back with you early next week.

(8-)
Larry

25 Aug. 2009 - School Media Update: Ready to Rumble
Hi everyone,
Summer is over here in the mountains of southern Utah. We have beautiful days and cool nights and highs of 90 degree weather are a memory . . . until next year.
You don't wanna hear about it; not ready for that (8-). But it is time to get started with S671 School Media.

LIBRARIAN VS. STEREOTYPE
Just for fun, watch the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOoYjfPdlzw
Although a little cheesey, watching the video clip does lead to thinking about what kind of librarian - - that is what kind of school librarian we want to be?
There's an array of possibilities.
Do we want to be the same type of librarian that we have had in school(s)?
Or how can we break from the traditions and become the best possible type of teacher librarian?

Just a few preliminary directions (I do realize that some of you have already found these starting points, but just want to make it official). Class begins tomorrow . . . let's get started.

TO DO
Read the Introduce Yourself directions at http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/require.htm#f4 (Scroll down the page)
Open Oncourse https://oncourse.iu.edu/portal (Requires IU username and password) and go to Forums section.
Introduce yourself to the class.

If you are new to the Oncourse environment you might fill out your Profile (Access that on your OnCourse entry page). Consider providing a photo (not required) but it is a good startup "techie" task.

TEXTBOOKS
1) Doll, Carol. Collaboration and the School Library Media Specialist. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2005. ISBN 0-8108-5117-2 (paperback).

2) Morris, Betty. Administering the School Library Media Center. 4th edition. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2004. ISBN 0-313-32261 (hardcover) or ISBN 1-5915-8183-4.

Third text (Note: At the time that textbook choices had to be finalized last Spring, Empowering Learners had not been released) - Current order shipments of Empowering Learners have been slow since its late June rollout at the ALA summer meeting. So for this semester, the third text is an optional choice between:
3a) Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs (June 2009). Chicago: American Association of School Librarians. ISBN: 978-0838985199 (paperback)
3b) Information Power: Building Partnership for Learning (1998). Chicago: American Library Association. ISBN: 0-8389-3470-6 (paperback).
You may already own Information Power from other SLIS courses. For past classes, we have concentrated on Part One - - focusing on Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning.

Order Information:
There are several ways to acquire the books:
1) Go to the IUPUI bookstore.
2) Information Power can be ordered direct from (a) ALA online at http://www.alastore.ala.org/ or by phone at 1-866-746-7252 or from (b) AECT online at http://aect.org.
3) Purchase online from booksellers sun http://www.amazon.com/ or Barnes and Noble http://barnesandnoble.com/

ROLE CALL (TASK TO BE COMPLETED)
I hope everyone has or will soon have their copies of the textbooks. One quick task to complete - Ask that you email me identifying whether you have a copy (or have copy ordered) of Information Power or Empowering Learners or have access to both. Send that information to larrjoh@gmail.com Thanks.

COURSE MATERIALS
In additon to the textbooks, the online course materials are at http://eduscapes.com/sms/
The details on course requirements will be available within the rest of the course materials. Explore the components in the Course Materials. Become familiar with the menu bar (found on the left side of the webpage, blue background). Notice that submenus open and close if you click on some menu headings.

Explore the Course Requirements http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/require.htm
Use the Calendar for assignments, due dates http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/calendar.htm
Use the Checklist for tracking your progress http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/checklist.htm
Look at the Course Guide http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/courseguide.htm

You can use the Course Guide to begin working through the content and assignments.

THIS WEEK
You'll notice on the Calendar that your Introduce Yourself assignment is due Fri Aug 28th. Your next assignment isn't due until Sept. 2nd. But during that time, complete the required readings and make sure that you explore the course materials (above links). Look at the assigned tasks and begin to plan for those that require visits to school libraries, attendance at a meeting or conference, and think about choices (Toolkit options) and planning for those tasks.

E-mail COMMUNICATION
I have received email from several of you; all of you should email about your text option - - also let me know if you have a preferred email address (no problem with emailing you at two locations) or preferred name / nickname, etc. Let me know your preferences. Also email me if you do not receive this message (8-). Really?

Note that I respond to email most quickly if it is sent to my main address at larrjoh@gmail.com I check and read that mail daily.

Throughout the semester, I will mail out direct communications like this to you. These periodic email updates are to keep you informed on details directly related to the class. Ask that you read each of these update messages carefully. I may also include some personal stuff once in a while (where we are, what we are doing, etc.). The Archives section will house this message and other emailed updates http://eduscapes.com/sms/course/archives.htm

YOUR INSTRUCTOR
A little background (For those few who have taken a course from me before, please excuse the repetition) - - I have been a classroom teacher, a school library media specialist at a junior and senior high school, a district wide media administrator, a media administrator at both a community college and a university, and have taught at a couple of universities. My wife, Annette Lamb, and I maintain an website for educators http://eduscapes.com that normally receives over ten million hits a month. We also co-author the Info-Tech column in the Teacher Librarian.

I enjoy teaching web-based / online courses and exploring and learning new things. I'm a relatively new kind of professor - - I teach classes for IUPUI, but do not live in Indiana. For the past decade my wife, Annette Lamb, and I lived, traveled, and worked in our motorhome (RV) - - spending most of the time in the West. Learn more about our lives and lifestyle at http://www.eduscapes.com/lamb/

This past year we built and moved into a home on Boulder Mountain in southern Utah. The house is in a small valley at 7,300' elevation and adjacent to the Dixie National Forest. Boulder Mountain climbs to over 11,000 feet above us and has several dozen lakes and lots of open space. We like to explore, hike, camp, fish and are still getting acquainted with the area near the home. Capitol Reef National Park is within twenty miles and southern UT has a number of national parks and monuments. You can see a few photos and learn a little more about this country at http://offtrack-jumpintherails.blogspot.com/ (another one of our websites).

I believe that most of you have some degree of classroom experience and several are already working as library media specialists and/or teacher librarians. Still our backgrounds and academic preparation are varied; together we can bring different perspectives into the online class discussions. I look forward to getting better acquainted and learning more about you during the semester.

Back with you shortly in a day or so. If you have questions and or concerns, do not hesitate to get back in touch.

Let's have some fun and learn with each other,
Larry

14 Aug. 2009 - New Text from AASL
A new book has recently been published that replaces parts of the older Information Power text:
Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs (2009 paperback). American Library Association
ISBN 978-0838985199
http://www.amazon.com/Empowering-Learners-Guidelines-Library-Programs/dp/083898519X
Amazon has better pricing than AASL??

This semester, we will be transitioning - changing / revising the course - alignment to the new Empowering Learners text. If you already have purchased Information Power, you may use it - - but if you haven't, please purchase Empowering Learners.

Thanks,
Larry

13 Aug. 2009 - Prior to Course Start
Hello everyone,
Just wanted to touch base before class officially starts in a few weeks.

The texts needed for the course are:
Doll, Carol. Collaboration and the School Library Media Specialist. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, 2005. ISBN 0-8108-5117-2 (paperback).
Morris, Betty. Administering the School Library Media Center. 4th edition. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2004. ISBN 0-313-32261 (hardcover) or ISBN 1-5915-8183-4.
Information Power: Building Partnership for Learning (1998). Chicago: American Library Association. ISBN: 0-8389-3470-6 (paperback).
You may find these at a campus bookstore or purchase them online from the publisher or a distributor such as Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

Some items at the course website http://eduscapes.com/sms/ have not been updated for this Fall; i.e., the course calendar. I am presently working on revising some sections, consolidating other items, and putting needed improvements into place. Therefore keep in mind that some things will change in the time before class officially begins.

Meantime if you prefer that I email you at a different address or wish for messages to be sent to more than one location, just let me know. Back with you shortly. If you have questions or other concerns, do not hesitate to get back in touch.

Looking forward to getting better acquainted,
Larry

Course Materials: S671 Email Archives

Class Email Archives