The media specialist must develop, maintain, and support an effective collection to support student learning.
When you think of the resources in a library media center, books and videos may come to mind. However, it's important to remember that resources are really about ideas and information.
From scary stories and romance novels to primary source documents and websites, ideas and information all originate with people. Without authors, artists, historians, scientists, and other creators, our library would be empty. Without Shakespeare there would be no MacBeth. Where would we be without scientists like Galileo, Mendel, and Einstein?
Regardless of whether their works are read on paper or browsed on a computer screen, it's the thoughts that are essential to a community of learners. While some are controversial, outrageous, or just plain silly, it's the job of the media specialist to be certain that students and teachers have access to materials that provide ideas, information, and varied perspectives at the reading, interest, and developmental level of all their learners. At the same time, teacher librarians must help students and teachers understand the value of ideas and information. Issues of intellectual freedom, copyright, and plagiarism must be an integral part of teaching and learning.
Read Information Access and Delivery from Information Power.
This section of the course contains the following related topics you'll want to investigate: Policies and Procedures, Collection Development.
What is the role of the teacher librarian in information access and delivery?
The school library media specialist must implement information literacy standards for student learning. In addition, he or she must work collaboratively with all members of the teaching staff to be certain that the resource needs of the curriculum are met.
Before jumping into curriculum and collection development, teacher librarians must reflective on their own values, attitudes, and bias. Do you like or dislike math or science? Are you a fan of poetry, graphic novels, or picture books? Do you prefer to read the news on paper, watch news on television, or browse online news sources? Do you rent or buy VHS videos or DVDs for personal viewing? Do you prefer abridged or unabridged audiobooks? What is your preferred learning style? What is your preferred teaching style.
Books like The Adventures of Captain Underpants, Of Mice and Men, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, or the Harry Potter series may or may not be titles you'd read yourself, but they are works by authors who have something to say that others have the right to read. Scientific American, National Geographic, and Smithsonian may or may not be magazines you would pick up off the rack, but they can be valuable learning tools for children. You may choose to read a print newspaper, but there are wonderful news sources available online also.
As you become more aware of your personal preferences, you can more easily make objective decisions related to both curriculum and collection development.
Why is collaboration essential in collection development?
The key to collection and curriculum development is understanding the informational and learning needs of students and selecting resources and learning experiences that will impact their achievement.
Curriculum development and collection development must go hand-in-hand.
Since the creation of authentic learning environments for students is at the core of both these activities, it makes sense that the school library media specialist and classroom teachers work collaboratively.
Read Instructional Key Word: Collection Development by Danny Callison in School Library Media Activities Monthly, 2003. (PDF document)
Check Your Understanding
Information Power: Information Access and Delivery - Principle 1. The library media program provides intellectual access to information and ideas for learning.
Read More About It
Bertland, Linda H. Circulation Analysis as a Tool for Collection Development. School Library Media Quarterly, 19:2, 90-97, 1991. (Not available online)
Burks, Freda. Student Use of School Library Media Centers in Selected High Schools in Greater Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas. School Library Media Quarterly. 24:3. (Spring 1996). 143–49
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aasl...
Callison, Daniel. A Review of the Research Related to School Library Media Collections: Part 1. School Library Media Quarterly, 19(1), Fall 1990.
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aasl,,,
Callison, Daniel. A Review of the Research Related to School Library Media Collections: Part II. School Library Media Quarterly. 19:2, 117–21. Winter 1991.
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aasl...
Doll, Carol A. and Pam P. Barron. Collection Analysis for the School Library MediaCenter: A Practical Approach. Chicago: American Library Association. 1991.
Collection Development: Resources Guides from American Library Associaton
http://www.ala.org/...
Other ALA Resources:
Booklist http://www.ala.org/BKL_Template.cfm?Section=booklist
Book Links http://www.ala.org/BookLinksTemplate.cfm?Section=booklinks
Collection Development Policy Guidelines for School Library Media Programs
http://msl.state.mt.us/slr/cmpolsch.html
This policy outline includes those elements which meet the criteria established by the Montana State Library Commission for its Blacktail Mission Statement.
Collection Development Training for Arizona Public Libraries
http://www.dlapr.lib.az.us/cdt/index.htm
This is an excellent introduction to all aspects of library collection development including policies, acquisitions, evaluation, and weeding. Although designed for the small public library, it will be equally useful in the school library.
Daigneault, Audrey I. The Collection and the Curriculum Go Hand in Hand. Sagebrush Corporation.
http://www.sagebrushcorp.com/support/handinhand.cfm
Dillon, Ken, James Henri, and Joy McGregor, Editors. Providing More with Less: Collection Management for School Libraries. Second Edition. Wagga Wagga, New South Wales: Centre for Information Studies. 2001. Available through Scarecrow Press in 2003, McGregor, Editor.
Graf, Nancy. Collection Development in the Information Age. Sagebrush Corporation.
http://www.sagebrushcorp.com/support/collectiondev.cfm
Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of Policies, Regulations and Procedures Affecting Access to Library Materials, Services and Facilities from American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/pol_reg.html
Hartzell, Gary. Paper Lion. School
Library Journal, Sept 2002; 48(9), 37.
http://search.epnet.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/login.aspx?direct..
(Requires login)
In a battle of print and electronic resources, there's
only one king.
Hopkins, Diane M. The School Library Collection: An Essential Building Block toTeaching and Learning. School Libraries Worldwide. 5:2. 1999. 1-15.
Introduction to Collection Development from Montana Libraries
http://montanalibraries.org/ILLTraining/intro.htm
Jones, Patrick. To the Teen Core.
School Library Journal, March 2003; 49(3), 48.
http://search.epnet.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/login.aspx...
(Requires login)
A librarian advocates building collections that serve YA readers.
Kachel, Debra E. Collection Assessment and Management for School Libraries: Preparing for Cooperative Collection Development. Westport, CT: Greenwood. 1997.
Library Collection Management from Bellingham Public Schools, WA (1997, 2004)
http://www.bham.wednet.edu/departments/libmedtech/libcollmanage.htm
Loertsher, David; Woolls, Blanche, & Felker, Janice. Building a School Library Collection Plan: A Beginning Handbook with Internet Assist. 2000.
http://www.lmcsource.com/tech/felker/
Information on how to create a nonfiction and reference collection plan. Many links to review sources and book award websites.
Mancall, Jacqueline C. Refocusing the Collection Development Process: Collecting, Cooperating, Consulting. Taproot. 3:1, 8-12, 1994.
Thomas, Jim. Selecting Materials for the Very Young; the Preschooler and the School Library. Sagebrush Corporation.
http://www.sagebrushcorp.com/support/preschooler.cfm