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Empowering Learning Through Leadership: Program Planning and Evaluation

Update December 2020:
This web page is a companion to the 2016 version of the School Library Program Rubric. NYSED released an updated School Library Program Rubric in December 2020.


Student Snapshot: Progress in student achievement in the school library program is monitored, assessed, and analyzed to inform decisions.

According to the American Association of School Librarians (2010), “the school library media program is built on a long-term strategic plan that reflects the mission, goals, and objectives of the school” (Empowering Learners, 31).  As part of the planning process, the school librarian must involve the school community to align library goals with the school’s mission.  Ongoing evaluation of the program is needed to determine progress towards meeting goals and developing priorities for future work.

*Source: American Association of School Librarians. Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs. American Library Association, 2010.

Citation for Photo: NCC Approved Image

In Practice

Community Collaboration for Inquiry Success

Description: Designing a program to match their school community’s needs, the school librarians (Denton, TX) partnering with public and university librarians addressed joint “goals -- student performance and career readiness -- by using a spiraled K–20 information literacy curriculum integrating an inquiry process.” (2)  Program evaluation is necessary to meet community needs.

Resource/Citation: Fuller, Cherry, Gayla Byerly, Donna Kearly, and Lilly Ramin. "Community Collaboration for Inquiry Success." Knowledge Quest, vol. 43, no. 2, 2014, pp. 56-59.

Library Program Evaluation: The AASL Planning Guide

Description: The AASL Planning Guide is designed to assist librarians as they work through the rubric. They can then use the results along with the "Building the Learning Environment" chapter of Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs to create a plan to improve the library program.

Resource/Citation: American Association of School Librarians. “A Planning Guide for Empowering Learners with the School Library Program Assessment Rubric”. American Association of School Librarians.

Creating Your Library’s Vision Statement

Description: In this Knowledge Quest blog post, Megan Shulman describes the value of a vision statement when starting or revitalizing a library program. he recommends that librarians gather input from administrators, teachers, students, parents, and other community members as they craft their statement.

Resource/Citation: Shulman, Megan. "Creating Your Library’s Vision Statement." Knowledge Quest Blog, 30 Nov. 2015.

Thing 32: Evidence Based Practice-Collecting Data

Description: Readers will examine Evidence Based Practice (EBR) and focus on collecting information and data.

Resource/Citation: Farrington, Polly. “Thing 32: Evidence Based Practice-Collecting Data”. Cool Tools for School.

In Theory

Creating the Future: a 2020 Vision Plan for Library Service in New York State : Recommendations of the New York State Regents Advisory Council on Libraries to the New York State Board of Regents

Description: NYS Board of Regents Policy statements on the importance of school librarians in every school 2020 Vision and Plan for Library Service.

Resource/Citation: New York State Regents Advisory Council on Libraries. “Creating the Future: a 2020 Vision Plan for Library Service in New York State: Recommendations of the New York State Regents Advisory Council on Libraries to the New York State Board of Regents.” New York State Education Department, 30 April, 2013.

Basic Provisions in ESSA for Libraries, Technology, and Digital Learning

Description: This resource from the Colorado State Library outlines provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) including information from each section of the act. The page links to other resources that describe ESSA and its relation to school libraries.

Resoruce/Citation: Colorado State Library. "Basic Provisions in ESSA for Libraries, Technology, and Digital Learning." Colorado Department of Education, 2016.

Action Research Empowers School Librarians

Description: Robins reviews data from 39 librarians and finds that action research improves school librarians’ reflection on their work, and by extension improves the programs they oversee. She provides an overview of existing literature on action research, then shares her data and discusses the value action research holds for librarians.

Resource/Citation: Robins, Jennifer. “Action Research Empowers School Librarians.” School Library Research, vol.18, 2015.

Opportunities for School Librarians

Description: The American Library Association provides an overview of library-related sections of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and guides librarians in next steps to take advantage of the opportunities ESSA provides.

Resource/Citation: American Library Association. "Opportunities for School Librarians." American Library Association. 13 July 2015.

Evidence-Based Practice and School Libraries

Description: The author describes a framework for applying evidence-based practice (EBP) to school librarianship. Topics discussed include the role of school librarians as transformation agents who collect evidence from their everyday work, the impact of school library programs on student learning, and the integration of evidence for practice, evidence in practice and evidence of practice in library science.

Resource/Citation: Todd, Ross J. "Evidence-Based Practice and School Libraries." Knowledge Quest, vol. 43, no. 3, 2015, pp. 8-15.

AASL Advocacy Brochures: School Library Programs - Improve Student Learning

Description: School Administrators are pivotal in fostering school library programs as a strategy to improve student learning. As the instructional and managerial leaders, school administrators are the key decision makers in allocating resources to meet the district priorities in education students. This brochure from the American Association of School Librarians outlines goals and key questions administrators and librarians can discuss.

Resource/Citation: American Association of School Librarians. “School Library Programs Improve Student Learning”. American Association of School Librarians, 2011.

Consultant

Name: Sara Kelly Johns

Email: skjohns@gmail.com

Bio: Former President of NYLA, NYLA/SSL (then SLMS), AASL, member of the ALA Executive Board and ALA Council School Librarian for grades 6-12 in Lake Placid and Beekmantown (NY); online instructor for the Mansfield School Library and Information Technologies; adjunct instructor for Research Methods through Technology at Feinberg Library, SUNY Plattsburgh; author of “Flipping the Switch for School Library Advocacy” to Creative Library Promotion and Publicity: Best Practices (Rowan and Littlefield, 2015). Currently an author, speaker and consultant on advocacy and school library programs.

*To access restricted database articles speak with your school librarian or public librarian.