Bronwen Parsons Library and Information Services Manager parsons.bronwen.c@edumail.vic.gov.au...

Bronwen ParsonsLibrary and Information Services Manager

parsons.bronwen.c@edumail.vic.gov.au

Belmont High School2009

Literacy, individual school curriculum and ICT focus policies, processes

Mission statementWhere we started Collection ManagementHow to evaluateCollection sizeA Multimodal collectionWeedingBudgetingMarketingPerformance and Development and VIT registration

Library mission statement (BHS:2006)

The library is a flexible learning space with a multimodal collection which resources the current curriculum at Belmont High School, and is accessed through a dynamic learning management system.

Co-operative teaching and learning based on POLT will occur in an environment which fosters friendship, discovery and a love of reading.

Where we started Reviews

Physical environment; Technology and systems; Administration; Resourcing the curriculum

Gave the current team a focusSWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses (internal), opportunities,

threats (external)Analysis

Statistics – door counter; Library system statistics; teacher requests; student book requests, budget reviews

Reports – Programmed budget reports; School Council reports; Parent reports; Newsletter reports

Surveys – student opinion, staff opinion; library staff – ePotential survey

First things first: an immediate impact

Explain the action to staff and students and follow through with the re-education

Changed opening hours and the ambience of the libraryNo Vertical File

Focus on newspaper indexes Introduced student programsVideos

Put everything on the one subject together under the Dewey classification

Bring all AV resources back into the library – some faculties had their own collections listed in the library catalogue but not held by us

Physical changes – Rationale: to create a space which would accommodate a

multimodal collection and flexible learning

Collection Management – B.H.S. styleThe collection –

Developed a policy Developed a BHS Cataloguing Style GuideThrew out – the vertical file, books; textsBought/ replaced selected fiction e.g. Classics and

outdated books on topics known to be taught e.g. Robots and Inventions

Re- catalogued: all fiction and developed a Fiction subject headings list

Collection management priorities were Fiction, AV then Non-FictionAV – pictures, kits, slides, audio tapes, CD’s Video on demand

Student I.D. cards – are now a must carry item A door counterMaximise space - VCE room and Newspaper room

conversionEnhance our community links – The creation of the

Geelong Italian Language Resource CentreCreate an Historical and student archive room

Reference collectionPlacement – Over the windows!Size – 2 large reference stands – full of encyclopaedias

all bar the current World Book (3 sets) were old, Atlas – some still in miles and a range of books that appeared to be there because of their cost rather than their content – Not for loan!

Now one World Book in hard copy – the last hard copy one we will purchase

Language dictionaries, some music resourcesNow 4 shelves only – will go all together probably next

year and be interfiled on the non-fiction shelves

10 years old

15 years old

20 years old

25 years old

34%

11%

12%

16%

Note: Excludes: Special collections, Reference, Class Sets and Magazines (27% of the entire collection)

Collection sizeLearning for the future (1992) for my school of 1,146

students = 17250 itemsWe have 23847 items - but putting individual AV

programs; equipment etc. onto the borrowing system inflates the actual figure

Now we have a dynamic collection of fiction – current – up to date covers: promote. We have decided to have a fixed size area for fiction – and that we will weed vigorously and purchased wisely to try and meet this aim

Fiction collection

10 years

15 years

20 years

25 years

42%

22%

13%

7%

Multimedia collection

10 years

15 years

20 years

25 years

50%

8%

11%

16%

Multimedia collectionsIssues to consider in your Collection Development

policy and your purchasing and production of these materialsCopyrightDigital rights managementDevelopment – purchase, use, disposalMaintenanceWeedingFormat changes

Evaluation of resourcesDiscussionPre-useObservation – Shelving - what is read but not

borrowedMagazines – ad hoc purchase nowBook boxes – discussion with staff – evaluation after

use – add with AV additions on VODDoes the current resource use reflect the needs of

the curriculum?

Evaluation of resourcesSCIS subject headings online – updates for paper copy http://www1.curriculkum.edu.au/scis/productinfo/supplists.htmStatistics use – under-used resources; 100 most popular books;

book published after a chosen date i.e. 10 years old = insurance listings

Reports from your systemRequests – staff and studentBequestsFiction subject headingsAccession dates – stock take results – what if anything has

gone missing = popular?

Non Fiction Collection

10 years

15 years

20 years

25 years

14%

13%

23%

13%

WeedingCREW

Continuous; Review; Evaluation; Weeding (Segal, 1980)MUSTY

Misleading; Ugly; Supersede; Trivial; Your collection has no use for this item (Freeman, 1991)

What to do with weeded items – see if items can be sent O/S to developing countries through churches and Service clubs; have a book sale – give away some, sell some; recycle. Network with other school libraries – perhaps they could utilise some of your materials = different curriculum needs

PurchasingWhere from?Local booksellers – new and second-hand – develop a

good relationship with your book sellers, set accounts with all the big booksellers or buy on holidays and be repaid by your school.

Clouston Hall Booksellers, Canberra – catalogue and regular sales in Melbourne

Cheap booksBook Fair - SydneyHow are choices made?

review journals, recommendations, requests

BudgetingBudgeting – Forward planning – make the library

indispensible when it comes to accountability for school resources.

Use statistics to support $ next year. Split $ for resources with faculties and programs. Put in a request for a special budget for a new program

– Parents group; wider community and use statistics to reflect success.

Ask for a Teacher Reference budget and link it to the Professional reading component of V.I.T. registrations.

A sample

Electronic access“Meeting the Internet challenge for resources

provision includes providing tools that help students and teachers to link Internet resources to curriculum needs.” Eisenberg, 1996

The need for teacher instruction and help for students in the research progress has been highlighted by Ross Todd and Carol Gordon’s “Zones of Intervention” model.

Information-to-knowledge journey (Todd & Gordon) CISSL

Tasks             Initiation   Selection   Exploration   Formulation   Collection    Presentation    Evaluation----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

→Feelings uncertainly optimism confusion clarity sense of satisfaction or(affective) frustration direction/ disappointment

doubt confidence

Thoughts vague-------------------------------------→focused(cognitive) -----------------------------------------------→

increased interest

Actions seeking relevant information----------------------------→seeking pertinent information(physical) exploring documenting

Zone of Intervention: the critical point / need for instruction

Type in query and enter then on the results screen click on Show Options

Click on Wonder Wheel

Click on Australian bushrangers

School portal resources – BHS

Marketing – Reflection of current practiceHow do you make the library attractive?What information flyers do you produce?How do the students find out about the features of the catalogueWhich part of the collection is under-utilised?How do the users find out about new library services?Where do students find current information?How important are the staff and student library orientation

programs?How do you encourage staff and students to visit the library?(From: The Connected Library: Suzette Boyd (2006) page 30

Created the demand and an urgency of response so that staff want to get in first for displays, talks, programs etc.

Bribery – we offered wine and cheese to assist with the weeding process but also to celebrate activities

English novels – online resources 7 to 12Subject focus – Middle Years 7 & 8Enhance notesBrochuresHouse leaders = Home work groupsAsked to be on the Agenda for meetingsCoffee/wine and cheese (A.V. and text book reviews)Community involvement -GILRC; Rats of Tobruk bannerHonour Boards, Archives (an old and new blend)

Marketing ideas from the B.H.S. experience

Rearranged the physical environment to create an ambience that made staff think of the library as their place of choice for performances, collaborative activities, relaxation and interactive learning

Created an open space – light with flexible seating and table arrangements; moved shelving; blackout blinds purchased; sound system and mixer installed

Displays – student art – student activities – educational, emotional – Grand final!!

Ran Info series – part of our Professional Learning Teams (PLT’s) Jennifer Hall – iPods and PDA’s in the classroom (2006) Got it?...Got it! Reading program options for MY’s Researching 2gether; Making a difference; What a TL can do for you Online databases – public library/SLV; Online indexes – Echo; Age online

Created new library programs for students Introduced lunchtime activities: last Thursday book club, chess etc. Made the library accessible – all day every day – available at night and

weekends for school functions. Open to any activities suggested by staff – almost! – Phys Ed. Team events,

band performances, speakers – Andy Thomas

Teacher Reference Collection

10 years

15 years

20 years

25 years73%

13%

8%4%

Invest in renewal constantlyReviewChange documentsWork togetherTeam work and organisationRead and review your collection

What’s ahead for the B.H.S. Library?Audio collection – transfer some tapes to CDDevelop a podcast and CD collectionNon-fiction collection recataloguingeBooksFurther development of specific online resourcesFiction re-evaluationComplete Video transfer to DVD and/or V.O.D. Digital recording of programs directly to a server for school wide distribution -

new collection and cataloguing guides required.Complete our library (theatrette) with a ceiling mounted projector and spot

lightingDigital archive of historical materialsLaptop use (Rudd computer grant)

Promotion, promotion, promotion

“A good library makes interacting with texts of all kinds irresistible. It’s comfortable and peaceful....It has humans in it!

Libraries..are all about sharing: connecting people with others and resources that might just feed a passion or spark an idea.

Without a doubt libraries will continue to evolve. The purpose and experience of libraries will change, and change again, in their physical and virtual iterations. It’s daunting in many respects......we’re best off when we assume that change is a constant.

Kevin Hennah’s lenses start us thinking about libraries as places for showcasing “merchandise” in the same way as shops. Architect Paul Katz and interior designer Tasmin Morgan give us the lenses of professional designers, encouraging us to be critical of our library spaces and creative in our approaches to design solutions for them.”

(from Praskash Nair and Annalise Gehline’s foreword to ‘Rethink! Ideas for inspiring library design” (2007)

ResourcesWhat a teacher librarian can do for you - SLAVFYI – SLAVSynergy - SLAVSCAN - N.S.W. DEETThe Connected Library: a handbook for engaging users

by Boyd. Melb; Utopia Press; (2006)Eisenberg 1996 (p.103)

Rethink: ideas for inspiring school library design edited by Susan La Marca. SLAV (2007)

The New Yorker book of literary cartoons edited by Bob Markoff. New York: Pocket Books (2000) pages 43 and 89