School Librarians and Student Performance

Elizabeth Lee Queen’s University adapted from Keith Curry Lance

Library Research ServiceColorado State Library &

University of Denver

Outline

A school librarian’s job description Research on the impact of school

librarians on academic achievement What we know from this research, or

5 roles for empowering school librarians Uses of the 5 roles

A Librarian’s Job Description (from a recent e-mail)

I … Order and catalog books Check books in and out Re-shelve books Tend library computers Teach keyboarding Chair the book fair

Is Anything Missing?

What activities that you associate with a school librarian were not on that list?

What activities that are on that list do you not associate with a school librarian?

An empowered and empowering school librarian is

a school leader

a program administrator

an information navigator

a technology facilitator

a collaborative teacher and learner

The Research That Backs It Up

Since 2000 At least 5 teams of researchers More than 12 U.S. states Data on over 4,000 schools—all levels, all

sizes—and their communities Building-level summary test scores

representing over 1 million students

Key Research Findings Links between

Academic achievement (represented by scores on standards-based state tests of reading/ language arts skills) and

library staffing levels, librarian activities, collection size, technology integration, library usage

Schools with stronger school library programs average 10-20% higher test scores

More Findings …

Controlling for key school and community differences, library still explains 3-8% of test score variation

Poverty explains away other school and community differences—like the teacher-pupil ratio, per pupil spending, and parents’ education—but not the impact of school libraries

What Works: Research about Teaching and Learning through the School's Library Resource Centre, Ken Haycock 1993

Development of research and study skills is most effective when integrated with classroom instruction and partnered by teacher and teacher-librarian.

Students learn best when units of study emphasize both subject matter and information seeking and use together.

Units are best when co-planned and co-implemented with teacher-librarian and teacher.

The Power of Reading, S. Krashen, 2004

Voluntary reading is the best predictor of reading comprehension, vocabulary growth, spelling, grammar, and writing style.

Access to school libraries results in more voluntary reading.

Teacher-librarian makes a difference in amount of voluntary reading.

Larger collection and long hours increase circulation and amount read.

Keith Curry Lance,Research 1993-2003

Reading scores increase when: information literacy (IL) integrated with curriculum; IL taught by teacher-librarian; networked computers with databases and Internet in library and classroom.

Students perform better when library staff actively involved with curriculum.

Students with higher standardized test scores come from well-staffed libraries with larger collections, regardless of socio-economic factors.

Donna BaumbachThe Florida Study: Making the Grade, 2003 Students performed 20% higher or better on

state reading tests where schools had: a teacher-librarian existing IL curriculum school website large book collection and many magazines. See http://www.sunlink.ucf.edu/makingthegrade/

for the complete study.

99.4% of students in grades 3 - 12 believe school libraries and their services help them become better learners.

88.5% of those surveyed said the library helps them get better grades on assignments and projects

Students and educators alike believe that school libraries are key to learning.

See http://www.oelma.org/studentlearning/ for the complete study.

Ross Todd and Carol KuhlthauOhio Study: Student Learning Through Ohio School Libraries, 2004

Secret to a Strong School Library Program

An Empowered—and Empowering—School Librarian

What does that mean? …

Let’s talk about the 5 roles of a school librarian…

A school librarian is a school leader Someone who has the education, training

and credentials required to be a leader in the job

Someone who regularly…meets with the principal, attends faculty meetings, serves on key committees, and meets with other library staff

A school librarian is a program administrator An effective manager of a school library

program that is adequately staffed, stocked, and fundedRequires planning, budgeting, reporting, and

evaluation Someone who works with students and

teachers on a flexible scheduleRequires support staff

A school librarian is an information navigator A selector of print, non-print, and

electronic resources that support the school’s curriculum and the provincial standards

Someone who teaches others how to be information literate—i.e., to recognize an information need and to locate, evaluate, and apply information in critical thinking to solve a problem

A school librarian is a technology facilitator Someone who selects licensed databases

and identifies authoritative free websites Someone who bridges gaps between

students and teachers, online information, and curriculum and instruction

A school librarian is a collaborative teacher and learner A teacher of students who collaborates

with classroom teachers in design and delivery of instruction

A teacher of other teachers who creates more self-reliant users of information resources and technology

A colleague who attends local library staff meetings and provincial and national conferences regularly

Once more …

An empowered and empowering school librarian is … a school leader a program administrator an information navigator a technology facilitator a collaborative teacher and learner

How Does Your School Stack Up?

Is your school librarian empowered by the administration to perform these 5 roles?

Does your school librarian empower other teachers and students to succeed?

What more can your school do to enable its librarian to perform all 5 roles?

Uses of 5 Roles for Empowering School Librarians

Setting school goals

Establishing a teaching-learning environment (a climate of collaboration, the value of information literacy skills)

Writing the librarian’s job description

Hiring a new librarian

“Growing your own” librarian, or cultivating leadership and excellence

Planning and budgeting for the library program

Establishing performance expectations of the librarian

Evaluating the library and librarian (if it’s broken, don’t throw it away; fix it!)

Continuing education for current library staff

In-service training for all school staff

For more information…

Toronto District School Board. (2004). Improving Student Achievement@your library: School library handbook for Administrators. Toronto: Toronto District School Board. (Canadian)

Ken Haycock. What Works: Research about Teaching and Learning through the School's Library Resource Centre, 1993. (Canadian)

Visit http://www.LRS.org/impact.asp

Michele Lonsdale. 2004. Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement: A Review of the Research, 2003

School Libraries Work! Scholastic Library Publishing,

See http://www.scholasticlibrary.com/download/slw_04.pdf