School library. [Photographer]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. http://quest.eb.com/images/115_2674197

HISTORY OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES

HMMMM… Interesting fact!!School libraries are, “essential to history class, and invaluable in the study of literature, the possession of a collection of books by the school has often been instrumental in broadening and changing the course of study in these subjects (Greenman, 1913).

1920- First ALA standards, the Certain Standards, for school libraries: Standard library organization and equipment for secondary schools of different size (Called Certain Standards for C. C. Certain, the chair of the ALA committee), ALA

Significance

• School library as separate entity• School library should meet the reading interests of school’s students• Provided first reference point upon which to build philosophy establish goals, and implement

practices

1945 – ALA standards revised: School Libraries for Today and Tomorrow, ALA

Significance

• Broadened definition of school library “as and active service agency integrated with the learning program of the school not as an adjunct to it”

• Students encourage to become discriminating users of print and audiovisual materials• No implementation ideas provided (Jeffus, 2002, pg. 12).

STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE ON SCHOOL

LIBRARIES

STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE ON SCHOOL

LIBRARIES1960 – New ALA guidelines: Standards for School Library Programs, AASL

Significance

• Enlarged scope of collections and professional staff: recommended that the librarian have teacher training as minimum standard

• Moved toward quantitative and qualitative standards• Helped create a surge of interest in school libraries

1969 - Standards for School Media Programs, (AASL and Department of Audiovisual Instruction of NEA)

Significance

• New Term: library media specialist• Centered on people and programs rather than on materials and their arrangement• FOCUS : access to materials

1975 - Media Programs: District and school, AASL and AECT

Significance

• Acknowledged necessity of strong district-level support services• New benefits of networking• No qualitative descriptors (Jeffus, 2002, pg. 12).

STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE ON SCHOOL

LIBRARIES1977 - Guidelines for California Library Media Programs: School, District, County, State, CASL and CAEMAT

Significance

• 1975 National standards adapted for California• Linked to California laws 1988 – Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs, AASL, and AECT

Significance

• Defined roles of library media teacher as teacher, instructional• Recognized that success or failure of library media program is dependent on the library media

specialist

1998 – Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, AASL and AECT

• Reaffirmed the 1988 mission• Emphasized information literacy as an essential skill; standards defined• Expanded roles of library media teacher: teacher, instructional partner, information specialist,

program administrator• Affirmed importance of library program throughout the curriculum• No quantitative standards (Jeffus, 2002, pg. 12).

Flying magazines. [Photographer]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. http://quest.eb.com/images/115_2674171

Have you ever wondered about the history of school libraries?

Yes, I have wondered…Did you know, “that not only is there no comprehensive published history of school libraries, but that school libraries are inadequately covered in the general histories of education and librarianship” (Clyde, 1999, pg. 1).

IMPORTANT DATES THAT HAVE IMPACTED SCHOOL LIBRARIES

• 300 BC- Schools with libraries were in existence

• 1800- Library of Congress established• 1876- Melvil Dewey’s classification system first issued• 1876- Library Journal founded

• 1914- American Association of School Librarians begins as the School Library section of American Library Association

• 1915- California School Library Association formed• 1958- NDEA (National Defense Education Act) passes • 1963- Knapp School Libraries Project introduced• 1967- Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Title II established• Late1960s- Educational philosophy of individualized instruction increased• 1970- Standards for the Development of School Media Programs in California (CAASL

and AVEAC) adopted• 1977- Guidelines for California Library Media Programs prepared by a joint

committee representing the California Association of School Libraries and California Association for Educational Media and Technology.

• 1986- CDE publishes The Crisis in California School Libraries• 1988- Library Power (Dewitt Wallace Reader’s Digest Fund) established• 1989- California changed professional library credential title to Library Media Teacher

(Jeffus, 2002, pg. 13).

IMPORTANT DATES THAT HAVE IMPACTED SCHOOL LIBRARIES

• 1986- CDE publishes The Crisis in California School Libraries• 1988- Library Power (Dewitt Wallace Reader’s Digest Fund) established• 1989- California changed professional library credential title to Library Media Teacher• 1991- National Goals established (a.k.a. Goals 2000)• 1993- California Public School Library Protection Fund and tax check off legislation

carried by Assemblymember Delaine Eastin and Senator Craven• 1994- Term “information literacy” formalized• 1994- California Department of Education grants LSTA funding to create CDE school

library consultant position• 1996- California legislature designates $12 million for school libraries• 1998- California Public School Library Act of 1998 dedicates $158.5 million for school

library collections• 1998- CDE publishes Check It Out! Assessing School Library Media Programs• 1999- California Classroom Library Materials Act 1999 designates $25 million for

literature in K-4 classrooms

• 2001- No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 rewrites ESEA; includes $12 million nationally Improving Literacy through School Libraries program

• 2002- California budget $24 billion short; California Public School Library Act of 1998 saved form block grant fate; amount decreased severely

• 2002- California Classroom Library Materials funds absorbed by instructional materials block grant (Jeffus, 2002, pg.13).

School Library. [Photographer]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. http://quest.eb.com/images/115_2675820

What?? Schools

with libraries were

in existence in

Athens in 300 BC

(Jeffus, 2002, pg.

13).

INTERESTING STATISTICS – NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL

National

The United States had approximately 129,000 public schools in 1953–54 and 84,000 in 1999–2000. At the same time, in 1953–54, approximately 27.7 million students attended public schools in the United States. In 1999–2000, the number of students attending the nation’s public schools was about 45.0 million.

· In 1953–54, 36 percent of all public schools had library media centers, but these schoolscontained 59 percent of all public school students. In 1999–2000, 92 percent of all publicschools had a school library; these schools contained 97 percent of all public school students.

· In 1953–54, 40 percent of public schools in the United States had a librarian. In 1999–2000,86 percent of public schools had a librarian.

· The percentage of schools with library media centers ranged from 22 percent in 1953–54 to94 percent in 1990–91 (Michie & Holton, 2005, pg. 17).

Regional – Southern

· The percentage of public schools with library media centers ranged from 43 percent in 1953–54 to 98 percent in 1985–86.

· In 1953–54, 62 percent of students attended schools with libraries; in 1999–2000, 98 percent of students were in schools with libraries.

· Forty-two percent of schools had a librarian in 1953–54; in 1999–2000, 93 percent of schools had a librarian (Michie & Holton, 2005, pg. 29).

Photograph of fourth grade library period, Longfellow School, 1940. Council Bluffs, Iowa. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cbpl/5473692449/sizes/o/

Food for thought, “In 1953–54, 38 percent of public schools had a librarian; in 1999–2000, 92 percent of public schools had a librarian (Michie & Holton, 2005, pg. 125). Holton, 2005, pg. 29)..

Nilgiri Hills Library, Ooty, India.. [Photography]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. http://quest.eb.com/images/137_3330160

“As Library people, knowledge of past events shapes our interpretation of contemporary issues, thus influencing today’s actions and tomorrow’s plans” (Jeffus, 2002, pg.

12)

REFERENCES

Clyde, L. A. (1999). The schole lybrarie: Images from our past. School Libraries Worldwide, 5(1), 1-

16. Retrieved from

https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/le/content/5110870/viewContent/28655608/View

Flying magazines. [Photographer]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest.

http://quest.eb.com/images/115_2674171

Greenman, E. D. (1913). The development of secondary school libraries. Library Journal, 38,

Retrieved from https://elearn.mtsu.edu/d2l/le/content/5110870/viewContent/28655607/View

Jeffus, B. (2002). “What's past is prologue”: A timely look at school libraries. CSLA Journal, 26(1), 11-

14. Retrieved from

http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.mtsu.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=df863541- c2a2-

4a23-8beb-a6c5aebfcef7@sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=106

Multi-ethnic children studying in school library. [Photography]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia

Britannica ImageQuest. http://quest.eb.com/images/154_2897737

 

REFERENCESNilgiri Hills Library, Ooty, India.. [Photography]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica

ImageQuest. http://quest.eb.com/images/137_3330160

 Photograph of Fourth Grade Library Period, Longfellow School, 1940. Council Bluffs, Iowa.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cbpl/5473692449/sizes/o/

School Library. [Photographer]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest.

http://quest.eb.com/images/115_2674197

 School library. [Photographer]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest.

http://quest.eb.com/images/115_2675820

Multi-ethnic children studying in school library. [Photography]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. http://quest.eb.com/images/154_2897737

That’s all Folks!