Professional Toolkit B Created By: Michele Linn

Contents Professional Blog Summary Defending My Program! Lets brainstorm! How do I defend my program?

Professional Blog Guest Speakers Janette Fluharty Teresa Garreth Hella Rumschlag Joyce Valenza

Blogging with Janette Fluharty! Hello Janette, “I have a question for you concerning the general area of collections. I recently joined the listserv LM_NET, and have noticed several questions regarding graphic novels for the school library collection. Additionally, I have recently visited a middle school library in Elkhart, Indiana where I reside. The school library media specialist had a beautiful display of graphic novels for the students to easily observe. The display consisted of a tall bookcase set aside from other materials. A colorful sign titled "Graphic Novels," hovered over the bookcase and the figure of Superman stood on top of the case. I was not able to ask the media specialist about the display at the time. Therefore, my question to you is, do you include graphic novels in your collection? If so, how do you go about choosing the novels? And, if you do have graphic novels has there been any controversy over them from students, parents, administration, etc.?” Thanks!! Michele Linn Michele, “Good evening! I have a fledgling graphic novel collection. My students LOVE it. Since I work with 5th and 6th graders I am cautious about what I choose. I read reviews and articles and generally go by the rating/grade level recommendations for them if one is provided. I haven't had any controversy from parents or administration but a few teachers have raised their eyebrows at them. If that happens, I try to open a discussion about them so that teachers can see the benefits of having graphic novels as part of the collection.” Janette

More Blogging with Janette Fluharty! Hello again Janette! “Thanks for the input on graphic novels. I have another quick question for you. I noticed that on your mission statement, you stated that the media center program "promotes a warm, inviting atmosphere where students, teachers, and parents are encouraged and empowered to become life-long learners and effective users of information, ideas, and technology through a collaborative relationship between the media center and the classroom." Janette, since your mission statement mentions that your program also encourages teachers and parents to utilize it's resources to become lifelong learners, what are your resources for teachers, parents,etc? Do you have a separate faculty room? Do you provide professional resources for teachers? Do you provide any specific materials, services for the parents?” Thanks so much! Michele Hi Michele! “Yes, we have a Professional Learning Center, an extra classroom, where we have staff meetings and professional development days. The professional collection is housed in that room. I purchase items for this collection and maintain it. My principal buys things for it that go along with our literacy initiatives for the professional collection too. This fall I reorganized it into categories like: Lang. Arts, Math, Science, Classroom Mang., etc. Then, I bought some big author blocks (I'm not sure if that's the correct name.) and put labels on the blocks on fluorescent yellow paper. The teachers really like it and think it's much easier to find what they are looking for. We have a small parent collection that is housed in the counselor's office.” Janette Thanks for the information Janette! It was nice blogging with you!! Michele

Blogging With Teresa Garreth! Hello Teresa! “Thank-you for this opportunity to talk with you! I was reading about your interests on our Eduscapes course website. One of your interests included INSPIRE. Recently I visited Concord High School's media center in Elkhart, Indiana. The librarian stated that they use INSPIRE and just raved on and on about this database. My question to you is what do you like most about INSPIRE? Do you heavily promote the use of INSPIRE in your own media center? The library I visited provides all students with a flyer stating the benefits of INSPIRE. Do you do the same? Do you encourage teachers to inform their classes on the research engines that are available? ” Thank-you! Michele Michele “INSPIRE is the one database I would say I cannot live without. I teach it each year to every freshman class in orientation (via video, personal instruction, and the first class visit to the media center). Each class that visits to conduct research all year every year, I review INSPIRE. It saves our corporation so much money by providing all magazines we do not have funding to purchase. INSPIRE posters are everywhere and a direct link from my web page. I think all students here know about it and use it often.” Teresa

More Blogging with Teresa Garreth! Hello again Teresa! “I had another question for you regarding collections. How do you go about choosing your collections. Do you have any input from students teachers, etc. beyond curriculum standards? Do you ever find yourself biased or judgmental towards any particular genres, areas, topics, etc.? Is there anything that you would consider too controversial to include in your collection. We have recently discussed these issues in class, so I am curious to know your views!” Thanks! Michele “Collection development is really one of my favorite things. In a high school it is critical you have a strong and appealing collection because as you know high school students are so busy they do not want to read and do not have time. They MUST have material that interests them. I spend hours reading reviews for new items online, use online suggestions from Baker & Taylor (you can run online analysis from their system against your collection), student suggestions, teacher suggestions, etc. I try to stay very open minded and remember that what one has no interest in reading, another will. I feel like my collection does apply to all types of students.” Teresa

Blogging With Hella Rumschlag! Hello Hella! “Thank-you for your time on this Blog!! I was reviewing your media center web page of your school. I was intrigued by your Birthday Form link. I loved the overall idea of this Birthday Book Club. I think this is a great way to involve the parents, students, etc. Additionally, I think this is a great way to acquire materials. My question is, do you consider this a promotion, a form of interaction with the community, or a way to bring children into the library? Or does it involve all three? Also,I notice you state that by joining the birthday book club, this will provide a way to update the media center's materials. Thus, my question is, do you perform the WEEDING process often? Once you acquire the birthday books do you add them to the collection and WEED as well? Or do you just add the new books to your collection?” Thank-you! Michele Linn Hi Michele, “Thanks for your kind comments! I have gotten many positive comments about the Birthday Book Club from parents. They appreciate the opportunity to support the library. The kids love to see their names in the books and I've heard several point out to their friends: "This was MY birthday book." You are absolutely right in saying that it is a promotion for the library, a way of connecting with parents, and something for the kids to look forward to. I am finding that weeding is a constant, ongoing process. During the summer before my first year, I weeded many books from the fiction and picture book sections. This past summer, I weeded some of the Dewey section. I can't say that I've been systematic about it, but I do read the shelves over the summer and if I come across a book that is falling apart, or that is outdated, I remove it from the collection. Sometimes I make a note to replace it. I try to always keep in mind that an elementary school library should not be a museum for old books, but rather offer a fresh, appealing collection that is constantly updated. So - to wind up my long- winded answer -- once in a while a Birthday Book Club book will be a direct replacement for a worn-out copy on the shelf, but usually they are newer titles and are not directly tied to weeding.” Hella

More Blogging With Hella Rumschlag! Hello again Hella! “Thanks for the answers to my previous questions!! I have another question for you. I read how you created a collection list of books according to Indiana Standards while at Prairie Trace. I followed the link and reviewed your list which was impressive to say the least! What caused you to create this list? Is this one of your interest areas? Do you create new lists, or update the one you created? Do you consider this a form of collaboration, or at least communication with teachers? Do you provide this list to the teachers you work with currently?” Thanks! Michele Hi Michele, “I have to tell you that the list was really not a big deal. I simply went through all of the Curriculum Frameworks lessons on the DOE website, and if there was a book associated with the lesson, I added it to the list. No original thought involved, and I had nothing better to do over Winter Break! I got the idea to compile these lists after reading an article by Carl Harvey and Leslie Preddy that discussed the importance of including these titles in the media center collection. It made sense to me that a list would be helpful. Denise Dragash, the media specialist at Prairie Trace, did a great job of promoting the DOE lessons and lists of titles to her teachers during a special "Books and Breakfast." I copied her idea and did the same at my school last year. I would love to see the Curriculum Frameworks lessons revised to include some newer titles.” Hella

Blogging With Joyce Valenza! Hello Joyce! “Thank-you so much for blogging with us! I reviewed your virtual school media center web page and loved it! How did you come up with this idea? How did you build this page?” Michele “ To answer the first question from Michele, I worked out the original plan with a student around 10 years ago and I continue to have kids help me tweak it. My daughter Emily did the original and the current image map. Each year I have focus groups give me feedback relating to relevance, usefulness and usability. I listen to criticism and suggestions. I am currently working on including many 2.0 elements behind that image map!” Joyce Joyce says, “ There are so many approaches about virtual libraries! Check out this little tour: My favorites? Northfield Mount Hermon and Newton North. (Click on Examples of Effective Practice).”

Blogging Summary: Learning Points Collection Development Technology Budget Promotions Collaboration w/ teachers Virtual Library

Blog Summary The previous slide noted the key learning areas that I discussed with the four notable professionals. Subsequently, I gained points of knowledge in the areas mentioned. Initially, I began blogging with Janette Fluharty. I brushed up on information about Janette, as well as the other professionals, reviewing their interests, work, and so forth. My first question to Janette focused on collection development of specific areas and controversies surrounding certain materials. My second question focused on collections for parents and teachers. I centered on these areas with Janette because I wanted to hear first hand how professionals already in the field build their collections. Collection development plays a pivotal role in the media center program. “The collections of the library media program are developed and evaluated collaboratively to support the school's curriculum and to meet the diverse learning needs of students”(Information Power, Principle 5). Blogging with Janette on the topics of graphic and parent/teacher collections allowed me to come to the conclusion, as a media specialist/teacher librarian, that no matter where you are geographically, type of school, grade levels, etc. issues that arise are very similar in fashion in all school media programs. In other words, the teacher librarian performs, organizes, teaches, and constructs much like their peers in schools all over the country and world. For example, I recently visited a middle school media specialist who provided me with almost identical answers about her collection when compared to Janette Fluharty’s answers. Both professionals had fledgling, graphic novel collections, growing teacher/parent collections, and similar answers on how to handle controversy/censorship. Communication among fellow colleagues through networks like listservs, professional workshops, conferences, organizations, etc. can benefit the teacher librarian when faced with similar obstacles. Carl Harvey II, (Library Media Specialist), stated, “I think one of the critical things is networking with colleagues and being involved in the professional organizations. I can't tell you how invaluable it has been to me to be involved in AIME and AASL. I enjoy the friends I've made, the chance to share and learn from others, and the connections it has provided for future projects and ideas has been unbelievable” (Eduscapes).

Blog Summary Continued… With Teresa Garreth, Joyce Valenza, and Hella Rumschlag issues surrounding technology, promotions, collaboration, budgets, and collection development were discussed. I learned that, like Janette Fluharty, these three professional notables dedicate themselves to listening to their patrons, fellow colleagues, parents, etc. “The teacher librarian must work with others to accomplish the goals of the library media program” (Eduscapes). Additionally, blogging with the professionals allowed me to observe that technology is a continuous topic that surfaces in school libraries. Joyce Valenza stated that she is always updating her virtual library web page with the aide of students and her daughter. “The library media specialist is a primary leader in the school's use of all kinds of technologies - both instructional and informational - to enhance learning” (Information Power). Teresa Garreth discussed the overwhelming benefits of INSPIRE database, while at the same time, discussing how this high-tech database offered free from the state of Indiana, helped with budget woes. Hella Rumschlag shared with me the importance of promotions. For example, Hella’s “birthday promotion,” not only involved the community, parents, students, etc., but it was a creative method to acquire new materials for the school media center. Also, Hella allowed me to note that by making a simple list of books that coincide with subjects, standards, and curriculum guidelines then offering them to teachers is a great way to open up communication that inevitably could lead to collaboration. The overall blogging experience was beneficial, and in a fast paced world a great way to open communication channels with colleagues like oneself. Blogging is a conversation that flows into ideas, that flows into solutions, that flows into knowledge. For the teacher librarian, acquiring this knowledge from like peers will make a successful teacher librarian in a successful school media program.

I am a soldier of the school media program! Protecting my program and profession is my duty. Read my line of defense below! Defending My Program!

Stay Tuned for Toolkit C Coming to Presentations Near You!