PROVING YOUR WORTH:

GATHERING EVIDENCE IN
YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARY
Sandra Hughes-Hassell, Ph.D.
School of Information & Library Science, UNC
Debbie Dupree, MLS, NBCT
Salem Middle School, Wake County
Kristen Ziller, MLS, NBCT
Durant Road Middle School, Wake County
 Essential Questions
2

1. Why should school librarians worry about proving

their worth?

2. What types of data can school librarians gather to

demonstrate the tangible learning outcomes and
learning benefits of their school library program?
3. How can school librarians use that data to inform their
decisions?
4. How can school librarians share that data with key
stakeholders?
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Why should school librarians

worry about proving their worth?

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 Today’s Economic Environment
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 A Nation Without School Libraries

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 From the Research….
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“Many, especially parents and students,

Do Not see librarians as educated
professionals who play an active role in
the academic community.”

From: “A Report of Findings From Six Focus Groups with K-12 Parents, Teachers,
and Principals, as Well as Middle and High School Students” (AASL, 2003)

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 From the Research….
6

“Parents . . . tend to rely on their own image of

school libraries and librarians from their youth.

“When asked what they see as the value of

school librarians for their children today, several
immediately respond, “Nothing!” These parents
see their children utilizing resources outside the
school library more frequently and efficiently.”

From: “A Report of Findings From Six Focus Groups with K-12 Parents, Teachers,
and Principals, as Well as Middle and High School Students” (AASL, 2003)
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 From the Research….
7

―Perceived value of the school library

and librarian is lower for middle and
high school students than for
elementary students – particularly
among parents and students.”

From: “A Report of Findings From Six Focus Groups with K-12 Parents, Teachers,
and Principals, as Well as Middle and High School Students” (AASL, 2003)

NCSLMA November 4, 2010

 From the Research….
8

―High school students tend to associate

the library with mostly negative
thoughts: a nagging/yelling librarian,
absolute silence required, an irritating
need to show their ID in order to use the
school library, and restricted Internet
access and checkout limits.”

From: “A Report of Findings From Six Focus Groups with K-12 Parents, Teachers,
and Principals, as Well as Middle and High School Students” (AASL, 2003)
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 From the Research….
9

 Survey by SLJ of principals (Lau, 2002)

 Only47% believe there is direct link

between effective libraries and
increased student achievement.

 Only41% said libraries have positive

effect on students’ standardized test
scores.
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 From the Research….
10

“Librarians have done everything so right

that they have made themselves
invisible.” (Wallace and Van Fleet, 1994)

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11

What types of data can school librarians gather to

demonstrate the tangible learning outcomes and
learning benefits of their school library program?

How can school librarians use data to inform their

decisions?

NCSLMA November 4, 2010

 Using Data to Inform Instruction
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 Online Database Statistics

 Entrance/Exit Tickets
 Reflection Journals
 Citation Analysis/Bibliometrics
 End-of-Project Debriefing with Teachers

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 Project Reflections
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 Understand student
struggles
 Target individual needs
 Revise instruction
 Identify reteaching
opportunities
 Provide opportunities for
teacher conversations

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 Entrance Ticket ~ Pre-Project
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 Entrance Ticket ~ Beginning of Project
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 Entrance Ticket ~ During Project
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 Reflections on Literature
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 Using Data to Increase Student Achievement
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 Student EOG Data

 SSR Survey ~ Teachers and Students

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 EOG Informational Reading by Homeroom
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 Average Circulation by Homeroom
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Homeroom # Students Circ - month This year Average

Zel 3 23 76 334 14.5

Swa 1 23 98 323 14.0

Cou 1 31 166 593 19.12

M. Han 2 17 166 562 33.05

Mol 3 35 130 424 12.11

Man 1 23 216 657 28.56

Ken 3 32 169 547 17.09

Hut 4 30 68 376 12.53

L. Han 2 34 10 233 6.8

Fer 4 29 45 328 11.31

Che 1 30 219 686 22.86

Bea 4 29 51 348 12.0

Bar 4 28 73 576 20.57

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 Using Data to Highlight a Need for Funding
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 SSR Survey Data

 Database Usage Data
 Tracking Time
 Student Circulation Numbers
 Student Survey Data to Determine Purchasing
Decisions

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 Tracking Your Time
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 Tally Sheet at Circulation Desk

 Media Center Sign-up Book Indicating Work with
classes
 Time Spent doing ―non media specialist‖ duties
 Record of your media specialist duties left ―undone‖

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 Tracking Student Circulation Numbers
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 Using Data to Develop Services
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 Student Sign-in Data

 Student Interest Surveys
 Circulation Data

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 Student Sign-in Data
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 Student Interest Surveys
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 Give students a voice in

program decision-making
 Feedback on what’s
working and what’s not
 Interests in and out of
school ~ correlate with
reading materials

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 Student Feedback on Programs
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 Poll ―Likes‖ and ―Dislikes‖

 Involve Students in
Decision-Making
 Be Spontaneous

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 Student Book Selection
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 Student Interests
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 Open-Ended Responses
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 Using Data to Build Collaborative Partnerships
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 PLT Meeting Attendance

 Track Partnerships with Teachers
 Media Center Services Survey

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 Tracking Collaboration
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 A Cumulative Record
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 Teacher Surveys
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 Tools You Can Use To Gather Data
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 Online Survey Tools (Zoomerang, Google Surveys)

 Post-it notes
 Stickers
 Reflection Parking Lot
 Plus/Delta

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 Questions for the Audience…
37

 What kind(s) of data are you currently

gathering?
 What tools are you using?

 How are you using that data to inform

your decisions?

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38

How can school librarians share

that data with key stakeholders?

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 Teachers/Administrators
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 Data Wall

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Teachers/Administrators

 PLC Meetings

 Faculty Meetings

 Department Meetings
 Parents
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 Contribute to the PTO/PTA newsletter EVERYTIME it

comes out!
 Attend PTO/PTA meetings—ask for 5 minutes
(Create a video or Prezi that is running as people
enter the meeting room)
 Create a newsletter for parents (Think about making
it available in multiple formats)
 Create your own
 Hillside Middle School (Utah)
 OR use this one–it’s FREE! School Library Link
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 Everyone–Social Media
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 Facebook
 Brentwood School Library
 Bell Elementary School Libary

 Twitter
 UniHighLibrary on Twitter
 Library Website
 Include photos, videos, glogs, etc. (Unquiet Library)
 Library Blog
 Gargolyes Loose in the Library (Frances Jacobson
Harris)
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 Everyone–Annual Reports
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 School Library Annual Reports (wiki)

 Susan Landis Eley: Hillside Elementary School (NJ)

(Print)
 Buffy Hamilton: The Unquiet Library (GA) Slideshare)

 Joyce Valenza: Springfield Township High School (PA)

(video)

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 Durant Road Middle School Annual Report
44

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 Tools You Can Use to Share Data
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 Photos
 An Active Media Center Website
 Blogging

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 Question for the Audience…
46

 How are you sharing data with your

stakeholders?
 What mechanisms are you using?

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 Action Plan
47

 What are 3 things you will do to prove

your worth?

NCSLMA November 4, 2010

Additional Resources
 WebJunction: Demonstrating Impact
 Everyday Advocacy: Making a Case for Libraries is easy with
Web Tools (SLJ, August 2010)
 SaveLibraries.org
 Igniting a Passion for Reading by Dr. Steven Layne
 Knowledge Quest: Evidence-based Practice, vol. 37, no. 2.
Nov./Dec. 2008
 Output Measures for School Library Media Programs by Frances
Bryant Bradburn.
 Toward a 21st Century Media Program, edited by Esther
Rosenfeld