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T e a c h e r --L iib r a r iia n s :: 2 1 s t --C e n t u r y L e a d e r s Teacher L brar ans 21st Century Leaders
Literacies, Learning & Libraries is an official publication of the Alberta School Library Council (ASLC) of The Alberta Teachers Association (ATA). This publication assists the ASLC in achieving its constitutional objectives to enhance the competencies of school library professionals and to increase knowledge, understanding and awareness of the role of school library programs in education.
Copyright 2011 by The Alberta Teachers Association, 11010 142 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta T5N 2R1. Unless otherwise indicated in the text, reproduction of material in Literacies, Learning & Libraries is authorized for classroom and professional development use, provided that each copy contain full acknowledgement of the source and that no charge be made beyond the cost of reprinting. Any other reproduction in whole or in part without prior written consent of the ATA is prohibited. Literacies, Learning & Libraries is published by the ATA for the ASLC. Although every effort is made to ensure accurate scholarship and responsible judgment, opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the ASLC or the ATA. Editorial and production services: Document Production staff, ATA. ISSN 1918-1779. Individual copies of this journal can be ordered at the following prices: 1 to 4 copies, $7.50 each; 5 to 10 copies, $5.00 each; over 10 copies, $3.50 each. Please add 5 per cent shipping and handling and 5 per cent GST. Please contact Distribution at Barnett House to place your order. In Edmonton, dial 780-447-9400, ext 321; toll free in Alberta, dial 1-800-232-7208, ext 321.
Table of Contents
2 3 4
FROM THE EDITORS DESK ................................................................................. Diane GallowaySolowan PAST PRESIDENTS MESSAGE ............................................................................. Betty-Lou Ayers PRESIDENTS MESSAGE........................................................................................ Holly Huber
Feature Articles
5 15 21 24 Teacher-Librarians in Inner-City Schools: Opportunities to Support Student Achievement ............................................................................... Valerie Martineau The Cats-Cradle World of a New Teacher-Librarian: One Schools Journey Situating and Shaping a Library Culture ............................................... Janet Bell Is Your Library Program Making the Grade? The Straight-A Approach to a Successful Library Program.......................................................... Yvonne Denomy The Five Ws of Library Advocacy Through Collaboration ................................ Kathy Inglis
Professionally Speaking
29 30 31 32 33 34 36 School Library Services Initiative (SLSI) ............................................................... Judith Sykes From Wiki to Website: What a Difference a Year Makes ..................................... Kelly Rierson and Lissa Davies Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning Convocation 2011 ....................... Jennifer Branch 2011 ASLC Bursary Update ..................................................................................... Diane GallowaySolowan Save the Date! Kaleidoscope 2012 From the Regionals ASLC Award of Merit: Jean Hoeft .......................................................................... Jacquie Vincent
Bibliography
Stevenson, D. 2008. What Is a Change Agent? Toolbox.com website. http://tinyurl.com/dyfw2j (accessed October 13, 2011).
Diane GallowaySolowan
y heartfelt thanks go to the provincial and regional executives, who have worked with great passion and commitment during my two-year term as president. A special thank you also goes to Fern Reirson, 2010/11 past president, for her mentorship and guidance. It has been a pleasure to serve with such dedicated and passionate professionals, and I have appreciated the opportunity to attend a variety of conferences, symposiums and workshops in my capacity as your president. I have grown professionally as a result and truly thank everyone. I encourage all ASLC members to support incoming president Holly Huber, who began her term on July 1, 2011. Betty-Lou Ayers
Presidents Message
he sounds and smells of the first day of school remind me of my own first days. One that stands out is my first day of Grade 3 at the newly built Alexander Forbes School, in Grande Prairie. What made that first day so remarkable was the schools library, which Eunice Easton designed. From the elevated reading platform serviced by a slide, to the book bays that provided quiet nooks to read in, to the inviting group learning area, it was unlike any other school library. Ultimately, though, what made the space sing was Mrs Eastons ability to match me to books I loved and her encouragements to use all the librarys resources to carry out my teachers inquiries. Mrs Easton and her successor Linda Chang were instrumental in developing my love of reading and my love of inquiry. My name is Holly Huber. I am the new president of the Alberta School Library Council (ASLC ). I have taken the helm of the ASLC at a tenuous time for school libraries. Teacher-librarian positions have been reduced or eliminated altogether across the province. Library budgets have been reduced or eliminated, and this has negatively affected the quality and quantity of books available to students. Although these setbacks are grave, we have reason to celebrate too. The ASLC executive is dedicated to supporting fellow teachers, teacher-librarians and school library technicians in their work. If you are a new teacherlibrarian or are looking for cutting-edge approaches to 21st-century literacy, our mentorship/membership coordinator Lissa Bonnell-Davies (lissadavies@gmail.com) would love to hear from you. We also encourage you to visit our website at http:/ /aslc.ca for up-to-the-minute links to the latest in educational technology, literacy and literature. Finally, 21st-century literacy requires a change of focus as we transition from the school-library model to learning commons. Learning commons, which focus on the development of literacy in multiple texts and platforms, require us to be adept collaborators. Therefore, the ALSC joined with the ATAs Social Studies and Educational Technology councils to present a groundbreaking conference with the theme Connecting Globally Inviting the World into Our Classroom. This exciting event, which featured guest speakers Craig Keilburger, founder of Free the Children, Steve Patterson, moderator of the popular CBC show The Debaters, and Samantha Nutt, founder and executive director of War Child Canada, took place at the Radisson Hotel Edmonton South, October 1516. We hope that it is the first of many such collaborations, and we would love to hear from teacher-librarians who attended. I look forward to working with all of you this year to address these challenges and celebrate our accomplishments. We must continue to bolster support for school libraries and the important part they play in our childrens education. The school library truly is the heart of our schools, taking in the curious and disengaged alike and pumping them out, full of the oxygen of inquiry and literacy. Holly Huber
Feature Articles
hat is it like to be a student today? Why is it necessary to learn more than reading, writing and arithmetic? What skills does a student need to thrive in a 21st-century classroom? Our fast-paced, high-technology, global culture causes teachers, parents and administrators to grapple with these questions. Traits such as resilience and determination are assets. Focusing, asking difficult questions and responding critically are also essential for success. Learning in the 21st century can be more difficult for inner-city-school students. Many children and their families spend a lot of time meeting basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing and employment, which leaves little energy for school. Nonattendance and tardiness are the norm for a significant number of inner-city children, which makes progress in learning a challenge for the student and the teacher. To effectively address students needs, educators must work together to engage children and connect learning to their own lives. Qualified teacher-librarians (TLs) help them do this; this paper explores how. Bridging the gap between my privileged educational background and early teaching experiences and working at an inner-city school has been both daunting and rewarding. Challenges have included a dated library collection, a lack of student interest in reading and an overall negative student attitude toward learning and, in particular, reading. I began my role as TL by asking students what they wanted to read and searching for a budget to purchase books to flood the library with new material relevant to the student population. Challenges quickly turned into
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enrichment for students. Expecting children to work online at home with parental interaction was the norm, as all homes had Internet access and the majority of parents were willing to work and support their childs educational pursuits outside of school. In 2008, I embarked on a masters of education degree in teacher-librarianship at the University of Alberta. From my first course, Web 2.0, I was hooked. It transformed my teaching, career path, leadership skills and opportunities. Because we worked with Web 2.0 tools throughout the course, I became the schools technology leader within months. Courses such as Web 2.0, inquiry-based learning and resources for children and young adults helped me take on leadership roles in the school and at district and provincial levels. This training prepared me well for my new position. Two years ago I accepted a TL position at an innercity school, where several students were reading two or three years below grade level. Many students came to the library but did not take out even one book; they said that they hated reading. My goal was to find resources that students could connect with and that would interest them in reading. The resources had to fit the curriculum and be at the students reading levels. This full-time position, which was previously parttime, posed interesting challenges. The TLs role and value had to be defined and communicated to the teachers, the students and the school as a whole. throughout life. Web 2.0 tools helped my daughter, and they are also helping my students to succeed in presenting and communicating ideas in a succinct and appealing manner. My own history and experience have led me to pose the following questions: 1. What is the role of the TL and its effect on student achievement? 2. How does poverty affect student achievement? 3. How can a TL support the unique needs of students at inner-city schools? 4. How can a TL support classroom teachers at innercity schools? The following review of professional literature has guided my pursuit of answers to these questions.
Literature Review
1. What Is the Role of the TL and its Effect on Student Achievement?
Defining a TL
The role of the TL is often misunderstood, not only by teachers, students and administrators but also by TLs themselves. The perception of what a TL is can vary greatly, depending in large part on the TLs qualifications and experiences and the amount of full-time equivalency (FTE) the TL is allotted. According to School District 68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith (1992, 1) procedure 3855P, a qualified teacher-librarian must have a diploma in school librarianship or equivalent and must have a minimum of two years successful classroom teaching experience. The Canadian Association for School Libraries (CASL 1997) defines a qualified TL as follows: The teacher-librarian is a highly skilled teacher, with competencies provided by a combination of teacher education, classroom experience and courses in teacher-librarianship and information studies. The teacher-librarian should be in the forefront of curriculum and staff development, familiar with the full range of instructional strategies and learning styles, able to organize time and resources, and active in professional concerns within the school and the district. (Introduction, para 4)
A clear understanding of the role of the TL helps educators, administrators, teachers and parents know how to best utilize the expertise of the TL.
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The Canadian Library Associations Position Statement on Code of Ethics (CLA 1976) states that a members role is to facilitate access to any or all sources of information which may be of assistance to library users; to protect the privacy and dignity of library users and staff (para 3). The CLAs (2000) Position Statement on Effective School Library Programs in Canada outlines specific roles, including The role and responsibility of the school library lies in the development of resource-based programs that will ensure that all the young people in our schools have the opportunity to learn the skills that will enable them to become competent users of information. (para 2) Another role of the TL is to teach meaningful and effective uses of technology. In the 21st century, effective users of information must be able to use technology. TLs must be at the forefront of teaching and implementing technology to students and teachers. Todd (2009, 27) states, Without Web 2.0, school libraries miss considerable opportunities for situating learning in the real world of young people and for developing deep inquiry. In his blog post So Just What Should Librarians Be Teaching? Johnson (2008) states, Library media specialists (need to be) able to actually teach the application technology tools, not just the applications themselves (nor only be used as a technician) (Technology Focus, para 2). The TLs multifaceted role involves resource management, technology leadership, collaboration and the teaching of resource-based skills. TLs support teachers and students in their quest to become lifelong learners. (MCAS) found school libraries and student achievement were strongly related at each grade level, schools with library programs have higher MCAS scores (executive summary). In the study of 657 elementary and high schools called Powerful Libraries Make Powerful Learners: The Illinois Study, Lance, Rodney and Hamilton-Pennell (2005, 12223) found test scores higher at all grade levels when 1. access to school libraries is more flexibly scheduled, 2. school libraries are staffed more fully, 3. TLs spend more time collaborating with classroom teachers, 4. larger collections are available, 5. educational technology is more widely available, 6. school libraries are better funded and 7. students use school libraries, both individually and in groups, to learn and practise the information-literacy skills they need to excel on tests and as lifelong learners. With research indicating that children become better readers by reading more (Krashen 2004), it is not surprising that research also shows that active school libraries positively affect student achievement (Baughman 2000). This occurrence has an even greater effect on children in poverty, because often their only access to books and electronic resources is through the school library. As Krashen (2008) states, Study after study has shown that library quality (number of books available or books per student) is related to reading achievement (Better libraries > Better reading achievement, para 1). In a Canadian study by Blackett and Klinger (2006), findings showed that the presence of a TL was the single strongest predictor of reading enjoyment for both Grades 3 and 6 students, and schools with trained library staff were more likely to have a higher proportion of Grade 6 students attaining the provincial standard or higher on reading tests (p 57). Whether the library stays open longer, the book collection increases or instructional programs are offered, a school library has a positive impact on a school community.
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coming to school hungry, lack of parental involvement and financial strain caused by poverty. Helping students overcome these difficulties by supporting impoverished youth may lead to improved student achievement. Teachman et al (1997) suggest that there is a specific urgency for these vulnerable students because the effect of poverty on education happens relatively early in the educational process. Children who spend more time in poverty are less likely to graduate from high school, obtain fewer years of schooling, and earn less (p 383). one move out of poverty are education and relationships. When referring to relationships, Pellino (2010) says, Conditions required for families to be successful are often lacking in the environment of poverty: stability, security, emotionally positive time together, access to basic resources, and a strong shared belief system (Challenge: Relationships with and Involvement of Parents and Families, para 3). Pellino believes that strong relationships must be built before meaningful learning can take place. Students, particularly those from poor or troubled backgrounds, need to build a bond of trust with their teachers. Covey (1989) refers to relationships with students as deposits into their emotional bank account. Examples of deposits are such things as keeping promises, clarifying expectations, being able to apologize and being open to feedback. Continuing the bank account analogy, Payne (1996, 110) discusses the effect of emotional deposits. When students who have been in poverty (and have successfully made it into middle class) are asked how they made the journey, the answer nine times out of 10 has to do with a relationshipa teacher, counsellor, or coach who made a suggestion or took an interest in them as individuals. It is not only the teacher-student relationship that is important but also the relationships between the school community and families. Lewis (1996, 186) says we need to educate the parents, especially the mothers, of the children in the school: the educational level of mothers is the most important influence on the educational attainment of children. In her tutorial The Effects of Poverty on Teaching and Learning, Pellino (2010) covers many challenges students face at inner-city schools, including diversity because of poverty. To overcome this, she believes educators must focus on student learning as opposed to teachers teaching. Teachers need to be tuned in to the culture of poverty and be sensitive to the vast array of needs that children of poverty bring to the classroom (Challenge: Diversity, para 2). By discussing these needs with experienced colleagues, reading about the culture of poverty and listening to the needs of students and their families, teachers at inner-city schools can become aware of and sensitive toward these challenges. Teacher-librarians can focus on student learning by ensuring that children have the right books in their hands at the right time and by involving them in collection development to build a library that meets their learning needs. Having adequate funds to develop and maintain a strong library collection is even more essential in an
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inner-city school. Referring to Hodgkinsons study (1995), Payne (1996, 87) states: Low achievement is closely correlated with lack of resources, and numerous studies have documented the correlation between low socioeconomic status and low achievement. The collection must be contemporary and robust, and must reflect the population. As stated in Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada, (Asselin, Branch and Oberg 2003, 3): If school libraries were to be fully developed, they could be the great cultural equalizer that would give children in every corner of the country access to resources that would enhance their learning, give great personal pleasure, and help them learn about themselves and each other. TLs, with the support of administration and colleagues, can make this happen by focusing on building strong collections and providing extended access to these resources beyond school hours, such as before and after school, and during special events, such as family literacy celebrations and pyjama-night story time. Johnson (2005) notes access to good libraries is even more important to economically disadvantaged students (para 7). In The Power of Reading, Krashens (2004, 70) research shows that schools can counter the effects of poverty in at least one area: access to books. He goes on to say comic books, graphic novels, and light reading materials such as teen romances and magazines are examined and shown to be a conduit that provides both the motivation for more reading and linguistic competence that makes harder reading possible (p 116). Providing these conduits is essential in supporting inner-city students and their literacy development. Access does not refer only to school hours or before and after school. It could also apply to holidays, such as summer and winter breaks. Inner-city teacher-librarians need to think of creative ways students can access books during these long breaks. In a meta-analytic review of 39 studies looking at the summer reading gap, Cooper et al (1996) found a negative effect on reading scores of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds while their middle-class peers gained in reading comprehension. Summer loss (for children in poverty) may be due to differences in opportunities to practice and learn with more books and reading opportunities available to middle-class students (Cooper et al 1996, 265). In a six-year longitudinal study of 20 Baltimore elementary schools, Entwisle, Alexander and Olsen (2001) found similar resultsmiddle-class children improved their reading comprehension during the summer break while students living in poverty showed declining reading scores after the break. Several reasons were put forth by Entwisle, Alexander and Olsen (2001): 1. Middle-class families have more resources to purchase books, games and computers throughout the summer months. 2. Parents of affluent families are often more highly educated and see themselves as a learning partner in their childs education and are more likely to engage in activities that will move their child forward academically. In contrast Entwisle, Alexander and Olsen (2001) found that for many poor parents, schools were intimidating and parents lacked the tools and time to engage their child in literacy enrichment during the summer. The recognition of the power of schools to make a difference in the lives of poor students needs to be coupled with efforts to involve parents and communities in the schooling process so that all parents, not just middle-class parents, are active collaborators in the education of their children. (para 40)
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as planning, comparing and contrasting, exploring data systematically and gathering precise and accurate data are all cognitive strategies that must be built. A TL can apply these strategies into the library curriculum and ensure that appropriate resources are available for classroom teachers. TLs can collaborate with classroom teachers to enable implementation and continuity. In addition to collaborating on those strategies TLs can support learning by collaborating on unit and curriculum planning, information literacy and inquiry learning. Recent research on 84 school libraries in British Columbia (Haycock 2011) shows that TL collaboration with classroom teachers is a key characteristic of high-achieving schools. Haycock (2011, 46) reports teacher-librarians in higher performing schools collaborate more with classroom colleagues, support teachers through identification of resources, teach more students, more often on flexible schedules, invest time in reading promotion, and make greater use of volunteer assistance. Haycocks study looked at schools across BC with different socioeconomic levels; his findings, therefore, are relevant to inner-city schools and show a positive correlation between active school libraries and student achievement. Lance, Rodney and Schwarz (2010) discuss the importance of collaboration, finding it is most successful when it is valued by principals and other administrators. The overwhelming majority of administrators, almost nine of ten, identified collaboration on instructional design and delivery as essential or desirable (p 30). Lance, Rodney and Schwarz (2010, 35) state: When administrators value collaboration between teacher-librarians and classroom teachers and when teacher-librarians and their classroom colleagues report that it happens more frequently, students are more likely to master ICT standards and more likely to earn advanced scores on state reading and language arts tests. Lance, Rodney and Schwarz feel principals should make collaboration a practical reality, and teachers and TLs should commit to collaborating more often. and citizens to ensure that all Canadian children, regardless of race, gender or socioeconomic background can become contributors to society. School libraries play a large role in this. Canadas children are Canadas future. If we do not take it upon ourselves to ensure that all Canadian children and youth have equal access to wellequipped libraries and trained professionals in their schools from the time they are in kindergarten, to show them the ropes, to help them develop their analytical and research skills, then we will reap what we sow. It is past the time to make the investment needed to ensure that our children grow up to be literate citizens and lifelong learners in the global knowledge society of the 21st century. (back cover, para 1) Despite drastic financial cutbacks in districts across the country, schools aiming to improve student achievement must have qualified TLs working flexible schedules. TLs are an essential part of a schools educational team and are particularly valuable in inner-city schools. A strong school library must be fully supported by administration, classroom teachers, parents and students. In the next section, based on the above research, my education and teaching experiences and those of my colleagues, I recommend several excellent strategies for creating a successful library program in an inner-city school.
Building Relationships
Students in poverty need strong relationships at school to move forward (Payne 2006). TLs can help in many ways: 1. Get to know students and add books to the collection that complement their interests. Connect with students by calling them to the library to retrieve the books they requested. Encourage students to drop by before or after school to discuss books they have recently read and engage them in informal discussions. 2. Keep students requests private and ensure intellectual freedom. For example, students who read below grade level could feel uncomfortable taking out books because their classmates might make fun of them. TLs should allow these students to find appropriate books privately. 3. Take part in school activities, such as the welcome breakfasts, family movie nights and school swims.
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Special events allow TLs to interact with students in less formal settings. 4. Build relationships with parents and siblings. Offering monthly library time to parents and toddlers will help them get to know the TL and school. Allow older siblings access to the library. This builds a bond between families and the school. It also gives students more access to a variety of books. Older siblings may be more comfortable exploring a familiar library (elementary school) than one they are just getting used to (high school). This also allows them to access books at a reading level that they may not get in a high school library. 5. Listen to students stories and problems and offer support and encouragement to create trust between students, teachers and parents. 6. Involve parents and younger or older siblings in the library to build and sustain family relationships. Allowing a time for community involvement bridges the gap between communities and schools, particularly in inner-city schools. Writing regularly in the school newsletter and honouring parent book requests are also positive relationship-building strategies. Just as the school is the hub of a community, make the library the hub of the school. 7. Attend parent advisory committee (PAC) meetings, encourage parents to volunteer in the library and be involved in PAC events. Building relationships with parents is a win-win, as parents become more comfortable approaching teachers, discussing issues, taking part in school events and supporting learning. 2. Be available for workshops and training sessions on databases, Web 2.0 tools and research techniques. 3. Feature new books at staff meetings through displays and book talks. 4. Be aware of subjects and themes teachers are working on and pull resources accordingly. TLs can take a leadership role in collaboration because they are familiar with the curriculum, well versed in inquiry and collaborative strategies, and flexible enough to work in a variety of classrooms to support teachers and ensure the success of projects. TLs are also familiar with library resources and know how to access other resources easily and efficiently. Classroom teachers must support collaboration for it to be successful. Student collaboration is just as important but must be taught. Harvey and Daniels (2009) discuss the values of collaboration in their book Comprehension and Collaboration: Inquiry Circles in Action. As with the comprehension strategies, most of our students will not cobble together a complete set of small-group collaboration skills unless we teach them explicitly (p 45). TLs can take a leadership role in implementing effective strategies at all grade levels.
Technology
Twenty-first-century TLs (Valenza 2010) must be info-technology scouts. TLs can lead students and colleagues into the world of technology through workshops, podcasts, wikis and other Web 2.0 tools. TLs are responsible for teaching students safe and effective use of the Internet, such as evaluating websites, using databases, and adhering to and understanding copyright laws. This role is important for TLs of inner-city schools, because often students only access to technology is at school. Providing opportunities for students to learn in a safe, controlled environment is important. As students and teachers explore and discuss technology and its use in school and outside of school, they can bridge the digital generation gap and, in many cases, students become the teachers. When this happens the children grow in self-confidence and self-esteem as they lead the class. TLs are important agents in assuring that students learn information technology and information literacy.
Collaboration
To become effective communicators in the 21st century, students must learn to work successfully in groups. TLs who work collaboratively with classroom teachers provide opportunities for student success (Lance, Rodney and Schwarz 2010). Collaboration is important at all school levels, particularly in inner-city schools. Collaboration starts with the principal. Support from administration and time for collaboration among teachers are essential ingredients to collaborative success (Haycock 2011). A supportive principal will find ways to allow teachers collaborative time (for example, by supervising students while teachers collaborate). TLs can collaborate with colleagues in many ways: 1. Ensure that appropriate, relevant resources support implementation of the curriculum.
Flexible Scheduling
Flexible scheduling is becoming more difficult as districts cut budgets to a bare minimum. Many districts no longer have flexible TL time despite research
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showing its benefits. TLs must advocate for flexible scheduling to allow for collaboration and team-teaching. Students also benefit directly because they can access the library at any time for book exchanges, research opportunities or help finding books or information.
Funding
High-performing public schools have greater library budgets than other schools (Haycock 2011). Finding money in a tight budget is always difficult. Having a supportive administration, staff committee and PAC are ways to advocate for a strong library budget. Raising money through Books for Kids, Scholastic Book Fairs and year-end book sales are possibilities to bring in more funds for library resources. TLs must advocate for a strong library budget at a staff committee level. A strong library helps everyone in the school.
Collection Development
Large, up-to-date collections offering variety in subjects, reading levels, genres and formats engage all students and meet the schools curriculum needs. When students can choose from current and popular titles, they are more likely to sign books out and read them. Weeding and upgrading a collection goes a long way in bringing kids into the library and encouraging them to take resources out.
Access
Access to resources at inner-city schools is vital because most children do not have access to educational or recreational reading resources outside of school. By spending more time in the library, students become comfortable there and start to build strong relationships. Encouraging classroom teachers to use the library for activities helps teachers and students alike to realize that the library belongs to everyone. Few inner-city students have public library cards, and those who do often dont go to the public library because they owe fines and cant pay them. The inner-city school TL can help by asking the public librarian to allow students to work off the fine or be forgiven. The public librarian will often waive the fees under such circumstances. Taking students on a tour of the public library is a great way to involve the community and increase students access to resources. Prepare them by giving them library card application forms prior to the trip. Once in the library students can explore all it has to offer. Students are more likely to ask questions, explore unfamiliar areas of the library and take out books when they are with their classmates and TL. Inner-city school TLs should contact the public librarian in their area and work closely to build relationships between the two libraries and their student users. Because the summer reading gap is greater with students living in poverty, finding ways to encourage reading over the summer is important (Cooper et al 1996; Entwisle, Alexander and Olson 2001). Creating summer reading bags with donated books and encouraging public library usage are ways to promote summer reading.
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enabled participants to enjoy new books through the end of August. More than 170 books were returned and 130 went out at the mid-point exchange. Students proudly handed in reading charts and displayed enthusiasm and self-esteem in their eagerness to share their reading experiences with me and their peers. Students set new goals, eager to surpass their previous months reading minutes. During the book exchange, students used technology such as iPads, iPhones and wikis to create book reviews, puppet shows and comic strips based on their books. Parents were excited about the program and happy their kids were able to take out books during the summer. Evidence of the excitement of the summer reading program was seen at the mid-summer book exchange when some students brought friends and/or siblings who had not originally signed up. Some of our most reluctant readers arrived early for the July book exchange, eager to get more Manga books and trade with their friends. It was gratifying to see these boys discuss a series they were both enjoying in detail. TLs in inner-city schools have unique opportunities to support student achievement. Without a teacherlibrarian, student access to books is limited, students have less access to books they enjoy and, as a consequence, enjoy reading less. I hope this paper makes a strong case for and ignites discussion about the importance of having qualified TLs in inner-city schools.
Canadian Association for School Libraries. 1997. Students Information Literacy Needs in the 21st Century: Competencies for Teacher-Librarians. www.cla.ca/casl/literacyneeds.html (accessed September 26, 2010). Canadian Library Association. 1976. Position Statement on Code of Ethics. www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Position_ Statements&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay. cfm&ContentID=3035 (accessed September 26, 2010). . 2000. Position Statement on Effective School Library Programs in Canada. www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Position_ Statements&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay. cfm&ContentID=3038 (accessed September 26, 2010). Cooper, H, B Nye, K Charlton, JLindsay and SGreathouse.1996. The Effects of Summer Vacation on Achievement Test Scores: A Narrative and Meta-Analytic Review. Review of Educational Research66, no 3:22768. doi:10.3102/00346543066003227. Covey, S. 1989. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York: Simon & Schuster. Entwisle, D, K Alexander and L Olson. 2001. Keep the Faucet Flowing. American Educator 25, no 3. www.aft.org/newspubs/ periodicals/ae/fall2001/entwisle.cfm (accessed September 26, 2010). Fillipoff, S. 2001. Inner-City Schools: Canaries for the Public School System. British Columbia Teachers Federation Teacher Newsmagazine 13, no 5: 1. www.bctf.ca/publications/ NewsmagArticle.aspx?id=12040 (accessed September 26, 2010). Harvey, S, and H Daniels. 2009. Comprehension and Collaboration: Inquiry Circles in Action. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Haycock, K. 2011. Connecting British Columbia (Canada) School Libraries and Student Achievement: A Comparison of Higher and Lower Performing Schools with Similar Overall Funding. School Libraries Worldwide17, no 1: 3750. www.iaslonline.org/pubs/slw/jan2011.htm (accessed September 26, 2010). Herron, N. 2001. Every Kid Counts: A History of Vancouvers Inner-City Schools. British Columbia Teachers Federation Teacher Newsmagazine 14, no 1: 1. http://bctf.ca/publications/ NewsmagArticle.aspx?id=11386 (accessed September 26, 2010). Johnson, D. 2005. Linking Libraries and Literacy. Weblog. www .doug-johnson.com/dougwri/linking-libraries-and-literacy .html (accessed September 26, 2010). . 2008. So Just What Should Librarians Be Teaching? Weblog. http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunkblog/2008/1/12/so-just-what-should-librarians-be-teaching .html (accessed September 26, 2010). Krashen, S. 2004. The Power of Reading. 2nd ed. Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited. . 2008. The Case for Libraries and Librarians. www.sdkrashen .com/articles/case_for_libraries/index.html (accessed September 26, 2010). Lance, K. 2002. Impact of School Library Media Programs on Academic Achievement. Teacher Librarian 29, no 3: 29. www.teacherlibrarian.com (accessed September 26, 2010).
References
Asselin, M, J Branch and D Oberg, eds. 2003. Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada. Ottawa: Canadian School Library Association and the Association for Teacher- Librarianship in Canada. Baughman, J. 2000. School Libraries and MCAS Scores. A paper presented at a symposium sponsored by the Graduate School of Library and Information Science: Simmons College, Boston, Mass. http://web.simmons.edu/~baughman/mcas-schoollibraries/Baughman%20Paper.pdf (accessed September 26, 2010). Blackett, K, and DKlinger.2006. Canadian Study Strengthens the Link Between School Library Staffing and Student Achievement and Reading Enjoyment.School Library Media Activities Monthly23, no 3:5658. http://vlex.com/vid/ strengthens-staffing-achievement-enjoyment-63477820 (accessed September 26, 2010). British Columbia Ministry of Education. 2011. Ministry Policy Site: Glossary. Community LINK Schools. www.bced.gov .bc.ca/policy/glossary.htm#c (accessed September 26, 2010). . 2011. Ministry Policy Site: Glossary. Vulnerable Students. www.bced.gov.bc.ca/policy/glossary.htm#v (accessed September 26, 2010).
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Lance, K, M Rodney and C Hamilton-Pennell. 2005. Powerful Libraries Make Powerful Learners: The Illinois Study. Canton, Ill: Illinois School Library Media Association. www.islma.org/pdf/ ILStudy2.pdf (accessed September 26, 2010). Lance, K, M Rodney and B Russell. 2007. How Students, Teachers, and Principals Benefit from Strong School Libraries: The Indiana Study2007. Indianapolis, Ind: Association for Indiana Media Educators. Lance, K, MRodneyand BSchwarz.2010. Collaboration WorksWhen It Happens! The Idaho School Library Impact Study.Teacher Librarian37, no 5:3036. http://lissainquiry. pbworks.com/f/Collaboration+Works.pdf (accessed September 27, 2011). Lewis, A. 1996. Breaking the Cycle of Poverty. Phi Delta Kappan 78, no 3: 186. www.jstor.org/stable/i20405742 (accessed September 27, 2011). Payne, R. 1996. A Framework for Understanding Poverty. 4th ed. Highlands, Tex: Aha! Process Inc. Pellino, K. 2010. The Effects of Poverty on Teaching and Learning. A Teachnology.com tutorial. www.teach-nology .com/tutorials/teaching/poverty/print.htm (accessed September 27, 2011). School District 68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith.1992. Policies and Procedures: School Teacher-Librarians Qualifications; Policy 3855. www.sd68.bc.ca/edocuments/Board/policiesandproc_/ default.html (accessed September 21, 2011). . Policies and Procedures: School Teacher-Librarians Qualifications; Procedure 3855P. www.sd68.bc.ca/edocuments/Board/ policiesandproc_/default.html (accessed September 21, 2011). Teachman, J, K Paasch, R Day and K Carver. 1997. Poverty During Adolescence and Subsequent Educational Attainment. In Consequences of Growing Up Poor, ed G Duncan and J BrooksGunn, 382416. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Todd, R. 2003. School Libraries and Evidence: Seize the Day, Begin the Future. Library Media Connection 22, no 1: 1218. http:/ web.ebscohost.com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/ / ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=81b6f87b-06b2-45e7-95519c04b0a74a63%40sessionmgr114&vid=4&hid=104 (accessed September 27, 2011). Todd, R. 2009. School Libraries and Continuous Improvement: A Case Study. Scan 28, no 2: 2631. www .curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/ assets/pdf/Researchcolumn28-2.pdf (accessed September 27, 2011). Todd, R, and C Kuhlthau. 2004. Student Learning Through Ohio School Libraries: The Ohio Research Study Fact Sheet. Columbus, Ohio: OELMA. www.oelma.org/StudentLearning/documents/ OELMAResearchStudy2page.pdf (accessed September 27, 2011). Valenza, J. 2010. Manifesto for 21st Century School Librarians. Wiki post. http:/ informationfluency.wikispaces.com/ / You+know+youre+a+21st+century+librarian+if+.+.+ (accessed September 27, 2011).
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The Cats-Cradle World of a New Teacher-Librarian: One Schools Journey Situating and Shaping a Library Culture
Janet Bell
Janet Bell is currently taking courses in the TL-DL program at the University of Alberta. She has recently embraced the challenge of teacher-librarianship at Lillian Osborne High School, in Edmonton, Alberta. Her background is in teaching English and professional development. others, though, is that we have no pastno collective memory to inform directions, no traditions to honour, no routines to follow, no collections of resources to store apart from what has been purchased in the past two years. This is both liberating and limiting. On the one hand, we can forge a future unencumbered by the past; on the other, we must do so with limited resources and without evidence of sustained success to leverage. Because we are a school whose culture has not yet been established, the library is positioned to seize the moment and redefine what library means for us. Related to this is a childhood memory that pulls often at my imaginationplaying cats cradle, using nothing more than a piece of string, and, hopefully, a partner, to transform that string into a cats cradle, a soldiers bed, candles, a cats eye, a fish on a platter, a manger or diamonds, in a never-ending game of reconfiguration. The first partremember the feel of the string, popping the initial loop over your wrists? is entirely predictable, a simple, yet foundational, move that sets in swing all subsequent configurations that emerge in less predictable sequences. It is not much of a stretch to parallel the cats-cradle activity with the physical and cognitive worlds of a teacher-librarian. With vision, experience and strong professional learning communities (Astuto et al 1993) to guide us, TLs transform spaces into hubs of inquiry. Those of us at ease in todays quick-change world can pinch the crossed-over side strings on the cats cradle of learning that is the library. We pull them out and over top, pushing down and back to the side to create the next incarnation, the inside-out world of the 21st-century library, with permeable walls, lounging learners,
At Lillian Osborne Library, we inspire, nurture, celebrate, substantiate, sustain and thus strengthen literacy learning for all learners. Supported by school and community partnerships, we collaborate to build an extraordinary learning culture that is ethical and empathic, intellectual yet playful, inquisitive yet respectfula culture that cultivates and honours those habits of mind and literacies that help students achieve curricular outcomes in all subjects today, and thrive within our increasingly networked and interdependent world tomorrow. Lillian Osborne Library Mission Statement, 2011
lthough Lillian Osborne High School, in Edmonton, is in its second year of operation (opened September 2009), it is still under construction. The same is true for its library. And just as schools and libraries these days are really more about the people who inhabit and transform their spaces, rather than the spaces themselves, so also are we, at Lillian Osborne, on various paths of continuous improvement (Davis 2009). What separates our school and library from
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librarians running from the scene to work one-on-one with others elsewhere in the building and precious little time before the world changes again as we regroup to transform it into its next shape. Perhaps our libraries, as sometimes happens in cats cradle, are coming undone by becoming messy, chaotic, but actually they are simply shape-shifting, reconfiguring into the next comfortable shape. Here is the tale of Lillian Osborne librarys cats-cradle journey into being. First, loop the endless circle of string around your hands, looping the string around each hand. Lillian Osbornes library looks like other libraries, though it has fewer books and computers. I inherited the 3,000-book collection in September 2010, along with continuing responsibility for mentoring teachers in technology integration (we have SMART boards in every classroom and about a hundred wireless-enabled laptop computers distributed among seven laptop carts housed throughout the school). I was charged with facing the challenge of transforming our well-organized starter (year one) library into a vibrant 21st-century learning hub. I arrived on the job predisposed to how I would meet this challenge: playfully (Fontichiaro 2010, 10114), welcoming risk, moving forward with a spirit of adventure, armed with good pedagogy and interpersonal skills and supported by a highly valued professional learning network. In addition, I was self-tasked to chronicle our journey, to inform next steps through anecdotes, artifacts and statistics, and to chart our journey through evidence-based practice that might assist others travelling similar paths. Like a child playing cats cradle, drawing in partners to help shape-shift the loop into various functions at point of need, I was, at least at the level of my dream, well outfitted to buildwith a minimal circa 2010/11 budgetthe resonant culture described in our mission statement (see beginning of article). Our journey so far has been rocky, a sign that things are, in essence, progressing well (Fullan 1993, 1999). My first wake-up call arrived a week before classes started. The time I had reserved to build an innovative library/Internet welcome slideshow and orientation program, scaffold a resource website of how-to technology screencasts (for example, how to sign out a laptop cart using Google Calendar) and begin to develop curricular pathfinders was instead spent on processing thousands of textbooks for distribution the following week. This challenge, which was met thanks to a ready group of parents and students who jumped in to assist, precipitated a deluge of similar clerical responsibilities that pulled me from my dream. It is difficult to build a new culture when your time is spent putting in place the metaphorical bricks and mortar (heavy, expensive textbooks) that have long perpetuated the old culture. However, real systemic change is chaotic and uncomfortable (Fullan 1999). Working in a new school, however exciting it is to feel the pull of the open horizon, also accentuates this discomfort, because when one-third of the staff and student complement is added annually for the first three years, during the first two years, staff have minimal shared experience to draw them into a learning culture and few established school routines to ease them into any culture already seeding. Add to this the creative chaos of teaching unfamiliar courses, and the result is that teachers focus entirely on the unfamiliar things that require attention the mosttheir new students and new courses, situating these unfamiliar aspects of their work within the safer context of the familiar pedagogical and technological skills. Only when teachers feel secure in their new positions can they envision stretching themselves into other areas. Thus, when a school culture is barely planted, one must give it time to take root a little before providing unobtrusive, personalized, at-hand support. This fledgling culture, then, affects the library, in particular, right at the core of its raison detre, because if the librarys vision is to be at the heart of the school, when the school culture is not yet formed, how can a school library exist beyond being the place to find books? This is the level of pulse required to sustain a school library in its embryonic days. Continuing the metaphor of cats cradle, it seems impossible to step beyond looping the string around your wrists, because until others can visualize how they can use your talents to move them ahead in the game, you are stuck there with no partner to pull strings with. The best way to take a potential partner to that place of visualization is to ease his or her load, because that is part of what teacher-librarians can do for others; the huge return is that doing this may help develop trust. So it was that I, a stranger in the library who wanted to develop relationships of trust so that I could segue into doing the work I preferred to do and needed to support teachers swamped by new courses who had to hit the pavement at full speed in a week, knew that the best I could do was have their textbooks ready for sign-out as soon as possible. How does the complexity and ambiguity of beginning a change process by doing traditional things
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connect to situating and developing our library culture? The keys to success in organizational change always come down to the people involved. Daggetts (2011) often-reiterated three Rs: rigour, relevance and relationships; Edmonton Public Schools (2010) distilling 21st-century skills to the foundational (and beautifully connected to the inquiry process) actions of acquire, connect, create and communicate; and Alberta Educations (2010b) evocative Competencies of an Educated Albertan all have in common the thread of connectionnot just between us and knowledge, but between all people. In fact, I wonder whether the ability and desire to connect deeply with others (that is, the product of literacy, true engagement) in an increasingly networked world is the single most essential skill all of us must develop today, and anything that prevents that is in opposition to mindful cultural progress. Processing paper textbooks for teachers when Id much rather be establishing a library presence beyond the books, then, does makes sense: I am investing my time in building those requisite bridges of trust with my new colleagues right from the start. This is how I began to shape our library culture, and why this seemingly paradoxical approach worked for me. My role is to build bridges. Pinch the crossed-over side strings, pull them out and over top, pushing down and back to the side to create the next incarnation, the inside-out One might think that after the textbooks, the next step should be either orientation or advocacy, getting the word out at staff meetings about our resources, and about how I can assist students with information literacy and support students and teachers using online databases, such as those at LearnAlbertas Online Reference Centre or Edmonton Public Schools My Library. But in a new school, such information, out of context with tomorrows curricular focus, would seem disconnected. Instead, I created Google Calendar processes for reserving laptop carts and library time, which was a way to distribute ownership of resources and processes away from the central library desk. I created a few online tutorials, wrote articles about the school for a local newspaper, started a library blog and the @LOLibrary Twitter account, and began to develop our school website. All in all, I was carving out a virtual library presence. I also built on our teacher technology teams work from year one, by cycling through technology-support strategies to better shape integration. Half of the teachers had not used a SMART board before, for example, so the team hosted Friday morning optional technology sessions, where we explored SMART Notebook, Google Docs and Sites, online resources and so on. When conflicting commitments caused participation to dwindle, we shifted gears to meet technology needs as they arose through a strong cadre of teachers who self-identified to provide at-hand support and mentorship readily. This successful approach was reinforced through the assurance that I am also usually on-site to assist in resolving minor technical issues and to facilitate increasingly pedagogically astute technology integration (Mishra and Koehler 2006). By Christmas, the library was truly turning insideout. With laptop carts stored near classrooms, teacherdriven sign-out procedures and support at hand when wireless access or SMART boards faltered, teachers were empowered to close their doors and bring the world into their classrooms. I remained in the background, designing activities, gathering evidence of successful student work and of evolving teacher practice to share in slideshows at school and elsewhere, and provoking conversation about promising pedagogical and technological practices supporting topics such as student engagement. One recent technological inquiry explores the use of a portable demonstration classroom comprised primarily of a set of netbooks dedicated for use by particular teachers who have opened their doors to school visitors and action research possibilities. Our technology projects embed technology professional development into teaching practice; when more staff than expected signed up for the demonstration classroom, we altered our concept to accommodate all. My role is to open doors. The inside-out world of the 21st-century library, with permeable walls, lounging learners, librarians running from the scene to work one-on-one with others elsewhere in the building and precious little time before the world changes again as we regroup to transform it into its next shape I am pleased that our story doesnt end with technology. In fact, the third act of forming our year-two library has been to focus on the forms and functions of the main library room itself and those who learn there. The video LO Library 2011 (Bell 2011) (http:// secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent= 4d6a51774f4449324d6a673d0d0a&sb=1) provides an introduction to our librarys 21st-century vision and images of the library in operation. Like the many shapes that make up the cats cradle game, our library
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is also continuously being reconfigured. In a six-week period in the spring of 2011, it looked like Times Square. Nine screens around the second-storey perimeter of three walls of its cubic shape were lit up with simultaneous slideshows of student artwork, video productions, Christmas concert and live SMART board and Google Docs demonstrations. It provided a festive hub for a fine arts fundraiser, full of dance, drama and song; became a formally set-up theatre for visiting musicians; and hosted an international literacy exhibit depicting every letter of the alphabet in a grand ceiling-height celebration of German language and culture. It also hosted district meetings, several visiting lunch-time speakers and cheer teams practising their routines before competing in public in zones. That all said, during the day, classes often wheel the laptop carts down to the library, so students can work in a place where they can spread out. International baccalaureate science students have been scheduled in more than once for dedicated research for two straight days at a time. World literature students stop by daily to talk about their papers. It is a rare day when no classes are working in the library. Distributing the library across the school by way of laptop carts has not detracted from our room presence whatsoever. If anything, it has created, in a cats-cradle way, a sense that what is outside the room one minute can be at the centre the next and vice versa. Our room, our learning commons cube of multipurpose space, has become a cognitive pulse within the school that focuses on supporting and celebrating student learning in all modalities at all stages of inquiry. The possibilities for how we use this space are more than we can currently imagine. As the year has progressed, the staffs relationships have begun to shift. Having collectively weathered the usual rhythms of the school year, accentuated by the unique, unanticipated challengesand, arguably, rewardsof a schools start-up phase, many of us have let down our guards and discovered strength in interdependence. When a group builds something out of nothing, recognizing the diverse talents that each contributes, magic can happen: For many teacherlibrarians, the most prized [theory/model of leadership] is transformational leadership, where they are working with administrators to develop a climate for change and a culture based on collaboration and mutual respect (Haycock 2010, 1). Our interdependence and synergy, alluded to in our mission statement (see beginning of article), is only now beginning to take root, to shape our journey toward those goals therein
Figure 1. Lillian Osborne Library, February 24, 2011. Photographed by Janet Bell
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indicated; the transformation is beginning. My work continues to be that of a supportive leader in the middle, connecting the dots on things, for the benefit of all. My advice to principals hiring staff for a new school is to focus on those who demonstrate empathy, because they will form connections with others and will create an empathic culture of teachers and learners. My advice to a teacher-librarian in a new school is to be patient and help others when they need it. This supportive behaviour earns one the reputation of being someone who helps open doors, even if that only means stamping a textbook or fixing a SMART board connectiona reputation that can change, growing ones identity as a strong supporter of colleagues professional work that can then be celebrated by sharing student media productions in the library and on the library blog, thus tilling the ground for growing deeper collaborations. To conclude, growing a library in a new school is more about investing in our communitys intellectual capital than about investing in concrete resources, at least to start with. To grow a school and library culture where we all strive for continuous improvement, we must empower each other to act, even when that means we relinquish more traditional librarian and teacher roles to encourage innovation and interdependence. In fact, by investing in people, resources will follow, whether contributed or requested by users, and whether actual or virtual, shared through course websites created by teachers targeted for use by their students or through media created by the students themselves. By emphasizing the librarys organic and permeable out-of-the-box nature, ownership of both technology and curricular resource choices can be shared among colleagues, with the recognition that as instructional designerstogether exhibiting a multitude of talents and perspectives that surpass those of any individualwe can together begin to customize more personalized learning for students and professional support for each other. Hopefully, in our cats-cradle way, the long-lamented stereotype of the librarian as custodian of the books (English 1940) has finally been diffused. Time saved gathering curricular resources is time reinvested into streamlining routines, processing texts and fiction books, developing teachers and students strengths as they trouble-shoot technology, and working with all stakeholders to develop a positive library culture. In essence, by letting go of some of the (albeit rewarding) cerebral side of gathering and creating resources and exploring online processes, the teacher-librarian in a new school can support and empower colleagues to move forward with their own curricular work, and lay a foundation for a valuable framework of mutual respect and interdependency on which more intentional inquiry-based collaborations can be grown and supported through emerging coaching interactions (Killion 2007; Alberta Education 2011). Over the past year, Lillian Osborne High School has begun to grow a culture of continuous improvement. The teacher-librarian serves an integral function across the school in helping to seed that culture by building bridges, opening doors, removing barriers to innovation, growing shared intellectual capacity and expertise, and documenting and sharing the unfolding chapters of the story. Through ongoing inquiry and the celebration of all our learning, we hope to build a library and a school that makes the best sense for today. This tale of the cats-cradle world of a new teacher-librarian in a new school is still only beginning. As we continue to shape-shift into year three, I wonder what new challenges will emerge, and what new stories will present?
Bibliography
Alberta Education. 2010a. Inspiring Action on Education: A Discussion Paper. Edmonton, Alta: Alberta Education. http://ideas.education.alberta.ca/media/2905/ inspiringaction%20eng.pdf (accessed September 28, 2011). . 2010b. Competencies of an Educated Albertan: Curriculum Considerations. Edmonton, Alta: Alberta Education. . 2011. Learning Coaches. Connection: Information for Teachers, January 2011. Alberta Education website. http:/ / education.alberta.ca/teachers/resources/connection/archive/ january-2011/other/learning.aspx. (accessed September 28, 2011). Asselin, M, J Branch and D Oberg, eds. 2003. Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada. Ottawa: Canadian School Library Association and the Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada. Astuto, T A, D L Clark, A-M Read, K McGree and Fernandez, L deK P. 1993. Challenges to Dominant Assumptions Controlling Educational Reform. Andover, Mass: Regional Laboratory for the Educational Improvement of the Northeast and Islands. Bell, J. 2011. LO Library 2011. Video File. http:/ /secure.smilebox .com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d6a51774f4449324d6a67 3d0d0a&sb=1 (accessed September 28, 2011). Daggett, W. 2011. Components of School Excellence. International Center for Leadership in Education website. www.leadered .com/ComponentsSE.html (accessed September 28, 2011). Davis, V. 2009. Influencing Positive Change: The Vital Behaviors to Turn Schools Toward Success. Teacher Librarian 37, no 2: 812. EBSCOhost Accession Number 47500179.
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Edmonton Public Schools. 2010. K12 Literacy Guiding Document. Edmonton, Alta: Edmonton Public Schools. . 2011. My Library. http:/ mylibrary.epsb.ca (accessed / September 28, 2011). English, M. 1940. A Principals Philosophy. Phi Delta Kappan 22, no 6: 300302, 306. Fontichiaro, K. 2010. Pride and Prejudice and Technology Leadership. In The Many Faces of School Library Leadership, ed S Coatney, 10114. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited. Fullan, M G. 1993. The Complexity of the Change Process. In Change Forces: Probing the Depth of Educational Reform, 1941. Philadelphia, Pa: Falmer. . 1999. Change Forces: The Sequel. Philadelphia, Pa: Falmer. Haycock, K. 2010. Leadership from the Middle. In The Many Faces of School Library Leadership, ed S Coatney, 112. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited. Killion, J. 2007. No 1 Resource Has a Human Face. In T3 Teachers Teaching Teachers. Oxford, Ohio: National Staff Development Council. www.learningforward.org/news/ getDocument.cfm?articleID=1479 (accessed September 28, 2011). Mishra, P, and M J Koehler. 2006. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Framework for Teacher Knowledge. Teachers College Record 108, no 6: 1017054. Sykes, J. 2010. Transforming Canadian School Libraries to Meet the Needs of 21st Century Learners. Alberta Education School Library Services Initiative website. http:/ education.alberta.ca/ / media/1293749/slsi_research.pdf (accessed September 28, 2011). Zmuda, A, and H Harada. 2008. Librarians as Learning Specialists: Meeting the Learning Imperative for the 21st Century. Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited.
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Is Your Library Program Making the Grade? The Straight-A Approach to a Successful Library Program
Yvonne Denomy
round the globe, school libraries are showing that they make a difference. In the words of Levitov (2010, 31), The well-planned, -supported, -developed, and -used school library program has immense potential. It can offer limitless possibilities. Unfortunately, some school library programs are indeed just thatfull of potential and possibilities, and not realities. Why the discrepancy? The reality is that successful school library programs do not just happen; rather, thriving programs are purposefully and strategically created through the wise and deliberate decisions and actions on the part of the teacher-librarian (Todd 2006, 1). Therefore, where does one begin and how does one progress? Moreover, what are the wise and deliberate decisions and actions that create library programs that effect positive change in the lives of students, staff and the community? This article proposes a straight-A approach to realizing a successful library program. Whether you are a new teacher-librarian building your first library program, an experienced teacher-librarian establishing a program in a new school or a well-established teacher-librarian re-envisioning your existing program, use these straight-A steps to move your library program to the front of the class.
school boards, community members, volunteers, and other library media specialists (Harvey II, 2010, 7). Hughes-Hassell and Harada (2007, 7) say that it is only when each individual in a school has changed that an innovation can be deemed a success. Individuals must thus be the focus of attention in implementing any new educational program or practice. Unfortunately, many well-designed change initiatives come up short because the people have been overlooked. Pay attention to the people first! Acknowledge that every person is unique, and agree, even when you disagree, that everyone has valuable contributions to make. You can be sure that not every staff member will share your enthusiasm and vision, but do honour and respect others perspectives, beliefs and practices while you search for common ground (Johnson 2008, 14). If you take the time to think creatively, no matter how large the gap, common ground can always be found: Why, yes, we both want to improve the world. Theres something we have in common! suggests Johnson (p 15). Put your ideas forward but avoid challenging the expertise of colleagues (Stripling 2007, 53). Instead, let your colleagues know that you respect their work and value their ideas (Haycock 2010, 5). Be approachable, but dont forget to ask for their ideas and opinions.
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a realistic plan, competence and consistency, and a deep understanding of effective practices will lead to enhanced roles over time. (Haycock 2010, 7) Johnson (2008, 14) equally reminds us that the elephant can only be eaten one bite at a time furthering that as much as they may be needed, radical changes in education are less likely than incremental changes (1617). No matter how eager you are, dont attempt to eat the elephant whole! Accommodate a variety of learning styles, whenever possible. Some learners prefer to see modelsmodel a lesson. Others prefer to read, research and reflect recommend a selection of relevant, quality readings and be available for discussion. Still others may prefer to learn by trial and errorestablish an environment where you allow experimentation and failure to occur, and accept feedback, without judgment. After all, we are all inquiring and learning together. As eloquently stated by Harada (2010, 19), Leaders seek to support learning, not control it. They further inquiry, not orthodoxy. Therefore, a good leader encourages learners to adapt learning to their own settings and preferences.
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adds to student learningjust dont try to do it alone. Rather, get support from the members of your community. Parents, students and the community are very powerful sources of advocacy as they reflect the presence of a shared mission for the school library (Levitov 2010, 30). In other words, advocates of your library program are willing to go to bat (Harvey II 2010, 131) for their library program. Advocacy means being proactive and not reactive (Levitov 2010, 31). So dont wait until something negative is about to happen and your program is in jeopardy before sharing your evidence of added worth. Advocate all along the way. And never forget to celebrate your accomplishments! Finally, as you work toward your vision, dont forget to adopt a positive attitude. Smile! Indeed, your library program is full of possibilities; now you need only make them realitiesjust take the straight-A approach!
Harvey II, C A. 2010. The 21st Century Elementary Library Media Program. Santa Barbara, Calif: Linworth. Haycock, K. 2010. Leadership from the Middle: Building Influence for Change. In The Many Faces of School Library Leadership, ed S Coatney, 112. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited. Hughes-Hassell, S, and V Harada. 2007. Change Agentry: An Essential Role for Library Media Specialists. In School Reform and the School Library Media Specialist, ed S Hughes-Hassell and V Harada, 316. Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited. Johnson, D. 2008. Change from the Radical Center of Education. Teacher Librarian 35, no 5: 1419. www .teacherlibrarian.com (accessed August 10, 2011). Levitov, D. 2010. The School Librarian as an Advocacy Leader. In The Many Faces of School Library Leadership, ed S Coatney, 2942. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited. Oberg, D. 2003. Changing School Culture and Implementing the New Standards.School Libraries in Canada 23, no 1:2325. www.clatoolbox.ca/casl/slic (accessed August 10, 2011). Stripling, B. 2007. Teaching for Understanding. In School Reform and the School Library Media Specialist, ed S Hughes-Hassell and V Harada, 3755. Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited. Todd, R. 2006. From Learning to Read to Reading to Learn: School Libraries, Literacy and Guided Inquiry. International Association of School Librarianship. Selected Papers from the 2006 IASL Conference, 118. Retrieved from ProQuest Education Journals. Zmuda, A, and V Harada. 2008. Librarians as Learning Specialists: Meeting the Learning Imperative for the 21st Century. Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited.
References
Coatney, S. 2009. Opening the Door to LeadershipThe Key.School Library Monthly26, no 4: 4344. www .schoollibrarymonthly.com (accessed August 10, 2011). Harada, V. 2010. Librarians as Learning Leaders: Cultivating Cultures of Inquiry. In The Many Faces of School Library Leadership, ed S Coatney, 1328. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited.
Feature Articles
Why?
he current climate of uncertainty for school libraries is a strong incentive to look for effective and efficient ways to advocate for library programs. Many advocacy strategies, such as creating presentations for funding bodies, developing publicity campaigns, even building a strong web presence, take precious teacher-librarian time away from teaching. As Levitov (2010) argues, teacher-librarians must have an advocacy plan that goes beyond public relations and marketing and gets to the heart of what it takes to be a leader in garnering support and leverage for school libraries (p 29). One of the best ways to advocate for school library programs is to share what we do with the greatest number of people. The American Association of School Librarians (2011, para 2) defines advocacy as the ongoing process of building partnerships so that others will act for and with you, turning passive support into educated action for the library program. It begins with a vision and a plan for the library program that is then matched to the agenda and priorities of stakeholders. The school librarys stakeholders include teachers, students, parents and administrators. Teaching
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Twenty-first-century school libraries are about knowledge, not stuff. Librarianship has never been about stuff. It is about the use of information, not the existence of information (Loertscher 2010, 34). It is about conversation and connection, and people working with people and learning from each other (Lankes 2010). By working collaboratively with our classroom colleagues on projects that mesh with classroom expectations, teacher-librarians create a whole new group of stakeholders who can, and will, fight for a library program they perceive as a vital, innovative and helpful part of their everyday school lives. As well as reinventing the library image, collaborative teaching allows teacher-librarians to demonstrate inquiry learning techniques and new technologies to colleagues who otherwise might not have encountered them (Hobbs, Oleynik and Sacco 2011, 43). Teachers working and learning together cooperatively teach students by example. A cooperative atmosphere where it is safe to take risks and to discuss ideas freely is contagious. Making the library the hub of literacy learning in your school will build a vast community of supporters for your library program among teachers, students, parents and administrators.
Who?
Because many teachers and administrators have an old-fashioned or misguided understanding of the role of a teacher-librarian (Levitov 2010, 3132), they may not immediately consider collaboration opportunities. Some teachers are used to the isolation of their own classrooms and will need some time to adjust to the idea of collaboration. Others will need to see the evidence of successful collaborations before being willing to commit time and energy to a collaborative project. Let the staff know you are available to collaborate and give them some ideas of the sort of lessons you can offer. The School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV) in Australia has a clear and succinct handout outlining services teacher-librarians can offer for classroom teachers. Giving a quick overview at a staff meeting and then leaving a handout with each teacher will start the ball rolling. Begin with those who are interested and others will follow. Keep your ear open in the staff room and offer to help with classroom projects or to implement new technology that will facilitate learning. Do not be discouraged when some colleagues are not ready to collaborate. Save your energy for those who are. Water the flowers, not the rocks, in your garden (Blankstein 2004) and your collaborative garden will flourish.
When?
Many teacher-librarians just do not have time to collaborate. Full teaching schedules and part-time teaching positions leave little time for meeting and communicating with colleagues among the demands of maintaining collections, organizing volunteers and fundraising. Using staff meeting time for making collaborative decisions, handing out suggestion forms, asking for classroom themes or curriculum plans, even taking a few minutes in the staff work room to connect with a colleague is time well spent. Using Google Docs is another way to plan collaborative lessons when group planning time is difficult to schedule (Hobbs, Oleynik and Sacco 2011, 42). In the long run collaboration actually saves time. Dovetailing with already established classroom curriculum cuts down on planning time. True collaboration means sharing resources and lesson plans. Curriculum expectations coupled with the time constraints of the classroom often mean that classroom teachers are grateful for curriculum taught during library time and are willing to share ideas and resources. Cooperating on an already established whole-school project means that planning is done cooperatively. Many hands make light work.
What?
Look for a need or an opportunity at your school. The following are examples of collaborative projects, large and small, at South Park Family School:
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awareness in the school community of the librarys connection to classroom learning. who attended this whole-school activity saw the library as both a place for traditional stories and a place for 21st-century technology learning.
Whole-School Theme
South Park Family School traditionally chooses a theme to guide student inquiry in every grade for one term every second year. Last year, the chosen theme was Inspirational Canadians. This tradition provided a perfect opportunity for raising the librarys profile and enhancing staff understanding of the role of the teacher-librarian. The library became the hub for the project to purchase resources about famous Canadians, post links to resources on the library webpage, create a blog to organize teacher contributions to weekly assemblies and the final celebration of learning, and organize a vote for the Greatest Canadian Invention (CBC 2009). By coordinating classroom contributions to the whole-school project, the teacher-librarian took on a leadership role in the eyes of both colleagues and administration.
Where?
One key element in advocating for the 21st-century school library is realizing that library-supported learning is about knowledge, not stuff, and about people, not place (Lankes 2010). Twenty-first-century information technology and teacher collaboration means that inquiry learning and literature appreciation can and do take place throughout the school and at home. Library programs do not have to take place solely in the library, nor should they. Through collaboration, the ideal of the library acting as the great room in a school, where the family gathers in a large, multifunctional space for a multitude of tasks (Asselin, Branch and Oberg 2003, 6) can expand. The library no longer has to be in one location but can be part of learning throughout the school community.
Conclusion
Teacher-librarians can create a strong stakeholder group while focusing on what really mattersstudent achievement. By working with colleagues, we can make the library an essential part of their teaching day. Rather than creating a perfect library, we must reshape our thinking and create the perfect library for our individual institution, adopting a customer service/support orientation by crafting goals that support the larger goals of the organization. In times of
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budget cuts, it cannot be only librarians who speak on behalf of libraries. Teachers, administrators, parents and students must demand the essential services we provide (Valenza and Johnson 2009). Stakeholder groups can make a difference in library funding and staff allocations. As the Spokane moms discovered: Five minutes of parent advocacy for school libraries can have more effect than five years of what might appear as self-serving advocacy (Whelan 2008, para 43). Levitov (2010) asserts that when people other than the teacher-librarian advocate for school library programs, it erases any question that the effort is self-serving, with school librarians defending their jobs or whining about their circumstances. It instead reflects the presence of a shared mission for the school library (p 30). Collaboration is a time-effective and learning-centred method of creating a strong advocacy group with a first-hand understanding of the mission and benefits of library programs.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). 2009. The Greatest Canadian Invention. www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vn0GV1b8z2s (accessed August 11, 2011). Feinberg, J. 2009. Wordle. www.wordle.net (accessed August 11, 2011). Harvey II, C A. 2010. Being Tactical with Advocacy. TeacherLibrarian: The Journal for School Library Professionals. www .teacherlibrarian.com/2010/06/01/being-tactical-withadvocacy/#minimize (accessed August 11, 2011). Hobbs, N, M Oleynik and K Sacco. 2011. Together Is Better. School Library Monthly 27, no 6: 4244. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Lankes, D. 2010. NEXT Symposium. www.youtube.com/ watch?v=JN-UUcucA9E (accessed August 11, 2011). Levitov, D. 2010. The School Librarian as an Advocacy Leader. In The Many Faces of School Library Leadership, ed S Coatney, 2942. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited. Loertscher, D V. 2010. Shifting Our Vision for Our Futures: Leadership as a Foundational Element for Teacher-Librarians. In The Many Faces of School Library Leadership, ed S Coatney, 13336. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited. School Library Association of Victoria. What a Teacher-Librarian Can Do for You. www.slav.schools.net.au/downloads/ 01home/SLAV_TL.pdf (accessed August 15, 2011). Valenza, J K. 2010. Manifesto for 21st Century School Librarians. Voice of Youth Advocates (October). www.voya .com/2010/09/15/tag-team-tech-october-2010/ (accessed August 11, 2011). Valenza, J K, and D Johnson. 2009. Things That Keep Us Up at Night. School Library Journal. www.schoollibraryjournal.com/ article/CA6699357.html (accessed August 15, 2011). Whelan, D L. 2008. Three Spokane Moms Save Their School Libraries. School Library Journal (January). www .schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6590045.html (accessed August 11, 2011).
References
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) 2011. Advocacy. AASL website. www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ aasl/aaslissues/advocacy/definitions.cfm (accessed August 11, 2011). Artstarts. 2011. Artists in Education. Artstarts website. http:/ / artstarts.com/artists-in-education (accessed August 11, 2011). Asselin, M, J Branch and D Oberg, eds. 2003. Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada. Ottawa: Canadian School Library Association. Blankstein, A M. 2004. Failure Is Not an Option: Six Principles That Guide Student Achievement in High-Performing Schools. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin.
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his article describes one Grade 6 classs experience learning with Edmodo, a secure online collaborative environment designed for teachers and students. Online tools influence the reading and writing habits of todays students in ways we could not have imagined five years ago. Students are navigating and creating in digital spaces more than ever. The possibilities for online learning seem limitless, yet in our K6 schools, teachers are cautious as they act in loco parentis, advocating for the safety and protection of our youngest learners. Edmodo can help children learn in a safe environment because it provides a supervised setting with controlled access. In September 2010, Joanne Bradbury, a Grade 6 teacher, agreed to explore the effectiveness of Edmodo in her classroom. She felt that Edmodo would lend itself nicely to a novel study. Joanne explained that it would be one component of student learning along with other traditional formats of novel study. As students were reading, they could go to Edmodo about once a week and answer questions, explore links and converse with each other. In preparation for this project, I discussed Edmodo with the district technology coordinator, Tim Johnson, and with another teacher already using this tool. The first step was for Joanne and me to set up user accounts for her students. With this prework, the students found the login process easy and were eager to open their accounts and personalize them with preloaded avatars. They recognized the similarity with Facebook and approached Edmodo enthusiastically. Once the novel study was under way, the students logged in to Edmodo to talk to each other or answer
questions posted by their teacher. As with any chat area, it became evident that some students were chatting informally instead of using the site for its intended purpose. The students had to refocus about the use of this tool and its relation to their learning. After the students understood the guidelines and understood the evaluation rubric, they were off and running. In order to increase the language arts focus, students had to express themselves using complete sentences and correct punctuation when using Edmodothe use of texting acronyms and colloquial contractions would not be accepted. We wanted students to make their best effort at communicating clearly, politely and appropriately. In discussions during the final weeks of school, Joanne said that Edmodo engaged students who had been reluctant to participate openly in class. It gave them an opportunity to express themselves when they might have remained silent in a face-to-face situation. In essence, Edmodo gave everyone equal opportunity to communicate and participate in the novel study, and it appealed to a broad spectrum of learning styles. We decided to use an online survey to gather relevant feedback. Initially, I designed a survey using Google forms, but the link did not work in the Edmodo. Consequently, we used www.surveymonkey .com. This free survey design tool was easy to work with, link and administer. I added the link to the novel study group for the students, talked with them about why they were answering questions and showed them how to access it. The feedback about their experience was positive and encouraging for continued exploration of technology in learning.
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he School Library Services Initiative (SLSI) focuses on reviewing K12 school library services and support resources. Results from a 2009 survey about the state of school library services in Alberta confirmed the need to review and update the 1984 school library policy and are informing the draft of a revised policy and support resources under development. The revised draft School Library Services Policy and Guidelines, currently being reviewed by the minister, incorporates a transformational shift in which students are supported in their diverse learning needs in both physical and online libraries. This is closely aligned with the student competencies and the facilitation of personalized learning outlined in the Inspiring Action on Education discussion paper, the Framework for Student LearningCompetencies for Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens with an Entrepreneurial Spirit, the Action on Literacy framework, and the Goals of Education. Additionally, the revised draft School Library Policy and Guidelines aligns with the proposed Government of Alberta Integrated Library Policy (in development) to benefit all Albertans by providing greater access to information andbasic support resources. The opportunity to link school libraries with public and academic libraries offers continuity of learning throughout home, school and community. SLSI is coordinated by Alberta Education in consultation with an advisory committee, an interbranch cross-ministry committee, and four subcommittees developing the support resources that include innovative models for seamless access to school library services;
planning, implementing, supporting and assessing/ measuring a learning commons environment (templates, vignettes, visuals); an inservice model to build capacity for school library professional learning teams; and opportunities to provide digital library resources to all Albertans achieved through economies of scale explored by Education, Municipal Affairs, Advanced Education and Technology, and Service Alberta. In May 2011, SLSI was presented to school district representatives at Alberta Education zone curriculum coordinator meetings, where reps had the chance to examine select draft supports, such as a learning commons planning template with guiding questions (available for schools to refer to in the school library folder on Alberta Education Curriculum Coordinator Corner). Information on the school library survey, including the summary of results, both the English and French versions of SLSI frequently asked questions, and the presentation and research that has informed the initiative, Transforming Canadian School Libraries to Meet the Needs of 21st Century Learners: Alberta Education School Library Services InitiativeResearch Review and Principal Survey Themes, can be viewed at www .education.alberta.ca/department/ipr/slsi.aspx. For additional information, please contact Judith Sykes, School Library Services manager, Education Program Standards and Assessment Division, at 4032975024 (toll-free by dialing 310-0000 first) or by e-mail at Judith.Sykes@gov.ab.ca.
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he ASLC sites mission is to provide current and timely resources about school libraries for teacherlibrarians, teachers, parents and administrators. The ASLC provides information about the ASLC council, membership, and upcoming conferences and events. The digital toolkit is packed with fantastic resources to aid in developing lessons using inquiry learning and exploring the use of Web 2.0 tools with staff and students. Members share successful library lessons in the Resources for Teacher-Librarians. Recommended professional reading material for teacher-librarians is updated regularly on our Shelfari bookshelf. Looking for lessons on digital citizenship? Have a look in the Toolkit! Come in and visit aslc.ca today and explore all the resources that are available to support teachers,
administrators and parents in learning, libraries and literacy. When visiting our site be sure to subscribe to our blog (aslc.ca/blog) to receive new information and continue the conversations about learning and libraries. Need more support or have ideas on what else should be included on our site? Use the contact links to ask questions (after all, we ARE librarians!), let us know your opinions, share ideas, become a member or find a mentor. Follow the ASCL on Twitter @TLsAlberta for even more great links and ideas for teacher-librarians about inquiry learning, 21st-century literacies, library collections and continuing professional development. Or twitter yourself; be sure to use our hashtag #tlaslc.
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n a warm, sunny day on June 13 we celebrated the convocation of the class of 2011 from our Master of Education in Teacher-Librarianship program. We were pleased that the following students could attend: Andrea Wallin, Kamloops, BC Jackie Hancox, Squamish, BC Val Martineau, Nanaimo, BC Cindy Smyth, Calgary, AB Yvonne Denomy, Saskatoon, SK Christine Robinson, Winnipeg, MB Todd Phillips, Comox, BC Graduates and their spouses were invited to a lunch in the Department of Elementary Education. We had time to hear the students stories and a little bit about their capping papers. Cindy Smyth said that learning to be a leader was a highlight of the program. Todd Phillips talked about the power of the Web 2.0 class and said that he is now teaching a similar class to Grade 7 students. Val Martineau expressed her excitement about support she has received to develop a summer reading program for her school. Christine
Robinson told us that she is now on a committee that advises the assistant deputy ministers of education literacy through ICT curriculum in Manitoba. Yvonne Denomy said that she feels that she has become a 21st-century learner. Members of the Department of Elementary Education attended the luncheon. Anna Kirova, graduate coordinator, brought greetings, as did Larry Prochner, chair of the department. TeacherLibrarianship by Distance Learning was represented by Joanne de Groot, Dianne Oberg, Jennifer Branch and Diane GallowaySolowan. Julia Ellis, the capping course instructor, was also in attendance. The short speeches made by the graduate students made us very proud. For more information on the program, please contact Jennifer Branch, coordinator and associate professor, Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning, University of Alberta, Department of Elementary Education, 551 Education Centre South, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G5; phone 780-492-0863, fax 780-492-7622. www .quasar.ualberta.ca/tl-dl.
L to R back row: Val Martineau, Todd Phillips, Jennifer Branch, Joanne de Groot L to R front row: Yvonne Denomy, Cindy Smyth, Christine Robinson, Jackie Hancox, Diane GallowaySolowan, Dianne Oberg
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or the past two years, the ASLC has provided $2,000 in bursary funds to assist those interested in furthering their education in the area of teacher-librarianship. Bursary applicants are funded depending on the number of applicants each year, and the awards are announced at the ASLC annual general meeting. We are proud to announce that the following people received ASLC bursary funding: Donna Grove, Calgary, Alberta Kelly Rierson, Edmonton, Alberta Lissa Davies, Edmonton, Alberta Congratulations to our recipients and best wishes in your educational pursuits! If you know someone considering furthering their education in teacher-librarianship in 2011, tell them about the bursary now. For full details, visit the ASLC website at http:/ aslc.ca and click on Teachers/Professional Learning/ / Bursaries.
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he Kaleidoscope Childrens Literature Conference is presented by the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) and the Alberta School Library Council of the ATA. Kaleidoscope 10, Twisting the Lens, will take place in Calgary, November 13, 2012. Kaleidoscope, a celebration of childrens literature, has assembled hundreds of international writers, illustrators and publishers over its long and colourful history. Look for the Kaleidoscope 10 website launch November 1, 2011, at www.kaleidoscopeconference.ca and consult it for early registration information and confirmed authors. Information will also be available from the ASLC website http:/ aslc.ca. /
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North
PD event scheduled for March 18, 2011, was cancelled due to low registration. Several members attended the Reaching and Teaching conference, in Calgary, in April. Four members are being reimbursed for their registrations, thanks to money allocated for this purpose at the last provincial executive meeting. The AGM was held May 26, 2011, at the Woodvale Community League, in Edmonton, with Laurie Greenwood as guest speaker. Many thanks to Hilda Mah and Kelly Reierson for organizing a draw for the specialist council table that we assisted with at the Greater Edmonton Teachers
Convention in March 2011. Kelly and I presented a session on engaging young adult readers. I have been in contact with Val Olekshy at the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium about planning a fall PD session on digital citizenship. Judith Sykes has been invited to take part in this discussion, as there could be some policy implications to bring forward from her work with Alberta Education. As I reach the end of my presidency of the North Regional, I look for ways to engage the membership better. My goal as past president will be to look at ways to serve the membership better and to ensure that PD events will be of interest to members and better attended. Todd Bekolay
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South
The annual banquet of the Calgary Regional, held on June 2, 2011, honoured the contributions made to school libraries by teacher-librarians, administrators, library assistants and library technicians. The 2011 recipient of the Bev Anderson Certificate of Merit: Teacher-Librarians was Sherri Blyth, from Henry Wise Wood High School. Sherri was nominated by John Atto, a social studies teacher at Henry Wise Wood High School. The 2011 recipient of the Bev Anderson Certificate of Merit: Administrators was Shirley Gaura, former principal of Hawkwood School. Shirley was nominated by Kathy Wajda, teacher-librarian at Hawkwood School. The 2011 recipient of the Tom Colbens Certificate of Merit for Library Assistants/Library Technicians was
Robin Lysak, of Dr E P Scarlett High School. Robin was nominated by Jennie McGregor, teacher-librarian at Dr E P Scarlett High School. The annual banquet was also the occasion to honour the contributions of several Calgary Board of Education employees: Sylvie Hachey, consultant, Evaluation and Selection of English, French and International Language Resources; Joanne RobertsonMore, former teacher-librarian at Ernest Manning High School; Linda Shantz-Keresztes, teacher-librarian at Forest Lawn High School; Don Winchester, teacherlibrarian at West View Secondary School; and Joan Wilkinson, manager of Education Resources and Services. All five retired by the end of the 2010/11 school year. Congratulations to all the honourees! Jacquie Vincent
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readers, she donated her collection to her nieces Grade 2 classroom, in Moose Jaw. At present, she is the executive director of the Calgary Regional Consortium (CRC), whose main goal is to partner with the eight school jurisdictions surrounding Calgary to develop and provide professional learning opportunities for all educators. Along the way, Jean has been a strong advocate and supporter of school libraries. She made many friends with librarians across the province. Some of the first CRC workshops on the future of school libraries were organized by Jean and her teacher-librarian colleagues. Jean continues to support the ongoing professional development needs of teacher-librarians by inviting such speakers as Jamie McKenzie, David Loertscher, Carol Koechlin and Keith Curry Lance to Alberta. She has used the Reaching and Teaching conference to highlight the work of school libraries and teacherlibrarians. Jean represents the Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia on the Alberta Education School Library Services Initiative Inservice Committee. Jean is also an artist who enjoys creating through the media of paint and clay. It is an honour to nominate Jean Hoeft for her career supporting teaching, learning and including school libraries in Alberta.
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