Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Katie Menges
3 July 2016
Mission Statement
Current: Gerstell Academy's Carolyn B. Smith Library is a place where students can enjoy
New: Gerstell Academys Library Program ensures students are effective and ethical users of
resources by authentically engaging all students to demand evidence and think critically as they
Librarian Interview
I have the distinct privilege and honor of claiming Jan Nies as a mentor and fellow
Library Media Specialist. Jan is both an instructor for the SLM program at McDaniel and the
head Library Media Specialist at Parrs Ridge Elementary school, which is located in a
moderately wealthy area of Carroll County. This school currently has approximately 450
students enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade. Library classes at this school occur
Jan focuses on building positive relationships with other teachers and is very involved
within the school, both with curriculum planning and with technology. She provides material for
classroom teachers to augment their lessons with both books and media, and encourages students
to read further about topics of interest provided by their classroom teacher. Because she has been
with the school since it opened, she is in a unique position to build strong relationships with new
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faculty and families and to maintain the strong bond formed with original teachers and veteran
families.
When our discussion turned to budgeting and library advocacy, Jan said that projects are
a great way to get others involved and excited about the library. She runs her own book fairs and
uses 100% of the profits to augment her regular budget, which has never fallen into danger
because she maintains a very positive relationship with her administrators and makes them
continually aware of the work that is going on and into the Media Center. She pointed out that
when students are happy and high-achieving, every member of the school and community
benefits, and that making the connection to happy and high-achieving students to the library is
key. By ensuring that there are always new and interesting library materials that are age-
appropriate, Jan ensures that students, teachers, parents and administrators are eager and willing
Advocacy Plan
Part I: Assessing Your Message
The Agenda
Middle and Upper School Students The Library Media Center
What is important to target audience? What is important to the LMC goals?
Friends Meeting AASL and MDSE standards
Grades Filling patron requests
Quickly and easily accessible materials Meeting the diverse needs of our
for projects
community of learners
Recreation
What is foremost in their minds? Meeting curricular goals for literature,
Friends as well as research-based subjects
Reading for pleasure How can you fulfill LMC goals by linking to
Meeting class requirements (grades) their agenda?
Getting information needed for By adding Kindle technology, we gain
assignments - especially at the last a unique ability to remain current with
minute new releases while saving money on
How can you link up to their agenda? the list price of books.
By using curriculum maps, we will
By purchasing Amazon Kindle books,
have an idea of students academic
needs material is purchased once and
We can provide additional resources available on several linked devices.
through Amazon Kindles and a Many classics and out-of-copyright
streamlined system for approving materials are available as free books, or
materials by request are highly discounted.
We can provide information on fun What services can you provide?
events and digital content available The LMS can provide training for the
from the public library
Kindle app and physical Kindle use
What can the LMS do to help move their
agenda forward? Speedy purchase of requested books
Purchase and provide kindles will allow instant downloads onto the
Provide clear directions for requesting requested kindle(s)
materials Kindles could be used for synchronized
Provide approved books at request (on reading for a class or book club, with
demand) minimal copies required for purchase
Suggest titles to read and discuss as a The LMS can provide readers advisory
group suggestions for future reading, based
How can you benefit them and their needs? on class requirements or personal
By providing Kindles and on-demand interests
materials, the LMC becomes instantly What resources do you have?
current and considerate of student Library electronic, multimedia, and
needs at any given moment. book budget
By taking advantage of multiple GAPA (the Gerstell Academy Parents
Kindles working on the same account, Association)
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the LMS can encourage groups of What benefits can you provide?
students to read together for pleasure or We can increase access to both
for a class. technology and electronic resources
We can increase technological equity
for all students
We can expedite student access to
materials of interest
We can increase incidence and depth of
student standards being met, which will
benefit the LMC and classroom
teachers
Evaluation:
How do you know the plan has been successful?
Circulation data: if all kindles are checked out, then the plan is currently being utilized
fully.
Overall efficacy may be calculated by considering the school weeks per year to calculate
the number of weekly checkouts possible: the percentage of total checkouts will directly
correlate to success rate. For example, if we have 5 kindles and 41 weeks of school, then
we have the potential for 205 total checkouts. If we see 195 actual checkouts, then the
program was 95% successful; if we see 130 actual checkouts then the program was 63%
successful.
Reviews from students, parents, and faculty: positive reviews and comments indicate that
the program is benefitting the target group.
How do the desired outcomes show a strengthening of the advocates and supporters?
Teachers of literature are benefitted by immediate access to materials.
Parents will save time and energy when their children have immediate access to both
informative and fun reading materials.
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Students will benefit from digital and technological equity among peers.
Students will benefit by having their intellectual and imaginative needs more
immediately met by the library.
Last Step: What is your key message? Are benefits included in the message?
Equity: enabling less economically privileged students to access and master technology that they
would otherwise not encounter on a daily basis.
Academically, reading on-level for recreation improves reading retention, vocabulary, and even
critical thinking skills.
Timeline
August
Send out a Google Form questionnaire to assess student interests and needs, including a
wish list box for title requests
Send out a Google Form to assess parent and faculty ideals and concerns regarding
student reading
September
Assess data gathered through Google Forms and share findings with the school
community
Introduce the Kindle Program and pre-load classics and top 3 student requests
October- May
Provide training as needed via one-on-ones with students
Discuss the program and electronic reader use at faculty meetings and PTA meetings
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June
Assess the overall success of the program
Share successes and additions to the e-book collection
Send out a Google Form questionnaire to assess student interests and needs, including a
wish list box for title requests
Send out a Google Form to assess parent and faculty ideals and concerns regarding
student reading
Campaign Materials
Newsletters highlighting new titles added each month, with positive quotes from
members of the school community.
Book trailers created by students, faculty, and Library Committee members can
encourage students to read additional materials that have already been purchased.
Example Book Trailer.
Book Webs with suggestions of new reads - these might be all currently purchased books,
or some purchased and some books that would need to be requested. This would increase
student requests. Example Book Web.
Circulation statistics, published as a percentage out of 100% indicating how much the
Kindles are circulating.
Create a web interface once the library website is fully functional, where students may
request titles and queue up for Kindle use.
Works Cited
"AASL Learning Standards & Common Core State Standards Crosswalk." AASL. AASL. Web.
28 Jun 2016.