Improving Efficiency of School Libraries Prof. V.G. Talawar Vice-Chancellor University of Mysore Mysore Saturday, June 05, 2010
If you plan for one year, plant grain; If you plan for ten years, plant trees; If you plan for hundred years, plant men. Saturday, June 05, 2010 2
“The aim of Secondary Education is to train the youth of the country to be good citizens who will be competent to play their part effectively in the social reconstruction and economic development of their country” Report of Secondary Education Commission, 1952-53 Saturday, June 05, 2010 3
Objectives of School Library To awaken and foster interest in reading so that children become familiar with books as services of pleasure and information; To help children to become independent relevant to a given job or to their interests and hobbies; and To encourage reading in new fields of interest and extend reading in familiar fields Saturday, June 05, 2010 4
Design of Library Services To realize the objectives, the programme of library service is designed to: – give pupils an opportunity to broaden their personal experiences; – Give pupils an opportunity to become more adept in the use of books and libraries; – To provide opportunity to explore vocational interests through prevocational experiences – To provide opportunity for experiencing the satisfactions inherent in service to fellow students and teachers; Saturday, June 05, 2010 5
Design… To promote cooperative attitudes between the librarian and students; To provide opportunities for democratic participation; To provide opportunities for developing and using special abilities and skills; To help provide increased and improved library service to the school community Saturday, June 05, 2010 6
Where have we come from? Before Books, magazines, newspapers, packs 1980 Letters and telephone Card catalogues and Browne Issue 1980s- Books etc plus audiocassettes, CDs, Video 1990s BBC Model Bs, Prestel, Teletext Acorns, RMs, Macs, PCs, The Web, Email… 2000s DVDs, Podcasts, MP3s, Mobile phones, texting Laptops, iPods, Wifi, Whiteboards ??????? Saturday, June 05, 2010 7
Joyce Valenza Saturday, June 05, 2010 8
What do you think the school library of the future will look like? Beyond the walls/classroom/school The message not the medium Linking information and people Creativity and fun Wider collaboration Librarians‟ skills Saturday, June 05, 2010 9
We have to plan well Role of libraries in relation to: The school curriculum Learning methods in the school Satisfying national and local standards and criteria Students‟ learning and personal development needs Staff‟s teaching needs Raising levels of achievement. Saturday, June 05, 2010 10
Monitoring and Evaluation Evaluation should ascertain: whether libraries are achieving the objectives and declared goals of the library, the curriculum and the school whether they are meeting the needs of the school community whether they are able to meet changing needs whether they are adequately resourced and whether they are cost effective. Saturday, June 05, 2010 11
Tools for monitoring and evaluation Usage indicators: – loans per member of school community (specified per student and per staff member) – total library visits per member of the school community (specified per student and per staff member) – loans per item (i.e. turnover resources) – loans per opening hour (during school hours and after school) – reference enquiries per member of school community (specified per students and per staff member) – use of computers and on-line information sources. Saturday, June 05, 2010 12
Tools… Resource indicators: – total book stock per member of school community – provision of terminals/personal computers per member of school community – provision of on-line access computers per member of school community Saturday, June 05, 2010 13
Tools… Human resource indicators: – ratio of full-time equivalent staff to members of school community – ratio of full-time equivalent staff to library use Qualitative indicators: – user satisfaction surveys – focus groups – consultation activities Saturday, June 05, 2010 14
Tools… Cost indicators: – unit costs for functions, services and activities – staff costs per functions (e.g. book loans) – total library costs per member of the school society – total library costs expressed in percentage of total school budget – media costs expressed in percentage of total library costs Saturday, June 05, 2010 15
RESOURCES “The school library must have adequate and sustained funding for trained staff, materials, technologies and facilities, and its access shall be free of charge” Saturday, June 05, 2010 16
Funding and Budgeting for the School Library In order to ensure that the library receives its fair share of the school‟s financial resources, the following points are important: understand the school budgeting process be aware of the timetable for the budget cycle know who the key staff are make sure that the needs of the library are identified. Saturday, June 05, 2010 17
General Rule for funding As a general rule, the school library material budget should be at least 5% of the per student expenditure for the school system, exclusive of all salaries, special education expenses, transportation and capital improvement funds of the library. Saturday, June 05, 2010 18
Location and space central location, on the ground floor if possible accessibility and proximity, being close to all teaching areas noise factors, with at least some parts of the library free from external noise appropriate and sufficient light, both through windows and artificial light. appropriate room temperature (e.g. air-conditioning, heating) to ensure good working conditions all year round as well as the preservation of the collections Saturday, June 05, 2010 19
Location… appropriate design to meet the special needs of disabled library users adequate size to give space for the collection of books, fiction, non-fiction, hardback and paperback, newspapers and magazines, non-print resources and storage, study spaces, reading areas, computer workstations, display areas, staff work areas and a library desk flexibility to allow multiplicity of activities and future changes in curriculum and technology Saturday, June 05, 2010 20
Furniture and Equipment safety good lighting designed to accommodate furniture that is sturdy, durable and functional as well as meeting the specific space, activity and user requirements of the library designed to accommodate the special requirements of the school population in the least restrictive manner Saturday, June 05, 2010 21
Furniture… designed to accommodate changes in library programmes , the school‟s instructional programme as well as emerging audio, video and data technology designed to enable proper use, care and security of furnishing, equipment, supplies and materials arranged and managed to provide equitable and timely access to an organised and diverse collection of resources arranged and managed so that it is aesthetically appealing to the user and conducive to leisure and learning, with clear attractive guiding and signposting Saturday, June 05, 2010 22
Electronic and AV Equipment computer work stations with Internet access public access catalogues adjusted to the different ages and levels of students tape recorders CD-ROM players scanning equipment video players computer equipment, specially adjusted to the visually or otherwise physically handicapped Saturday, June 05, 2010 23
Materials Collection The smallest school should have at least 2500 relevant and updated items to ensure a wide balanced book stock for all ages, abilities and backgrounds. At least 60% of the stock should consist of curriculum-related non- fiction resources. Saturday, June 05, 2010 24
Materials … In addition, a school library should acquire materials for leisure purposes such as popular novels, music, computer games, videocassettes, video laser disks, magazines and posters. Saturday, June 05, 2010 25
Electronic Resources The electronic resources should include access to Internet, special reference and full-text databases, as well as instruction related computer software packages. These may be available in CD-ROM and DVD. Saturday, June 05, 2010 26
Saturday, June 05, 2010 27
STAFFING The school librarian is the professionally qualified staff member responsible for planning and managing the school library, supported by staffing who is as adequate as possible, working together with all members of the school community, and liasing with the public library and others Saturday, June 05, 2010 28
Library Staff It is of paramount importance to have a well-trained and highly motivated staff, made up of a sufficient number of members according to the size of the school and its special needs for library services. The term „staff‟ means, in this context, qualified librarians and library assistants. Saturday, June 05, 2010 29
Recommend
More recommend
