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TITLE Libraries & Reading: Indispensable Partners.INSTITUTION Middle Grades Reading Network, Evansville, IN.SPONS AGENCY -Lilly Endowment, Inc., Indianapolis, Ind.

PUB DATE [961

NOTE 30p.

PUB TYPE Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.)

(120) Reports Evaluative/Feasibility (142)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.

DESCRIPTORS Adolescents;. Elementary Secondary Education; Futures(of Society); *Library Collection Development;*Library Collections; *Library Role; LibraryStandards; Middle Schools; *Reading; ReadingImprovement

IDENTIFIERS *Indiana

ABSTRACTAttention to school libraries must be at the heart of

any comprehensive plan for improving youth literacy. Excellent schoollibraries are essential if young people are to have access to thereading resources to help them gain the level of literacy achievementvital to meeting the challenge of the twenty-first century. Sectionsof the booklet discuss facing the challenge of the twenty-firstcentury; the role of school libraries; the "sad state" of schoollibraries in Indiana; how much should be spent on books for middlegrades school libraries; how long it will take to rebuild schoollibrary book collections; what needs to be done now to make acommitment to school libraries; and school libraries and youngHoosiers. Contains eight references and the Reading Bill of Rightsfor Indiana's Young Adolescents. Appendixes present a library booksinventory form, a chart indicating library inventory by copyrightdate, a library endowment plan, and a form for a library media centermonthly report. (RS)

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This document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it.Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.

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Advisory Board

Richard C. Anderson

Leati Meyer Austin

Eileen Baker

Cathy Barlow

Linda Cornwell

Tony Eichelberger

John T. McGovern

Norman Newberg

Kenneth R. Romines

Judith Davidson Wasser

Judith Zorfass

Network Staff

Jack W. HumphreySue HennessyJulie JohnsonCarolyn Scavone

Middle Grades Reading Network

University of Evansville

1800 Lincoln Avenue

Evansville, Indiana 47722

Telephone (812) 479-2624

Fax (812) 474-4032

E-Mail jh25@evansville.edu

Funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.

University of Illinois

W. K. Kellogg Foundation

Richmond Community Schools

Morehead State University

Indiana Department of Education

University of Pittsburgh

William Penn Charter School

University of Pennsylvania

San Francisco Unified School District

Technical Educational Research Center

Education Development Center

DirectorAdministrative AssistantAdministrative AssistantConsultant

L rarieseading

INDISPENSABLE PARTNERS

Current,

Interesting, andAttractive SchoolLibrary BookCollections AreEssential for

Healthy MiddleGrades Reading

Programs

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Indiana:Facing the Challenge ofthe Twenty-First Century

NAFTA, GATT, global trade, information

highway, and research parksthese areterms we hear frequently today in the news.They point to the emerging era of com-merce and economic development of thetwenty-first century. This is an era that willbe vastly different from the industrial andagricultural world of the earlier part of thetwentieth century, when factory jobs wereplentiful and farming was a family affair.Even in the last decade of the twentiethcentury, these conditions are no longerpresent. Indiana, like many other places, isfeeling the change.

The beckoning economic era is global,rather than national, in scope. It requires ahighly skilled workforce, with individuals pos-sessing the flexibility to train and retrainmany times over the course of their lives.Gathering and processing information arevital skills in this world, as computers andtheir accompanying electronic formsE-mail,CD-ROM, and databanksbecome essentialtools for negotiating the world. This is awork world requiring very literate workers.

Not all of the changes of this new eraare restricted to business; civic life, too, isaffected. To participate fully in a moderndemocracy, citizens need broad literacy andcommunication skills. Politics today aremore global; at the same time, they are morelocal. Televised town hall meetings, E-mail,and other forms of media put us in closertouch with politicians and issues. On theother hand, because of the complex mannerin which politics, economics, and culture arenow intertwined, local events may have un-expected ramifications on what were onceconsidered foreign issues. Again, a literatecitizenry will be essential if informed demo-cratic decisions are to be reached.

Indiana's young adolescentsat thecrossroads of their lives between childhood

and adulthood and at the crossroads be-tween two eras, a nationalized industrial/agri-cultural economy and a global transnationaleconomyface particularly great challenges.Their future lies in a world that is only nowcoming into focus, and their past lies in a

If they are lucky, during theseyears young adolescents will readbroadly and deeply . . . .

world that is quickly fading from focus.They, and their parents, are caught inthe middle, often unsure of how best toproceed.

These middle years are critical in many

ways. It is a time when young peoplemake important life decisions that will open

or close future doors. It is also an impor-tant period in the development of readingskills that will help them in transition to fu-ture opportunities. If they are lucky, duringthese years young adolescents will readbroadly and deeply, learning to use readingas a tool for gathering information, makingdecisions, and exploring new areas of

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knowledge. We hope they will also come tosee reading as pleasurable, exciting, and

meaningful. It is during these years thatlifelong reading habits are formedor notformed, as the case may be.

How will Indiana face the challenge ofthe twenty-first century? Whatever pathsthe state pursues, it is clear that high lev-els of literacy will be essential for futureHoosiers. This literacy achievement cannotbe attained without the foundation for lit-eracy provided by excellent school libraries.

Reading Is Critical:The Role of SchoolLibraries

Developing strong, competent, indepen-dent readers is really a very simple thing ifyou remember one adage: the more youread, the better you read. The Center forthe Study of Reading at the University ofIllinois finds that:

Independent silent reading is one ofthe most important activities for thereading development of students of all

2

ages. Research shows that studentswho do a lot of reading "on their own"become better readers because inde-pendent reading:

enhances their reading compre-hension;

provides them with a wide range ofbackground knowledge;

accounts for one-third or more oftheir vocabulary growth; and

promotes reading as a lifelongactivity. (p. 1)

In addition to increased comprehensionand vocabulary, there is also strong evi-dence that independent reading improveswriting style, spelling, and grammatical de-velopment (Krashen, 1993).

Surprisingly, although television is oftenblamed for the lack of interest in readingamong young people today, Krashen re-ports that "the culprit seems to be theabsence of good books" (Krashen, 1993,p. 83). Access to books is essential ifyoung people are to engage in indepen-dent reading, as well as in the readingnecessary for their school studies.

Access to books is a broad, encom-passing concept. It means that youngpeople must have reading materials avail-able to them in number and variety. Books,magazines, and other materials should beup-to-date and appealing in their formatand in the way they are displayed. Youngpeople need encouragement to select ma-terials that are challenging and about topicswith which they may be unfamiliar as wellas those that are at comfortable readinglevels and about familiar topics.

There is overwhelming evidence that

school libraries make a difference in provid-ing young people with access to books.And the better the school library, the betterthe results for young people's reading

6

achievement. School libraries which havelarger, quality collections; which are avail-

able to students more hours; which providecomfortable and relaxing reading environ-ments; and which are staffed with qualifiedschool librarians produce students withhigher reading achievement (Krashen, 1993)."The closest correlation to high scores oncollege entrance exams is not per-pupil ex-penditure for instruction, teachers' salaries,or textbooks. Instead, by a wide margin, itis the local tax dollars spent per pupil onlibrary media centers" (New Jersey SchoolBoard Association Newsletter quotingWilliam Bainbridge, School Match President,

March 21, 1995).Excellent school libraries are essential if

we are to ensure that all young peoplehave access to the reading resources thatwill help them to gain the level of literacyachievement vital to meeting the challengeof the twenty-first century. While we wishthat they would also find books and en-couragementfor independent reading intheir classrooms, in after-school programs,and at home, we cannot be sure thatthese other sites will do the job. The oneplace charged with this mission is theschool library, and this is where we shouldfocus our attention. Attention to school li-braries must be at the heart of any com-prehensive plan for improving youth literacy.

The Sad State ofSchool Libraries inIndiana

In 1994 the Indiana Media Journal pub-lished a study of school library media pro-grams that was conducted by the Associa-tion for Indiana Media Educators (AIME).Their findings should sound an alarm. Thisreport states that in Indiana, the per pupilinvestment in the library media center is "5to 8 years behind the national average"(Callison & Knuth, 1994, p. 109). The Indi-ana State Reading Association concurs. Itreports that Indiana's school libraries areunderfunded, only purchasing a quarter ofthe books they need to keep their collec-tions current ("Indiana State Reading Asso-ciation Resolution to Increase Funding forBooks," 1994). AIME recommends thatschool libraries purchase two books perpupil per year if collections are to be ad-equately sustained, and three books perpupil per year if collections are to grow tomeet independent reading and curricular

needs.

Junior high school collections in Indianarank twenty-seventh nationally. The AIMEstudy found that there was "no growth injunior high school book collections and even

a decline in the book collections in senior

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high schools" (Callison & Knuth, 1994,p. 134). While we engage in rhetoric aboutschool reform, our middle grades librarycollections decline, even though we haveclear evidence that the size of a schoollibrary's staff and collection is the bestschool predictor of academic achievement(Lance, Welborn, & Hamilton-Pennell, 1992).

School library collections are not onlyfailing to grow, they are also aging. Thisis a serious problem for nonfiction bookcollections. In Indiana's junior highschools, 58 percent of the nonfiction titlesare over 15 years old, and of those, 30percent have copyright dates that are 25years or more old. Copyright dates of1970 or earlier would disqualify most booksfor classroom use. For middle school stu-dents studying contemporary social or sci-ence issues, this is a serious problem. Insuch dated texts, they will find no refer-ences to eye, heart, or lung transplants,pocket calculators, or the end of apartheidin South Africa, not to mention the fall ofthe Soviet Union. In fact, Nixon, our Presi-dent in 1970, will not have visited Chinayet (Callison & Knuth, 1994).

4

Poor school library collections not only

deny young adolescents knowledge of theworld, they also deny them critical informa-tion needed to make career choices. TheIndiana Workforce Legislation mandates that

all students in grades 1 through 12 receivecareer awareness instruction, but our school

libraries are not adequate for the task. The

many out-of-date volumes on the shelvesof middle school libraries can be counted

on to present restricted career options forwomen (secretary, nurse, or teacher) andmay fail to provide depictions of a multi-cultural work force. Many of the occupations

that young people should be considering

today were not even in existence in 1970.There are several reasons why school

libraries in Indiana are not being funded atthe necessary level. One is that whileschool library budgets increased little be-tween 1980 and 1990, the cost of booksdoubled. Out of these same budgets,school libraries must now also eke out thecost of such large ticket items as comput-ers, CD-ROMs, and VCRs (Humphrey, 1990).

Hoosiers have also failed to valueschool libraries. Although Indiana has only2 percent of the nation's population, it has18 of the 20 largest high school gymnasi-ums in the country (Hoose, 1986). Notonly gyms but also computer resources re-ceive more support than school libraries.In 1994 one Indiana school corporation,with less than 1 percent of the state'sstudents, announced it would spend $24million to improve computer resources in itsschools. In 1994 the entire state of Indi-ana spent only $7 million on library booksfor the 1,907 schools (964,352 students) inthe state. The primary reason that gymsand computers receive funding, when

school libraries do not, is the CapitalProjects Fund. This critical source ofschool revenue cannot be spent on books.

With Hoosier school library book collec-tions in such dilapidated condition, thespecial efforts of teachers and librarians topromote student reading often go fornaught. For instance, the Indiana StateDepartment of Education annually distrib-

utes a list of ten excellent Read-Aloud titlesappropriate for use with middle grades stu-dents. Unfortunately, Indiana schools servingyoung adolescents possess, on the average,

only 3.4 of these titles. Few schools pos-sess over half of the recommended titles.The Young Hoosier Book Award Programpresents a similar problem. For this award,students read 20 nominated titles and votefor their favorites. However, the averagenumber of Young Hoosier Book Award titlesavailable in middle grades school librariesis again low at 13.3. This is upsettingnews, because the Read-Aloud titles andthe Young Hoosier Book Award titles repre-sent the best new trade books of the year.In other words, no matter how hard dedi-cated teachers and librarians promote goodreading choices, if the materials are notthere, young people cannot read them.

Part of the reason that school librariesare overlooked in district plans is that theyare "invisible." Although the improvementof school libraries is critical to any systemicreform effort, libraries have never driven areform effort. Focused as we have beenon improving school management, achieve-ment, curriculum, specific disciplinary ap-

proaches, and the like, we have not clearly

To build excellent school libraries,we must purchase at least twobooks per pupil per year.

stated the link to the school library. As aresult, we have not studied the quality andfunctioning of school libraries as we haveother issues. At school and district levels,administrators are often not aware of thelibrary's needs, nor do they have a plan toaddress them.

An exciting contrast to this dismal pic-ture is that offered by Maconaquah SchoolCorporation just north of Kokomo. There,after studying school library conditions, they

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learned, to their surprise, that "in this cor-poration of 2,000 students, only 19.4 percent

of the library books are current and onlyslightly above one-fourth book per studentper year is being purchased" (Holland, 1995,p. 1). As a result, the school board createda library update plan, voting to spend$450,000 to implement it. While $450,000may initially seem like a high price tag tomany districts, it may actually be little com-pared to social costs if young people do nothave access to better school libraries. TheMaconaquah example foreshadows the workthat lies ahead for schools, districts, and

communities. (See appendixes for inventoryforms, plans, and usage report developedby the Maconaquah School Corporation toincrease acquisition and circulation of books.)

If we are to prepare Indiana's youngpeople with the literacy skills they need topursue their future optimistically, we needschool libraries that have excellent fiction

and nonfiction collections. There is no sub-stitute for books. Without access to books,reading achievement suffers. Starving school

libraries is, in the long run, only robbingPeter to pay Paul. To build excellent schoollibraries, we must purchase at least twobooks per pupil per year. At this rate, we

6

will have current book collections in ten years.

In addition to the collections, good school

libraries must be staffed by professionalschool librarians familiar with the booksyoung people like and trained in ways ofintroducing young adolescents to readingmaterial. Masters of information systems,school librarians must also be knowledgeable

in assisting young people to learn how touse the resources of the library. Also im-portant are the clerical staff who assistschool librarians in the multitude of dutiesrequired to keep a school library functioningsmoothly so that it can serve young people.

School libraries should be the heart ofa school's life. They provide support forevery area of the curriculum. They area resource to students and faculty alike.School librarians should be in close contactwith their colleagues at the local publiclibrary, connecting these two resources tobetter help young people.

Improving Indiana's school libraries re-quires knowledge and commitment. Schoolsneed to study their library services anddesign plans for the future. Adequatemonetary support for the plan needs to beallocated, whether that comes from district,state, federal, or private funds.

10

How Much Should WeSpend on Books for MiddleGrades School Libraries?

The average copyright date of books inIndiana middle grades school libraries issomewhere in the 1960s. This means thathalf of the books were written during or be-fore the 1960s. You can check your libraryby pulling out ten books at random, addingup the copyright dates, and dividing by ten.Chances are, most of the books you selected

were written at least twenty-five years ago.Compare these old books with the non-

print media that we surround our studentswith at home, in the community, and atschool. In a world with new VCRs and TVsets, with new movies and television pro-grams, and with old books, you do not haveto guess what is most attractive to youngadolescents. We need to provide new

books just as we provide new computers,

VCRs, and TVs.How much should we spend on books

for our libraries? The recommended num-ber is two books per student per year. Atthe present time, Indiana schools are buyingone-half book per student per year, whichresults in 75 percent of the school librarybook collection being more than ten years old.

Yet, it is common knowledge among librar-ians that books that are ten years old ormore, that have not been checked out in the

past year, and that are not of lasting qualityshould be removed from the collection.

Here are some examples of what isnow being spent each year in Indianamiddle grades schools based on one-half

book per student and what we shouldspend each year based on two books perstudent. According to The Bowker Annual,the average cost of a hardback book is

$17.64.

Number ofStudents 400 500 600 700 800 900

Present Numberof New BooksPurchasedAnnually 200 250 300 350 400 450

Present AnnualExpenditure forBooks $3,528 $4,410 $5,292 $6,174 $7,056 $7,938

RecommendedNumber of Booksto Be PurchasedAnnually 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800

RecommendedAnnualExpenditure

$21,168 $24,696 $28,224 $31,752for Books $14,112 $17,640

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If We Provide NewBooks, Will StudentsRead Them?

Is it true that middle grades studentsdo not care to read? Are the students theproblem? If school libraries are stocked withnew books, will the students ignore them?

The Lilly Endowment Inc. funded twoprojects administered by the IndianaDepartment of EducationReading Excite-ment and Paperbacks and Books for Rural

Youth Access. These projects provided newbooks for a large number of middle grades,school libraries.

"Our circulation more than doubled."Elaine Stephenson, Crawford CountyJunior-Senior High School, Marengo.

"Last year's checkout ex-ceeded the previous year by3,000 books. Checking out andreading books from the librarynow seems to be the COOL thingto do, even for the boys.Deborah Duke, Randolph SouthernJunior-Senior sigh School, Lynn.

10

"The infusion into the collection of alarge number of attractive, new booksincreased circulation approximately 15-20percent when the new books were madeavailable." Ann Abel, Maple CrestSchool, Kokomo.

"Our circulation jumped from 1,834 in Sep-tember and October in 1992 to 2,815 duringthe same period in 1993." Jo Ellen Pendel,Northside Middle School, Muncie.

"August through November 15 circulationjumped from 4,895 in 1991 to 6,449 in 1993."Eden Kuhlenschmidt, River Valley Middle School,Jeffersonville.

"The enthusiasm generated by these beautiful

new books has been remarkable. Students are

excited about reading and eager to get their

hands on favorite books. Our nonfiction circulation

in October 1992 was 497 and in October 1993

was 658. Our fiction circulation in October 1992

was 695, and this increased to 968 in 1993."

Virginia Michel, Navarre Middle School, South Bend.

"Circulation statistics have increased byover 346 percent due to giving 12- to 14-year -olds the material they want to read."Patricia Miller, Krueger Junior High School,Michigan City.

"The impact of the books on student participation

and attitude was remarkably positive and enthusiastic.Our circulation doubled!" Dianne Murray, ShakamakJunior-Senior High School; Jasonville.

"The new books have made an astound-ing impact on our circulation." Peg Hunt,River Forest Junior-Senior High School, Hobart.

"Our quarterly book circulation was 1,385in 1983. By 1991, it had dropped to 548.After the new books arrived, the circulationzoomed up to 1,543. Without a doubt, it hasproven that putting books in the hands of stu-dents causes them to read." Dick Ramey,Attica Junior-Senior High School, Attica.

14

Making a Commitmentto School Libraries:What We Must Do Now

The Middle Grades Reading Network'sStakeholder group drafted an action planfor the state of Indiana. In that plan, Be-coming a Community of Readers: A Blue-print for Indiana (1995), they argue for fiveimportant actions that would vastly improveschool libraries.

1. The state should providecategorical funds for books.

2. The state should allow andencourage the use of theCapital Projects Fund topurchase books.

3. School libraries should purchasetwo books per student peryear.

4. Performance-Based Accredita-tion should include schoollibrary staffing, book acquisitionrate, and circulation of librarymaterials.

5. The Indiana Department ofEducation should collect anddisseminate information aboutper-student school library bookacquisition rates and circulationrates.

These actions would do several critical

things. First, they make funds available forthe purchase of books. Second, they pro-vide collection acquisition standards for

schools. Third, they make library qualityand performance part of the criteria by

which we judge a school's excellence.Taken together, these form a powerful

package that has the potential for havinggreat impact on improving Indiana's educa-

tional performance.

In 1995 the Indiana State Legislature,

through HEA 1646, directed the Indiana

State Board of Education to adopt rules

concerning the establishment and mainte-

nance of standards and guidelines for

school libraries. We trust that the Stake-

holders' actions will be incorporated in the

new standards and guidelines.

OS

1511

L.

School Libraries andYoung Hoosiers

In a few short years, today's youngadolescents will be entering the world asadultstaking up jobs, starting families, andvoting about important community issues.The world in which they and their childrenmake their way will differ in many signifi-cant ways from the world in which theirparents and grandparents worked andraised their families. Participating in this

new era of transnational economies andelectronic communication will require strongreading achievement.

The middle grades are a critical time inyoung people's reading development. Dur-ing these years they not only improve theirskill in reading, but they should also ac-quire the habit of reading that will stay withthem throughout their lives.

Excellent school libraries and the prom-ise they offer for access to books are cru-cial if Indiana's young people are to meetthe challenges of the future successfully.

16

Reading Bill of Rightsfor Indiana's Young Adolescents

All young adolescents in Indiana need access to the kinds of reading opportunitiesthat will allow them to grow up to be successful members of a literate community. It

is the responsibility of the entire community to offer support for providing these opportunities.Our ultimate goal is the creation of Communities of Readers where each young adolescentwill be able to fulfill his or her potential as a reader.

To that end, we believe that Indiana's young adolescents deserve:

1. Access to Books Access to current, appealing high-interest, and useful booksand other reading materials in their classrooms, homes, public and schoollibraries, and other locations within the community.

2. Encouragement to Value Reading Schools that feature an environment wherereading is valued, promoted, and encouraged.

3. Time to Read Dedicated time during the school day to read for a variety ofpurposesfor pleasure, information, and exploration.

4. Skilled Reading Leaders Teachers and school librarians who continually seekto renew their skills and excitement in sharing reading with young peoplethrough participation in diverse professional development activities.

5. Public Library Support Public libraries that provide services specificallydesigned to engage young people's interest in reading.

6. Community Agency Support Community-based programs that encourage themin all aspects of their reading development.

7. Family Support Opportunities for reading at home and support from schools,public libraries, and community agencies to families with young adolescents toencourage family reading activities.

8. Reading Role Models Communities of Readers in which all adultsin school,at home, and across the communityserve as role models and provide guidanceto ensure that reading is a priority in young people's lives.

By strengthening and bringing together these eight components, we believe thatwe can make Indiana a Community of Readers in which young adolescents will thrive.Indeed, it is only in such an environment that young people will have the opportunitiesto become prepared to meet the challenges of the future.

17 13

References

Callison, D., & Knuth, R. (1994). The

AIME statewide survey of school library

media centers: Expenditures & collections.

Indiana Media Journal, 16(3), 103-162.

Center for the Study of Reading. (Undated).

Teachers and independent reading.

Urbana-Champaign: University of Illinois.

Holland, E. (1995). Maconaquah School

Board commits $450,000 to libraries.

Indiana Reading Quarterly, 27(2), 1.

Noose, P. M. (1986). Hoosiers. New

York: Vintage Books.

Humphrey, J. W. (1990). Do we providechildren enough books to read? The Read-ing Teacher, 44(2), 94-95.

Krashen, S. (1993). The power of reading:Insights from the research. Englewood,CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Lance, K., Welborn, L., & Hamilton-Pennell,C. (1992). The impact of school librarymedia centers on academic achievement.Denver: Colorado Department of Education,State Library & Adult Education Office.

Middle Grades Reading Network. (1995).

Becoming a community of readers: Ablueprint for Indiana. Evansville: Universityof Evansville.

Supportyour ptdiblic

an school libraries

14 18

I Burkhart

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Appendixes

19

Appendix A

Copyright

Before 1941

1941-45

1946-50

1951-55

1956-60

1961-65

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

School

Library Books Inventory

Number of Books (tally) Total

20

17

Copyright

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

18

Number of Books (tally) Total

21

Libr

ary

Inve

ntor

y by

Cop

yrig

ht D

ate

No

Dat

eB

efor

e19

4119

41-

1950

1951

-19

6019

61-

1970

1971

-19

8019

81-

1990

1991

-19

94T

otal

Boo

ks

No.

Boo

ksP

erC

hild

Enr

oll-

men

t

Hig

hF

-83

F-1

60F

-223

F-4

28F

-717

F-4

00F

-374

F-3

7F

-2,4

22S

choo

lN

-99

N-2

92N

-282

N-9

61N

-2,3

94N

-2,0

16N

-1,2

47N

-245

N-7

,536

Tot

al(1

82)

(452

)(5

05)

(1,3

89)

(3,1

11)

(2,4

16)

(1,6

21)

(282

)(9

,958

)15

.96

624

Mid

dle

F-6

8F

-95

F-1

73F

-457

F-7

35F

-703

F-2

38F

-2,4

69S

choo

lN

-26

N-1

01N

-296

N-7

65N

-1,5

99N

-947

N-2

56N

-3,9

90T

otal

(94)

(196

)(4

69)

(1,2

22)

(2,3

34)

(1,6

50)

(494

)(6

,459

)14

.04

460

Pip

e C

reek

F-6

6F

-103

F-3

22F

-823

F-8

25F

-451

F-4

7F

-2,6

37

Ele

men

tary

N-1

0N

-18

N-9

7N

-360

N-5

76N

-644

N-8

8N

-1,7

93T

otal

(76)

(121

)(4

19)

(1,1

83)

(1,4

01)

(1,0

95)

(135

)(4

,430

)8.

7950

4

Mac

onaq

uah

F-1

23F

-179

F-5

02F

-1,0

38F

-808

F-8

09F

-127

F-3

,586

Ele

men

tary

N-2

2N

-63

N-2

93N

-561

N-7

48N

-478

N-6

7N

-2,2

32T

otal

(145

)(2

42)

(795

)(1

,599

)(1

,556

)(1

,287

)(1

94)

(5,8

18)

12.9

644

9

F-8

3F

-417

F-6

00F

-1,4

25F

-3,0

35F

-2,7

68F

-2,3

37F

-449

F-1

1,11

4N

-99

N-3

50N

-464

N-1

,647

N-4

,080

N-4

,939

N-3

,316

N-6

56N

-15,

551

Tot

als

(182

)(7

67)

(1,0

64)

(3,0

72)

(7,1

15)

(7,7

07)

(5,6

53)

(1,1

05)

(26,

665)

13.0

92,

037

Per

cent

of

Col

lect

ion

.72.

94.

011

.626

.929

.121

.44.

110

0

F =

Fic

tion .2

N =

Non

fictio

n23

20

Appendix C

MACONAQUAH SCHOOL CORPORATION

LIBRARY ENDOWMENT PLAN

A. Review the corporation selection policy in conjunction with the totalpolicy handbook update.

B. Write letters to known jobbers and invite bids.

C. Weed books not currentexceptions should be noted.

D. Inventory collections after weeding to determine types remainingfiction,types of nonfiction, reference, etc.

E. Obtain library book selection manuals as a reference tool for selectingtitles.

F. Form a selection committee for each school consisting of:1. Librarian (chairperson).2. Building principal.3. School board member.4. Six teachers.5. Six parents.6. Six students.

G. Have the selection committee consider:1. Popular books selected by students.2. Collection development needs after weeding.3. Inclusion of special programs such as:

a. Young Hoosier Book Award.b. Newbery and Caldecott Award books.

4. Preschool collection for each elementary school.5. Books, magazines, and reference materials to support the revised

curriculum.6. Literary classics from all periods.7. Emphasis on 1990 and above copyrights (priority on 1993-96).

H. Provide staff development on book selection and motivating studentsto read.

24

I. Relate to the staff and the advisory group that the purpose of theLibrary Endowment Plan is to upgrade our libraries in order to:1. Encourage voluntary reading so that good reading habits are

developed and students enjoy reading.2. Enhance achievement, resulting in higher test scores, through

improved reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, grammar, andwriting ability.

3. Support the revised curriculum.4. Increase community involvement.5. Fulfill the school board goal: "Recognizing that reading is the most

fundamental skill needed, establish effective libraries that will promotereading among students and the community at large."

J. Establish a two-year timeline.1. August

a. Present plan to school board.b. Send letters to jobbers.c. Establish baseline circulation rates for each building.d. Complete weeding and baseline inventories.e. Advertise for bids.

2. Septembera. Select building book-selection committees.b. Award bid.c. Begin selection process.

(1) Books and reference materials should be hardbacks.(2) Magazine subscriptions should be ordered for one year.(3) Turtleback/Perma-Bound-type books should be ordered only for

sets of classroom novels.(4) Teachers should select books for their classrooms considering

that:(a) Books should be rotated among grade-level rooms, where

applicable, at least one time each semester.(b) Middle school and high school subject-area books should be

rotated, where applicable, at least one time each semester.(c) Classroom library books should be rotated through the

building library as deemed necessary by the classroomteacher and building librarian.

(5) Preschool books should be selected by preschool andkindergarten teachers and librarians with committee input.

d. Begin design work on bookcases for all schools through the high

21

25

school technology classes. They will design and construct (someor all) bookcases as a special project.

3. September-Octobera. Select books.b. Order books (1st phase).

4. February-Marcha. Select books.b. Order books (2nd phase).

5. Preview books as they arrive.a. Consider items G and J, section 2c.b. All students and teachers should have an opportunity to voice

their opinions about the books. Classes can be rotated into thelibrary where books are displayed. Voting sheets can be given tostaff and students on which they can check titles listed, or paperslips can be used to write titles of books chosen for initial class-room use.

c. Information can be gathered, tabulated, and used by each class-room teacher and the selection committee.

6. As books arrive and as the review process indicates:a. Pull undesirable books from the collection as determined by

majority vote of the building committee.b. Process all books through the school building library database in

approximate numbers as follows:Maconaquah Elementary470 Building library

75 Each classroom x 17 rooms = 1,275TOTAL 1,745

Pipe Creek Elementary525 Building library

75 Each classroom x 22 rooms = 1,650TOTAL 2,175

Middle School480 Building library

75 Each classroom x 29 rooms = 2,175TOTAL 2,655

High School640 Building library

75 Each classroom x 40 rooms = 3,000TOTAL 3,640

Approximate 1995-96 TOTAL 10,215

26

7. Shelve building library and classroom selections.NOTE: All books should be ordered "shelf-ready processed" withmylar on books with dust jackets, bar codes (SMART-site locationand the title included), and MicroLIF data disks (catalog cards, bookpocket, spine label, borrower's card).

8. Repeat the process in year two.

K. Establish a preschool collection in each elementary school and providetraining sessions for parents on how to read aloud to young childrenand why it is important.

L. Open the elementary and high school libraries to school-district patronsduring the school day and after hours at selected times.

M. Establish program evaluation criteria to include:1. Monthly circulation data.2. The selection of student classroom librarians so that classroom

circulation rates can be maintained.3. Results of surveys to parents, students, and staff.4. Information on teacher, grade-level, department, and school projects

and activities.

N. Market the program with:1. Ongoing posters to promote reading.2. Display cases.3. Attractive libraries.4. Librarian and author booktalks.5. AIME conference presentations by librarians.6. Presentations by superintendent to local, state, and national

meetings/conferences, as requested.7. Visitation package and package that can be mailed upon request.8. Press coverage.

0. Other suggestions:1. Obtain computer software and books for the Accelerated Reader

Program for grades 6-9 and the Electronic Bookshelf for grades 1-5.2. Start a Books for Babies Program in the community, whereby all new

babies are given their first book compliments of the MaconaquahSchool Corporation.

3. Implement a Kindergarten Parent/Child Read-To-Me Program.

23

27

4. Give each kindergarten child a new book at kindergarten registration/screening.

5. Develop a professional library for staff that would include books onhow parents can help in the educational process.

6. Start a Teachers Under Cover Program (this could includecommunity members as well) to encourage more adult reading androle modeling.

7. Establish a Students' Own Bookshop in the middle school.8. Encourage community participation by initiating a Library Endowment

Program.a. Provide labels to be placed on the inside front cover of donated

books.b. $16 per book could be donated in honor of birthdays,

anniversaries, and other special occasions; in memory of; etc.9. Begin a 10-minute-per-day sustained silent reading time in each

school when all students and teachers readno homework, gradingpapers, etc., would be permitted.

2824

Appendix DMaconaquah School Corporation

Library Media Center Monthly Report

School Enrollment

Circle One:

Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May

Circulation

Books (library) Video Tapes

Books (classrooms) Films

Professional Materials Filmstrip Sets

Magazines Tapes/Cassettes

Microfiche Laser Disks

VF Materials Slide Sets

Other

Activities and Services

Booktalks or Reviews

Collections Sent to Teachers

Planning Sessions Attended

Instructions to Groups of Classes

Classes Using Library

Elementary Reading/Language Arts

Business Science

Fine Arts Social Studies

Foreign Language Vocational

Mathematics Special Education

PE and Health Other

Total Number of Classes

Materials Added

Books Other

Special Programs, Services, Meetings, or Promotions

25

29

0

MIDDLE GRADES READING NETWORKUniversity of Evansville1800 Lincoln AvenueEvansville, Indiana 47722

30

(9/92)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and improvement (OEN)

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

_NOTICE

REPRODUCTION BASIS

IC

This document is covered by a signed "Reproduction Release(Blanket)" form (on file within the ERIC system), encompassing allor classes of documents from its source organization and, therefore,does not require a "Specific Document" Release form.

This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission toreproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, maybe reproduced by ERIC without a signed Reproduction Releaseform (either "Specific Document" or "Blanket").