Media Matters

Media MattersWhat a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it thinks about education.-Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of EducationThe Media ProgramIn tough economic times, the media program may seem like an appropriate budgetary cut.Some questions you may ask yourself:Is it not an auxiliary program?Does it draw in fans and sponsors like athletics or arts?Are books not becoming obsolete?How is the investment returned?Survey saysThe media program has a significant impact on academic achievement.While multiple studies have been conducted to verify this statement, these are most often cited:Dr. Keith Lance, Colorado, 1993Dr. Lance (follow-up), Colorado, Alaska, and Pennsylvania, 2000Dr. James Baughman (citing the Simmons study), Massachusetts, 2000

ConnectionsStudents at all three levels elementary, middle, and high school achieve higher scores on their standardized assessments when the school places high value on the media program.Budget that supports a high quality programTechnology-rich environmentOpportunities for instruction and enrichmentProfessional and support staff

Supportive BudgetOf all the expenditures that influence a schools effectivenessthe level of expenditures for library and media services has the highest correlation with student achievement (Baughman, 2000).A well-developed media program helps level the playing field for lower income families, especially with:High book count per pupilHigh expenditure per pupil (print and nonprint)Rich and up-to-date resources (print and nonprint)Technology-Rich EnvironmentSuccessful schools incorporate technology in their media centers.Allows 24/7 access to resourcesExpands the walls of the media center, pushing information into classrooms and homesProvides opportunity for global learningMakes easy access to a wealth of information the normInstruction and EnrichmentHigh academic achievement was more prevalent when:Information literacy was taught in conjunction with class curriculumThe collection is aligned with curricular frameworksReading for pleasure is promoted to the student body.Student use is at a premium.

Professional and Support StaffSchools with high scoresHad a full-time librarian, as well as support personnelUtilized parent volunteers Kept longer hours before and after school, which can only be accomplished with a full library staffAllowed the librarian to be a leader in the school, collaborating with teachers and helping develop the school-wide curriculumCollaborationWhen collaborating with the classroom teacher, the librarian should:Be an integral part of planning instructional unitsIdentify materials for teacher useTeach information literacy to students during the unitProvide extra reading and information opportunitiesIn such collaborations, library media staff help raise student scores by:Enhancing learning experiencesBuilding teacher effectiveness

Teacher LeaderThe librarian must be a leader in the school community. This can be done by:Meeting regularly with administratorsServing on standards and curriculum committeesMeeting with the library and school-wide staff to plan and evaluate the effectiveness of media program activities, specifically in their impact on student learningProviding in-service training to teachers

Information PowerIn 1998, the American Association of School Librarians released Information Power, a book that outlines standards defining the librarians role in student learning. Among those listed are:CollaborationServing as a leader in the schoolsIncorporating technology Information access and deliveryConnecting to the learning communityEmpowering LearnersIn Empowering Learners, the AASL highlights the changing roles of the school library media specialist. These include:Teacher: helping students become information literateLeader: building 21st century skills in the entire school environmentInstructional partner: collaborating with teachers to align assignments to standardsInformation specialist: teaching and modeling new forms of technologyProgram administrator: designing the media program to meet the needs of the whole school community

Why Media MattersAdministrators have to make decisions that will give them the most return for their investment.Research shows that placing a high priority on the media program can result in a 10-20% rise in academic achievement, especially in scores on standardized testing.Not providing high-quality media resources actually damages our students because we deprive them of opportunities for growth that may affect their future educational avenues.We MatterIf you want to lead a successful school, you need the right people on your team and you need the right programs in place. Media specialists are valuable contributors to the learning community students, teachers, administrators, and parent.The media program provides unique academic opportunities that students cannot experience in the classroom alone.ResourcesAmerican Association of School Librarians. (2009). Empowering learners: Guidelines for school library media programs. Chicago: American Library Association.American Association of School Librarians. (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. Chicago: American Library Association.Baughman, J. (2000). School libraries and MCAS scores. Retrieved from http://web.simmons.edu/~baughman/mcas-schoollibraries/Baughman%20Paper.pdfCallison, D. (1987). "Evaluator and educator: The school media specialist." TechTrends, 32(25).Lance, K. & Loertscher, D. (2003). Powering achievement, 2nd edition: School library media programs make a difference. Retrieved from http://www.lmcsource.com/tech/power/2nd/power2.htm

Pickard, P. (1993). Current research: The instructional consultant role of the school library media specialist. School Library Media Quarterly, 21(2). Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/editorschoiceb/infopower/selctpickard Weil, E. (2012). Meet your new school librarian. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3748779