The Ruth Toor Grant for Strong Public School Libraries

Sponsored by Jay Toor

$3,000 to create and implement a project that promotes school library awareness and its accomplishments to school officials and administrators.

$2,000 for both the school librarian and school official (or volunteer parent) to attend the AASL national conference or the ALA Annual Conference during the years when there is no AASL national conference.

Deadline: February 1, 2016

Project Plan including a timeline

Promoting one’s media center has become paramount in the survival of this setting. Without promotion, stakeholders within the school and community are unaware of the positive impact a media center has on an educational setting. The proposed promotion project is titled “Media Center Spotlight” and aims to highlight the positive aspects of the media center to key stakeholders. The goal is to add one segment to the school’s newscast each week promoting the media center. Examples of Media Center Spotlight segments would include: book fair, research, character parade, award winning books, and technology. Being awarded this grant would allow the media center to purchase key equipment and software in order to promote the media center. The Media Center Spotlight would include students as well as the media specialist. The segment will also be emailed to the principal and assistant principal (in case they are unable to watch the newscast), the PTA officers, school partners, and the district media services personal. The goal is for 20-24 news segments to be produced and shared within the first year. Attending the AASL national conference would provide the media specialist to gain new information and ideas to use to promote her media center.

August 2016: order and receive equipment and software

September 2016: generate one news segment promoting the media center; only one is done this month in order to allow the media specialist to learn the equipment and software and because the first attempts with be more time consuming

October 2016-May 2016: one segment per week on the newscast highlighting the media center

Number of school library users the grant will reach: The school serves about 750 students with 33 classroom teachers, and 14 additional staff members.

Key Staff involved in grant (short biography):

The key staff will include Sue Smith, Library Media Technology Specialist at John Doe Elementary School. Mrs. Smith has been in education for 18 years, including 16 as a classroom teacher in both the public and private setting. This is her second year as a media specialist. Mrs. Smith embraces technology and enjoys learning new technologies and incorporating them into her practice. She holds a B.A. in Education from Oregon State University and a M.S. Ed. in School Library Media from Georgia Southern University.

Itemized budget

Apple iPad Pro with 128GB for $949

iPad Tripod mount by Buddy Caddie for $49.95

Green Screen and support system from B & H for $220.00

Adobe Premier Elements 14 $100

Posters promoting “Media Center Spotlight” $100

Additional software to create news segments $200

Lighting: LED 2 light kit with stand from B & H for $314

Shipping on products: $120

News Anchor Desk for $900