the case for power librarianship

Keith Curry Lance – RSL Research Group – Louisville, Colorado303-466-1860 – [email protected] – www.RSLresearch.com

Critical Learning Skills in the 21st CenturyCollaborating for Student Success

Keith Curry Lance

The Case for Power LibrarianshipResearch that Inspired the Idaho School Library Impact Study


Outline Background

States involved, Info/Library Power Results

Library predictors of achievement Controlling for other factors

Implications Recommended actions What you can do


Previous Research

1950s-1980’s: largely experimental research Resources—staff, collections,

technology Librarian as teacher Teacher & principal support

1992/3: 1st Colorado study:statistical analysis School Match episode “School Match Revisited” The Big Question


Information Power / Library Power Model

Themes Collaboration Leadership Technology

Roles Learning & Teaching Information Access & Delivery Program Administration


Standards-Based Education

Norm-referenced tests Reading tests Library/study skills tests Percentile rankings (“curve”)

Standards-based tests Content standards Info literacy standards Percent meet/exceed

standards


Technology

Rapid growth of computers, Internet in schools

Changing library & technology jobs

Common ground: “information literacy”


Challenge to Recent Studies

Take into account Info Power/Library Power movements Standards-based education Technology developments

Get message beyond “the choir” Principals, teachers Technology staff Parents, students


Schools & Libraries Studied

Since 2000, 15 states AK, CO, DE, FL, IA,

IL, IN, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, TX, WI … and Ontario

10,000+ schools Elementary, middle

and high 3 million+ students


Library Predictors of Academic Achievement

Credentialed staff Master’s/bachelor’s

degrees Teacher certification

& experience Library media

endorsement

Other staff Library aides Technology aides



Learning & Teaching

Planning with teachers

Co-teaching Teaching (solo) info

literacy to students Providing in-service

to teachers



Info Access & Delivery

Developing collections

Identifying resources for teachers

Motivating students to read



Program Administration

Meeting regularly with principal

Attending faculty meetings

Serving on key committees

Meeting with other school librarians



School library hours of operation Before, during &

after school Flexible

access/scheduling

School library usage Group visits Individual visits Both for ICT

literacy



Computers In library Elsewhere in school

Providing access to Library catalogs Licensed databases State-funded databases Internet/WWW


The Latest Results: sample Illinois findings

Test scores higher at schools with more: Library staffing (+17-18% ES, MS) Flex scheduling (+10-11% ES) Collaborating librarians & teachers (+8% ES)


The Latest Results: more Illinois findings

Test scores higher at schools with more: Current collections (+13-14% MS) Computers/100 students (+8-11% MS) Library spending (+5% ES -- +12% HS) Circulation (+11%, ES) Group visits (+9-10%, MS)


Controlling for Other School & CommunityConditions

School library factor Staffing, collections, expenditures

Other school conditions Per pupil spending Teacher-pupil ratio

Community conditions Poverty (NSLP eligibility) Minority enrollment Adult education (age 25+ HS grads)


Academic Achievement Predictors Ranked

Ranked by % of test score variation explained:

Poverty (NSLP eligibility): 50-65%

School library development: up to 15%, typically 3-5%

Variables that don’t explain test scores consistently:

Adult education Minority enrollment Per pupil spending Teacher-pupil ratio


The Latest Results: sample Indiana findings

Scores higher where principal places higher value on librarian: providing in-service

(+30%) meeting with principal

(+17%) serving on committees

(+10%) collaborating w/ teachers

(+8%)


The Latest Results: sample Indiana findings

3rd-grade scores higher where teachers report librarian more often: initiates collaboration

(+16%), offers resources

(+14%), has classes visit on flex

schedule (+11%)


Recommended Actions

Staff school libraries well.

Stock them with current books, databases & Internet computers.

Fund them to support school’s curriculum & state’s standards.

Adopt flexible scheduling.

Utilize computer network to extend library’s reach into classrooms.


What You Can Do

Support the ID school library impact study Survey responses needed

from:• Librarians• Teachers• Administrators


For More Information …

Visit the national Impact Studies page at: http://www.LRS.org/impact.php

Visit the ID study page at: http://libraries.idaho.gov/doc/impact-study

Contact Keith Curry Lance Tel.: 303-466-1860 E-mail: [email protected]

the case for power librarianship

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