Key Assessment: Strategic Management Plan

Section I: Description and Analysis of the School Library Media Program

Section II: School Library Media Center Philosophy/Mission Statement

Lula Elementary School
Current Mission Statement:

Provide equitable access to a vast range of materials and information, promote transliteracy, instruct
and collaborate with teachers and staff, and inspire students to become positive, productive, literate,
life-long learners and enthusiastic readers (Sapp, 2015).
The school library mission statement utilized by Lula Elementary School is in fact an overall mission
statement created for all Hall County School libraries within the district. Although the county-wide
designated mission statement addresses the purpose of the media center by being specific to an
audience and communicating its overall goal, it is lacking information that pertains directly to the
stakeholders of Lula Elementary School. The current mission contains no mention of collaboration
among other important stakeholders such as the parents and community members. Therefore, the
current mission statement should be changed to include all stakeholders involved with the media
center program of Lula Elementary School.

The current mission also conveys the importance of providing equitable access to materials
and information, yet fails to mention what types of materials Lula Elementary School can offer to the
stakeholders. The materials available within the library media program vary within the county level
based upon whether the school receives or does not receive Title One funding. The mission statement
should be reworded to include a clear understanding of the exact materials Lula Elementary School
can offer to the stakeholders through the current library media program available.
While applicable evidence of learning is promoted within the overall mission, the current
mission does not reflect upon creating 21st Century learners. This may be due to the fact that the
mission was written as an overall statement for all school libraries within the county and the media
center programs do not all have access to common materials. The revised mission statement should
reflect upon preparing students to be 21st century learners through the services and materials
provided by the media center while supporting the diverse learning needs of all stakeholders.

New Mission Statement:

It is the mission of the Lula Elementary School Media Center to provide equitable access to a vast
range of materials and information through the support of the media staff, print materials, technology,
and other media resources available to build 21st Century literacy skills among all stakeholders. The
library aspires to support the diverse learning needs of students through collaboration, while
promoting a positive and productive learning environment conducive to building enthusiastic readers
and empowering life-long learners.

Section III: School Library Media Center Services Overview

The following are excerpts from the schools media center/district policies which address the
areas of the media center: circulation, scheduling, services, and ethical/legal principles.
Following each section there is analysis discussing how thorough each policy is within 21st
Century learning principles.
Circulation Policy
The circulation of the media center materials enables the patron extended use of resources and
materials. Each individual school will establish policies regarding specific circulation areas.
Patrons of the media center include students, teachers, all school staff, and in some schools the
parents/community. Primary users are students and teachers.
Circulation periods of resources can be checked out for a period of time established by each
school. These periods should be influenced by the following criteria:

 Items that need to be available on a daily basis have more time limited circulation
periods, so they are available throughout the day. These often include reference books,
current magazines, and some audio/visual and electronic materials.
Some media centers limit the number of materials checked out. The age of the student
and the size of the collection can influence these limits.
Limits on checked out materials on a particular subject area, to prevent one student
from checking out all books on a subject.
Teachers may request that the media center limit check outs on a particular subject area
so as to make all resources available to all classes.
Teachers typically have longer circulation periods than students.
Check out procedures for students and teachers will be determined by each individual school.
Determining factors may include:
age of the student checking out books and teachers presence during checkout
Check in of books and returning the item to the shelf is the responsibility of the media center
staff.
Overdue notices should be sent to students to actively work to have the material returned to the
media center. Check out privileges will be suspended as long as the student has an overdue
material checked-out. Emailing overdue notices is also an option if you do not want to send a
hard copy.

Fines for overdue materials will or will not be assessed to students, as determined by each
individual school. High schools charge a ten cent per book per school day late fine. Typically,
elementary schools do not charge fines. Check out privileges will be suspended as long as a
student has a fine equaling a pre-determined amount.
It is recommended that if fines are charged, a fine limit is established based on the
overdue books value.
Students will pay for lost books. The schools media center committee will determine
the policy for the replacement value for the book (current replacement fee, additional
processing, etc.). Processing fees can be charged.
Lula Elementarys Circulation Policy for patron use:
Kindergarten students may check out one book. The book must be returned before a
student is allowed to check out another book.
First, second, and third grade students may check out two books.
Fourth and fifth grade students are allowed three books.
Fifth grade may check out one magazine as part of their three books. Magazines are due
in five days.
All books may be checked out for two weeks and may be renewed one time.
Damaged and/or lost books must be paid for before another book can be checked out.
Faculty and staff may check out materials as well. The only assigned due date is the end
of the school year. Faculty and staff may check out electronic equipment and
audio/visual resources.
There are not currently any eBook devices in the media center. Some of the purchased
site licenses allows multiple users to access the eBooks at one time (ex: Tumblebooks).

Analysis of Circulation Policy

Lula Elementarys library circulation policies address the guidelines for checking out
print materials. The policies need to include circulation procedures for students, staff, and
parents. There is no mention of what parents can check out or how they are able to access
resources. The policies cover the basic information necessary for students and parents to know
what to expect when using the school library. The policies mention what happens when a book is
lost or damaged. However, it does not mention anything about the use of technology tools and
equipment nor the lost or damaged technology tools or equipment.
There is no information given about BYOT or the use of web tools for students. Students
are able to access the school network for instructional purposes at school. The only policies
regarding any type of technology include the electronic equipment and audio/visual resources.
First, the policies should be more specific about web tools and BYOT. Students and
parents need to know the specifics of both of these policies. The E-books policy is also unclear.
If students are able to access the eBooks through the internet, the policy for using them should be
included. It does not mention how many can be viewed or when an eBook can be viewed.
The check out time seems short for some of the older grade students. Extending some of the
time allotted for students to check out books would promote a more positive reading
environment. It would also be beneficial for students starting in 2nd grade being able to check out
magazines as well. Limiting the use of these materials does not create a positive reading
environment. Judi Moreillon (2013) says Policies must be flexible to take personal
circumstances into consideration (p.29). This is important when considering what and how
much students can check out.
These policies need to be revised to clearly communicate with parents and students. If
students are going to become 21st century learners, they need to have the necessary access to the

tools where they can use and evaluate digital resources. By revising these guidelines to be more
specific, Lula Elementary can provide its students 21st century learning.

Scheduling Policy
The library media program requires flexible and equitable access to information, ideas, and
resources for learning, (American Library Association, 1998).
Flexible scheduling extends the use of the library media center, and its resources, at the point
of need by individuals, groups, and/or classes.
Students and teachers should visit the media center individually and in small groups to check
out books and seek answers at the point of need.
Classes cannot be scheduled in the library media center to provide teacher release or
preparation time.
The media specialist contributes a broad knowledge of resources and technology, an
understanding of teaching methods, and a wide range of strategies that may be employed by
helping students learn information skills which are integrated into the curriculum.
Flexible scheduling ensures that media specialists can fulfill their professional responsibilities.
Flexible scheduling allows collaborative planning by library media specialists and classroom
teachers to integrate information skills and literature into the classroom curriculum.
Information skills are presented and learned within the context of the current GPS objectives.
Integration strengthens the teaching/learning process so that students can develop the vital
skills necessary to locate, analyze, evaluate, interpret and communicate information and ideas.
The media center is viewed as a resource rather than a subject.

 Students should graduate from your school as information literate (AASL, ALA 2003).

Policies Particular to Lula Elementary Scheduling:

The library media center is open during the normal school day from 7:15am to 3:15pm for staff.
Students may check out from 8:15am until 2:30pm.

Staff uses the Outlook Web App to access

an online calendar to schedule the time periods when needing to use laptop carts, projectors,
cameras, etc. These resources are for classroom use only. Students visit the media center on a
rotating schedule with their classes. This is an allotted time for students to participate in
collaborative lessons conducted by the media specialist and to allow for check out time of
materials.

Analysis of Scheduling Policy:

The policies clearly demonstrate that the media center has a flexible schedule conducive
to providing and supporting the school. It explains how the media specialist will collaborate
with teachers. The American Association of School Librarians (2009) states The school
librarian guides instructional design by working with the classroom teacher to establish learning
goals and objectives, and by implementing assessment strategies before, during, and after
assigned unites of study (p.17). Time must be set aside in the scheduling policy to provide
school librarians with time to collaborate with classroom teachers. The schedule is flexible and
provides open access for student and teacher use.
The current policy mentions when students and teachers may come to the library. It tells
when students may come to check out books. However, the policy does not mention when
students may come to access media or technology tools. The technology tools available for

check out currently are four carts of laptops that rotate between grade levels. The policy shows
the laptops are only for classroom use. Finding funding to buy devices such as eBooks or iPads
for the media center would also be great tools for students to be able to use. Students need
access to these tools as well as to books. It is important not to limit their access so that they are
able to engage in meaningful learning experiences outside the classroom to prepare for their
futures.
The policies should be revised to mention when students can access technology and
media. Right now, the policies simply mention when students may come check out and when
classes and teachers may use the media center.

Services Policy
In addition to its numerous print resources, the media center utilizes a wide variety of media
resources, including electronic media. To acquire information electronically, students and
teachers must be proficient technology users. Also, students must receive parent/guardian
permission before using the Internet and must follow appropriate use rules as found in county
parental approval forms.

Teachers and students have access to the following media resources:

Destiny library software

Georgia Virtual Library
netTrekker
BrainPop
Renzulli Learning
Atomic Learning
Tumblebooks
Safari Montage
Galileo
Britannica

 E-Stax
Analysis of Services Policy:
Lula Elementary provides students, staff and parents access to their website and resources
both at home and school. This allows students to have 24/7 access to all web-based tools as long
as they have internet at home. The services section does not include anything about who else can
use the media center or when it can be used by others. There is a large amount of web tools
students, staff and parents are able to use. The media center does a good job meeting the needs
of 21st century learners with as much access students are given.
EBooks are not mentioned in this section when they should be. Students need to know if
these are services provided from the school and if they can access them at home. BYOT is
another area not mentioned in this section. The students should know there are any services in
support of this. There should be information regarding eBook access as well as web tools and
BYOT use.
There is no mention in the policies about any other services the media center offers. It
does not mention who else can utilize the library if needed. For example, can it be used for small
group or pull-out services? There is nothing about if anyone can volunteer to help in the library
or with other events, such as book fairs. The policies need to be more specific about if the media
center can be used by others.
This section should mention the other services the media center provides. It should
include information about the collaborative lesson planning between the media specialist and
teachers. It should also include information regarding the media specialists work with the book
talks, assistance with technology, lessons taught and the curation of materials/resources. The
media specialist could utilize a school survey given to staff and/or stakeholders to learn if and

how there are any other ways the media center could be used to support the school and the
community.

Ethics and Legal Principles

It is important for teachers to be educated on the code of ethics and copyright regulations.
Teachers are required to participate in training modules every year at the beginning of the school
year. These modules cover code of ethics, copyright regulations, etc. Teachers are required to
sign laptop agreements (Appendix B) before being provided a school teacher computer to take
home and utilize.
Copyright and Fair Use:
It is the intent of the Hall County School System to adhere to the provisions of copyright laws.
The resource guide, Copyright Clarity by Renee Hobbs is located in each media center for your
information and use.
BYOT Policy:
Hall County Board of Education has a very extensive BYOT policy. Students may utilize their
devices under the supervision of teachers and staff members of the school. The policy defines
specifically what devices and be brought to school for use. It also states the school is not
responsible for lost or damaged devices. Students are not required to bring a device to school. If
a lesson is using technology, students will have equal access to the material. There is a BYOT
policy agreement students and parents must sign before the device can be used in school
(Appendix A).

Internet Acceptable Use Policy

Lula Elementary School follows policies from Hall County Board of Education governing
internet use. Students and parents must sign an Internet agreement before students can access
any Web based programs using the Hall County Internet. This agreement form is in the
handbook. This is generally done during the kindergarten year (or when a new student registers
to our school/county) and then placed in their permanent records to travel with them through
their school years in Hall County. This is located on pages 53-58 in the student handbook. These
policies are very thorough and specific. They outline exactly what the internet can be used for
and what it cannot be used for. It also discusses how it should be used. Each user is responsible
for using the internet for its intended purpose. Therefore, the county also provides consequences
for students who do not follow the procedures.The goal of this use is to promote educational
excellence to students through the use of web resources.
The link below is the entire Internet Use Policy:
http://www.hallco.org/boe/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/AUA_FY_2012_Students.pdf

Analysis of Ethical and Legal Principles:

Copyright and Fair Use:
The copyright and fair use policies are thorough and cover specific details and information
regarding what students and staff need to follow.

BYOT:
The BYOT policy is very specific and informs parents and students of exactly what they need to
know regarding the use of devices in school. It would be helpful to school administrators and

parents if the agreement form could be turned in electronically as well as on paper. This would
be a more efficient way to locate and catalog the forms.

Web 2.0 Tools:

There are no policies informing parents of how web tools are used. Some or all information
shared through class projects or blogs in web 2.0 tools could possibly be public. Therefore, to
protect both students and teachers, Lula Elementary needs to create a policy that specifically
covers this topic. This will also inform parents of how web 2.0 tools are used in the curriculum.

eBooks:
There is no mention of E-books in relations to ethics. There should be a section regarding the
use of E-books. It should also include the legal responsibilities of users of E-books. It is
important for students and parents to understand the legal implications of using eBooks and
eBook readers. We think it would also be good for students to have an orientation of the E-books
policies when they have the orientation of the media center at the beginning of each year. This
would ensure students knew and understand the legalities of E-books. Students could also ask
questions about using them during the orientation as well.

Creative Commons:
Lula Elementary does not currently have a Creative Commons policy. It would be helpful to the
school to have a policy addressing this form of licensing. Typically, a Creative Commons license
allows students and teachers with rights to use electronic information created by others. There

are six different types of licenses used for Creative Commons. This policy should also cover
intellectual freedom of patrons and patron confidentiality. Once this is developed, it would be
helpful to have an orientation to these policies for both students and teachers at the beginning of
the year. The policy should also be accessed online through the schools website to inform
parents of the information as well

Appendix A

Appendix B

Section IV: School Library Media Center Facilities

Analysis of the Present Facility

Partnership For 21st Century Skills states: 21st century learning should promote interaction and a
sense of community [that] enable formal and informal learning, (2015). Unfortunately this is not the case
when describing the Lula Elementary School library environment. The school library has of one
Promethean board, six desktop computers used for student research, and two additional desktop
computers that are logged into the Destiny website at all times for students to utilize for locating print
materials. The library does not contain its own set of laptops for student collaborative research activities
or any type of devices that allow students to access eBooks or learning apps. Students must gather laptops
from the grade-level assigned carts in the hallways outside their classroom doors and bring these devices
with them to the library. Wireless access is available within the library setting, but there are no ports for
hardwiring in case of wireless issues and electrical outlets are not accessible if needed.
Seven round, wooden tables are closely placed together near one entrance into the library for
use during collaborative learning activities during library lessons. There are no types of bench seating,
beanbags, couches, or book nooks that invite students to stay and read for pleasure. There is a limited
amount of space that can be hold tables and chairs. This environment does not contain any types of
bulletin boards or interactive displays to promote reading among students. With the use of the Destiny
school library management system software, students are able to access this website from home and
utilize the resource links that have been added by the school library media specialist. The School Library
Media Specialist (SLMS) has compiled a detailed list of all subscription based programs purchased by the
school and county for student access. Students can easily use these links to research information needed
for home projects or assignments. Students use the Dewey Decimal System and Destiny to locate print
materials found in the library. Aside from the library search engines, there is no other labeling system
used for easy access to collections of books for students with special needs and stated that in the past, she
would remove a few tables to make it more accessible for students using wheelchairs.

The media center consists of a whole group story time area, workroom, librarians office, teacher
resource room housing professional print materials, and a larger room used to house the guided reading
book sets for teacher check-out. These areas are not available for student access and are only used for
student work areas during school assessment testing times. The only designated space for student work or
production is in the main area of the library where books are available for check-out. The placement of
the library is located near the front entrance of the school with an entrance on both sides of the area. With
hallways traveling around the outside walls and it being nestled away from classrooms, the noise and
traffic patterns are not a problem for this learning environment. The environment also is well lit and does
not show any signs of temperature or moisture concerns.
Besides being able to access grade level laptops for use in the library setting for collaborative
activities, students have access to numerous subscription sites and software purchased by the district or
the school providing them to a large collection of eBooks, print materials, and online reading resources.
Teachers have access to an ample amount of guided reading materials, math manipulatives, resource
books, and videos/DVDs on various topics. The filtering of software and how it plays in online access is
determined by the district. The technical support team determines access to particular sites for students
and staff members. For example, the filtering software only allows what is considered to be
educational and blocks blogs and other types of websites. Therefore, the access to websites is limited
under the filtering software and technical support team.
Problems and Changes to the Media Center
There are some parts of the media center that do work well for the current facility. These include:
the entrances/exits into the library in relation with the check-in and check-out area, having access to the
Promethean board within the whole group learning area, and an abundant collection of print materials for
student check-out. The limited space within the library setting makes it very difficult to place
comfortable furniture to invite students to stay and read. However, with the rearrangement of shelves, it
would be possible to create a few reading nooks or place bench seating for students to enjoy. Rearranging

the shelves would also create a less crowded environment for the seven student tables as well. It would
also be beneficial for the shelves to be labeled to help ELL and special needs students find resources.
This would also help readers know exactly where to find the book they need.
Another barrier existing between learners having equitable access to resources and services
would be the lack of technology designated specifically for the library setting. With the decrease of
funding for materials and equipment faced within the school setting, technology for use within the library
is not a feasible purchase that can be made by the SLMS. Lula Elementary School is not a technology rich
school environment compared to other schools within the district. The reason for this is that Lula
Elementary is not a Title I school. Therefore, the extra money given to Title I schools for technology is
not available to Lula Elementary. This concern is being addressed by the district at this time to determine
a method for solving this problem.
With the lack of bulletin boards and interactive displays, the space is deemed less attractive and
does not help to promote reading among students. Although there are two bulletin boards outside the
media center within the hallways, students are generally traveling with their class and do not stop to read
the information posted on the boards. These boards are also located on the opposite side of the entrance
into the library in a place that students generally do not walk by unless they are visiting the office or
nurse. Adding a bulletin board or some type of visual would make the library more inviting and continue
to promote reading.
Final Analysis and Thoughts
The educational climate of the Lula Elementary School media center is considered positive and
sustained by the library staff. Student achievement is recognized, as well as, students are encouraged to
become life-long learners and independent readers. The staff members build interpersonal relationships
with all students and staff by supporting any needs that may arise within the learning environment for
these individuals. Routines, rules, and expectations have also been established for check-out procedures

and students utilizing the learning environment. In regards to the amount of space within the library, there
is not adequate designated student space allowing more than one classroom at a time to enjoy the facility.
Therefore, the librarian generally asks that only one classroom visits the library at a given time.

Section V: Budget Allocation

Fund

SPLOST: Book Funds

Equipment Funds

Fund
Allotments based on the Allotments based on the FTE
Description FTE count of the previous count of the previous school year.
school year.
$2,850 total FY2014
$5,700 total FY2014
$6.00 x 475 students
$12.00 x 475 students

Local School Funds

Funds raised at the
school level through
organized events
(ex. fundraisers,
book fairs, etc.)
$9,060.03 book fair
FY2014
$1,132.81 magazine
sales FY2014

Procedures
for
Spending

Approved vendors for

The school bookkeeper is
Funds are spent
purchasing materials is
responsible for creating a purchase using local school
decided by the county.
order for equipment order
procedures. The
Orders must be submitted purchases and managing this
school bookkeeper
to the county during the
spending account.
manages this
months of October through
spending account.
December for approval.

Funding
Guidelines

Books, ebooks, and

The following items may be
audiobooks purchases
purchased with these funds:
must help build the library
hardware
collection and be used for
subscriptions
circulation amongst
bulbs
stakeholders.
ebooks
audiobooks
Subscription based
curriculum related AV
services can not be
book supplies
purchased with these
technology accessories
funds.
furniture

Local funds may be

spent on any items
needed for the
media program.

The funding allocated to the media center at Lula Elementary School is not adequate for the

program based on the schools current needs. The SPLOST funding provided to the school does
not completely cover the cost associated with purchasing new print materials and replacing the
damaged or lost books within the collection. Therefore, the school library media specialist
utilizes funds obtained from fundraisers and book fairs to cover the additional cost of these
materials. The equipment funds currently available for the media center are only maintaining the
supplies and resources already available. There is very little money left to fund additional
technology resources for use within the library setting.
The current amount is not allowing for growth. Ann Martin (2011) suggests "To
maximize your budget allocation you need to prioritize, shop the best buy, and find funding
support from additional sources (p.24). The media specialist needs to determine what resources
would be most beneficial in creating a 21st century library while also maximizing the budget for
growth. Applying for grants or seeking other funding opportunities that may provide additional
money to the media center budget would also be something to look into each year by the media
committee.
Section VI: Survey of Stakeholders
Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1F12rZYmvGLJk0WNH2ycPXf3YiDwPL7Ae8IZNSmTd6o/viewform?c=0&w=1

Survey Summary:
According to Jeffrey DiScala and Mega Subramanium, in Evidence-based practice: A
practice towards leadership credibility among school librarians (2011), [School librarians] use
informed, evidence based practices to identify strengths and weaknesses in library media
programs and build knowledge to make informed decisions and modifications which result in
stronger library media programs (p.64). In order to access to current use and needs of the Lula
Elementary School media center a survey was administered to faculty members. The anonymous

survey consisted of ten questions regarding media services and collaboration including two
questions of basic information. Google Forms was the tool used to create the survey. The media
services and collaboration areas were the main focus of this survey because there was not much
information in the media centers current policies. These two areas are integral parts to making a
school media center successful. The open-ended questions allowed for faculty members to be
specific with their answers. Since the purpose of the survey was to look for specific ways to gain
insight on the uses of the media center, the use of a Likert scale was not appropriate method to
gain the most specific knowledge.
Once the surveys were distributed, the results were examined. All of the 30 responders
answers were examined. The overall results of the survey were positive. However, there were
some responses that revealed there needed to be some alterations made to the current media
center policies regarding collaboration and services provided by the media center. In
Indispensable Librarian, Doug Johnson discusses the purpose of gathering data and responses is
to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a school library program (2013). The results
provided ideas of improvements that can be made to the current media center policies.

Highlighted Results from the survey:

The following is a summary of results received. The results provided ideas of improvements that
can be made to the current media center policies. These suggestions included, but were not
limited to these responses:

Organizing the Guided Reading book room in a manner that would allow teachers to
quickly find the guided reading book set needed instead of going through tubs of similar

leveled sets to locate the books.

Scheduling days and times to meet with grade level teachers for planning collaboration
instead of just showing up during grade level planning at various times throughout the
different grade levels. Teachers stated during this time they are beginning to work
through their own plans as a grade level to get an idea of what will be taught and make
sure that their team members are on the same page. By scheduling a time to meet with
them after their activities/goals are known for the upcoming week, they feel they would

be more prepared to address collaboration ideas with the media specialist.

Teachers would like to see laptops available within the library setting. Transporting
laptops from the classrooms to the library takes additional time and planning amongst the
grade level to make sure laptops are not being utilized by another classroom during that

time.
Teachers mentioned their current use of the media center was mostly for resources. There

was little collaboration between teachers in content areas other than Language Arts.
Teachers would like to see eBooks and other technology resources available for student
use. They stated it would be beneficial for classroom use and for students to work
outside of class.
After looking at the results in detail, it seems that faculty would like to see more

technology resources as well as good allocation of their time. It was noted by a few faculty
members that the media center does not currently fully meet the 21st century needs of
learners. With there being a small amount of laptops available for students to use across
several grade levels, it is difficult for teachers to have access easily to them. The faculty also

expressed interest in eBooks for students to use both in and out of class. These responses
were not surprising as the media center services and facilities are currently limited.
The other major area of need is to improve collaboration. There is not much time for
teachers to collaborate. They did express creating a specific time for meeting is the easiest
way for them to ensure the media specialist can meet with most or all grade levels.
The faculty expressed a need for the media center services. The survey results lead to
conclusions of ideas and insights from the faculty of where the media center needs to focus
its future goals and objectives.
Section VII: Planning for the Future

Goals
Goal 1:
Maintain and
expand a current
collection of
resources to support
and enrich the
curriculum needs of
students and
teachers.

Objectives

Description of Evaluation

Objective 1A:

Circulation data will be pulled from the

Destiny system of the areas being
Inventory the current library collection weeded. This data will serve as
and weed needed areas. This will
information to determine what items
determine what areas need new or up- should be removed and/or updated.
to-date materials.

Objective 1B:

At the end of the year, the SLMS will

pull circulation data of the purchased
The SLMS will obtain additional print materials. Use the data to determine
materials using allotted SPLOST
future use of the materials and their
funding to meet the informational
effectiveness.
needs of the current library collection
development and to plan new
collections.
Objective 1C:
The SLMS obtain eBook readers for
student checkout.

After the school year ends, the SLMS

will review how much eBooks have been
used and determine what they were used
for. The SLMS will bring this
information to the committee to review

and determine what needs to be done

next.

Goal 2:

Objective 2A:

At the end of the school year, the SLMS

will obtain survey data from the grade
Collaborate with
The SLMS will choose a grade level to level teachers about their collaboration
teachers as an
focus on collaboration at the beginning experiences. This information will be
instructional partner of each year.
stored in the grade level meeting notes
through integrating
that are kept from meetings and turned in
literacy and
to administrators at the end of the year.
technologies.
Objective 2B:
The SLMS will decide on another
grade level to collaborate at the
beginning of each year.

During the collaboration meetings,

sample lesson plans and units will be
shared from other grade levels as
examples.

Objective 2C:

The SLMS will keep a notebook of

information discussed in the meetings.
The SLMS will attend two grade level After each nine weeks, the teacher
meetings per nine weeks per grade to collaboration notebook will be kept in
collaborate with classroom teachers
the media center. The SLMS and
on creating lessons integrating
teachers will keep track of the lessons
curriculum and critical thinking.
that are taught to see if there is an
increase in collaborative lessons.

Goal 3:

Objective 3A:

Promote and
The SLMS will add materials that
encourage a lifeappeal to reluctant boy readers.
long love of reading
and learning among
all stakeholders.
Objective 3B:

At the end of the school year, the SLMS

will review how much the books related
to boys have been checked out. This will
help determine if additional books need
to be added for future use.

After the summer ends, survey the

students and the parents to see student
The SLMS will promote summer
involvement in summer reading. This
reading for students. Information will will also determine its effectiveness. The
be provided to the students and
SLMS will share this information with
parents (via handouts, school website,

etc.) regarding the county library

the media committee to determine if
summer reading program. The SLMS there needs to be further implementation
will also hold three library checkout
or changes of the program.
sessions during the summer for
students to check out books. The
SLMS will collaborate with teachers
to provide students enrichment
opportunities using the summer
reading books the following school
year.
Objective 3C:
The SLMS will seek funding
opportunities to provide technology
resources in the form of eBook
devices to accommodate student
learning.

The SLMS will allocate any additional

local school funds obtained through
fund-raising events and grants during the
current school year to be designated for
purchasing eBooks and eBook titles. The
SLMS will compare the prior school year
funds raised by the media center and
utilize the additional monies toward this
particular library collection.

Rationale for Established Goals

The goals were created based on the teacher stakeholder survey given to the teachers at Lula
Elementary School.
The first goal Maintain and expand a current collection of resources to support and enrich the
curriculum needs of students and teachers was created because the results of the survey showed that
there was a lack of current resources available to students and teachers. Teachers felt the materials
currently in the media center were not as up-to-date as they should be. By inventorying and weeding
items in the media center, the SLMS can determine how relevant the materials are to the students and
teachers. If the inventory is not as current, students and teachers will be less likely to use them.
Secondly, by obtaining additional print materials, students and teachers will be provided with more

materials to use. Also, by asking teachers for their input, it will be easy to determine what materials will
actually be used, so the money spent will not be wasted. Finally, Lula Elementary does not currently have
any eBook devices. While print books are still of interest to students, providing eBook devices to access
eBooks is important. These can be useful to students of special needs and English Language Learners. It
will also give students the opportunity to become 21st century learners of technology.
The second goal, Collaborate with teachers as an instructional partner through integrating
literacy and technologies, is extremely important for todays media specialists. The survey results
showed stakeholders had a high desire for collaboration between the SLMS and other teachers. This is
also driven by the desire to create a plan to help students be 21st century learners. The SLMS will choose
one grade level to collaborate with at the beginning of the school year. Since library media specialists are
also now part of a data-driven environment (McGriff, Harvey, & Preddy, 2004), surveying and assessing
are vital to the success of the school library program. The teachers will be surveyed to provide feedback
at the end of the year of their collaboration experiences. These will be kept with the grade level meeting
notes, which are turned in to administrators at the end of the school year. Each year, the SLMS will
increase the collaborative planning with another grade level until collaboration is occurring with each
grade level. Lastly, attending grade level meetings will help to increase the level of collaboration. The
survey results suggested there was some collaboration, but there needed to be more time set aside for
specific grade level planning. Also, by keeping notes and creating assignments during these meetings,
will keep everyone on the same page. This can also be helpful from year to year because the archived
notebooks can be used as guides in creating new lessons.
The third goal Promote and encourage a life-long love of reading and learning among all
stakeholders, is important because this is still one of the main goals of a media center. AASL (2009)
states, The school librarians ability to to build strong relationships with teachers, school administrators,
and the community is key to implementing change (p. 47). Promoting and encouraging reading and
learning would be easily obtained if there is a positive working relationship in place. The stakeholders

suggested continued support of reading throughout all classrooms. It was noted that boys tend to not
enjoy reading and/or struggle with it more than their fellow female classmates. The first objective to
promote a life-long love of reading is to increase the amount of books boys may be interested in reading.
The second objective was created because the stakeholders said they felt students would excel more if
they continued reading throughout the summer and not just during the school year. Therefore, a summer
reading program where students are able to come to their school as well as visit public libraries may
increase the amount of students who continue with their reading. The summer reading will be promoted
and incorporated in enrichment assignments the following school year. The last objective was created to
help incorporate technology to promote a love of reading. Some students prefer to use their technology to
read information. Providing more than one outlet for reading will open their minds to enjoying reading.

Section VIII: References

American Association of School Librarians. (2009). Empowering learners. Chicago: American
Library Association.
DiScala, J., & Subramaniam, M. (2011). Evidence-based practice: A practice towards leadership
credibility among school librarians. School Libraries Worldwide, 17(2), 59-70.
Georgia Department of Education(2014). Georgia Department of Education Rules and

Standards for Media Centers. Retrieved from http://www.gadoe.org/CurriculumInstruction-and-Assessment/Curriculum-and-Instruction/Pages/FAQ-for-MediaSpecialists.aspx

Hall County Public School (2014). Hall County School Library Media Specialist Handbook.
Retrieved from http://teacherpages.hallco.org/webpages/hmediapage/ files/hcsd
%20school%20library%20media%20specialist%20handbook%
20revised%20feb%202015.pdf
Information Power. American Library Association, 1998
Johnson, D. (2013). The Indispensable Librarian: Surviving and Thriving in School Libraries in
the Information Age (2nd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth.
Lula Elementary School in Lula, Georgia. (2015, January 1). Retrieved from
http://www.usaschoolinfo.com/school/lula-elementary-school-lula-georgia.25388/schoolinformation
Martin, A. M. (2011). Tactics for Tough Budget Times. Library Media Connection, 29(4),

24-

25.
McGriff, N., Harvey, C., & Preddy, L. (2004). Collecting the Data: Program Perception. School
Library Media Activities Monthly, XX(10), 19-20, 45.
Moreillon, J. (2013). Policy Challenge: Consequences that Restrict Borrowing. School Library
Monthly, 29(4), 22-23.