Memo

To:

D. Putnam, Principal

From :

Emma Stephens, Georgia Southern University- Graduate Student

Date:

October 7, 2016

Re:

GLMA and GLA Library Media Program- Self Evaluation

I, Ms. Stephens, evaluated the current status of our Media Center program, activities at Stallings Island
Middle School. I used the GLMA and GLA 2015 self-evaluation tool. This evaluation focused on 5 specific
categories.
1. Student Achievement and Instruction
2. Staffing
3. Facilities, Access and Resources
4. Administrative Support
5. Staff Development
Within these categories are given target indicators that give an explanation of the expected target goals of
the Media Center/Library. Each indicator is rated at either a basic, proficient, or exemplary rating. I will
admit that this was a difficult process. I found that while we were proficient in categories such as staffing
and facilities, most of the Student Achievement and Instruction, Technology and Administrative Support
and Staff Development categories we were at the basic level.

Category 1 Student Achievement and Instruction

Indicator 1:

Proficient - Information literacy skills are integrated into the curriculum through
the collaborative efforts of the Library Media Specialist and teachers. Georgia
Performance Standards (GPS) and Common Core GPS (CCGPS) are used as a
basis for teaching.

Action Plan: Focus more library lessons on research. Encourage (require?)

collaboration between media specialist and teachers.
Indicator 2:

Basic - The Library Media Specialist participates in collaborative planning when

initiated by the teacher.

Action Plan: The media specialists will collaborate with teachers goes further that
isolated instruction that meets diverse learning styles.
Indicator 3:

Basic - The Library Media Specialist makes recommendations to students for

class projects and pleasure reading. The Library Media Specialist provides basic
orientation and instruction on information location skills.

Action Plan: The Media Specialist will plan and implement various teaching styles to
meet the needs of the diverse learners.
Indicator 4:

Exemplary - The library media center is a critical element in the schools reading
program. The library media program meets the needs of both the
reading/language arts curriculum and recreational reading.

Action Plan: The Media Specialist will continue meet the needs of the readers within the
school and continue to support the curriculum and recreational reading.
Indicator 5:

Proficient - The library media staff selects resources and informs teachers of
these resources with recommendations to support students diverse learning
abilities and styles.

Action Plan: The Media Specialist will collect data from both teachers and students for
the purpose of student development.
Indicator 6:

Basic - The classroom teacher is responsible for assessing student

achievement.

Action Plan: The Media Specialist will strive to use collaborative design tools to assess
student achievement.
Category 2 Technology
Indicator 7:

Basic- The library provides an inadequate technology infrastructure to support

teaching and learning.

Action Plan: The Media Specialist will work on establishing a stronger technology
infrastructure. The Media Specialist will consistently promote electronic
resources in the media center.
Indicator 8: Basic- The school library media specialist uses technology to deliver curriculum
content or instructions to students.
Action Plan: Strives to blend technology with student investigations. Initiate student
projects and investigations.
Category 3 Staffing
Indicator 9a: Exemplary - Full-time Library Media Specialist is employed and is not shared at
any other time with other areas in the school nor does he/she provide services
outside the library media center. Adult supervision by certified personnel is
available for the entire day.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will continue to serve the school by providing
services to the Media Center directly, serving for the entire day as a
certified personnel.
Indicator 9b Exemplary- The following criteria that exceed state rules are in places:
Additional support personal are employed in areas of the library media program.
Library media staff is always available throughout the instructional day to assist
2

teachers and students. Support staff is not shared in other areas of the school a
full-time paraprofessional is on staff in the library media center.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will continue to serve her designated school
exclusively. The Media Parapro will continue to support the media center.
Category 4 Facilities, Access, and Resources
Indicator 10: Exemplary - Flexible scheduling is maintained allowing full participation of
teachers and the Library Media Specialist in collaborative planning and allowing
students to come to the library media center at any time. The library media
center is available both before and after school. Some evening hours may be
scheduled for instructional needs of students and families.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will continue to allow for flexible planning time to
allow teachers the opportunity to collaboratively plan with the Media
Specialist. The Media Center will continue to offer reading enrichment time
before and after school to allow users various times to access the Media
Center and the Media Specialist.
Indicator 11: Exemplary: The library media center exceeds minimum square footage
requirements and is large enough to accommodate large and small groups.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will continue to utilize the great space for
accommodation groups and activities of all groups sizes and
presentations.
Indicator 12: Proficient: Streaming video is used on a regular basis to support the curriculum.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will strive to use and implement various streaming
technologies, whiteboards, and electronic distribution systems to provide
relevant instruction and resources to teachers and students, The Media
Specialist will also plan innovative training for teachers to support them in
the use of the various available technology.
Indicator 13: Exemplary - Print and non-print resources, including subscription databases,
access to the Internet, and other library media center resources are available on
a LAN throughout the school. Some library media center resources are
accessible via Internet access outside the school. Students use library media
center technology independently for extended projects and information retrieval.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will continue to keep physical and digital resources
current and relevant to meet the needs of the students and the staff. The
Media Specialist will continue to provide training for teachers and students
on how to access resources off campus and use technology that is
available.
Indicator 14: Exemplary - The OPAC is available on a LAN throughout the school. All
resources are recorded in MARC format so that access is available on the LAN
and weeding of out-of-date materials can be timely. The OPAC is up-to-date and
reflects the library media center holdings. Some library media center resources
are accessible via Internet access outside the school.

Action Plan: The Media Specialist will continue to update the OPAC system, weed on a
continuous basis, and provide instruction to teachers and student on how
to access the system while at school and when away from the school.
Indicator 15: Basic - Students will be given instruction in accessing GALILEO. The password
will be provided in a timely manner.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will continue to teach students on how to access the
GALILEO system while maintaining the appropriate use for the appropriate
age group of the students.
Category 5 Administrative Support
Indicator 16: Exemplary - The SMCP maintains communication among Library Media
Specialists in the district. District level administrators facilitate the
communication among the SMCP, Library Media Specialists, and themselves.
The SMCP understands the role of the Library Media Specialist and encourages
opportunities for Library Media Specialists to meet regularly. The district
encourages links on school and district websites for library media center
announcements and services.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will continue to maintain adequate communication
with the Media Specialist of the district as well as the Media Specialist
community. The Media Specialist will continue to be active in the SMCP.
Indicator 17: Basic - The school principal provides support to the library media program and
makes time to meet with the Library Media Specialist occasionally.
Action Plan: The school principal will encourage the staff to take advantage of the Media
Specialist and Media Center to promote information literacy and to utilize
the knowledge base of the Media Specialist as an Informational Specialist.
Indicator 18: Basic - System and local school library media committees support
implementation of the library media program. A media advisory committee exists
and meets once or twice a year. (This committee may be the same as the
technology committee in some local schools.)
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will encourage frequent meetings of the Media
Advisory Committee. The Media Specialist and the advisory committee will
strategically plan and implement goals to improve student learning.
Indicator 19: Basic- A written library media policy exists and is implemented and updated
inconsistently.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will set clear and comprehensive policies and consult
with the Media Advisory Committee for update consideration of policies.

The Media Specialist will frequently review the policies that are currently in
place.
Indicator 20: Basic- The Library Media program receives an allocation for expenditures every
year. This amount meets the minimum expenditure tests.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will consult with the advisory committee to determine
various funding options and what to allocate funding for purchases to
enhance the Media Center. The Media Specialist and the advisory board will
use the allocated funds to facilitate the Media Centers strategic plan.
Category 6 Staff Development
Indicator 21: Proficient - Library Media Specialist seeks to enhance his/her professional skills,
particularly technology skills, beyond those required for recertification or by the
school district. Library Media Specialist provides occasional formal staff
development instruction and informal instruction during collaborative planning
with teachers. The school system makes staff development options available for
library media support staff. The Library Media Specialist is knowledgeable of the
district professional development services.
Action Plan: The Media Specialist will consult with the advisory committee, school

and district administrators to determine funding for the allocations in

the Media Centers strategic plan.

Extensive Action PlanCategory 1, Student Achievement and Instruction1.

Information literacy standard are integrated into content instruction.

At SIMS we rated proficient (Information literacy skills are integrated into the
curriculum through the collaborative efforts of the Library Media Specialist
and teachers. GPS and CCGPS are used as a basis for teaching.)
-

An extensive action plan to take us to Exemplary would be to focus on

collaboration in lesson planning. We would make a minimum requirement for
collaboration for teachers and media specialist. We would also require the
use and focus on information literacy skills that utilize the media center
specifically to encourage research and proper use of information. We would
also work to establish lessons that dont only utilize information literacy but
require that to be at the forefront of the planning process.