TExES School Librarian Certification Set 2

Primary purpose of a school library

Promoting reading comprehension through read-alouds (modeling reading strategies, memory retention practice, and vocabulary)

Methods for keeping abreast of changes in library curriculum

An ever-changing society requires school and library curricula to change, so students can be prepared for the working world. These changes are influenced by changes in state/national standards; they ultimately are established by decision-makers within districts. The librarian must remain up to date on actions/publications of library-related national/state decision-making bodies (AASL or the Texas Department of Education). This can be done by joining the AASL and interacting with regular publications or familiarizing oneself with standards/expectations established by the state department of education. Regularly participating in PDs and discussions with other librarians is how to stay informed.

Librarian’s role in integrating information literacy

The AASL and ISTE learning/tech standards make school librarians responsible for integrating information literacy across the curriculum, either independently (in library studies) or collaboratively with classroom teachers, depending on the school’s scheduling format. Using a variety of research/information problem-solving models, librarians should guide students of all ages and grade levels through inquiry in order to develop the information literacy skills of sourcing, validating, and effectively using information. By doing this and aligning educational goals with the AASL and ISTE standards, librarians will help students develop the info literacy skills they need in all facets of education.

Key aspects of designing collaborative instruction with classroom teachers

The most important aspect of collaboration is communication. Clear, open communication helps both parties feel that their educational goals for students are heard, understood, and supported. It also allows the partnership to assign roles and responsibilities. This is vital in making sure the workload in these activities is split evenly and fairly. Maintaining this communication throughout will ease the progress for all involved. Establishing the type and degree of collaboration is next. While it is easy to view collaborative instruction as strictly research projects or reading reports, it can also be as simple as providing resources or book lists for the teacher to use with students outside of the library. Lastly, librarians need to be aware of the curriculum they’re supporting. They should become familiar with the standards in the content area they’re collaborating on.

Describe obstacles school librarians may face when collaborating with teachers and provide suggestions for overcoming these obstacles

One major barrier to collaboration is TEACHERS’ BELIEFS OR MISUNDERSTANDINGS about the librarians’ role, abilities, and purpose within the school. To overcome this, it is vital to make sure teachers understand what librarians can offer and how they can assist students in researching their educational goals. This can be accomplished through many different forms of outreach, and it will make teachers more willing to take the time to collaborate. This leads to another common obstacle for planning—TIME. Because time is a commodity and cannot be produced, creative solutions, like collaborative documents for planning, can be used to work together asynchronously. Librarians should also consider advocating for protected time during the day to collaborate with teachers. Another barrier is the LIBRARIAN’S POTENTIAL LACK OF KNOWLEDGE of the content area she wishes to assist in. To mitigate this, the librarian should familiarize herself with standards used to guide instruction in that area. This will provide the background knowledge needed to successfully collaborate.

The process for assessing student work on collaborative assignments

Throughout the learning process, both the librarian/teacher should collect data as students traverse inquiry-based work. This data should pertain to a student’s ability to find, evaluate, and use information to construct new knowledge. To do this, both formative and summative assessment data should be used. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS are small, ongoing assessments that occur while learning is taking place. These can be checklists, self-assessments, peer reviews, or conferences with the librarian. This allows students to receive regular feedback throughout the process and for librarians/teachers to assess their effectiveness. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS are more formal. Typically, they are the product that was created as a result of completed research, such as a paper, speech, book review, or presentation, but they can also come in the form of tests, quizzes, or exams. They’re used to determine student success as well as the success of the instruction. The role/use of assessments conducted in the library/classroom will vary between districts and classrooms.

Outline the AASL’s National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries as it relates to collaboration between librarians and educators

Collaborate is the third Shared Foundation in the AASL Standards. For school librarians, the Collaborate Competencies involving other educators focus on facilitating collaborative opportunities, demonstrating the importance of collaborative tools, and sharing responsibilities. By facilitating collaborative opportunities, librarians are able to work with teachers to produce meaningful learning opportunities for students that neither adult could create alone. This enhances student learning while also meeting the instructional goals of both the librarian and teacher. By demonstrating a personal use of collaborative tools, librarians build opportunities to extend collaboration regardless of time/space constraints, which are some of the most often-referenced obstacles in collaboration. In sharing educational responsibilities, librarians can bridge the gap across disciplines. It is also best practice to share with all stakeholders what collaboration is taking place and what impact it has so that the community is aware. This adds value to the library and serves as a way to promote collaboration.

Strategies for librarians to disseminate research findings about the relationship between effective school library media programs and student achievement

Students with access to an adequately staffed school library program generally perform better on standardized tests across all subjects. It is the responsibility of school librarians to use this information to advocate for themselves and their programming, and they can do this in multiple ways. First, librarians may have the opportunity to SPEAK DIRECTLY TO STAFF to explain their offerings and the benefits they have. They should also CREATE EASY-TO-DISTRIBUTE INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS that demonstrate the impact school libraries have on learning that they can pass out while speaking to staff or at other times. It is also highly recommended that librarians HAVE AN ELEVATOR PITCH ALWAYS PREPARED so they are able to verbally advocate for themselves if the opportunity arises. In doing so, librarians form partnerships with teachers and administrators, and they can form relationships with students that lead to success for all involved.

How do you analyze/evaluate data to plan/implement modifcations

Changes made to the school library program are typically data-driven. This can be quantitative or qualitative and related to circulation and usage, student achievement, or any other desired library behavior or quality. The type of data will depend on the type of desired changes/outcomes. The librarian should establish a goal and use collected data as a baseline that will be compared later to determine the success of any changes. The librarian should also use action-based research and existing professional information and resources to develop his or her plan to make modifications to the library’s space or programming. Once the changes have been implemented, updated data should be collected as it relates to the goal and analyzed to see if growth occurred. For example, the librarian may be looking for an increase in circulation, student performance on library activities, or overall patronage. Growth indicates successful changes, while a lack of growth indicates the modifications were not successful and need to be revisited.

Physical development of school-age children and how it relates to learning

While students should have developed strong motor skills and coordination before starting school, there will inevitably be a variance in students’ physical abilities across and within grade levels. Thus, strength, balance, coordination, and related abilities will not be the same for every student. This is important to acknowledge when planning so there are realistic expectations for students and appropriate accommodations can be made.

Children’s expected physical development before beginning kindergarten

Students should have developed the abilities to walk, hop on one foot, climb stairs, turn pages in a book, dress/undress themselves, steadily hold thick writing utensils like large crayons/beginner pencils, and be able to feed themselves.

Children’s expected physical development between ages 5 and 6

Students should be able to jump, skip, hop with both feet, steadily hold pencils, and begin writing letters.

Children’s expected physical development between ages 6 and 7

Physical coordination continues to develop, as do hand-eye coordination, the ability to draw more complex shapes, and the ability to write sentences. Beyond this, kids continue to develop these foundational skills and improve coordination and mobility.

Social development of school-age children and how it relates to learning

Because social development is so deeply affected by many factors beyond a child’s control, it’s to be expected that children’s social skills and abilities to interact with others will vary highly among the students within a school. The variance will be more prominent in early years, but it tends to level out as students spend more time in formal learning environments. When establishing expectations for children, educators must understand what children are capable of based on their expected development, and they should use that information to guide decision-making.

Children’s expected social development before entering kindergarten

Children will play with others, share toys and materials, and be aware of his own feelings and feelings of others

Children’s expected social development after entering kindergarten

Children will become more social and continue to show an ability to share and play collaboratively with others.

Children’s expected social development around 2nd grade

As a child’s interest in social relationships deepens, he begins to focus more on forming friendships. Overall, children will continue to develop their independence and their own moral standards throughout their years in school.

Cognitive development of school-age children and how it relates to learning

Cognitive skills refer to the ability to think, learn, and reason. Their development in school-age children allows them to access a multitude of new skills, like simple mathematical processes, sorting, and organizing. As they continue to age, students will mature, develop longer attention spans, a better understanding of logic and reasoning, and broader imaginations. These stages of development should be considered in lesson planning to ensure the concepts being delivered are developmentally appropriate.

Children’s expected cognitive development when entering kindergarten

Children can represent their thoughts with pictures or written words, but they cannot reason and think logically. Then, during the school years, children begin to develop the ability to think in a less egocentric way and begin to consider the feelings of others, a crucial component of socialization in school.

Children’s expected cognitive development between the ages of six and eleven

Children develop the ability to think logically about concrete concepts

Children’s expected cognitive development at age 12+

Children develop the ability to think in a more abstract manner and use advanced reasoning.

Emotional development of school-age children and how it relates to learning

Upon entering school, most kids begin to pursue friendships and develop relationships with classmates. This tests their ability to cooperate and consider the feelings of others, which are both still developing during this time. Compassionate understanding, self-regulation, and emotional control are also beginning to develop as students enter school. Across early elementary school years, children develop the ability to comfort their peers and consciously control their own behavior. Then, in late elementary years, children begin to develop the ability to see things through the lens of their peers. Their ability to provide support to peers continues to strengthen, and their ability to express their own emotions improves; however, they may still need assistance. Beyond elementary school, children’s ability to self-regulate and express their feelings continues to develop, and they begin to crave more independence from their parents and families. Through understanding these stages, school personnel are better able to support the emotional needs of students to ensure their success.

Theory of behaviorism as it relates to a learning environment

The theory of behaviorism suggests that learning is a product of one’s interactions with his or her environment. As such, it is an educator’s responsibility to create an environment that will produce the desired interactions and responses for students. The response that individuals receive from their interactions will provide feedback, either positive or negative, that tells them whether what they have done is correct or incorrect. In a learning environment, positive reinforcement tools may look like recognition, awards, prizes, or praise. In some cases, negative consequences may be given to reduce behaviors that are not desirable. Test scores and grades can fall under both the positive and negative category depending upon the earned score. Positive scores let students know they are on the right track, while negative scores reflect a need for some type of change. These types of feedback are part of what is known as operant conditioning. In operant conditioning, positive consequences are given to reinforce desired behaviors, and negative consequences are given to decrease undesirable behaviors.

The theory of cognitivism as it relates to a learning environment

Cognitivism focuses on the processes of the mind and how the brain receives, organizes, and retrieves information. It highlights the role that thinking plays in learning and insists that learning takes place through the brain organizing information into concepts. A large portion of this theory focuses on schemas, units of already-understood concepts within the brain that are interconnected. Schemas are sometimes referred to as the building blocks of learning. They provide a framework for the brain to remember new concepts and information by connecting it to schemas of similar, already-learned concepts and information. In cognitivism, educators are responsible for scaffolding instruction, meaning breaking it down into more manageable pieces to make connections. Where students have no existing schema, it’s important to help them build up knowledge and activate prior knowledge through discussion before beginning instruction.

The theory of constructivism as it relates to a learning environment

The theory of constructivism states that new knowledge is constructed on top of prior knowledge during a student’s learning journey. As such, learning will be a personal experience, and the way each student learns will be unique. It also describes learning as an active event in which the learner must engage in some type of hands-on experience, discussion, reading, or other immersive activity in order to obtain new knowledge, rather than a passive event, such as listening to a speaker or seeing something done. Because learning is so personal and unique to the individual student in this content, educators should act as facilitators or guides and provide opportunities for extensive engagement as opposed to providing direct instruction. This theory also calls for more group work opportunities and time to share learning among participants, which may require physical adjustments to the learning space.

Some impactful education theorists

Jean Piaget (Theory of Cognitive Development); Lev Vygotsky (Zone of Proximal Development); Abraham Maslow (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)

What was Jean Piaget known for?

He was known for his theory of cognitive development, which explains the processes through which a child’s mind learns and develops understanding. Through his work, he was able to prove that children think and process information differently from adults and need education catered to their unique way of learning.

What was Lev Vygotsky known for?

His zone of proximal development has been his most impactful work in the education field. It is viewed as the zone between what learners can do without assistance and what they can do when assisted by an adult or peer. He established that it is within this zone that learning takes place.

What is Abraham Maslow known for?

His hierarchy of needs is a prioritized list of the needs humans must fulfill. It begins with the most basic needs for survival and becomes more abstract as it continues into self-actualization. His research suggests that students are not able to participate in learning until the needs lower in the hierarchy are all met.

Cognitive instructional objectives as they relate to learning

When planning instruction, one must first establish a measurable objective that students should be able to achieve. Cognitive instructional objectives address the intellectual side of learning activities and outline what students should be able to do by the end of a lesson or unit of study. These are the most common types of objectives in learning environments. They focus on a student’s ability to remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, or create based on the content within the lesson. The aforementioned list of verbs comes from the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and is hierarchical in the sense that students must master one level before moving to the next. For example, they must be able to remember before they can apply. Each step increases in complexity and is more abstract. It is vital to consider the current ability of students before establishing a cognitive objective to ensure they have mastered the lower abilities.

What is affective learning and what is its purpose?

While other styles of learning tend to focus on a student mastering a new skill or completing a task, affective learning targets and focuses on a learner’s attitudes, feelings, emotions, motivations, perceptions, and values. This style of learning is most common in the early elementary years, in which children are learning appropriate socialization and developing empathy for others. They may practice active listening with one another, role-play through scenarios, or model desired behavior in social interactions. Affective learning may also be used to assist students in working through issues with peers or any other social-emotional needs. When addressing affective learning objectives, an educator may use words like accept, attend, cooperate, comply, or discuss. This verbiage reflects a focus on the student’s emotional abilities as opposed to his technical abilities.

What are psychomotor objectives and how do they relate to learning?

Psychomotor objectives address physical movement as it relates to learning and establish physical actions students should be able to achieve as a result of instruction. Throughout the early years of their life, children progress from observing physical skills to mastering them. These skills include general and hand-eye coordination, speed, strength, and balance, as well as many others. They require instruction in order to become fully developed, whether through direct lessons or indirect modeling. The existing psychomotor skills of students in different age groups should be considered when designing lessons and establishing appropriateness for a class. Many studies have shown that an increased focus on psychomotor skills in education leads to overall higher cognitive functioning in students, thus emphasizing the need to focus on the whole child when teaching as opposed to only focusing on standard learning objectives.

What are instructional strategies and what is their role in the library? Provide examples.

These are the methods through which an educator delivers a lesson. In order to meet the needs of all learners across a variety of settings, educators commonly use five types of instruction: direct, indirect, experiential, independent, and interactive.

Direct Instruction

This is where students are taught information in a structured, purposeful sequence. In the library, this may look like teaching routines and processes, or it could be instruction on locating information.

Indirect Instruction

This is more student-centered and has students perform a task based on their own learning. This could look like a reflective discussion after an independent reading activity.

Experiential Learning

This offers students the opportunity to learn through hands-on processes. STEAM and coding activities are good examples.

Independent Learning

Libraries are great places for this type of strategy to occur because they house in-depth resources for all topics, providing students an opportunity to create their own learning experiences through reading. As such, students are able to answer their own self-guided inquiries and independently solve problems.

Interactive Learning

allows students the opportunity to respond verbally. This could be a group discussion following a read-aloud.

Explain learning materials and resources and provide examples used in school libraries.

These are items needed to successfully educate students. These materials and items will vary for each lesson and depend on each lesson’s planned activities, manipulatives, and desired outcomes. Some simple examples commonly found throughout a school include pencils, crayons, and paper. In the library setting, books are the most commonly used resource at the center of a lesson. Databases are also frequently used in library instruction. Depending upon the curriculum being taught, resources for coding and programming, makerspaces, and robotics are also key learning materials. In many schools, the library houses resources that are shared among classrooms and teachers so that they can be properly cataloged for circulation and have a place to be stored when not in use.

Explain the concept of meeting the needs of diverse learners and how that impacts lesson planning in the school library

Schools are diverse environments. This diversity can be neurodiversity, racial, cultural, or diversity in ability. A librarian’s goal is to ensure that the needs of all individuals are being met regardless of their background or academic and physical capabilities. Library programming and the lessons offered should be culturally sensitive and provide appropriate, adequate representation of all students. They should also feature instructional goals achievable by all the students for whom the instruction is intended, or the goals can be modified to accommodate differences in learning and abilities. Per the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), all accommodations mandated in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) apply in the library setting just as they do in the classroom. As such, the school librarian must be aware of and adhere to these. The same concept also applies to any accommodations listed in a student’s 504 Plan per the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Examples relevant to the library may include, but are not limited to, increased font sizes for instructional documents, access to language dictionaries or translation devices, and shortened or otherwise modified assignments as specified in that child’s plan.

Explain assessments as they relate to the school library

Assessments are a key part of any instruction as they provide insight into student learning. The two most commonly used assessments in the school library are formative and summative. Formative assessments are informal, frequent assessments that take place throughout instruction. These may be conversations, check-ins with students, student self-assessments, or any other feedback collected during instruction that provides evidence of learning that is occurring. The data gained from formative assessments should be used to guide and make changes to instruction as a unit of learning is progressing. Summative assessments occur at the end of a unit of learning and serve to assess a student’s overall learning. In a library setting, these are typically projects. Summative assessments also provide insight on the effectiveness of instruction based on classwide assessment data, and the librarian can use this data to make changes to future instruction

Explain the stages created in Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals

Bloom created a hierarchical organization of the stages of learning, which is referred to as a taxonomy. It was first introduced in 1956 but revised in 2001 to produce the version currently used in pedagogy. Bloom’s Taxonomy is represented by a triangle with the base being the lowest level of understanding and the top being the highest. Students must achieve the lower level of learning before mastering the next. Remembering is at the base of the triangle and is the stage at which students should be able to recall facts from memory. Next, students reach the stage of understanding, in which they can explain what they have learned. Then, applying is the point at which students can take the information gained and use it in other contexts or to solve a problem. Analyzing allows students to begin making connections between their learning and other contexts. In the evaluation stage, students can use their learning to make and justify decisions. The final step, creating, allows students to create something new or original from the knowledge they have gained.

Benjamin Bloom’s contributions to education

He was an educational psychologist who dedicated his career to gaining a better understanding of the way children learn. He is best known for Bloom’s Taxonomy, which he developed with a team of other psychologists, of which he was the chairman. The taxonomy was originally published in 1956 and was created to provide a framework for how children learn. It demonstrated the hierarchical levels of knowledge development that must be achieved in order to gain mastery of content. This was later revised by Bloom’s students/colleagues and republished in 2001 with some changes. This taxonomy is still used regularly in pedagogy and provides educators with an understanding of developmental stages, allowing them to develop appropriate plans for all learning stages. This can include using particular questioning strategies, deciding what style of assessment is appropriate, and what instructional methods should be used.

What is inquiry-based learning and its role in the library

It is a type of active learning that occurs through high-level questioning, experiential learning, problem-solving, and making real-world connections. Students begin with a question in mind, collect information related to the question, analyze the information, and then use it to draw conclusions. Many studies show that students find this style of learning to be more valuable than others because they’re at the center of it. Since inquiry-based learning is so deeply rooted in asking questions and finding information, it aligns well with the library objectives and can take place through library-based or classroom-based assignments in which the librarian has agreed to collaborate. School librarians are responsible for ensuring that students have the information literacy skills needed to locate, analyze, and use information, which are critical components of inquiry-based learning. By ensuring students have those skills, librarians are providing them with the abilities required for meaningful learning experiences across many subjects.

List the four types of inquiry-based learning

Structured, confirmation, guided, and open

What is structured inquiry?

This takes place in a whole-group setting. Students work together under the guidance of the teacher or another educator to establish a question, and then they work together under the same guidance with preselected resources to find the answer.

What is confirmation inquiry?

This is where students are provided with the question as well as a method or process to follow.

What is guided inquiry?

This is where a question or problem is still posed by the teacher, but then students are given a chance to complete their own research and then create a solution or product on their own to address that question or problem.

What is open inquiry?

This allows for the most student independence. Students select their own topics, create their own questions, and are not provided with expected outcomes or any preselected reference materials or tools.

What are portfolios as an assessment tool, and what are some examples of how they may be used in the library?

When used as an assessment tool, these are an organized collection of student work. They are meant to show student growth over a certain period of time, typically an entire school year. They contrast with many other forms of assessment as they feature a variety of works, some of which may be writing samples, student self-assessments, or any other type of formative assessment. In terms of the library, these are most often used for students’ professional development purposes. Librarians collect students’ work samples related to students’ professional goals and use the portfolios to demonstrate student growth as related to those goals. The librarian may also use this to show her own learning and growth over the year for licensing purposes. They may be a physical collection of work housed in a binder (or similar organizer) or developed online in a digital format. Regardless, they will feature the same types of documentation.

What is conferencing as an assessment tool? Provide examples of conferencing in the library.

This allows students to talk with their educator about their own educational goals, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as any related concerns. It provides a time for the educator to provide one-on-one, individualized feedback to a student, something much more beneficial to the student than receiving responses and criticisms from an educator while in a group. In the library, these are a critical way to gain insight into students’ reading ability and interests. By spending time learning about individual students, a librarian is better able to find resources and materials to suit their needs and interests. It also allows the librarian to develop lessons to address any concerns with the students’ abilities to locate and access information. While time-consuming, this personalized nature provides information about the individuals that a librarian may not get through other forms of assessment.

What is observation as an assessment tool? Provide examples of observation in the library.

This allows the educator to watch and assess students’ learning, behaviors, and abilities in context as well as see the ways students interact with their environment. When using observation as an assessment tool, an educator should couple it with some type of written documentation in order to effectively collect and store data. This type of assessment varies from others in the fact that it is used to collect qualitative and anecdotal data, not scores. This data is then used to guide planning decisions. In the library, it is important to observe students as they navigate the physical space and find information. This provides insight into the effectiveness of the library’s layout and any instruction that was provided to teach students related skills, like library organization and routines.

What are the common types of testing?

Diagnostic testing, benchmark testing, and norm-referenced

What is diagnostic testing?

This testing takes place prior to the beginning of a unit of instruction or at the start of the school year. The data from this testing is used to show what students already know, and it will influence what content should be covered in depth, what must be added, and sometimes what can be omitted. The data can be used again at the end of instruction to show how much students have grown from their pre-assessments.

What is benchmark testing?

This testing occurs at scheduled intervals throughout the year or unit of instruction. This shows how students are progressing and what content may need to be retaught. At the end of the year or unit, there is typically a summative test covering all related content.

What is norm-referenced testing?

Benchmark testing is usually this type of testing and thus is used to compare students to their peers within a grade level. They are often compared to diagnostic and benchmark tests to provide insight into student growth and achievement, which is then used to make decisions on altering lessons and curriculum.

Explain rubrics provide examples of their application in the library

When given at the time of an assignment, a rubric provides students with explicit expectations for the assignment. The rubric is broken down into chunks of what will be assessed. It provides detailed explanations for what scores will be given. A rubric could also be used to grade assignments. A teacher could return graded material to his students along with the rubric so the students could see the reasoning behind what grade they were given. These are commonly used with projects, written essays, or other summative assignments to give students adequate guidance for their work.

Explain checklists and provide examples of their application in the library

Checklists are similar to rubrics in that they also provide guidance for work and list expectations; however, they don’t provide the grading rationale given by rubrics. They can be used by students to check off what they have completed in their assignment as they work. These may be used with a major project or assignment, like inquiry-based learning projects, guided research assignments, or written reports.

Explain space and time management as they relate to the school library and programming

This type of management is crucial in any learning space, but especially in successful library programming. Libraries do provide storage for many books and resources, but they also serve as learning spaces; thus, classroom management must be taken into consideration when establishing the layout of shelves and storage solutions. For instance, librarians should be able to see students at all times. This is partly for safety, but also so that behaviors and actions can be monitored, corrected, or rewarded as appropriate. Keeping spaces in which students should be quiet and spaces in which students can collaborate separate and distinctly marked is important and helps to manage student volume levels. From a classroom management perspective, time management involves creating/adhering to a routine. This establishes expectations and provides clear guidelines for what is to come so that students are able to fully participate in learning. By ensuring these aspects are in place, the librarian will develop a space that allows for successful programming.

What is fixed scheduling and its advantages/disadvantages?

These schedules are commonly found in elementary schools and feature scheduled times for each class to visit the library on a weekly basis. The primary benefit is that it allows for consistent, planned instruction and ensures that every student is able to access the library regularly. The main drawbacks are limited library maintenance time and the librarian having limited autonomy over her schedule.

What is flexible scheduling and its advantages/disadvantages?

These schedules are far less rigid and involve scheduling library classes and lessons on an as-needed basis with classroom teachers. Classes coordinated between the librarian/teacher on this schedule tend to be better aligned to support what students are learning in the classroom, since the library lessons have been specifically requested by the teacher. This style of schedule also allows for more free-flowing browsing throughout the day for students. The biggest drawbacks are the facts that not all teachers will participate in collaboration and not all students will visit the library on their own time.

Define positive learning environments, explain why they are important, and provide examples of ways to create them in the school library.

This environment is a safe space in which students feel they can fully participate in learning and receive the support needed to do their personal best. Students should feel comfortable/respected and have their basic needs met. Across many studies, it has been proven that students who learn in these environments perform better academically, have better attendance, and are more motivated to succeed in school. Creating a sense of structure through routine is a simple way to create a positive learning environment in the library. When students know what is expected of them, they feel comfortable and confident in their ability to perform. Relationship building also creates this environment. Students will know their librarian cares if she has conversations with them about her interets. Librarians can then use those conversations to more easily serve her students as patrons and provide them with materials that they are interested in. School librarians can also support students going through their own life experiences and traumas by providing access to written resources appropriate for their age that discuss their circumstances.

Explain the purpose of expectations for student conduct and provide examples for the library

Expectations for student conduct are meant to keep students and staff safe and create a positive learning environment. It’s vital that these expectations be clearly communicated throughout the year and practiced as needed. All expectations set should be reasonable based on students’ age and ability levels. They should also be communicated using positive verbiage. For example, giving instructions to “walk in the library” is more effective than saying “no running” as it provides an example of what should be done. Some common student conduct expectations in the library include book-care rules, walking as opposed to other forms of movement, using appropriate volume, and returning books in a timely manner. Expectations that vary between libraries are routines for checking books in and out, the process for beginning library classes (if applicable), and the quantity of books that can be borrowed at one time. By communicating clear and reasonable expectations, librarians will make students aware of how they should behave, which will cut down on disruptions, distractions, and discipline issues.

What are behavior intervention strategies, provide examples, and explain the librarian’s role in these strategies.

These strategies are actions or plans put in place to improve student behavior. These may be specific to a student, like behavior charts or displayed routines, or used for the entire class or school, such as recognition programs, token economies, or universal signals for common needs such as quieting down. School librarians are part of an educational team responsible for the education and well-being of their students. As such, they’re expected to use the appropriate intervention strategies set forth within the school. With students with special considerations listed in their IEP or 504 plan, school librarians should use behavior interventions in place for students and document the results if applicable. School librarians may also choose to implement their own strategies within the library to control behaviors.

How is the American Library Association (ALA) important as it relates to school libraries?

The mission of the ALA is to provide guidance and resources related to libraries and librarians, offer professional development resources, and develop/share guidelines for best practices in the library. It works to protect library users 1st Amendment Rights and information-seeking processes. The ALA acts as an advocate for libraries on all levels, primarily through letters written to governing bodies as well as testimonies and official comments. It holds large annual conferences to provide librarians with opportunities to share their research for PD. In relation to school libraries, the ALA developed the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). Through this division, it provides frameworks for education in the library that are meant to help students acquire the skills needed to be successful in the 21st century. The ALA also uses its platform to promote the research-based fact that schools with fully funded and professionally staffed libraries perform better overall in standardized testing.

Explain the importance of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) as it relates to school libraries

The AASL was developed by the ALA to focus specifically on school libraries. The primary goals of the AASL are to provide guidance and PD opportunities for librarians, advocate for school libraries, and help ensure students are receiving the library education they need to be globally competitive. By obtaining an AASL membership, librarians can become part of a global network that uses regular communication to provide one another insight and assistance in their field. Additionally, they can access AASL-created PD courses to help them hone their skills in many different facets of the library. Aside from the overall advocacy work of its parent organization, the AASL has published toolkits to help librarians advocate for their library. It has also published several frameworks since its created, the most recent being the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries. In doing so, it provides guidelines and expectations for learners, librarians, and libraries to help develop successful library programming and provide the education needed for students to be successful information seekers.

Explain the role of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) as it relates to teen readers and the school library

This is a branch of the ALA that was developed with the intention of ensuring libraries are adequately and appropriately staffed/stocked to accommodate teen readers. Its primary goal is to ensure all teens have equal access to quality literature and needed info regardless of existing barriers. It provides continued PD opportunities that focus on involving teens in the library and providing resources to meet their needs. It's also responsible for awarding the Alex Awards, Edwards Award, Morris Award, Nonfiction Award, Odyssey Award, Printz Award, and Pura Belpré Award. Its Teen Book Finder Database is a tool that allows users to quickly find these high-quality and award-winning titles for teen readers. This is helpful in guiding librarians in collection development as well as in guiding teens in book selection. Memberships provide librarians with access to more PD opportunities, grants, and networking opportunities. Its PD opportunities are also accessible through the symposiums and conferences it hosts throughout the year.

Explain how the work of the Associate for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) relates to the school library

This is a professional community centered around the use of educational tech. While it’s not library-specific like many other organizations, its work and emphasis on tech in education align directly with the role of the school librarian in preparing students to be lifelong learners. Through its international forum, it can update and share information as it changes and evolves with the rapid growth of tech. Its goal as it relates to the school library is to develop/promote best practices related to ed tech. To do so, it has published several books/briefings/continues to publish two bimonthly journals that highlight the importances/appropriate usage of tech. In partnership with the AASL, it developed the Learning and Teaching Principles of School Library Media Programs, which solidified the role school libraries play in tech ed and vise versa.

Explain the goals of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) as they relate to school libraries

It focuses on the use of tech to enhance education at all grade levels. It focuses on many aspects of ed tech, including digital citizenship, STEAM, AI, computational thinking, and online learning. It offers online courses and certifications for all educators to assist them in developing curricula and lessons that meet their ed goals for students and integrating appropriate and safe tech use. It hosts annual summits as well as in-person and virtual learning symposiums for educator sand also offers related books, blogs, podcasts, and journals for more independent PD. It works directly related to that of a librarian in the 21st century, whose role as the educator responsible for teaching the propre/effective use of ed tech has been established by many studies and frameworks.

Explain the purpose and function of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

This is a branch of the ALA that focuses on library services for children. It’s the largest organization in the world with this focus. Its work provides PD opportunities for librarians, book lists for use in collection development, and information on best practices for children’s library programming. Through this, it offers librarians guidance on developing and maintaining successful children’s programs. A membership also offers librarians access to serve on communities, task forces, and discussion groups. Additionally, it offers live meeting and lecture opportunities for PD related to children’s librarianship. Its responisble for deciding the winner of several book awards, including the Newberry and Caldecott Medals and the Geisel Award. It also provides scholarships and grants to members.

Outline the importance of state and local library organizations

While there are several national and international organizations that provide guidance and information on best practices for librarians, other similar organizations exist at the state and local level. The most important for school librarians are the bodies that determine licensing criteria. They establish the level of education, standardized testing, and experience required to become a licensed school librarian. These decisions are typically made at the state level. Many of these organizations also provide librarians with grant opportunities for their library. Similar to larger organizations, state and local groups provide networking and PD opportunities. Because the roles and responsibilities of local and state organizations vary, it’s the responsibility of the library to remain informed of such organizations’ actions in order to remain in compliance with any mandates and best practices that they establish.

What are the major concepts of the national guidelines and their effects on the roles of the school library media specialist?

The AASL is the leader of national guidelines for librarians in schools. Through its publications, it shares research-backed common beliefs and standards for students, librarians, and libraries. The Common Beliefs needed for a successful school library program are established by the AASL and outline what is required of a school librarian to run an effective library that produces well-rounded and successful learners. These beliefs directly impact the role of a media specialist by establishing high expectations that can be achieved only by adhering to the standards framework, also developed by AASL. Their National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries established Shared Foundations for learners, librarians, and libraries, and those foundations are Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curate, Explore, and Engage. This framework directly impacts school librarians by not only establishing nationwide expectations they themselves must meet, but also by creating standards that must be met by the students and the library in order for librarians to be considered effective in their roles.

List key stakeholders who are affected by library decisions and describe their interests in various kinds of library decisions

Some of the key stakeholders include librarians, library support staff, students, admin, parents, teaching faculty, and information tech professionals (IT). Librarians are affected by every decision made regarding the library since their mission includes the effective administration of all its aspects. Library support staff are interested in nearly all the same things that librarians are, but they’re less directly involved with certain operational aspects (budgeting/vision). Students are invested in the overall experience of the library, which includes having access to a wide selection of books, a knowledgeable staff who can help, fun/educational programs, and research or tech assistance tools. Administrators want to ensure that the library operates effectively (meets goals, aligns with the school mission within budget). Parents are likely to be concerned about the educational experience of their kids and may wish to ensure their children are being protected from inappropriate materials. Teachers and IT pros want the library to support the instructional needs of the school, which includes providing research, tech, and teaching help to students and teachers.

Outline some of the key benefits associate with a diverse library decision-making board that includes a wide variety of school library stakeholders

A diverse board with stakeholders will enjoy many benefits, such as improved school buy-in, inclusive/effective decisions, and a wide variety of perspectives, which promote new/different ideas. Including the various groups affected by library decisions on the board allows each group the opportunity to explain their unique viewpoint on a given issue, which will help the board avoid potential problems before they occur. For instance, a library board that doesn’t include IT professionals might make decisions that rely on tech resources the school doesn’t have the knowledge base to operate. Including each of the stakeholders in decisions has the benefit of increasing overall enthusiasm for library programs and has the potential to increase funding from parents/administrators who feel they’re part of promoting an effective library that is taking their particular needs into consideration.

Describe some of the challenges associated with shared decision-making and explain how these challenges can be overcome

This can be challenging at times since the decisions are made by a group of different people with different needs and wants. The power dynamics of the various groups involved can exacerbate these challenges. These groups include students (low power); parents, faculty, and librarians (medium power); and school admin (high power), all of whom view their involvement as important. Ultimately, it’s up to school libraries and administrators to determine the needs of the library and make final decisions, but it’s important to ensure that each stakeholder group feels heard and understands how decisions will benefit them. If this isn’t possible, it’s desirable that all stakeholder groups understand the necessity of a decision that does not directly benefit them. Giving each group equal time and respect during group discussions goes a long way in promoting a civil and respectful library board meeting.

Define a school library philosophy and describe its use in the administration of a school library

This is a statement or set of statements that describe the library’s purpose, its values, and how it supports those values in practice. An effective written philosophy is one of the guiding principles of a school library that can help with decision-making and both short- and long-range planning. Common library values include ethical research, respect for others/their work, community, curiosity, and lifelong learning. By considering the school library’s stated values, the administration can make decisions and plans that support those values and evaluate decisions and plans based on how well they support the library’s philosophy and its values.

Compare/contrast school library philosophies and mission statements and describe why both are needed in library organization

While a school’s library philosophy states the various values that are emphasized in library offerings, a library’s mission statement (or statements) is more practical in nature and describes the various goals of the library and the methods used to achieve those goals. While both are key components of library decision-making and planning, philosophies and mission statements serve the library by describing the key interests and ideas it hopes to promote, while the mission statement provides concrete, measurable goals tied to library values. An example of a mission statement is as follows: “It is the mission of the school library to provide equal access to materials to all students regardless of background.”

Describe the key parts of a library mission statement and explain how each is important in guiding the mission of a school library

This consists of a goal, methods for achieving that goal, and reasoning for why that particular goal is needed. An effective mission statement doesn’t need to specifically include all three of these parts, but each is important in crafting a useful guiding statement for library decision-making. Without a goal, a library mission statement doesn’t exist. A goal gives the mission statement something to achieve and lets stakeholders know something that the school library intends to accomplish through its short- and long-term operations. The methods for achieving a goal give stakeholders information about how the goal will be accomplished and can generally be measured to track progress. The reasoning for a particular goal can reassure both library staff and other stakeholder groups that the goal is worth accomplishing, and it can explain why the library is invested in achieving this desired result.

Describe how library programs are selected, who selects them, and how they’re designed for a particular audience.

Library programs are the various structured resources, events, and services that the library provides to patrons. Programs are selected for a variety of reasons, including to support a particular school mission, promote literacy/education, encourage a particular stakeholder group to invest in the library, or highlight a particular library offering. Library programs are ultimately selected by librarians/staff, but both broad and specific programs should be supported by various stakeholder groups throughout the program’s lifetime. Programs should be tailored to the audiences at which they are targeted (e.g., 7th grade boys, 5th graders learning about research methods, high school students interested in YA romance novels), and should be aligned with library/school philosophies, values, and missions. By considering the target demographic for a particular program during the planning process, librarians and staff can tailor the program to that group by ensuring the program is actually of interest to them and meets their needs and wants. Effective library programs directly support the educational/social objectives of the library/school and cross -promote various library services.

Describe how goals and objectives drive library programs and directly impact every aspect of their administration

Library programs are driven by goals and objectives from start to finish. An effective library program has a purpose, measurable goals, and a plan to achieve those goals. An example program might have the purpose of attracting more young male readers to the library; have a goal of increasing male student patronage by 10% over the next year; and have a plan to achieve this by surveying young males for the kinds of programs they want from the library, creating programs aligned with those survey results, and promoting those programs. The planning, execution, and evaluation processes of library programs must always keep in mind the program’s goals to ensure the programs are effective and efficient. Without goals, library programs are unlikely to succeed at promoting the larger mission of the library/school and will not effectively contribute to the educational, social, and entertainment goals of the school and library.

Describe how library programs are evaluated, who evaluates them, and which methods are used

Library programs are evaluated according to how well they achieve their stated goals, align with and support the various philosophies and missions of the library and school, and support the educational objectives of classroom teachers. Programs should be evaluated by the various stakeholder groups impacted, which will be unique to a given program. For example, a program targeted at 6th grade history teachers, 6th grade history students, and perhaps other groups (depending on the specifics of the program). Methods for evaluating program success will vary but may include surveying stakeholders, comparing initial measurements (e.g., prior program participation, pretest scores, attitude surveys) to post-program assessments (e.g., current program participation, posttest scores, attitude surveys), and assessing program results to determine whether the program is in alignment with school and library missions.

Compare and contrast short- and long-range library planning, inclduing a discussion of the lengths of time each is concerned with and the types of plans made for the short and long term.

Short-range library planning is concerned with library operations/programs that will occur within the next 6 to 12 months, and it’s generally based on previous long-range planning efforts that have been split into manageable pieces that can be accomplished over various short terms. Long-range planning, then, is concerned with planning broader operations and programming efforts that will occur over the next 3 to 5 years, with some occurring over 10 years, depending on the organization and the plans being developed. While both types of planning are concerned with similar library operations and programs, the immediacy of short-term planning requires more thorough and detailed planning and will include things like the next semester’s programs, classroom projects, purchasing, and material selection/deselection. Long-range planning expands these same ideas out further to ensure that the library is achieving its goals in the long run, which includes proper budgeting procedures, alignment of library resources with school missions and educational needs, overall program offerings and objectives, and future areas of school growth and development.

Explain the importance of long-range planning as part of the overall administration of the school library

Long-range planning is designed to ensure that the school library is prepared for programs, procedures, and policies that may take effect more than one year in the future. For instance, a large-scale library renovation may be planned to begin in 5 years, which would prompt the library to ensure that the next 5 years are spent preparing for such a large-scale disruption. By having plans in place, a library can break up large problems into manageable pieces and handle them in the short term. Long-range planning also gives the library some insight into how well it has achieved its goals by allowing it to compare long-range plans to the actual events that later occurred in the short term. Essentially, long-range plans allow school libraries to better organize, plan, and promote library resources/services by tackling larger tasks over a longer period.

Describe how short- and long-range plans are decided, written, and evaluated

The length of a plan is proportional to the scale of the project being tackled. A program that is offered every year, for instance, likely has a large amount of the work required to plan is already completed from the previous year, so it can be slightly modified at the start of each year for implementation in the middle of the year (short range). A large program, perhaps one with the goal of increasing student reading levels by 10% across the board, is likely to take much longer time to complete (long range). By deciding the procedures and milestones much further in advance, the librarians have time to prepare and regularly reevaluate the plan. Once plans have been decided, it’s important to write them down in terms that can be measured so they can be evaluated during and after implementation to show how well they’ve achieved their stated goal. For example, if student reading levels have only increased by 9% after 5 years, it may be time to reevaluate the methods used, the length of time allotted to achieve the goal, or the goal itself.

Define a needs assessment and describe the process of conducting one

This is the process of determining whether a particular library program or offering is meeting its intended purpose. In practice, this means evaluating a given program or offering (e.g., nonfiction reference materials), determining how it should be functioning (e.g., current and quality materials that support the curriculum), and comparing that to how it is actually functioning (e.g., quality materials that support the curriculum but are many years out of date). The needs gap between current and desired states is where the library should focus its efforts in correcting the issue. In the case of programs, the needs may include time, volunteers, money, or supplies required to meet the program's intended purpose, such as a book fair that has the goal of providing a quality event that matches students with great books.

Describe some different types of scenarios that might prompt a needs assessment

Needs assessments should be conducted regularly for each of the various offerings of the school library, including programs and resources. Some resources that might need regular needs assessments include various library collections (e.g., visually impaired materials, magazine subscriptions, online databases) and the library’s physical technology (e.g., computer performance, audio/visual equipment, photo editing software). Some programs that benefit from needs assessments include book clubs, career fairs, or maker-space tutorials. In each case, the current offerings’ effectiveness in achieving stated goals should be compared to the desired offerings’ effectiveness.

Explain the importance of the needs assessment process, particularly as it relates to organization of library programs

Library needs assessments are critical to ensure the proper utilization of library resources such as time, money, and space. Without properly assessing the needs gap between the current and desired states of a program or resource, efforts may be wasted on a program that is already performing up to standard or even overperforming. For example, the nonfiction books on Greek mythology may be showing lower-than-expected circulation numbers, causing a librarian to believe that perhaps the titles should be deselected. If, however, the titles are necessary for an annual history project, then student needs are being met, and deselecting the titles would be counterproductive and waste time and money. The reverse is also possible, where a given resource is not recognized as underperforming even though it continues to not meet the needs of the group it is intended to serve. By conducting regular needs assessments, librarians can spot both performing and underperforming resources and align staff time and money to appropriate efforts.

What is “promotion” in the context of library programs and explain its purpose

This is the process of notifying various library stakeholders of the program and resources available through the school library. The purpose of promotion is to advertise library services to people who may not be aware of them. By increasing the number of people who understand the variety of library offerings, librarians and staff can increase program participation, volunteers, donations, and stakeholder buy-in. For programs particularly, promotion is key to ensure they’re well attended. The best programs in the world will fail if no one is aware of them.

Desribe how different promotional strategies may be desirable in order to reach the various targeted library stakeholder groups.

By considering the wants/needs of the various library stakeholder groups, librarians and staff can reach them with appropriate messaging through familiar channels. Some of the most important stakeholder groups to consider for promotion include students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Each of these groups has a particular set of needs regarding library programs, and each is best reached using their preferred communication channels. Students may care about how fun or helpful programs are for them, and they can generally be reached via classroom or library announcements, handouts, or direct communication with their parents. Parents may care about students’ educational needs being met by programs, and they can be reached by student handouts, PTA meetings, and email. Teachers may want programs that attract and retain students while providing good educational opportunities. They can generally receive library promotions directly from the library staff or through staff channels like meetings and email. Administrators are likely to be concerned with the cost and scope of programs, how they further educational objectives, and how they promote the mission of the school. They can generally be reached via personal conversations and formal presentations.

Explain how promotion of library programs and resources is related to library budgeting procedures

Library budgets are determined in many cases by the number and kind of programs and resources that the library offers. Many resources and programs may go unnoticed without proper promotion and personal librarian advertisement. Properly promoting library offerings can help those who fund the library to see it as being worth the money being spent, and it can encourage more donations. For school administrators, it is critical that library operations can be promoted in a way that emphasizes their importance and demonstrates specific needs for funding and staffing. Informally, promotion to local school communities can assist with budgetary needs by attracting donors and volunteers to reduce the need for direct library funding from the school.

Define and explain the difference between short-term and long-term financial objectives in school library budgeting

Short-term financial objectives are those with expenses that, along with the associated items used or obtained, will be paid for within one fiscal year or within another relatively brief financial period. Generally, the majority of regular library purchases will be short-term and will be made each semester or year. Long-term financial objectives are those with expenses that will be paid for over multiple fiscal years or other, broader financial periods. These are generally larger purchases or multiple purchases associated with a single large project that may exceed the typical budgeted amount for a given fiscal period; thus, they require money to be spread out over multiple years in order to remain within budget. Typically, library budgets include a mix of short- and long-term objectives that relate to the various budget priorities that come and go during the normal course of library business.

Give some examples of projects, programs, and resources that might be included in either short- or long-term financial plans.

An example of a short-term library objective might be the semesterly or annual purchase of new print books for the fiction/nonfiction collections. Each of these two collections has different needs and requirements for the purchasing timeline, but both will have regular purchases making up a large portion of the annual budget. Some other potential short-term objectives might be to update a particular section of the library with new furniture or replace a particular computer bank with updated hardware. A long-term objective may include reducing the amount of money spent on print books and instead increasing the funding for digital materials. A project of this size would likely require multiple years of planning and money to fully realize itself, so this would constitute a long-term objective. Another long-term objective might be overhauling the library’s makerpsace capabilities, including the purchase and maintenance of new equipment, staff training, and the development of programs to utilize the new equipment.

Explain how budgets are prioritized and discuss the best practices for maintaining a current and useful list of past purchases and future purchase sondierations

Library budgets are prioritized according to current short- and long-term library objectives, taking into account overall school and library missions as well as librarian and administrative priorities. A key strategy that many librarians utilize to effectively prioritize their limited funding is making prioritized lists of potential purchases. When librarians are speaking with various library stakeholders, new potential purchases will either be implicitly or explicitly suggested, and it’s critical that these suggestions are written down in order to consider their merits for future purchasing cycles. As each item is added to the list, it should be accompanied by an estimated cost and intended use. When items are purchased, they should be added to another list (or budgeting software) that details the data cost and use for future budget planning processes. Prioritized lists also allow for a more visual representation of potential uses for the budget and give librarians a quick method of locating an appropriate potential purchase when short-window budget windfalls occur (usually near the end of the fiscal year).

Explain how budgets are prioritized and discuss the best practices for maintaining a current and useful list of past purchases and future purchase considerations

Library budgets are prioritized according to current short- and long-term library objectives, taking into account overall school and library missions as well as librarian and administrative priorities. A key strategy that many librarians utilize to effectively prioritize their limited funding is making prioritized lists of potential purchases. When librarians are speaking with various library stakeholders, new potential purchases will either be implicitly or explicitly suggested, and it’s critical that these suggestions are written down in order to consider their merits for future purchasing cycles. As each item is added to the list, it should be accompanied by an estimated cost and intended use. When items are purchased, they should be added to another list (or budgeting software) that details the date, cost, and use of each expense so the information can be referred to during future budget planning processes. Prioritized lists also allow for a more visual representation of potential uses for the budget and give librarians a quick method of locating an appropriate potential purchase when short-window budget windfalls occur (usually near the end of the fiscal year).

Describe how the missions of the library and school influence budget priorities, including determining the percentage of the annual budget earmarked for particular line items.

Library budget priorities are heavily influenced by the overall missions of the school and library. Ultimately, this comes down to allocating funds that will actively promote the values and priorities of both, so the purpose of budgeting is to ensure that these priorities are properly funded. For instance, if the number one mission of a particular school library involves the active participation of people from all walks of life in the learning process, the library budget should reflect this mission by highly prioritizing materials and programs that promote and enhance a multicultural perspective. By actively considering why a particular line item is a priority, library budgets can be not only more efficient (i.e., spending money where it is useful), but also more easily understood by various library stakeholders.

Describe some of the key arguments school librarians can make to justify their budgetary needs, particular for specific high-ticket line items

Librarians may need to justify overall budgetary allocations as well as specific line-item purchases. A major mission of most school libraries is to serve the educational needs of the school by providing resources, programs, and training opportunities that align with and enhance those educational needs. By assuring administrators and other monetary decision-makers that library purchases and staffing directly support school educational goals, library budgets can be justified and potentially increased. A popular argument for justifying current or increased library budgets is one of student success. Some studies show that students tend to perform better academically when school libraries have larger collections and are better staffed. Another possible justification for library budgets is an explanation of what the negative outcomes for students would be without the expenditure. For example, a school that highly emphasizes STEM may strongly benefit from a well-funded makerspace that includes 3D printing, design software, staff training, and furniture that promotes collaboration. By explaining how the lack of such a program could negatively impact students’ learning experiences in these fields, a librarian could justify such an expensive project.

Outline some of the challenges librarians might encounter during the process of budgeting and suggest some ways they might be overcome.

One of the potential challenges librarians may face during the budget process is a lack of funding needed to accomplish all desired goals and fund all desired purchases. As school budgets get tighter, library budgets can sometimes be seen as an easy place to make some cuts. Librarians should find ways to promote the great importance of library programs and the many benefits libraries provide to student education. They should also educate administrators on the various resources available at libraries in order to defend their budgets and justify future investments. A prioritized list of desired purchases should be consulted to determine where funds must be spent to support school curricula and which purchases can wait. Another potential challenge librarians may face is a lack of information about resource purchases. For example, how can a librarian determine whether one database is better than another in order to justify a significantly larger price tag? By relying on professional library networks like the ALA or AASL, librarians can gain info and advice from trusted sources on how to properly evaluate various resource packages like databases or online catalog providers.

Explain some of the best practices school librarians can use to appropriately and effectively track past and future (both short/long term) spending

In concert with school financial experts, the librarian is responsible for maintaining an accurate record of past and future expenses. A properly maintained budget will include upcoming expenses, and a librarian should actively and immediately record when those expenses have been purchased. Careful/regular accounting is crucial to maintaining an accurate budget record, so it’s advisable to periodically (e.g./ daily, weekly, monthly) record expenditures and be aware of the amount of funds remaining for a given period or expense category (print books, promotional materials, training). By keeping long- and short-term expenditures together, librarians might be able to spread long-term expenditures out over multiple fiscal periods to avoid getting into a situation where funds no longer remain to cover an unexpected cost. Proper utilization of trained library staff paraprofessionals can greatly assist in the process of tracking library expenditures.

Describe the process of evaluating a budget plan as it relates to past and future expenditures

The primary purpose of evaluating budget plans is to ensure that the budgeted costs for resources and programs are adequate enough to provide the desired level of service. If a librarian completes a needs assessment regarding the various line items of the budget and the combined library offerings, it’s possible to determine the effectiveness of a particular budget. If it is clear that a particular resource or program is not providing the desired level of service at the currently budgeted cost, it may be discovered that it is not being adequately funded. Similarly, a particular program may be overfunded, with money gong ot waste while funding a program that is already performing up to expectations. Another way to evaluate a budget involves comparing past expenditures to current/future (planned) expenditures across the same line items and related categories (print books for teen programs). Utilizing a consistent format for budgets every year makes comparison much easier and allows librarians to see how certain programs or resources have performed over time compared to how much has been spent on them annually.

Outline the key contributors to a library budget and explain each of their roles in collaborative planning

Library budgeting, like other library decision-making processes, should be a collaborative process that includes representatives from each of the various library stakeholder groups. The various collaborators whose input should be considered when putting together library budgets include librarians, library support staff, school tech pros, financial pros, faculty, principals, and students. Each stakeholder group will have different opinions and emphasis when it comes to where and how money should be spent, so it’s important to weigh the pros/cons of each group’s input when making final decisions. Librarians are likely to be one of the most important decision-makers in this process since they hold the responsibility of operating the library and should be the most knowledgeable about its overall vision, needs, and offerings. On the financial side, school financial pros and principals are also very important since they hold the keys to proper disbursement and management of library funds. Input from the library support staff, tech pros, faculty, and students will also be valuable since they have intimate knowledge of the day-to-day workings of the library, know its tech needs and capabilities, and are the most regular users of the library.