Author: Dorothy Frechette

January 2008

What's in a name? Library media specialists are also teachers. As teacher librarians we teach the information process, understand the uses of technology, select and use a wide variety of materials, and work in partnership with classroom teachers using books, information and technology.

Here’s how we can make your life easier...
Your library’s catalog includes thousands of curriculum-based, authoritative K-12 links to sites on the Web, all educator-evaluated and checked regularly for availability. Each site listed is annotated, indicating grade levels for browsing and comprehension. Many of the sites also include lesson plans for teachers.
Your librarian can get multiple copies of a title to use for a reading circle.
Your library has an online subscription to World Book, including
Plus, World Book Advanced, which offers fully integrated secondary and primary source documents, individual accounts for users to save their research, a “How to” multimedia feature for evaluating reference sources, and an area for creating and saving timelines, citations, and pathfinders.

The school library media center - where information is available in a wide variety of formats, both print and electronic; where materials and activities are coordinated with classroom assignments; and where students learn information skills that will prepare them to live and work in the 21st century.

School libraries are the key to student achievement...
Research has shown a direct connection between high quality school library media programs and student achievement:
A large stock of books is a prerequisite for an effective reading program. Researchers found the quantity of resources in the school library to be a powerful predictor of reading scores, suggesting that a good school library can make up part of the gap between the rich and poor in literacy development.
Free voluntary reading has a positive impact on reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling ability, grammar usage and writing style. Children who read more typically have higher literacy development.
Students in schools with well-equipped library media centers staffed by professional library media specialists perform better on assessments of reading comprehension and basic research skills.
Spending for school library media programs is the single most important variable related to better student achievement.
Test scores increase when students know how to use, and have access to, sources of accurate online information about the subjects that they are studying.
We know from our research and our practical experience that our libraries can make a significant contribution to reading achievement for our students, in cooperation with our teachers, reading specialists, and parents.
An excellent school library is the central hub of information essential to every student and teacher.

Your library is on the web....
Pick out your library’s catalog from the list on the web at www.ricat.net.
The home page has information about your library, and helpful links to sites on the web and online information. Ask your librarian about adding web resources that you use with your students.
On the catalog tab, you can find out what your library has, and whether or not it’s available. Ask your librarian about a user name and log in so that you can have books or other items held for you. You can search other school libraries as well, and place requests for materials from other schools.
The catalog also features subject searchable links to sites on the web, K-12 curriculumbased, chosen and evaluated by educators.
Your username and log-in can also let you develop online booklists, and share these with the students and other teachers in your school.

RILINK is a cooperative effort by Rhode Island school libraries to share their resources through an interactive, web-based catalog of library materials. RILINK serves over 34% of Rhode Island public school students, providing access to more than 800,000 books and other materials in member libraries.

Teacher Librarian is published by the
Rhode Island Library Information Network for Kids