Author: Dorothy Frechette

May 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.

Working collaboratively — you and your library media specialist
Why should you collaborate with your school’s library media specialist?

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Save time (Who ever has enough?)

The Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) and Grade Span Expectations (GSEs) describe many skills where your librarian can be a valuable partner in the teaching process, pointing out book and web resources for both you and the students to use. Example:

(see note at the bottom of page two for the sources for the information highlighted in this issue)

An excellent school library is the central hub of information essential to every student and teacher.

Help your students achieve (That’s what it’s all about)
The Performance Based Graduation Requirements (PBGRs) for a high school diploma describe the research and synthesis skills needed by every graduate:
Your library media center is a great starting place, and your school library media specialist can guide students in choosing a topic, gathering and evaluating research, developing and making a presentation, and evaluating the process.

“LS4 (9-11) 9b Students demonstrate an understanding of how humans are affected by environmental factors and/or heredity by providing an explanation of how the human species impacts the environments and other organisms.”

“…students must demonstrate the application of knowledge through the following applied learning skills: Critical thinking, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Interpreting Information, Research, Analytic Reasoning, Communication, Personal or Social Responsibility.”

Web site from WebPath Express

Book: Human impact

DVD: People and the Environment

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.

We know from 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.

Add your expertise (Mama taught us all to share)
Why not plan a lesson with your librarian using library resources? Your librarian can show your students how to use the library and its resources, and can teach the research process.

Read (That’s what libraries are all about)
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. Spending for school library media programs is the single most important variable related to better student achievement.

Enjoy all those lovely resources
You paid for them, so use them. Visit your library’s site on the web (www.ricat.net) to identify books and other materials as well as related web sites to use with your students. Do a similar search in WorldBook Online (see your librarian for the web address, user name and password). If your library subscribes to other online databases, search those also. If you don’t find what you are looking for, ask your expert librarian for help. She or he can also ask for materials from other libraries using interlibrary loan, and can request multiple copies of a book for a reading circle. The delivery service from

Spending for school library media programs is the single most important variable related to better student achievement.

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.

the statewide library network (LORI) delivers these at no charge to your school (your tax dollars at work through the Office of Library and Information Services).
Your librarian also has other online resources that they can tap into, including a huge magazine article index; books, AV, and web sites listed by libraries throughout the world; health information; and full text magazine articles that they can print out or email for you. Stay current in your field, or get materials for continuing education and graduate study. These are all available through something called FirstSearch - a part of your library’s membership in the LORI library network (your tax $ at work). The world of information at your fingertips is virtually (pun intended) limitless.

Sources:

Report on the Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement, ASLA, 2004. <www.asla.org.au>
Rhode Island K-12 Grade Span Expectations in Science - Life Science. <www.ride.ri.gov>
School Libraries Work! Scholastic. <www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/s/slw3_2008.pdf>
Student Requirements for Graduation, Rhode Island Diploma System. <www.ride.ri.gov>

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

“LS1 (3-4) 1b Students demonstrate an understanding of classification of organisms by identifying, sorting and comparing based on similar and/or different external features.”

Book: Classification

DVD: What is a living thing ?

Web site from WebPath Express

“Students in school with well-equipped library media centers staffed by professional library media specialists perform better on assessments of reading comprehension and basic research skills.”

“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.”