Policies

Some resources I have found to be helpful when forming direction in our School LC are:

1. Asselin, M et al. Achieving Information Literacy: CASL, 2003.

I like this Canadian resource because it offers examples of what libraries look like on a continuum scale using criteria on issues such as:

Facility Standards, Collection size and quality, Library staffing, Technology, Community access etc…  So it’s a nice framework to help determine where your Library is at and what steps might be taken to bring it to the next level, or to create policies and documents that support new vision.  It is a document that would support Librarians in advocating for resources when creating these policies.  It uses categories: Below Standard, Acceptable and Exemplary

2. American Association of School Librarians.  Standards for the 21^st - Century Learner in Action. Chicago: AASL, 2009.

I was so excited to look through the AASL website as I now can see that it will help me to prepare all of these documents and policies.  No more remaking the wheel, just tapering.  It offers suggestion, templates, things to watch out for when thinking of all possible Library documents, policies or teaching how-to sessions.  I am certainly going to use this much more!

3. “From School Library to Library Learning Commons.  A Proactive Model for Educational Change”: BCTLA, 2013.

As an extra resource I really like this concise document to further demonstrate a snapshot of what information literacy should look like in the Library Learning Commons with the changing needs of todays learners.  It looks like a blog and sets out to accomplish a similar goal of using performance standards (from previous report card -not yet meeting, minimally meeting etc…) to show where the Library is on a scale.  I like that I either know or recognize a large number of people who I respect that were involved with this project.

Policy Crafting

It was so interesting reading about MacDonell’s must have list of essential documents.  All of them critical I can see.  I was relieved to see that I have already begun the process of writing some of these documents.  This began when I discovered a lack of student ability as well as teacher need.  I found students were unable to navigate the space, find and use information properly.  As well, teachers were asking for support in areas such as conducting research and creating bibliographies.   As I saw the need for information skills literacy and having nothing available to use to teach this, I began designing my own templates.   ww.dropbox.com/s/j40azs63utv03gd/Library%20Skills%20Lessons.docx?dl=0

Too bad I was recreating the wheel.  I should have found existing documents.  At least they directly apply to my teaching style.  I now understand these templates are actually critical documents that need to be in a specific binder for daily use.

I found both the readings on policy and advisory committee to be quite dry, what else could it be I guess.  However, I gained more understanding about what it is that I have already been trying to accomplish on my own through a lens that only I have understood until now.  I can now see the value of having a committee to guide, support, suggest, challenge and inform my practices over time.  Unfortunately it takes time to get to this place with a school.  It wasn’t until I was

6 months - 1 ½ years into my last position that I was able to start grappling with ideas of 2 year plans, developing curricula, criteria for spending, weeding and purchasing guidelines and creating forms to be used in teaching information literacy.  I first had to develop relationships with changing teachers and admin that took a long time.  After getting to a place where I felt I was starting to have an impact and a clear vision, I was moved to another school.  And so the process begins again.  At least I think it gets easier each time, with more awareness and experience than before.

Certainly some policies are time sensitive and others take time to create and cull.  I think in order of importance I would work on the following documents that should be available to anyone who asks to see them:

Mission Statement – need to create

Library Rules and Regulations - need

Library Skills Continuum-to guide in planning – have some

Internet Acceptable Use Policy/ Plagiarism - need

New Teacher forms – have already done

Cooperative Planning Policy – have some

Teaching How-To forms – have some

Parent Brochures - need

Acquisition – have some

Long Term Plan – had at my old school now need new one