The School Library Media Manager, Chapter 9—On the Job: Managing the Budget

The School Library Media Manager, Chapter 9—On the Job: Managing the Budget

There are several ways that budgeted money can be distributed—a specified amount can be given per school or a designated amount allotted per pupil. Library media programs may have to compete with art, music or physical education programs for a share of this money. The school district’s budget is planned out the year before and usually the superintendent presents the proposed budget to the school board for their approval.

            “Public schools can be defined as service institutions, but measuring the quality of their services can be difficult.” (Woolls, 148) Between the struggling economy and the poor performances on state mandated tests, many people seem to think that the schools aren’t succeeding. Well-known businessman, Peter Drucker thinks this is because the schools haven’t had to earn the right to exist. They were just given the money to run their programs through property tax revenues. But with the struggling economy, tax payers are demanding better results on the standardized tests and holding educators responsible for the outcome. Budgets for schools are shrinking each year and that of course, affects the library media program.

            School districts may have different ways of showing the expenditures but many use line-item descriptions. “This means that each item of the budget is placed on a line next to the account number and the description of that item.” (Woolls, 147) Usually they will show the preceding year’s expenditures, the current year’s expenditures and the next year’s expected expenditures. Library media specialists should find out who in their school is in charge of the budget, consult them and ask any questions, in order to make sure the budget is completed correctly.

The Fiscal Year

All ordering and processing of the orders should be done before the end of the fiscal year or the LMS will lose that money for the year as well as have the same amount charged to next year’s budget. The library media specialist needs to work closely with the person in charge of the school’s budget to make sure everything is ordered, processed and charged in a timely matter and allocated correctly. Each LMS should be aware of everything purchased, so if there is a discrepancy at the end of the year, the LMS can challenge it. It would be terrible for band uniforms to come out of the library’s budget!

Writing Specifications

            Being very specific when writing up orders (especially technical equipment orders) and including as much as you can about the items you wish to purchase will help ensure that you receive good quality equipment. Different companies may bid on the contract, so you must be diligent about making sure the equipment is what you need and that it is high quality so they will last. If the equipment provided is not high quality then the LMS must write up the reasons for rejecting the contract and for sending the equipment back. This can take more time so being very specific from the start will hopefully help the LMS receive the right equipment the first time.

Cost Accountability

            Figuring out the cost of equipment and services are important to help discern future budgets but also to prove to parents and students the value of the library media program. The author uses an example of the cost of the books circulated. In her example, if the average cost of a book is $24 and 200 of them are circulated each week for nine weeks, teachers and students have borrowed 24 x 200 which equals 4,800 x 9 which equals $43,200 worth of books! Another good reason to calculate the cost is if a library needs an extra clerk, by figuring out how much it costs the LMS to check-out books as opposed to a clerk, the money saved could be calculated and the position justified. This is especially important if the LMS is not able to collaborate with teachers or help students because there is no clerk to do the more mundane tasks.

            Whether or not the LMS is in charge of the budget or not, they must take an active role in pursuing the funds they need to keep the library media program functioning at peak performance.

Writing Proposals

            Sometimes the money needed to expand the LMP is not in the school’s budget and a well-thought out, detailed proposal can sometimes be used to solicit more funding.  This proposal might be for local funding, state funding or even national funding and it might even be included in a bigger proposal that involves more than one school.

            The key components of a good proposal should include the specific needs, goals and objectives, a plan of action, an evaluation plan, a list of facilities and available resources and a budget plan. Enlist other teachers, library media specialists and even your principal to help evaluate the need. Also, look at other schools and districts to see what they in place as a comparison to your school’s media center. Providing facts and examples will help give the money people a better understanding of what you are trying to do and where and how the money will be used. Make sure all your goals and objectives are able to be measured or at the outcome predicted. Write a “step-by-step plan of realistic activities to meet the objectives and alleviate the need.” (Woolls, 155) When writing a proposal, a LMS should always include relevant data to support their choices and include a timeline whenever possible.

            There needs to be a plan in place for evaluating the activities. This isn’t always easy and asking someone who specializes in measurements and tests might be a good idea. They can help the LMS build a specialized evaluation plan. The LMS should be ready to present a presentation on the project to the appropriate group of people, in case he or she is asked. They must also be willing to share information with others like parents or the newspaper and television media. More than likely the public relations person at the district level will handle this, but the LMS should be prepared just in case the need arises.

            Be sure to include a description of the space available for the implementation of the proposal and any additional resources that are available. Everyone working on the project must be listed and any added staff must be listed as well. Job descriptions, resumes, length of time that they would work on the project must all be included, as well as permission to use the person’s name that is listed on the proposal. If at all possible, try to enlist people who have worked on other similar projects, so they are known to the people who are funding the project.

            It’s important to anticipate all the costs, so there are no surprises at the end. Make sure you have the support of the school district so they won’t reject the proposal after all your hard work. It’s important to pay attention to detail and stay on top of deadlines. Make sure to include all pertinent paperwork. Attention to detail will help the proposal not be delayed.

            Whether or not the proposal is accepted, it gives the LMS an opportunity to practice writing and presenting a proposal and eventually, a proposal is bound to be accepted.

            I can’t say that I am looking forward to writing proposals, but I think it is a challenge that I will have to face, and I know I can do it with the help of others. It’s important to know how to plan and implement a budget. I used to have to do this at Borders, so I already have a little experience with budgets.

Citation:

Woolls, Blanche.  The School Library Media Manager.  Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited, 2008.

Readings and Reflection for 6-28-11, Budgets

Readings and Reflection for 6-28-11, Budgets

Lori Jane Perdew

LIS 5240

Book Budgets—Hanging on to What Is Yours, by Jacquie Henry.

            In this time of economic uncertainty, I loved Jacquie Henry’s idea for protecting her budget. She suggests filling out requisitions for books from your favorite book distributor and sending it to the business office but ask them not to mail it. Instead ask them to give you the Purchase Order number and let you order it over the internet. This way, you have purchase order numbers for all your books, but you don’t have to rush to order them.

She says that she breaks up the orders into usually three—one to replace old or lost books, one for non-fiction to go with that year’s curriculum and literature/fiction to cover Language Arts and Reading. I would include Communication Arts in that category too. She usually does this towards the end of the fiscal year, so that when she comes back to the school in September, her P.O. is waiting for her and she can start purchasing that year’s books. This way, the money is encumbered and can’t be cut from the budget. Personally, I think this is an awesome idea and one that I would definitely use in the future.

Citation:

Henry, Jacquie. “Book Budgets – Hanging on to What Is Yours.” Wanderings 20 Nov. 2009. Web. 29 Jun 2011.

 <http://wanderings.edublogs.org/2009/11/20/book-budgets-hanging-on-to-what-is-yours/>.

Budgeting for Mean, Lean Times, Part 5 by Doug Johnson

            Doug Johnson says that LMS’s should make sure that their budgets are based on results not created by someone else who hands over a set amount of money and tells you to make do with the amount. He says that it is up to the LMS to communicate effectively the needs of the program in order to meet the goals and expectations.

            There are three main parts to a program oriented budget—goals, requested amount of money and outcome projected. Library media specialists need to let the powers that be know what they expect will happen to student learning if the funds are provided for the program. They also need to let them know exactly how much money they need and how they will spend it and finally, they will need to document everything related to the program so they can show how the program has progressed.

            Johnson says talk about your school’s specific needs, not the state or federal standards. School districts are more likely to give money to a school that mentions the specific needs of certain teachers and has specific long range plans than to a school whose library media specialist quotes statistics and state and federal standards. He also suggests working with an advisory committee because it’s harder for school districts to reject a budget when there is more than one person presenting it.

Citation”

Johnson, Doug. “Budgeting for Mean, Lean Times Part 5.” The Blue Skunk Blog 20 Dec. 2009. Web. 29 Jun 2011.

<http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2009/12/20/budgeting-for-mean-lean-times-part-5.html>.

Help Sweep Up the Budget Dust, by Doug Johnson

            Doug Johnson says that the end of the year is a good time to check for what he calls “budget dust”—that left over emergency money you stashed away just in case there was a problem or money that your principal has left at the end of the school and needs to use right away. Be prepared with a list of items that you could use for the library like a new digital camera or light bulbs for Smartboards. If you don’t spend your whole budget, then there is a good chance that the next year you’ll end up with a smaller budget; not to mention losing what you had allocated but not spent this year. Just be sure that the items on your list are readily available for purchase.

            I actually had this happen to me this past spring. My principal came into the library and said, “Lori, if you had three hundred dollars to spend, what would you purchase? I immediately said that I would purchase some great graphic novels that I had learned about in one of my graduate classes. (The librarian hated graphic novels and refused to purchase them.) She said, “Give me a list of the titles, prices and where to purchase them, and we’ll do it.” A week and a half later, I had the graphic novels in my hand and a few days later, the books were prominently on display. I know I wouldn’t have been able to get the graphic novels if I hadn’t been prepared to answer my principal’s question.

Citation:

Johnson, Doug. “Help Sweep Up the Budget Dust.” The Blue Skunk Blog 3 Jun. 2009. Web. 29 Jun 2011.

<http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2009/6/3/help-sweep-up-the-budget-dust.html>.

Zero-Sum Budgets and Technology by Doug Johnson

            In this article, Doug Johnson has some of the same information as he did in his article, “Budgeting for Mean, Lean Times Part 5.” He does say that that school funding is unlikely to increase and may decrease due to the troubled economy and to what he calls “today’s anti-tax climate.” (Johnson, Zero-Sum) So, library media specialists have to be willing to fight for what they need. It’s not pretty, but it might be necessary in the end.

            He says that you need a goal-driven budget, be specific about what you need and why, and document everything, so you can point to your successes and quantify your budget request. Let them know what very well could happen if the library budget is not approved. Be specific, but don’t sound threatening. You want to warn them of the consequences but not beat them over the head with it.

            He also talks about how to talk to the number-crunchers about maintaining the technology in the school. You can’t just purchase computers and forget them. Computers break down and the technology changes, so you need to make sure they understand that it costs more in the long run if you don’t replace computers when they need to be replaced. He has a formula:

“Maintenance budget=replacement rate x total number of items x average cost.” (Johnson, Zero Sum) He gives an example and says that if technology maintenance isn’t accounted for, the technology will get worse. Let the number-crunchers factor that fact.

            Another suggestion Johnson has is that the LMS serve on governing committees and get involved in legislative platforms on the state and national level. Make your voice be heard. You aren’t allowed to whine if you’re not willing to get involved. You must be ruthless and fight for your part of the pie. No one else will do it for you.

“Zero-Sum Budgets and Technology.” The Blue Skunk Blog 5 Jul. 2007. Web. 29 Jun 2011. <http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/zero-sum-budgets-and-technology.html>.

Empowering Learners, Chapter 3: Budget

Empowering Learners, Chapter 3: Budget

            The school library media specialist has to create a budget that will cover the immediate expenses but that will also help the program of learning and teaching grow for the future. When planning a budget, the LMS must assess the needs and wants of the library program, create an action plan to achieve success, diligently document the progress made, keep track of evidence that proves the value of the SLMP for teachers and students both on a local and national scale and look toward future improvement and development plans. By showing how the library media center can positively impact the students’ (and teachers’) continued learning through documented achievements, the library media specialist has a better chance of receiving optimal funding for the program.  

            The LMS should meet on a regular basis with the principal to discuss the budget, including any concerns, plans for fundraising, grant opportunities or parent donations. The LMS can help stretch the budget by using good free web-based apps and tools and by working with discount book vendors.

            The library media specialist must be proactive when it comes to not only the development and continuation of the SLMP, but must also be proactive when it comes to funding the program and the LMS must document everything! If you can’t prove that your program is working, you’re more than likely not going to receive the money you want and need.

Works Cited:

Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs. Chicago: American Association of School Libraries, 2009.

Lori Jane Perdew

LIS 5240

Empowering Learners, Chapter 3

Empowering Learners, Chapter 3

            This chapter of the book, Empowering Learners talks about the planning and evaluating of the School Library Media Program SLMP (AASL, 30); Staffing (AASL, 32) and The Learning Space (AASL, 33).

Planning and Evaluating the SLMP

There needs to be long-range, calculated plan that includes a mission statement, setting and accomplishing goals and objectives. One way to accomplish this plan is for the Library Media Specialist LMS to design a mission statement that really lets people know why the library and the LMS is really there and what they want to happen in regards to the facility, staff and students. I think even before a mission statement is hashed out or goals and objectives are set, the LMS needs to evaluate the needs of the staff and students and the demographics of the community through interviews and surveys. This can help the LMS to formulate a mission statement and establish goals and objectives, as well as keep the program headed in the right direction in the future. After the goals and objectives are determined, then achievement steps and realistic timelines need to be created. Some type of success assessment needs to be made in order to know if the goals were reached. “Quantitative data include surveys, reports and statistics. Qualitative data are collected through interviews, observation and journaling . . .” (AASL, 31)

            The LMS must always be looking at short and long-term goals, assessing the needs of the people and the program and determining the strengths and weaknesses of the program. This is called an action plan. The LMS must also be able to determine what, if any money is needed to complete the goals and objectives. He or she will work with the principal to make sure the staff knows the plan and works together to accomplish it.

Staffing

            The SLMP must have at least one full-time, licensed Library Media Specialist who determines the staffing needs based on the instructional aspects of the program, size of the library, the services that are provided, the number of teachers and students and the traffic patterns of the students and teachers. This person is supposed to help select, train and evaluate additional support staff as well as provide job descriptions and assign tasks. Regular feedback and evaluations are necessary to make sure all the staff is actively supporting the goals and objectives.

The Learning Space

            In this section, the discussion is about the physical and virtual space of the library. It should be inviting, comfortable and conducive to learning—for both the individual and for groups. The hours should fit the needs of the students and teachers, not the library staff. The physical space should also fit the needs of the learners—open spaces for events and large groups; comfortable chairs and tables grouped together for small group collaboration; multimedia lab; individual chairs in quieter spaces for those who just want to read or study; and computers and video games for group fun.

            The LMS should also have  a Web site  for round the clock access to information such as databases,  homework assignments, links to other sites and more. It’s important for the LMS to make sure the equipment and technology is up to date but also in good working order, to enhance the learning experience.

Works Cited:

Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs. Chicago: American Association of School Libraries, 2009.

Lori Jane Perdew
LIS 5240

What Will You Do Differently Next Year? By Larry Ferlazzo

What Will You Do Differently Next Year? By Larry Ferlazzo

            He asked educators to answer this question. He had over fifty educators respond, so he divided the blog articles into two parts. He asked them to share only a couple of ideas and asked them to limit their reasoning to two or three sentences. I am going to share a few of the ones he received:

·        A middle school teacher responded that he would like to write more consistently on his class blog; update it more often. And he would love to find a way to make science more interesting and practical.

·        Another blogger wrote that she would like to encourage her students to take charge of their learning by setting some of their own goals and deciding for themselves how they want to learn the information. And she will be offering “unplugged conversation courses” for adults next year.

·        One teacher decided that she wants to come up with more creative writing assignments that will challenge her students and hopefully, cause them to write more and better. She also wants to spend more time on grammar and the mechanics of writing.

·        Another said that she will actively seek to collaborate with positive people this year. She has vowed not to let negative people and thoughts get her down. I think that is a great one to end on.

Citation:

Ferlazzo, Larry. “What Will You Do Differently Next Year?” Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day . . . 30 May 2011. Web. 24 Jun 2011.

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2011/05/30/what-will-you-do-differently-next-year/

Lori Jane Perdew

LIS 5240

ALA Programs on Reference—Preservation of eReference and the Wikipedia Effect

ALA Programs on Reference—Preservation of eReference and the Wikipedia Effect

            At the ALA annual meeting, there are several programs that the No Shelf Required blogger recommends. The first is Reference Publishing: Preservation Trends & Issues. It will be on June 25, from 1:30-3:30 pm. This presentation will include a discussion on the difficulties of preserving electronic references and on some of the solutions to these problems.

            The second presentation is on how Wikipedia has changed the way people search for and find reference information. Three presenters, each representing a different area of reference research (library, publishing and online research) will be discussing how Wikipedia has changed the way research is created, searched for and evaluated. It should be a very lively discussion.

            I would love to be there for that event! I am sure that there will be some animated discussions on how reliable information is when anyone can add to it without any credentials or formal training.

Citation:

“ALA Programs on Reference—Preservation of eReference and the Wikipedia Effect.” No Shelf Required 22 Jun 2011. Web. 25 Jun 2011.

http://www.libraries.wright.edu/noshelfrequired/?p=3950&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NoShelfRequired+%28No+Shelf+Required%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

           

Library Spaces

Library Spaces

            This was a fascinating group of articles, blogs and video. There were too many to talk about each one, but I will say, I learned an awful lot about creating a learning commons. There were some remarkable examples of creative, exciting and inviting library spaces in the videos. I loved the openness of so many of the libraries and the colorful pictures and words on the walls. One of my favorite libraries had a big dragon on one wall and a castle on another with open seating that made me want to just sit down and read a book or watch a puppet show.

            The big idea I came away with is that there is no one design that works for every library. Each school library was different and yet, striking and inviting in different ways. There were some good design principles laid out, like make your space flexible, put things on wheels, buy comfortable seating that can be easily moved, put in a lot of outlets all over the library, so the students can recharge their iPhones, laptops and other electronic devices. Figure out first what the different needs of the learners are, then plan the space. I loved the fact that so many of the libraries created social areas where students could hang out, talk and play video games, but they also had small-group work spaces, event spaces, computer labs and video labs.

            Each library took the time to find out what the students and staff needed to build a community of learners that is alive, excited and dynamic. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for libraries if these are the libraries of the future.

Citation:

“Library Spaces.” Elementary Library Routines. 27 May 2011. Web. <http://elementarylibraryroutines.wikispaces.com/Library+Spaces>

Lori Jane Perdew

LIS 5240

Theory into Practice—Rolf Erikson on Third Place Libraries

Theory into Practice—Rolf Erikson on Third Place Libraries by Rolf Erikson

            Rolf Erikson calls the library “the third place.” This means a place where students want to hang out and have conversations. He goes on to talk about the renovated library at Chelmsford High School in Massachusetts. He believes that the library is a success for two main reasons—the first is the sheer space of the place (12,000 square feet), and the second reason is that the staff involved in the re-design was eager to create a place that would draw students in.

            They created a comfortable place where students could hang out with their friends, drink coffee and discuss things that are important to them. Erikson believes that by creating these friendly, comfortable spaces, the academics will improve also. He says that a library doesn’t have to do things on the scale of Chelmsford, but with a few minor changes, any library can create that “third place” and hopefully create excitement amongst the students and staff. I thought he made sense. I want students to come to the library just to hang out and chat, play video games and read. The more students I can get to come into the library the better. For if they are comfortable in the library in social situations, then the more comfortable they will be when learning in the library.

            The one thing I hated about where I worked last year, is that whenever a group of students had detention or had to stay at school instead of going on a field trip—they always sent them to the library. I felt that it reinforced to the students that the library is where you go when you are bad. I’ve been trying to get them to put them into a classroom or some other space other than the library, but it hasn’t worked so far. I won’t keep trying to change that fact.

Citation:

“Theory into Practice - Rolf Erkison on Third Place Libraries.” The Blue Skunk Blog 18 Feb. 2009. Web. 28 May 2011.

 <http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2009/2/18/theory-into-practice-rolf-erkison-on-third-place-libraries.html>

Lori Jane Perdew

LIS 5240

Library Design—Flexibility and the Future by Doug Johnson

Library Design—Flexibility and the Future by Doug Johnson

Fact: Technology will change and resource formats will change. School libraries must plan for future changes. One way to do this is to try to design your library space so that it can change or be re-arranged as easily as your technology will. Make sure there are plenty of outlets and if you can arrange it, try to place classrooms next to your library, so if you need more space in the future, you might be able to incorporate the classrooms into your space. Or make sure the library is next to an outside wall, so you could eventually add on if needed.

Don’t try to plan for technology that isn’t here yet. Things change so rapidly, that the technology that you plan for, for the future, may never happen.  The important design lesson: Make your space flexible! I think everything on wheels is a good policy. I learned that from working at Borders. The corporate offices would plan a fixture move and nothing was on wheels, so it was a nightmare moving books and shelving units. Also, if you can have removable walls, it might make things easier in the long run.

Citation:

Johnson, Doug. “Library Design - Flexibility and the Future.” The Blue Skunk Blog 14 May 2008. Web. 28 May 2011.

 <http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2008/5/15/library-design-flexibility-and-the-future.html>.

 Lori Jane Perdew

LIS 5240

LibraryWorks: Helping Libraries Prosper

LibraryWorks: Helping Libraries Prosper, October 2009, Best Practices, School Library Design by WBDG Staff

            School libraries are different than other types of libraries because they are housed inside of another building and they usually house other things like classrooms and computer labs. They are usually smaller than other libraries and so planning the space for the present and the future needs is very important. A librarian must plan for different activities that go on in the library—students reading, working on projects, working on computers and meeting are just some the activities.

            There are so many things to consider from lighting needs, electrical needs, wall adjustments, acoustics and cable connections to just name a few. With computers, there is the need for servers, cable connections, outlet needs and surge protectors. There are the needs for distance learning and for students with disabilities. There are local, state and national codes and standards that must all be followed as well.

            It is imperative that any physical changes to a library needs to be planned out in great detail first and an architect and contractor should be included in the discussions.

Citation:

“Best Practices - School Library Design.” LibraryWorks Oct. 2009. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://www.libraryworks.com/LibraryWorks_Supplements/1009/BP_School_Library_Design.htm>

Lori Jane Perdew

LIS 5240

Five Design Feature Must Haves for My Library Learning Commons

 Five Design Feature Must Haves for My Library Learning Commons

Lori Jane Perdew, LIS 5240

            I envision at least seven distinct areas of the library:

1)      As you walk in the door, the first area would be the social networking area. It will have comfortable and colorful seating, arranged in little groups or clusters with small tables. All the furniture will be easy to move on the carpet. There will be some individual computers on casual tables so multiple students can congregate to play video games or do other things. I would love to have a designated space within this space for a Wii system. I still don’t think that I would allow food and drink in this space. I would also provide a few cushy chairs with built in mini tabletops for students to use individually for laptop or reading use.

2)      The second area would be the group work stations. Again, this would still be casual. I think I would have a few booths with tables (all on wheels) and some sled type chairs and tables. This area is where small groups of students can gather and work on projects with or without their teachers. There will be a lot of outlets and floor boxes to hold cables and provide outlets to all students and their laptops or to the computers provided in the library. The furniture here would be more grouped together to create areas where at 4 or more students (up to about twelve or so) would be able to work together on projects.

3)      I would definitely want an area where things like special events, lectures, and presentations can be held and larger classes can come to work and collaborate. This area would have removable walls so it can be made as large or as small as is needed. I would have comfortable sled chairs and some foldable tables, so if there is a need for laptops or other computers, then the tables can be arranged. I would definitely not have just rows of desks and chairs. I would like to have at least one wall as a white board wall, where students can work on problems and leave there for someone else to continue.

4)      I would also have a multimedia lab where students and teachers can film and/or edit film and also learn how to use the equipment. This would be a separate area with removable walls or glassed in so I could see if the students needed help with anything. I would definitely want some type of walls.

5)      I would have a computer lab with computers/laptops so teachers could bring groups down to work on projects. Like the multimedia lab, it would have some type of walls. I think I would probably have glass walls and a door to the corridor so the teacher could bring the students directly into the computer lab without having to go through the library.

6)      I would also have a small area designated as the study area where there would be small alcoves with the chairs mentioned above that have the tables attached. This would be a place for students who need to come to the library to work and study individually and who prefer a quiet environment.

7)      I would still like to have a service desk and a workroom/storage area. The service desk would have a computer and chair, but I wouldn’t want it too big, as I would hope that I or my aide would be able to take turns roaming around and checking to make sure no one needs help. I would like an area where we could repair books and store expensive equipment. I would like to have both wire and wireless internet access throughout the library learning commons.

So, the five significant design features must be: casual, comfortable furniture that can be moved or folded; removable walls; tons of outlets and floor boxes to hold cables; lots of color (not necessarily a lot of different colors, but not a lot of white, beige or institutional green); and low and high technology—white boards, e readers, lots of computers/laptops, mobile devises, whatever is needed to inspire creativity and collaboration.

            I would still have books in my library (mostly fiction), but I would have the shelving units on wheels and not really tall (unless against the wall). I think the biggest thing is to provide a welcoming, comfortable working and socializing environment that is very flexible and fluid. Then, I think, the library learning commons can and will be “the place to be.”

Works Cited:

“Habits and Habitats: Introducing the IDEA.” Online Posting. YouTube, 4 Feb 2011. Web. 24 Jun 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0iKZZGSRqw

 “JISC-Libraries of the Future.” Online Posting. YouTube, 29 Jun 2009. Web. 24 Jun 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjoJd_uN-7M

 McMullen, Susan. “U.S. Academic Libraries: Today’s Learning Commons Model.” PEB Exchange (2008).        

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/24/56/40051347.pdf

 “The Collaborative Learning Commons Video.” Online Posting. SchoolTube, 5 Jun 2011. Web. 24 Jun 2011.

http://www.schooltube.com/video/2a138405ea18f0630b05/The-Collaborative-Learning-Commons

3 of the 5 Blogs (Sorry, haven't finished the others yet)

An Inspired and Inspiring Sharing by David Warlick

            David Warlick went to an event for the Ohio eTech ARRA Grant recipients. There he listened to former grant recipient-teachers, tech facilitators and administrators talk about some of the pros and cons of a “tech-rich” classroom. They discussed what surprised them—parent resistance was an issue at first but after a very thorough discussion with parents, they mostly came around to the new technology. The teachers also talked about how surprised they were with the quality of the work the students performed. Apparently the students who didn’t seem too interested in working on their assignments before, were a lot more interested in the work now.  If that isn’t a reason to use more 21^st-century technology, I don’t know what is. They mentioned how easy it turned out to be for the teachers to learn and use the new technology.

            Everyone was excited about the fact that some students started taking on different responsibilities in the classroom and on team projects. Teachers started seeing some skills in their students that they hadn’t noticed before. And teachers started teaching differently, incorporating new technology in some of their things like reading assignments and that created more interactive learning.
            I loved that one principal said that he used to worry when he saw a group of students all congregated together and he didn’t see a teacher. He naturally assumed that would mean trouble, but now he thinks, “What are they learning right now?” (Warlick) What a change of thought and, probably attitude on both the students and the principal. Not everyone liked the change in teaching style. Apparently there were some students who received good grades (notice I didn’t say learned a lot through the old style) who suddenly weren’t doing as well. They wanted someone to tell them what to do and what to think. They didn’t want to actually have to think, just memorize.

Citation:

Warlick, David. “An Inspired and Inspiring Sharing.” 2 Cents Worth 24 Jun 2011. Web. 24 Jun 2011.

Building the Future of Libraries Now with Enchantment and Participatory Learning by The Unquiet Librarian

The Unquiet Librarian shares her vision of the future of libraries in this video presentation.  In this video presentation, she asks

·         How can we change people’s perceptions of the library—the mission and the purpose of libraries?

·         Create meaningful, learning experiences?

·         Building a learning community?

·         Allow children more ownership of their learning and their questions?

·         Build partnerships and keep them growing?

·         Take the library to the learning community?

·         Explore new types of learning?

·         Help students find what they are passionate about?

·         Create wonder and delight in our students?

She says it can be done through two very powerful concepts: Enchantment and Participatory Learning. She then gives you a lot of “e” words: embed, empower, engage and enchant. If you click on the Enchantment link, it sends you to Guy Kawasaki’s blog and you can find out what he thinks about enchantment.

This video is just a “teaser” she created to let you know what she’ll be talking about at ISTE next Tuesday. She’ll be talking about the future of libraries and learning. Even though there were not a lot of words in this blog, I thought the video was powerful and asked a lot of important questions that all librarians need to ask.

http://www.google.com/reader/view/?hl=en&tab=wy#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Ftheunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com%2Ffeed%2F

Citation:

Hamilton, Buffy. “Building the Future of Libraries Now with Enchantment and Participatory Learning.”  The Unquiet Librarian 20 Jun 2011. Web. 24 Jun 2011.

New Webinar: Delivering Innovative Mobile Services through Your Library by Meredith Farkas

Five years ago, Meredith Farkas didn’t find many libraries that accommodated mobile devises or seemed to think it was necessary. Now libraries across the country are all scrambling to provide access and service for smart phones, including apps for their digital collections. She is offering part one of a two-part webinar, entitled, “Delivering Innovative Mobile Services through Your Library” on July 21, 2011 at 2:30 pm EST. The second part will be on July 28^th at 2:30 pm EST. Part one will cover trends in mobile technologies of interest to librarians and the second part will cover specific apps and she will have lots of examples. She is excited about the webinar and showing getting librarians excited about the wonderful things going on with smart phone technology.

http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2011/06/22/new-webinar-delivering-innovative-mobile-services-through-your-library/

Citation: Farkas, Meredith. “New Webinar: Delivering Innovative Mobile Services through Your Library.” Information Wants to Be Free 22 Jun 2011. Web. 24 Jun 2011.

New Study Says Freedom & Autonomy More Important Than Money (& Classroom Incentives?) by Larry Ferlazzo

New Study Says Freedom & Autonomy More Important Than Money (& Classroom Incentives?) by Larry Ferlazzo

            The American Psychological Association published a report including data from 63 countries that basically concluded that having freedom and autonomy are even more important to most people than material wealth. Researchers at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand studied this question of which brings more happiness, freedom and autonomy or money? They used three different psychological tests—a general health questionnaire, an anxiety inventory test and a burnout inventory test—to determine the answer to this question. They studied data from 420,599 people from 63 different countries over a 40 year span. They determined that, “money leads to autonomy, but it does not add to well-being or happiness.” (APA)

If this data is true, then maybe students would learn better if they had more say in how they are taught and in what they are taught and are motivated to learn from a place of well-being, rather than rewarded or punished for their learning behavior.

He links to the study and another article he has written on motivating students. He only had one response to this blog. “Caitlin” basically asks how we can give something they don’t have when teachers themselves have less and less autonomy and that hampers creativity and innovation. And I agree with her. It’s hard for teachers to accomplish much more than just getting through what they are required to teach for the standardized tests. If children were allowed to have more say in how they learn; they might actually learn accountability and become excited about what they are learning. With no say about much of anything, some students can become frustrated and give up because they learn a different way than other students or they learn more slowly.

            We need to allow them the freedom to explore their world and take charge of their learning experience, then we might have a chance to develop motivated students eager to learn more.

Citation: Ferlazzo, Larry. “New Study Says Freedom & Autonomy More Important Than Money (& Classroom Incentives?)” Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day . . .16 Jun 2011. Web. 17 Jun 2011.

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2011/06/16/new-study-says-freedom-autonomy-more-important-than-money-classroom-incentives/