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1.
Collecting Evidence
Advocacy
must be evidence based. This approach is explained in "Irrefutable
Evidence: How to prove you boost student achievement",
an excellent article from School Library Journal by Ross
J. Todd, encouraging a systematic, evidence based approach to school
librarianship.
The
DfES is currently piloting a new framework for school librarians
to collect evidence as part of a Self-evaluation Framework for School
Libraries in England. Please contact Sarah McNicol of the Centre
for Information Research for more information on the materials available.
E mail: Sarah.McNicol@uce.ac.uk
Taking
a Closer Look at the School library Resource Centre
is
the Scottish model which is already in widespread use.
Inspiring
Learning for All http://www.resource.gov.uk/action/learnacc/00insplearn.asp
Resource’s framework for access and learning in Museums, Archives
and Libraries. The project is developing a toolkit for gathering
evidence of learning outcomes. The toolkit is being piloted and
will enable school librarians to gather evidence of learning by
- analysing
existing data,
- improving
existing tools and generate and analyse more focused data,
- designing
new tools and new methods of generating and analysing data
A report
on the project is available at:
http://www.resource.gov.uk/documents/insplearn_lirp_rep.doc
Their
Reading Futures: Reading and libraries changing childrens' lives
Offers
a framework for collecting the outcomes of reader development work
with young people in public libraries – it is also applicable to
school libraries. It is combined with powerful and very attractive
advocacy tools, to make the most of evidence collected.
2.
Overviews of research evidence
Impact
of school library services on achievement and learning: critical
literature review, by Professor Dorothy Williams, Caroline
Wavell and Louisa Coles, The Robert Gordon University. 2001. This
review examines research linking educational attainment and school
library use at secondary level. It is an excellent, comprehensive
and thorough overview and explains that international evidence
suggests there are three key factors which define the extent to
which the school library impacts on learning within the school:
- The
presence of a skilled librarian
- Resources of breadth and range
-
Collaboration between the library and teaching departments
Impact
of school library services on achievement and learning in primary
schools
by Professor Dorothy Williams, Louisa Coles and Caroline Wavell,
The Robert Gordon University. 2002 - This review complements the
review on secondary schools completed at the end of 2001.
Review
of the benefits of library use in schools
A relatively easy to read UK overview which pulls in academic
research and the findings of Ofsted inspection
American
Association of School Libraries
Excellent website – overview of research and evidence and also
a really good advocacy tool kit for the @ your library Campaign
for School Libraries.
School
Libraries Make a Difference to Student Achievement
The page of School Libraries Online, the International Association
of School Librarianship’s website, with links to research reports
and other documents that demonstrate that school libraries have
a positive impact on students and on learning
Strongest
links for school librarians – Research page
This is a practical and authoritative site, with a good overview of evidence. (It is written and maintained by School Librarian, Anne Robinson.)
Research
on reading and libraries
An
area of the National literacy Trust website which pulls together
key research evidence linking reading levels to library provision.
Why
Should Principals Support School Libraries?
A well argued article by Gary Hartzell Professor of Educational
Administration and Supervision at the University of Nebraska at
Omaha
3.
Research and evidence reports
The
Key Stage 3 Strategy: Evaluation of the First Year
Ofted’s
evaluation of the first year of the Key Stage 3 Strategy. Paragraphs
80 onwards explains how in evidence gathered in Ofsted’s inspection
of the strategy the school library and school librarian are a vital
ingredient in making the strategy a success.
The
Key Stage 3 Strategy: Evaluation of the Second Year
The
Impact of Study Support.
Report
of a three year evaluation of the impact of out of hours study support
offered in secondary schools. The report includes analysis of study
support offered in the school library. It demonstrates that the
provision:
- Boosts
achievement
- Raises
levels of attendance at school
- Heightens
motivation and the desire to learn
The
Keith Curry Lance Research Projects
A series of highly significant research projects conducted in
the USA from 1993 onwards. Wavell, Williams and Coles give
an excellent overview of them from a UK perspective in “Impact
of school library services on achievement and learning: critical
literature review”. The findings of these reports are mutually
supportive and represent an authoritative body of evidence that
links examination results to school library provision. The methodology
carefully takes into account the impact of the socio-economic background
of students.
- How School Librarians
Help Kids Achieve Standards
Lance, Keith Curry, Marcia J. Rodney and Christine
Hamilton-Pennell, Denver:
Library Research Service, 2000.
www.lrs.org/documents/lmcstudies/CO/execsumm.pdf
Executive summary of the second "Colorado Study"
conducted by Keith Curry Lance and the Library Research Service.
- Powering
Achievement: School Library Media Programs Make a Difference:
The Evidence Mounts. Lance, Keith Curry, and David V.
Loertscher. 2nd ed. Hi Willow Research and Publishing, 2002. Presents
the findings in a practical framework with suggestions for implementation
and measuring impact. Based on the research from Colorado
(I and II), Alaska,
Iowa, Pennsylvania,
Texas, Oregon,
Massachusetts
and New Mexico.
The
Difference We’re Making: Library Provision in Birmingham Secondary
Schools.
Birmingham
Schools Library Service/Birmingham Advisory & Support Service/Core
Skills Development Partnership 2002
Report
of a project examining the impact of the library on teaching and
learning with a focus on Key Stage 3 and including examples of good
practice and a short self evaluation checklist.
Bookflood
Project: Inspiring literacy and promoting positive attitudes to
reading
Birmingham Schools Library Service /Core Skills Development
Partnership
Report of a project proving the impact of quality resources on pupil
skills and attitudes to reading.
Information
literacy: a crucial role for schools, Barrett and Danks, CILIP Update
May 2003
A powerful case study of the role of the school library in developing
information literacy skills.
4.Authoritative
Guidelines and Benchmarks
Inspection
Guidance
Ofsted’s guidance to inspectors to support the inspection
of school libraries.
The
Primary School Library Guidelines
CILIP’s
Guidelines for primary school library provision.
Survey
of Secondary School Libraries 2002
Report prepared for CILIP by Sheffield Hallam University, Statistical
Unit.
School
Library Association Guidelines
Full
details are available at http://www.sla.org.uk/pubs.html
5.
Vision and Policy
Start
With the Child: Library Provision for Children and Young People
A
visionary report, based on a new
research
project and endorsed by
the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
as its official
strategic
vision for the future of libraries for
children and young people. Useful for strong quotes and recommendations.
Literacy
across the curriculum: Module 10 – the role of the school library
in delivering the Key Stage 3 Strategy
European
Network for School Libraries and Information Literacy Statement
Transforming
the way we Learn: A vision for the Future of ICT in Schools
UNESCO/IFLA
School Library Manifesto
A
vision for school libraries that is
increasingly
becoming the globally
accepted statement. Lots of very useful quotations.
National
Forum on Information Literacy
A useful site for definitions and reports on the subject,
includes a good,
quotable
definition of information literature
from the 2003 conference.
Empowering
the Learning Community LIC 2000
The
Library and Information Commission’s challenge to all forms of libraries
who support learning to work co-operatively. Recommendation 3 focuses
on the role of the school library.
Framework
for the Future DCMS 2003
The
Government’s vision for Public Library provision in the next 10
years. Partnerships with school libraries play a key role.
New
Visions for Public Schools: Astor Centre
Your Child Needs a Good School Library
An American site with
quotable
tips on the importance of a
good school library.
Libraries
back learning
Article
showing the potential of libraries to impact on lifelong learning.
6.
Advocacy Tools
Improving
Pay and Status: A School Librarian's Self-Empowerment Pack
An excellent highly practical tool that will benefit all school
librarians.
Early
Years Advocacy Pack
Demonstrating how libraries can impact on the early years
agenda. Useful for SLS
developing
their early years/nursery provision.
Libraries
– Investing in the Future. Library provision for children and young
people.
A
Welsh advocacy brochure developed in response to “Start with the
Child” highlighting examples of library projects and activities
to stimulate ideas and share good practice.
Their
Reading Futures is a partnership project from the Reading
Agency, CIILP, ASCEL and YLG. It aims to take public libraries’
work with young readers to a new level. One of the main themes of
the project is advocacy and the project website has excellent resources
and suggestions for advocacy.
The
Reading Agency has been creating advocacy resources to support
librarians. Although these focus on public libraries the strategies
and themes are pertinent to school librarians.
The
American Association of School Librarians has compiled a
super collection of ready-to-use tools to conduct an advocacy campaign-large
or small-for school libraries.
The
most comprehensive resource for library advocacy is the American
Library Association’s “Library Advocates Handbook”.
It includes guidance on building an advocacy framework, developing
an action plan for promoting the library and communicating with
stakeholders.
The
American Library Association’s advocacy resource hub is at http://www.ala.org/pio/advocacy/
Quote
banks:
Website
A-Z
www.ala.org
www.bartleby.com
www.bbc.org.uk
www.dfee.gov.uk
www.dfes.gov.uk
www.gloucestershire.gov.uk
www.ifla.org
www.infolit.org
www.kidsopenbook.co.uk
www.librarysupportstaff.com
www.lrs.org
www.newvisions.org
www.nya.org.uk
www.ofsted.gov.uk
www.qca.org.uk
www.QuotationReference.com
www.resource.gov.uk
www.sla.org.uk
www.slainte.org.uk
www.theirreadingfutures.org.uk
www.themusichype.com
www.uce.ac.uk
www.uce.ac.uk/cirt
www.unesco.org
www.users.aber.ac.uk
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