THE TEACHING LIBRARIAN - Accessola2accessola2.com/images/infocentral/TL10.1q.pdf · I know this example was given in general terms and wouldn’t hold true of everyone on the assembly

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TEATEACCHINHING G LIBRARIANLIBRARIANThe magThe magazine of tazine of the Onthe Ontarario Scio School Librhool Librarary Associationy AssociationAutumn 2002 vAutumn 2002 v. 1. 10, no. 1 ISSN 10, no. 1 ISSN 11188 688 679X79X

Management @ your library™

12 LIBRARY ALIVE! CREATING A NEW LOOKFOR YOUR LIBRARY’S FUTUREby Rose Dotten

16 CREATING AN ANNUAL REPORTreprinted with permission from the Toronto District School Board School Library Information Centre Handbook

18 PREPARING A LIBRARY BUDGETreprinted with permission from the TDSB SLIC Handbook

21 ORGANIZING SCHOOL BOOK FAIRS

reprinted with permission from the TDSB SLIC Handbook

22 MY EXPERIENCES AS A FIRST-YEAR TEACHER-LIBRARIAN

by Lisa Filiatrault

24 SLiP IS LAUNCHED AT THE CLA CONFERENCE

by Dianne Clipsham

25 TWO DAYS WITH THE TDSB AT THE LIBRARY AND LEARNING

RESOURCES SUMMER INSTITUTE

by Bobbie Henley

27 ROSE DOTTEN WINS 2002 JANICE THOMSON MEMORIAL AWARD

28 TTLL ProfileJO-ANNE LAFORTY: CSLA TEACHER-LIBRARIAN OF THE YEARInterview by Dianne Clipsham

31 TTLL Information TechnologyACTIONS WORTH A THOUSAND PICTURESby Diane Bédard

34 OOSSLLAA President’s Report OLA AND OSLA ADVOCACY EFFORTS CONTINUE

by Esther Rosenfeld

THETHE

TEATEACCHINHINGGLIBRARIANLIBRARIANAutumn 2002 Volume 10, Number 1 ISSN 1188 679X

8 TTLL It Worked For Me!

10 TTLL Professional Connectionsby Brenda Dillon

36 TTLL Professional Resources

40 OOSSLLAA Portfolio Updatesby OSLA Councillors

The Editor’s Notebook 5 Dateline 6

Insert OOSSLLAA CURRICULUM IDEABOOKKindergarten to Grade 8: MONTH-BY-MONTH MANAGEMENT TASKS

from Making Every Minute Count by TALCOGrade 11 & 12: FINAL SECONDARY CURRICULUM:

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES by Liz Kerr

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The Teaching Librarian is a benefit of OSLA membership. It is also available on its own by subscription for $36.00 per year, plus GST. To become a member or to order, contact:

Ontario Library Association100 Lombard Street, Suite 303, Toronto, ON M5C 1M3 416-363-3388 or 1-866-873-9867 toll free FAX: 416-941-9581 or 1-800-387-1181 toll free<[email protected]>

© 2002, Ontario Library Association. All rights reserved.

AUTHORS OF ARTICLES in vol. 10, no. 1

THE TEACHING LIBRARIAN is the official magazine of the Ontario School Library Association. It ispublished three times a year to support OSLA members in providingsignificant and effective library programs and services. The TeachingLibrarian promotes library program and curriculum development thatfurther the objectives set out for students and teachers by the pro-vince, school boards, administrators, teachers and parents. It fosterseffective partnering with teachers and administrators, and provides aforum in which teacher-librarians can share experience and expertise.

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THE TEACHING LIBRARIAN BOARD Dianne Clipsham Retired, Ottawa Carleton District School BoardBrenda Dillon Philip Pocock Secondary, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School BoardCheryl Dinnin Parkview/Caradoc Central Schools, Thames Valley District School BdEsther Rosenfeld OSLA President / Toronto District School BoardSue Tedesco Rick Hansen Public School, Thames Valley District School BoardMarilyn Willis Peel District School BoardSya Van Geest Retired, Peel District School Board

To contact a Board member: <[email protected]>

THE TEACHING LIBRARIAN EDITORBobbie Henley Brantford Collegiate, Grand Erie District School Board

To contact the Editor: <[email protected]> or <[email protected]>

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V. 10, no. 2 Release: April 2003. Deadline: February 15.V. 10, no. 3 Release: August 2003. Deadline: June 15.

Articles of 1000-1300 words in length are welcome. Articles,when approved, should be accompanied by good qualityillustrations and/or pictures. Text must be sent electronicallyand pictures can be printed or digital (min. 4”x4” and 300dpi). With photos which contain a recognized individual,please secure the individual’s permission in writing for use ofthe photo. Photos taken at public events, or crowd shotstaken in a public place do not require permission from thesubjects. All materials are subject to editing for consistency,length and style. If significant changes result from editingdecisions, the Editor will contact the writer before printing.

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subscriptionsTL

DIANE BÉDARDmanages the Learning MaterialsResource Centre at theWindsor-Essex CatholicDisctrict School Board.

[email protected]

DIANNE CLIPSHAMretired as Head of the Library atWoodroffe High School in theOttawa-Carleton District SchoolBoard and is a consultant.

[email protected]

BRENDA DILLONis teacher-librarian at PhilipPocock Catholic SecondarySchool in the Dufferin-PeelCatholic District School Board.

[email protected]

ROSE DOTTENis Director of Library andInformation Services at theUniversity of Toronto Schools,OISE/UT.

[email protected]

LISA FILIATRAULTis teacher-librarian at GlenviewPark Secondary School in the Waterloo Region DistrictSchool Board.

[email protected]

BOBBIE HENLEYis teacher-librarian at BrantfordCollegiate Institute in the GrandErie District School Board and iseditor of The Teaching Librarian.

[email protected]

The Teaching Librarian Volume 10, no. 1 5

MANAGEMENT @ your library™

Iremember reading an article on job stress a few yearsago. On the stress scale, factory workers scoredextremely high while doctors’ scores were considerably

lower. I thought this odd, considering the gravity of the job,the huge responsibility, and the knowledge base one must beconstantly updating in the medical profession. But when Iread on, much of it made sense. The doctors’ jobs were lessstressful because they had autonomy, they made their owndecisions and no two days were exactly alike. The factory

worker, on the other hand, often repeated the same task over and over againaccording to a set of instructions, and the days at the job were very similar.There is good stress and bad, in other words.

I know this example was given in general terms and wouldn’t hold true ofeveryone on the assembly line or in the medical profession. But that aside, itgot me thinking about the stresses that come with managing a school library.I soon concluded that, like a doctor, being a teacher-librarian comes with a lotof good stress. Running a school library isn’t easy, but we make most of thedecisions. And with staff and students as our clientele, there are never twodays that are the same.

Those who are just starting have so much ahead of them, and those of uswho have been in the profession for more than a decade can look back withpride over what we’ve accomplished. Think of all we manage and all the areaswhere we experience change: collection development; the creation of a wel-coming atmosphere for staff and students; professional reading, includingreviews for print and non-print materials; policy changes, and new curricu-lum; an ever-changing student clientele; increased community involvement;and technology that changes daily!

We hope this issue of The Teaching Librarian will serve to remind you of theimportance of the position of teacher-librarian while providing you with use-ful and relevant ideas for the ongoing but highly rewarding task of managingyour school library. zz

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AUTUMN 2002 / WINTER 2003November 23 • TorontoFebruary 15 • LondonFebruary 22 • PeterboroughAn OLA Education Institute workshopCOLLABORATING FOR STUDENT LITERACY*with SYA VAN GEEST

Through collaborative planning, teaching and assess-ing, an improvement in student literacy can beachieved. This lecture will be of interest not only toteacher-librarians, but other school staff members,both elementary and secondary.

November 25 • Niagara-on-the-Lake March 12 • GuelphAn OLA local networking eventOLA MEMBERS’ KALEIDOSCOPE*

An event in which member librarians from all typesof libraries are invited to come together and social-ize. Members are invited to bring guests.

December 3 – 4 • HamiltonFebruary 24 – 25 • OttawaAn OLA Education Institute workshopETHICAL USE OF INFORMATION*with SYA VAN GEEST

An informative two-day session dedicated to explor-ing the ways and means to thoroughly engage stu-dents in the inquiry and research process of a project.

December 5 • Teleconference (One-hour program)An OLA Education Institute Audio Connection AUTHORS LIVE, AUTHORS VIRTUAL*with TONI BUZZEO & JANE KURTZ

Plan the best live visit or virtual encounters betweenstudents and authors in your library or even in cyber-space. Make it fun!

January 13 • On-lineAn OLA Education Institute internet courseKID-FRIENDLY WEB SITES*with TODD KYLE

This six-week program, controlled by you from yourown desktop, will offer parents and librarians expertadvice on how and when to use various Web resourcesfor searching for sites for children and teens.

January 30 – February 1 • TorontoTHE ONTARIO LIBRARYASSOCIATION’S 102nd SUPER CONFERENCE and TRADE SHOW

Held every year at the Metro Toronto ConventionCentre, this is Canada’s largest and most praisedlibrary education event with over 50 sessions directedspecifically at teacher-librarians and principals andanother 100 events on topics and trends of interest.Bring your principal as your guest free of charge.Early bird registration ends on November 30.

March 6 • Teleconference (One-hour program)An OLA Education Institute Audio Connection EXCELLENT SCHOOL WEB SITES*with CYNTHIA BEUSELINCK

Librarians who play an essential role on their schoolWeb team help their school produce high-quality, low-risk, and meaningful educational web sites.Understand the educational perspective of internetuse.

March 21 • York RegionAn OLA Education Institute workshopSTORYTELLING – STORYMAKING*with SYA VAN GEEST

Come to learn the art of storytelling; the ways andmeans to select and shape and make a story fortelling; practical tools and strategies to transfer andextend the workshop to meet your specific needs andinterests.

March 27 • Teleconference (One-hour program)An OLA Education Institute Audio Connection SELECTING BOOKS AND MEDIA FOR EVERY ELEMENTARY SUBJECT*with KATHRYN I. MATTHEW & JOY LOWE

Listen in on what the authors of the Neal-SchumanGuide to Recommended Children’s Books and Media forUse with Every Elementary Subject have to say.

dateline

* For a complete listing and descriptions of workshops and seminars offered, please refer

to the OLA Education Institute catalogue.


In the past I have had Grade 9 students complete ascavenger hunt for their library orientation.Combined with a pamphlet and a presentation of the

library program, this has always been a success. Thisyear, however, with our change from a traditional to asemester system, I felt it was time for a change.

My colleague, Jo-Anne LaForty, gave me the idea ofbreaking each class into three groups, and having themrotate through the library from station to station. I gaveit a try and I loved it.

I had a brief welcome session with the students first,where I distributed an updated pamphlet and spokebriefly about information literacy, the four stages ofresearch, the Red Maple Reading program, and expecta-tions of students while using the library.

I had made up a map and a script for the classroomteacher who took one group and conducted a tour of thevarious parts of the library, pointing out resources, spe-cial collections, quiet study areas, reference, etc. Ourtechnician, Sara, took the second group at the circula-tion desk and explained the sign-out procedures, cover-ing overdues, special loans, reserves, and the like, whileI took the third group and did a (very) quick overview ofhow to log in to the computers, and how to access ourlibrary catalogue, the online databases and other pro-grams available for student use.

We ran two orientations each Block A period until wehad in-serviced every grade 9 student in the school. I feltas though a lot more relevant information was impartedthis way, and that, when these students returned with aclass to work on their first research unit or to sign outnovels, they had a much greater comfort level. zz

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GGrraaddee 99 LLiibbrraarryy OOrriieennttaattiioonnBBOOBBBBIIEE HHEENNLLEEYYBrantford Collegiate Institute and Vocational SchoolGrand Erie District School Board

Need to get people familiar withthe library resources? Feedthem!

The second Wednesday of eachmonth I hold a Breakfast & Browse. Thelibrary opens at 7:15 a.m. where coffee,juice, fruit and/or goodies are avail-able. The mood is relaxed with musicplaying in the background. A few daysbefore I send out invitations and tellwhat section of the library will be high-lighted.

So far in September, I have displayedkits, where they were laid out on thetables under the subject headings andgrade expectations where available. InOctober, the Non-Fiction and Easy-Read Professional Reference resourceswere highlighted.

Our next event is in conjunction withour literacy teacher. We will focus onour support materials for that area.Staff love the time to relax, browse andshare! zz

BBrreeaakkffaasstt && BBrroowwsseeSSHHAARROONN WWEEAAMMEESSLord Nelson Public SchoolThames Valley District School Board

Ontario School Library Association 9

This year International School Library Day was Monday, October 28 and the theme wasLibrary Matters. In a time of great threat to the librarian’s position in a school, particular-ly in the primary sector, it was an ideal time for us to examine what it is that we do so

well to contribute to our students’ education.

This year, participants in International School Library Day were asked to share a service oran activity that they have offered that is a little out of the ordinary but which has had animpact. For instance, at Palmerston I have introduced a Browse & Brunch session at the begin-ning of each academic year so that teachers may discuss their plans for the term, browse theshelves, select resources and socialize over a buffet lunch. They also receive a Love YourLibrary pack which has all sorts of information about our services, suggestions for read-alouds, bookmark BLMs, personalized bookmarks, freebies I have received over the year – any-thing at all I can find that is relevant, and of course some goodies including chocolate frogs!

By sharing these sorts of ideas, and perhaps adopting one or two, we can continue toenhance the profile of the library and its contribution to curriculum delivery. Growing theFuture was also highlighted as we continue to encourage our students to plant hope and growpeace.

As well as planting some more seeds in our special gardens, we also started a register ofonline projects such as Karen Eini’s Friends and Flags (http://www.friendsandflags.org) thatencourage students from schools around the world to participate in sharing their culture. Formore information visit http://www.iasl-slo.org/isld. zz

SShhaarriinngg SSeerrvviicceess aanndd AAccttiivviittiieessBBAARRBBAARRAA BBRRAAXXTTOONNPalmerston District Primary SchoolPalmerston Act 2913, Australia

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Your TurnTL WWHHAATT WWOORRKKEEDD FFOORR YYOOUU??This is a fun place to share ideas that work for you. E-mail your tip toTeaching Librarian editor Bobbie Henley, [email protected]

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MMaannaaggiinngg MMaannaaggeemmeenntt –– YYoouu AArree NNoott AAlloonneeby Brenda Dillon

Again and again, in workshops and pro-fessional literature, I’m told that myfocus as a teacher-librarian must be

teaching. If I want to be taken seriously as ateacher, understood as someone who’s morethan a shelver of books, then I shouldn’t beseen spending my time processing materials,organizing and labeling shelves, shelving books,filing, taking care of administrivia.

It’s a nice theory. And I agree – theoretical-ly. But the reality of my life in the schoollibrary and, I suspect, the reality for many ofmy colleagues, is that I can’t provide a goodprogram unless a sound foundation has beencreated and is maintained. And that founda-tion is everything we tend to lump together asmanagement.

So, how to manage management in such away that we have the time and energy to do themore important things?

First, each of us must realize that we are notalone in this struggle. We’re part of a communi-ty with a great deal of collective experience,expertise and wisdom. Do yourself a favour –don’t reinvent the wheel (or the filing system!).Learn. Teach. Share.

Where to begin? Start here...

SUGGESTIONS

• Be an active member of your local associa-tion/subject council. If you’re a new T-L, takeadvantage of the experience of those in thebest position to know how things work in yourschool district. If you’re an experienced T-L,offer this experience to your new colleagues.

• Look for and take advantage of opportunitiesto work with a mentor or to serve as a mentor.And remember, you don’t have to knowabsolutely everything about everything to bea good mentor.

• Take advantage of professional developmentopportunities, even if it does mean being outof school or attending sessions during thesummer. The time will be well spent.

• Participate in the wider world of schoollibrarianship by joining associations, readingjournals, joining listservs, and taking advan-tage of the many internet resources available.

RESOURCES

AssociationsOntario School Library Association

Membership in the Ontario LibraryAssociation is worth the money. Check out thelinks to other associations on the OSLA web-site. Even if you don’t join the associations, dotake advantage of their websites.http://www.accessola.org/osla

Journals (print)In addition to the journals published by the

various associations, you might want to checkout the following titles.

Library Talk (elementary), Book Report(secondary) – both from Linworth

Note: In January 2003 a new pre-K – 12 title,Library Media Collection, will replace bothLibrary Talk and Book Report. See theLinworth website for more information. http://www.linworth.com

Teacher LibrarianEdited by Ken Haycock, this joint Canadian/

American publication is from Rockland press.See the TL website for more information.http://www.teacherlibrarian.com

Journals (online)Online journals are a valuable supplement to

print journals.

The Informed Librarian OnlineTake advantage of a free subscription to


keep up with relevant electronic publications. Thishandy newsletter, which arrives by e-mail, has linksto lots of online journals. While not specific toschool librarianship, relevant links are included.http://www.infosourcespub.com

Warrior Librarian WeeklyRough day? Need a break? Check out this site, sub-

titled ‘The Zine for Librarians Who Refuse to beClassified’ – this tongue-in-cheek (firmly planted!)journal is a must if you need a laugh. http://www.warriorlibrarian.com

ListservsIn addition to the listservs (often member-only)

of the various associations, consider joiningLM_NET. With approximately 15,000 subscribers inat least 65 countries, this online community givesyou access to an incredible wealth of experienceand expertise. Be warned – traffic can be heavy.However, digest and ‘best of’ options exist. See thewebsite for more information and subscriptiondirections. Subscription is free.http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/

Web ResourcesThere are far too many wonderful websites to list

individually. The following sites are good startingpoints.

SliP – School Library Information Portal: The Canadian Connection to School LibraryDocuments

See especially the ‘School Library Management’section.http://slip.cla.ca

LibraryNet: Links for Teacher-LibrariansLibraryNet is intended for the entire Canadian

library community. This link will take you directlyto a page of links especially for Teacher-Librarians.Do take the time to check out the rest of LibraryNet.http://ln-rb.ic.gc.ca/e/resources/teachlib.html

LM_NET On the WebIn addition to subscription information, this site

contains a link to ‘LM_NET Librarian Links’, withlinks to web pages of special interest to Teacher-Librarians.http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/

International Association of School LibrarianshipIf you’re a member of IASL, you’ll already have

this site bookmarked. Not a member? Check out theassociation website which has great stuff publiclyavailable. See especially ‘School Library Resourceson the Internet’ and ‘Documents Related to SchoolLibrarianship’.http://www.iasl-slo.org

Academic Info: Library & Information ScienceAcademic Info is an excellent subject directory

and a wonderful starting point for high school andundergraduate research. The section on Library &Information Science is worth browsing. See espe-cially the ‘School Librarianship’ section.http://www.academicinfo.net/infosci.html

Internet Public Library Pathfinder: Resources forSchool Librarians

The IPL is another excellent starting point forresearch and this Pathfinder (11 pages long!) is a realtreasure.http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/scmedia.html

School-Libraries.OrgThis is Peter Milbury’s site. This site is especially

useful if you’re involved in the creation of a schoollibrary website.http://www.school-libraries.org zz


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Whether you are designing, renovating orrevitalizing your School Library Information

Centre, there are considerations and steps tofollow that will guide you along the way.

If you are moving to anotherlibrary or if you are a new

teacher-librarian, the sameconsiderations will assist you

in creating a space thatreflects your program, yourphilosophy and that of your

school community.

Rose Dotten

Using modern wireless technology in old settings can revitalizea traditional space.


Before getting into the functional compo-nents of the library design, considera-tion should be given to the program plan

and to identifying and setting program prioritiesto be reflected in the physical space. Discussthe focus of the library program with adminis-tration, staff and students and reflect the inputin your development of the plan and determinehow they can best be reflected in the space.Does an inviting entrance focusing on a readingprogram take priority over a bank of comput-ers? Or is the program heavily focused on newtechnologies? What impact does the focus onteaching and learning styles and multiple intelli-gences have on the space utilization? How canthe design of the space contribute to truly mak-ing it the learning and information hub of theschool?

THE PHYSICAL LAYOUT

The physical layout will determine how manystudents, small groups or whole classes can beaccommodated and what learning activities canbe provided and supported. The general trafficflow and organization will determine how effi-ciently and effectively resources will be used. Awell-designed Library Information Centre willhave space for individual, small group learningand whole class instruction, research, reading,listening, viewing and producing multimedia ordramatic presentations.

Students will become actively engaged intheir learning in the School Library InformationCentre when they are able to:

• Research, read and use technology individu-ally (or in a group)

• Collaborate in small groups• Learn as participants in full class instruc-

tion• Access a variety of leisure reading materi-

als, including books and periodicals• Produce final products that are professional

in appearance and content• Present their culminating work through

multimedia, drama and other modes ofcommunication

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

The key considerations for facility planningfor the exemplary learning environment can bedivided into six areas:

• Create an inviting and welcoming entrance• Consider learning areas for teaching, learn-

ing and production • Build in flexibility• Plan the traffic flow• Think about spatial relationships, clear

sight lines• Integrate technology considering connec-

tivity and access

An Inviting and Welcoming Entrance...

... sets the tone and defines the program –Does the entrance stimulate interest in theprogram? i.e. are there reading promotionaldisplays, multicultural posters, newsletters,new technologies showcased? What are thepromises that entice students?

... is colourful, bright and interesting – Arethere attractive bulletin boards, display cases,colourful banners and posters? Are activitieshighlighted and easily accessed? Are thecolours and textures attractive?

... exhibits student art work – Are the displayscurrent and renewed on a regular basis? Is it agallery of student work in Visual Arts, Designand Technology or Computer Graphics?

... promotes user friendly access to readingand information – Does it highlight programslike Silver Birch and Red Maple? Are the newbooks up front, inviting and changed on a reg-ular basis? Are curricular materials well dis-played and current?

... provides direction through coordinated andwell placed signage – Are there brochures andsignage with clear location of resources? Iseach area – reference, production, reading –well defined and signed? Are the resourcesneat and well organized with appropriate dis-play and format shelving?

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Learning Areas – Teaching, Learning andProduction Areas

•• Full class teaching area – with white-board, overhead projector, and data pro-jector with computer workstation.

•• Work areas for small groups – conferenc-ing areas, seminar rooms, furniture ofappropriate size and configuration.

•• Production areas – media and publish-ing with scanner, digital still and videocameras, video-editing equipment, colourprinter, photocopier, binding machine and lamina-tor.

•• Presentation areas – screens, equip-ment in place and easily accessed, dataprojector and high-end computer work-stations, video conferencing and broad-casting area and small dramatic produc-tion facility.

•• Listening/Viewing areas – TV/VCR unitsfor previewing, audio equipment withearphones.

•• Individual area for leisure reading andstudy – carrels with data ports for quietstudent work, comfortable seating andattractive shelving, and spinners and dis-play racks for books and periodicals.

•• Reference section – for quick accesseven if other classes are in the library,plus atlas stands, dictionary stand, dis-play and storage for periodicals.

•• Archives – safe, clean appropriate stor-age area, plus attractive display area withtemperature and lighting controls.

•• Storytelling (primary) – reading circleand primary instruction area, smalldrama area, costume storage, picturebooks shelved and displayed at appropri-ate heights.

•• Computer pods or labs well integrated –located and integrated with other learn-ing areas with data drops inconspicuousbut accessible, plus ergonomic furniturewith cables well covered.

•• Work spaces and office area easily iden-tified and visible – large windows withgood viewing capabilities. Locked stor-age, processing area with telephone, faxand data lines available, plus high-endcomputer technology, controls for stu-dent computers – power sources etc. –and collaborative teacher planning andmeeting space.

Build In Flexibility

•• Perimeter shelving provides more spacefor teaching areas – adjustable and spe-cialized shelving for materials in a varietyof formats with room for expansion.

•• Mobile freestanding shelving –adjustable and easily moved, sturdy andspecially designed for weight of larger for-mat- reference and art books.

•• Adjustable/moveable furnishings – mod-ular units that are pleasing in designwhen combined. Appropriate for the typeof resource for display, organization andstorage i.e. picture book, CD racks.

•• Consider future expansion – what hap-pens if more computers or additionalmultimedia technology arrives? How canit be easily and aesthetically and func-tionally integrated? Can items be movedto ensure traffic flow is not interrupted?

•• Data/power connections in grids ormany locations throughout especiallyperimeter – include false floors, race-ways, data ports and wireless connec-tions.

Plan the Traffic Flow

•• Ensure all areas can be accessed and uti-lized without interfering with one another.Make sure internet, databases, periodicals,fiction and nonfiction, and videos can allbe equally well accessed. This may be asignage or instructional checklist issue or alocation issue.

•• Track the flow of traffic and determinethe patterns to ensure efficient accessand movement. Assign a separate colourto each major functional area such astechnology, instruction, reference, fiction;draw lines connecting like-coloured areas


(i.e. research could include reference,non-fiction) and determine if there areany crossovers or conflicts that impedethe traffic flow or efficiency of access.

•• Ensure work areas for processing, stor-age, and meeting for collaborative plan-ning are easily accessed. There shouldbe locked storage shelves for supplies,shelves for new materials and a comfort-able teacher planning and meeting area.

•• Create a circulation area that is modu-lar, low enough for young students andwheelchair access. Often this area needsto be reconfigured to accommodate newcirculation computers and OPACs.

•• Ensure self check-out and security areplaced for ease of use and movement.The check-out area should not constraintraffic of access to materials and securi-ty needs to be close to the exit withoutallowing materials to be passed around.Make sure search stations are centrallylocated. Search capabilities through aweb browser should be available on allcomputers in the school.

Spatial Relationships, Clear Sight Lines

•• Ensure office windows, pillars andshelving are positioned to allow view ofentire library for ease of supervision.Computer workstations can be posi-tioned around pillars to take advantageof a circular configuration. The height ofshelving, positioning of tables and otherfurniture should be such that all areascan be supervised from the circulationdesk.

•• Lighting needs to be positioned for themost effective use near computers andworking areas. It should be centrallycontrolled with dimmers and low voltageswitches where appropriate.

•• Include task lighting and natural lightingto allow for various functions withoutglare or shadows. Quality and quantity oflight is an important consideration.Window and skylight treatments mustallow for room darkening.

Integrate Technology Considering

Connectivity and Access

•• Computer workstations should enhancethe productivity and allow for work with-out disturbance to others. Create podsand sound buffers to separate from quietwork or instructional areas.

•• Connectivity to data and power shouldinclude a variety of locations, including agrid in the floor, a conduit in thecolumns, inserts in the floor or portablecolumns from ceilings. Include surge pro-tectors and grounded wiring.

•• Presentation areas should provide easeof use and compatibility to maximizeeffective use. Ceiling-mounted data pro-jectors with wireless remote make foreffective teaching tools. Creative place-ment in respect to other areas maxi-mizes potential use of media equipment.

•• Access and security for technologymust be considered. Locking mecha-nisms should be built in and maintained.

ASK FOR INPUT

Each facility, each school community,each teacher-librarian will have a differentway of working with the considerationsoutlined in this article. Beginning with aprogram plan is the first step; consultingwith the staff and students is anotherimportant step. Using the six key consider-ations, develop a template and give it tostaff and students for input. Ask them toidentify what they think is a key considera-tion under each heading. This is a quickway to get some feedback and ideas.

Use the considerations above, develop achecklist and walk around your librarywith a clipboard and a big marker. Checkoff things that immediately stand out andprioritize. Once you do this, you’ll beimmediately seized by the housecleaningbug and you won’t stop until you’vecajoled your principal, your custodian andeven your family to help bring your libraryback to new life. zz

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Reprinted with permission from School LibraryInformation Centre Handbook, TDSB

“In a systematic way wemust share what we know

and what we do. Then we can build a common

cause in our schools andcommunity from a common

information base: That’sinformation power.”

~Doug Johnson (1998)*

* Doug Johnson, “At the ends of our job: Using Planningand Reporting to Build Program Support” in SchoolLibrary Management, 4th ed. Worthington, Ohio:Linworth, 1998.

The school library is a complex organization, andwriting an annual report is one way to help buildunderstanding about the multi-faceted role the

teacher-librarian has in the school community. It is also agood opportunity to reflect and evaluate how well youachieved the goals set at the beginning of the year and tosolidify your principal’s support.

Lesley Farmer, in her article, “The MultipurposeAnnual Report” published in Book Report (Nov/Dec90,Vol. 9 Issue 3), summarizes the purposes of the annualreport:

• Sell the library to students, administrators, teach-ers and the community

• Project a specific image of the library• Educate the community about library services and

use• Highlight a unique service• Recognize staff efforts and school and community

support• Demonstrate progress• Point out needed changes• Serve as evaluation tool

It is important to plan the annual report carefully. Thisdocument should be a well-crafted, succinct summary ofthe year without flowery passages, long descriptivedetails and emotional appeals. Think about the followingquestions:

• Who is the most important audience? Why? What dothey want to know?

• What aspect of the school library program shouldreceive the greatest emphasis? What was thegreatest accomplishment this year? What direc-tion does the school library intend to take nextyear? What role does the library play within theschool and the community?


Your information can be organized into three mainsections:

a) general summary of the year - brief, well-writtenand clear – the mission and goals of the schoollibrary, highlight the important developments ofthe year and the outlook for the future;

b) focused description of each aspect of the libraryoperation (e.g. program, collection development);

c) conclude with section of statistics – figures oncirculation and collection development, individ-ual and class use, kinds of services performed,and general budget information. Graphs mayhelp here.

Sample Template for Annual Report

Name of School: _____________________________________ Date: _____________________

Introduction

• quote about teaching and learning in school libraries• vision statement of library/school/Board• summary of the past year – ten statements• three goals for next year

Focused Description of Library Activities

• Program highlights – curriculum support including summary of collaborative teaching, units covered,thematic highlights, support materials prepared

• Integration of information technology• Reading Literacy – Silver Birch, Red Maple, Blue Spruce, author visits, reading pograms, contests and

promotions• Collection development – focus, promotion• Staff development – in-service, resources, workshops attended and presented• Community events – storytelling evenings, STARS, book clubs, computer club, homework club, work with

student teachers, connection with public library, newsletters• Facility – changes to space, new sections added, e.g. novel sets, parent resources• Staffing – summary of teacher-librarian timetable, student volunteers, library clerical support, volunteer

support (parents, co-op students)• School budget – amount per student, what you spent, how much, next year’s plan, book fair• Committee participation• Hours of library – after and before school too• Future goals, improvements

Summary Statistics

• Circulation – by grade or class, staff, parents• Collection – additions and deletions• Budget – analysis of spending, include average price of books, electronic resources• Class and individual student use

The complete SLIC Handbook can be ordered by e-mail from [email protected].



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The continued standardization of procedures across the Toronto District School Board has resultedin changes in budget allocation procedures. Although a standard amount is given to each school forthe purchase of library resources, the principal has the final responsibility for all budget allocations

within the school. It is important that teacher librarians submit a budget proposal and discuss the needsof the school library with the administration and/or the school budget committee. The budget proposalshould provide the rationale and allocation for all library resources, including print, multi-media, on-linesubscriptions, periodicals, and supplies.

When preparing a library budget, it is important to:

• Look at the collection as a whole and set priorities• Anticipate the demands of new curriculum, including the change of topics in different grade levels• Develop an on-going program to update print reference materials• Plan to acquire appropriate online databases• Carefully examine the duplication of learning resources available in different formats• Support literacy initiatives in the school enhancing the lifelong love of reading • Survey students and staff to determine critical needs, including the professional development

needs of teachers• Replace lost and damaged resources as appropriate • Survey the condition of your paperback collection to determine replacement • Provide access to current, quality, high interest books and other print materials to create life-long

readers • Identify and support the needs of all students, e.g. ESL, Enrichment, Special Education, dual language

After considering all of the criteria mentioned above, a budget proposal can be developed using a tem-plate like the one below, for either elementary or secondary. Examples follow for both an elementary and asecondary school using different formats.

“A dollar spent in the library is a dollar spent on every studentin the school.”

~Joan Smith, Teacher-Librarian, Central Technical School


1. Sample Budget Proposal for Somewhere Special Elementary School LibraryInformation Centre

RationaleThe focus of this year’s acquisition needs is to continue to support new curriculum. Last year early literacy,mathematics and physical education and health resources were upgraded. There are still many gaps to fill sobudget will be reserved to address those needs.

There have been many grade shifts and new topics added to the science and technology, social studies, histo-ry and geography curriculum. Last June we weeded the 900 section of our collection and discovered that weneed new resources on Canada at the junior level. We also urgently need mapping and geography titles at all lev-els.

A needs survey of the staff has indicated that we need resources to support technology curriculum at all levels.

To support the implementation of literature circles in the Junior division we need to invest in multiplecopies of junior novels at varying interest and reading levels.

We need to continue to upgrade electronic resources as we strive to provide students with a variety of elec-tronic as well as a variety of print information literacy experiences.

Attached please find an itemized breakdown of our learning resources needs for the school year.

Respectfully submitted by I.A.M. Power,Teacher Librarian for Somewhere Special Public School

Learning Resources Needs AssessmentTotal budget allocation: $9,000.00 (population 450, allocation $20.00 per student)(Priority rating: 1 = critical; 2 = high; 3 = moderate)

Type of Resources

Kindergarten

Language

Mathematics

The Arts

French

Social Studies, History, Geography

Science & Technology

Physical & Health Education

Periodical print, including newspapers

Periodicals: electronic

Periodicals: print

Reference: electronic

Multimedia (CD-ROM, video, etc.)

Professional

Supplies

Priority

2

2

3

2

2

1

1

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

Focus

big books, Science

new paperbacks, junior level, genre focus

springboard stories, primary

stories to support drama

non-fiction, junior level

replace weeded outdated books

technology, (space travel, modern day applications)

health, primary level, games

junior level titles, including daily newspaper

junior full text database available through COOL

atlases, globes, Junior World Book encyclopedia

junior level social studies

primary ESL and science video resources

curriculum design

general

Allocation

$500.00

$1,000.00

$300.00

$500.00

$500.00

$1,000.00

$1,000.00

$400.00

$750.00

$750.00

$800.00

$400.00

$500.00

$300.00

$300.00

Total: $ 9,000.00


2. Sample Budget Proposal for Anywhere Secondary School Library Information Centre

Total budget allocation: $30,000.00 (population 1,000; allocation $30.00 per student)

Budget Item Cost

1. Online Databases and Networked CD-ROMsSIRS (Online Full Text Articles Database) $1,700.00CPI.Q (Online Canadian Articles Database) $300.00GLOBE & MAIL CD-ROM $400.00EBSCO HOST (Online Articles Database) $2,200.00DISCOVERING AUTHORS (Online Articles Database) $300.00NEWSCAN (Newspaper database-bilingual) $500.00

2. Computer Catalogue Maintenance $800.00

3. BooksReference Book Updates (Replacement of 8-year-old print encyclopedia, replacement of Grade 9/10 Science Reference books) $2,000.00

Books – Paperbacks (Replacement of tattered books and acquisition of new fiction, concentrating on Young Adult material) Average cost $9.00 per book $1,000.00

Books to support new Grade 9 and 10 curriculum with heaviest need in Science and Geography, includes replacement of oudated material. Average cost $30.00 per book $5,500.00

Books to support Grade 9 Accelerated Reader Program $1,000.00

Books to support ESL novel reading program (vocabulary-controlled novels) $900.00

4. Magazine and Newspaper Subscriptions $1,000.00** A reduction from last year to reflect use of online databases.

5. Videos and Individual CD-ROM Software $800.00Individual CD-ROMs in many subject areas, and videos with public performance rights (mostly Geography and Science to address gaps in collection)

6. Supplies, Board Stock $2,000.00

7. Book rebinding $1,000.00

8. Printing and Photocopying $500.00

7. Security System Maintenance Agreement $1,100.00Furniture and Equipment

Replacement chairs and tables needed: 5 tables and 30 chairsCost of $1,600.00 from Furniture and Equipment Budget

Data Projector for lessons and PD use for all staff$3,000 from Furniture and Equipment Budget

$5,400.00

$17,400.00

TOTAL REQUIRED: $30,000.00



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School Book Fairs are organized to generateexcitement about reading and provide additionalfunding for school libraries through a commis-

sion sales structure. Typically the teacher-librarianwill contact one of the companies that routinely pro-vides this kind of service and make arrangements forthe book fair to be held in the school at a specific timeperiod for a set number of days. The companies thatprovide this service usually offer a variety of optionsin terms of structure and profit margin.

There are a number of issues to consider before set-ting up a book fair at the school:

• What is the primary purpose of the book fair? Is itto put books into the hands of children, or is itto provide additional funding or a combination ofboth?

• When is the best time of year to do this? Parentinterviews? Education Week? Special school celebrations?

• Who will be involved in the planning and promot-ing of the book fair?

• Who will be available to help during the book fair -setting up, handling cash, helping students andparents make selections, supervising?

• Where will it be held in the school? There may berestrictions due to location of the library withinthe school, e.g. second floor location with no ele-vator, or the impact of the book fair on access tothe school library.

It is also important to clarify with the book fair vendor:

• What kinds of titles are provided? Can specificrequests be made? Can the teacher-librarians

look at the books or lists of books first? How willbackorders be handled?

• Are promotional materials provided? Costumedcharacters? Videos? Book talks? Planning support?

• Are bookcases provided that can be closed atnight or is everything laid on out tables? Thismay also depend on the location of the book fairin the school.

• What kinds of book fairs are available? Is there anoption for a 2-for-1 book fair later in the year?

• What is the commission rate? Is there an optionfor taking a combination of cash and books fromthe profit?

• What other materials are available for sale?Pencils? Bookmarks? Posters?

Some of the key vendors that provide book fairs arelisted below. In some cases, schools make arrange-ments with a local bookstore as well to provide specialbuying events.

Minnow Bookshttp://www.minnowbooks.com/Contact: Greg Blount Phone: 1.800.263.5210

PanoramaContact: Margaret HirterPhone: 905-938-2665 ext. 844 or 1.800.845.9771

Scholastic Bookshttp://bookfairs.scholastic.ca/index.htmCentral Ontario (Markham) Phone: 1.800.387.-5750 or 905.887.3600Fax: 1.800.336.7494 or 905.887.3589 z


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Iam both amazed and perplexed each day at the vastquantity of learning that takes place in my classroom –by the students and by me! I feel very much a novice

and entirely inadequate most days. Nonetheless, the chal-lenge and stimulation I experience each minute of my busyday inspire me to be the best I can be now while continu-ing to strive towards teacher-librarian utopia. (We all needlofty ideals!)

The library that has adopted me is in an old school withplenty of natural light. In order to take full advantage of it Idecided to re-arrange the stacks. This turned out to be amassive undertaking alleviated substantially by severalunsuspecting students! The most daunting task was weed-ing the very old, bound periodicals, which covered theentire surface of a 75-foot long wall. (I’m still working at it!)

It is impossible to deny the profound effect technologyhas had in the library. One can draw the parallels betweenan online search engine and a human one (a.k.a. theteacher-librarian!). Technological literacy goes hand-in-hand with information literacy. The explosion of informa-tion that is the internet, coupled with online databases,creates a real need for a savvy patron. These skills are notinnate, as some adolescents would argue, but require theprofessional training and instruction of a qualified teacher-librarian. Technology is an integral part of my library andin addition to teaching technological literacy skills, I takean active role in the professional development of my col-leagues. I believe very strongly in making technology a toolthat is seamlessly integrated into the curriculum.

Lisa Filiatrault

As a new teacher-librarian,I feel challenged and

stimulated by my newposition. I have spent 15

years cocooning with foreign language literature,art history, the latest print-

making techniques andgraphic design. Officially, I

am a teacher-librariannow. I am also a life-long

learner in the true sense. Ifind myself, after one

month in a brand newposition, beginning to metamorphose.

I am growing. The library is growing.


The enthusiasm I feel about my new position istempered by the challenges I face. Leftover invoiceand budget issues are slow to resolve. I have finallygotten over the shock that my large low-profile fictionshelving unit was thrown in the dumpster with nohope of retrieval. I have no clerical support so thenew purchases are not getting processed, the supplyand resource orders are piling up and the overduenotices are not very regular. I am disheartened by thepublic abasement of the profession in an era wheninformation literacy skills should be paramount. Thecutbacks in funding and support staff have affectedprogram delivery to a degree that appalls me. Theseissues characterize school libraries across the coun-try and the shortsightedness of the decision-makersis atrocious in this regard.

I am encouraged, however, by the efforts that areunderway to reverse the downward trends. I applaudmy teacher-librarian colleagues for the professional-ism and class with which they are tackling theseissues. It will be my pleasure to join in that advocacyrole as I adjust to teacher-librarianship.

I am attempting to create an atmosphere that is nur-turing and inviting in my new school. I have estab-lished new routines to assist students in developingsound information literacy skills. These are reinforcedthrough orientation lessons and a hands-on work cen-tre that boasts a full display of the OSLA Research

Portfolio methodology. There is a new multi-mediacomputer station where students can scan documents,burn CDs, work on large digital imaging files and printin colour. The new LAN School system serves very wellas a teaching tool and monitoring system. In addition,a lovely huge display case resides just outside thelibrary door where I can express my creativity in newand changing displays that serve to invite studentsand teachers into the library.

I enjoy teaching adolescents. Developing a rapportwith them is a highlight of this job. By far the mostimportant thing I learned from my mentor (and,believe me, she taught me SCADS!) was to alwayskeep your sense of humour. In doing so, I havebrought greater enjoyment to my teaching and nodoubt more interest to my students. I feel fortunate tohave a supportive administrative team and congenialstaff members who continue to support me and allthe changes I am making. It really helps when youdon’t feel like an island unto yourself.

I see so much potential in the physical space, theprogram and the students with whom I work, whichsupplies me with an endless source of enthusiasmand initiative. It enables me to continue to developand grow personally and professionally at an expo-nential rate. I look forward to the time when I canexpand my wings and soar freely and confidently inmy library... the library I grew. zz


SLiP is launched at CLA’s conference in Halifax.

With school library funding and program-ming at the forefront of library advoca-cy efforts in Canada, the Canadian

Library Association announced on June 21, 2002the launch of SLiP – a new internet portal thatresponds to the growing demand for resources forschool library personnel to use in creating policiesand programs.

It is available to all those in the decision-mak-ing process for school libraries in Canada – fromparents and students to administrators and gov-ernment officials.

SLiP (School Library Internet Portal), athttp://slip.cla.ca, is a free gateway to documentsoriginating in Canadian libraries, school boards,districts, and provinces.

SLiP is a link collection, created collaborative-ly by members of a Steering Committee from the

Canadian School Library Association (CSLA) andthe Association for Teacher-Librarianship inCanada (ATLC). It is a work in progress, with theultimate goal of having exemplary documentsfrom all parts of Canada in six main categoriesfrom Advocacy, Standards, School LibraryPrograms to Professional Development,Research, and School Library Management.Support has also been provided by the NationalLibrary of Canada in response to the need to helpCanadian school libraries share their documents.

These links, collected in one place in an inter-net portal, serve to support those across Canadaworking in school libraries looking for guidancein creating and protecting school library pro-grams for all Canadian children and youth.

For more information, go to http://slip.cla.ca, orcontact Dianne Clipsham at [email protected].

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Dianne Clipsham


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This summer I was welcomed at two days of the Library and Learning ResourcesSummer Institute held on August 20 and 21 at George S. Henry Academy. I hadan idea of the nature of a few of the workshops I had been pre-registered for,

but was a little anxious about what to expect, especially because I was an outsider.Suffice to say I need not have worried. My folder and badge were waiting, and myfirst day began by listening and laughing along with Claire Mackay, young-adultwriter and humourist.

I have to comment on the choice of plenary speakers. Claire Mackay is not pol-ished. She is not young. She appeared to have no use for PowerPoint, or technolo-gy of any sort, actually. What she did have, though, were funny anecdotes, heart-warming vignettes, and an appreciation of the importance of libraries, teacher-librarians, and an active reading program. As she so eloquently put it, “Readers turna library from a museum to a theatre.”

Each of the two days had a focus, and the first one was literacy. Workshops wereoffered at the Elementary and Secondary panels. My first session was on MediaLiteracy, and it was really about using film in your library program. The instructor,Sylvie Webb, presented a number of ideas on how to use media to teach students crit-ical thinking skills - to evaluate and question what they see. Media such as film andtelevision, as well as newspaper and magazine pictures, can be used in conjunctionwith many subject areas and as such, blended into a library unit to enhance under-standing of society and culture. Lots of food for thought in this session!

44

Bobbie Henley


In Secondary Book Talks, which was thename of the second session I attended, thenotion that booktalks are a powerful way toturn students onto reading was reinforced.Devra Freedman’s enthusiasm for young adultfiction was catching. Her mini reviews andbook lists were timely and there was somegreat discussion on professional books to pro-mote literacy.

And that was the only the first day!

The second day, focusing on technology,began with Esther Rosenfeld, who introducedand gave an overview of the draft form of theTDSB Standards for Information andCommunications Technologies Document,stressing that it should be used as a vehicle toknowledge and understanding, imbedded intoall curriculum.

I spent the rest of this day in front of a com-puter. The morning session, entitled GettingInspired With Inspiration Software, was fascinat-ing and very useful. This software can be usedby students of all ages, in any subject area, toincrease their graphic literacy and meet variouslearning styles. Participants were led through atraining session, whereby we created simplewebs, using graphics, colours, symbols, and hid-den messages. Kendra Grant, the instructor,showed us numerous applications for studentlearning and teacher use. Her handouts exempli-fied the incredible range of activities that thissoftware is capable of, from creating an in-depth

literature circle for a novel study, to construct-ing a properly written paragraph, and every-thing in between. Teachers too could useInspiration to plan units of study. All in all, avery valuable workshop!

My last session was the one I had been look-ing forward to from the start – Enhancing YourSchool Library Web Page. Even though I’m notfrom the TDSB and don’t have a proper libraryweb page yet, I was very interested in gather-ing ideas so that I could get started immediate-ly. I now know exactly what I want on our webpage, thanks to Mark Kaminski and others par-ticipating in the group. Lots of ideas were dis-cussed about making changes to the templatethat each library in the TDSB has, customizingit to meet the unique needs of the school. If Iever get my web page up and running – andthis is one of my goals for this year – it shouldbe our students’ one stop for research, withlinks to all they need. I can’t wait to get started!

I would like to thank Esther and all of theorganizers and presenters for two great days.Few of us can deny that there is always someaspect of managing a school library that needsattention or updating. And sessions such asthese provide a real ‘shot in the arm’ for bothnew and veteran teacher-librarians. Judgingfrom the number of participants, it appears thatmany teacher-librarians in the TDSB know howfortunate they are to have such an opportunityfor professional growth. zz

“Readers turn a library from a museum to a theatre.”~Claire Mackay

Teacher-librarians participating in the summer workshops.


Rose Dotten, director of Library andInformation Services at the University ofToronto Schools, OISE/UT, is the 2002 win-

ner of the Janice Thomson Memorial Award fordevelopment of learning resources for teachers andstudents. The Award is supported by theCurriculum Services Canada Foundation.

The resource that Rose developed supports theCriminal Law and Procedures Strand of the OntarioGrade 11, Understanding Canadian Law course.However, the resources listed are relevant for sec-ondary law courses across Canada.

Many issues in contemporary Canadian criminallaw impact on students’ daily lives and draw uponexperiences and circumstances that are immediate-ly topical and relevant. By having access to themost current materials available through CanadianLaw faculties and institutions, professional organi-zations and judicial and governmental sources ofinformation, students are exposed to community-based learning as it reflects many of the experi-ences and career opportunities available to sec-ondary students.

The guide is designed so that teachers can facili-tate student learning as they:

• explore legal issues directly affecting their lives• analyse legal issues• develop informed opinions on legal issues• understand and apply a case study approach to

legal issues• defend opinions on legal issues• communicate legal knowledge in a variety of set-

tings, using a range of approaches and strategies

By fostering a knowledge of the legal system, weassist our students in becoming informed andknowledgeable participants in a free and democrat-ic society.

The Award Ceremony was held in the library atthe University of Toronto Schools on October 2, 2002with representatives present from the CurriculumServices Foundation, OISE/UT, Ontario Ministry ofEducation, members of the Ontario Judiciary andfamily members, friends, and colleagues.

Tributes were paid to the late Janice Thomsonand her dedication to student learning as exempli-fied by this award. Rose also acknowledged PaulMcKenna, OISE/UT student and Reg Hawes, Historyand Law Teacher, OISE/UT, for their input in thedevelopment of the resource.

The resource can be accessed at:http://www.curriculum.org/tcf/teachers/projects/law.shtml. zz

Cecilia Reynolds (Associate Dean, OISE/UT) and RoseDotten (2002 Recipient of the Janice Thomson Award)

AWARDS

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Interview by Dianne Clipsham

For the series profiling key people inschool libraries in Ontario, TheTeaching Librarian asked the winner of the Canadian School LibraryAssociation’s 2002 Teacher-Librarianof the Year Award, Jo-Anne LaForty, afew questions.

TL: How did you get involved in school libraries in the first place?

JL: As a child, I remember my elementary school library (Brown Public School in Toronto) vividly andbeing excited about the rows of books in that room. I also recall being taken to the Deer Park PublicLibrary with my school class; libraries have been my home ever since. After graduating with an hon-ours BA in English, I contemplated a MLS program and even got accepted at Western, but the call toteaching was stronger. I did my Pre-service education at Queen’s University Faculty of Education,where I became inspired to become a teacher-librarian by Larry Moore.

TL: For how long have you been involved in libraries, and in what capacities?

JL: When I graduated, almost 25 years ago, I became Head of the Uxbridge High School Library in myfirst year of teaching (unusual circumstances) where I insisted on teaching classes in the library muchto the surprise of the staff.

After Uxbridge, I was Head of Library at O’Neill Collegiate in Oshawa for over 12 years.


I spent one year as a teacher-librarian in an ele-mentary school and then in 1998 I becameLibrary Consultant for the Durham Board ofEducation. Some of my projects included LibraryAutomation, Independent Study Guide, and aHandbook for Elementary Administrators. I spentone year as Head of Library at Eastdale Collegiatein Oshawa and now I work at Sir Robert L. BordenBusiness and Technology Institute for theToronto District School Board. This is a challeng-ing school; students need to build literacy skillsand confidence in learning. Most of the studentsgo directly to the world of work.

TL: How do you do it? (Since our theme this issueis Management, Jo-Anne was asked to expand onthis part of the job)

JL: Management for me is the juggling and priori-tizing of the clerical (secretarial), technical (com-puter maintenance), administrative (budget, pur-chasing, supervision, leadership) and curricularprogram of the library. The curricular programhas always been my priority – it has to be for allof us!

I believe we are teachers first and foremost,with the library as our classroom – thus we arelibrarians second. We are not fulfilling our mainresponsibility as teachers if our focus is only onthe clerical, technical and administrative taskswhich must be done.

I have taught at four high schools and the man-agement of the library is dependent upon the sup-port of the administration in the way of staffing,budget, library resources, school supervisionexpectations, etc. The instructional programdepends on the collaborative nature of the staffand each school has a unique collaborative char-acter; the library program becomes an importantpart of that character.

Management tasks are always looming becausethey infuse all aspects of our programs. How canwe find resources if books are not shelved? We

have to be creative about getting the work done!In the high schools where I have worked, I havehad different levels of support: from none to half-time to full-time clerical. One year in the early1980, I had no secretarial support and 13 parentvolunteers. I also know that my ability to be thecurricular leader at the school increases directlywith the amount of clerical support given.

When you do not have clerical/technical assis-tance, the library program suffers. You have to pri-oritize the curricular program. The ‘Open Door’policy might have to be cancelled and servicessuch as photocopying articles for staff, sendingmemos, and searching for resources for teacherscannot be offered. Be creative! Try book process-ing bees which are evenings where students stayand help process resources, shelf-read, laminate,etc. in exchange for a pizza dinner and volunteerhours.

Here are some tips to help with the work: (Thisis not ideal!)

• Accept the fact that the library will not beperfectly organized and that some clericaltasks can be overlooked

• Let the resources pile up so you can show youradministrator all the work that has to be done

• Remind the office secretary responsible forsupply teachers to remember the library as aspot if they do not have a full complement forthe day, and have things ready for them to do

• When the work gets really behind: tell theprincipal and see if a secretary can bereleased for a few days. (the training takestime too)

• Ask the principal for a supply teacher for aday or two to assist you in these tasks

• Include funding for a student assistant inyour budget

• Ask teachers with senior business classes ifthey can spare a student for a few periodsto do specific chores. This could be part ofthe Business course

44

TLPROFILE

“I believe we are teachers first and foremost, with the library as our classroom – thus we are librarians second.”


• Look into using Co-op students from otherlocal schools

• Have student assistants (I know a highschool where there were 60 student assis-tants getting some of their volunteerhours)

• Schedule a day to do the management tasks

Finally, keep lobbying with your principal andthe Board. It is tiring but it does make a difference.

TL: Have there been any outstanding moments foryou?

JL: I was present in 1982 at the launch of Partnersin Action, the document that highlighted theteaching role of the teacher-librarian and coop-erative planning with teachers. It encouragedme to see the school library as the academicplayground of the school – central to its curricu-lar program.

Our successes are due to the wonderful part-nerships we create. In 1998, I collaborated withteacher-librarians Sidney Lang, Irene Melli, andLise Arvo-Spraggs, to write and teach a Grade 11course called Information and ElectronicLiteracy. This course was of interest to teacher-librarians across Ontario and was taught in anumber of different boards.

I worked with inspired teachers to develop anall-girls’ multi-credit program called STEM(Science, Technology, Esteem Matters). This inte-grated program was offered at the Grade 10 level.In this program, the girls completed a version ofthe Information and Electronic Literacy courseintegrated with science. We also developed part-nerships with the local hospital, General Motorsand the Ontario Science Centre.

Last year I was invited to give a keynote addressat the Australian School Library Association

Conference Forging New Directions. I called itChoreographing the Chaos to reflect the way I seethe school library as an organic place where theprogram is a dance between and among manypartners: teachers, library staff, the school cultureitself, the Board and the community. What a won-derful opportunity! It was exciting meeting somany enthusiastic teacher-librarians from DownUnder, learning about their programs and hearingsimilar issues and concerns.

TL: Can you share your favourite reads or recre-ational pastimes?

JL: I belong to a Book Club which meets month-ly, and have enjoyed Carol Shields’ Unless,Richard Wright’s Clara Callan and Ian McEwen’sAtonement. My all-time favourite novel isPossession by A.S. Byatt.

I also enjoy sailing with my family during thesummer holidays, bicycling and cooking. I takeyoga once a week which is a great stress-reliever.

TL: What do you see in the future for SchoolLibraries in Ontario?

JL: I hope to see a day in the near future whenthe Ministry of Education acknowledges theimportant role of the school library in studentliteracy development and overall studentachievement. Once this is acknowledged, thefunding formula will improve, every school inOntario will have a well-stocked and well-staffedlibrary and a new Ministry Policy Document onSchool Libraries will be developed. Thanks to theconcerted efforts of OLA, and other politicallyactive groups and parents, this may yet becomereality.

TL: Thank you for your time, Jo-Anne, and bestwishes for as bright a future as your past hasbeen. zz

TLPROFILE

“Finally, Keep lobbying with your principal and the Board.It is tiring but it does make a difference.”

Your TurnTLWho do you think should be the subject of future profiles? Contact Dianne Clipsham at 44 Moorcroft Road, Ottawa K2G 0M7 ore-mail [email protected]


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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYTL

Diane Bédard

In many schools, the Library Resource Centre hosts a little pool of enriched technology where peripherals such

as scanners can be found and digital cameras can besigned out. What was once the realm of high-tech has

dropped low enough in cost to be commonplace – 1.2 to 2.0 megapixel cameras are under the $200

mark and basic scanners are under $70. 4 4


Blessed with access to this technology, many ofus have experimented and played with the soft-ware and tools available, becoming comfort-

able with the process of capturing and manipulatingimages. OSAPAC funding of software has provided thegift of powerful applications like Adobe’s PhotoshopElements. In Elements, simplified ‘recipes’ and onlineguides make it easy to scan, crop, adjust and fix mostphotos. You can get almost smug with your ability touse the technology and work magic! Thus it was a hum-bling experience recently, to realize just how muchwe’ve taken this easy access for granted.

A SIMPLE IDEA

It all started with a simple idea: to put on a littledemonstration for the local community. It grew into acommunity-building public service event covered bythe media, with rave demands for a repeat session!

What did we do? The initial plan was for a simple‘back to school’ activity to showcase the ease ofusing the scanning and image editing technology, andthe aim was to get people to try it for themselves. Theequipment needs were not demanding. The ResourceCentre provided two iMacs, a basic scanner, a CDburner and a simple point-n-click 1.2 megapixel digi-tal camera. In partnership with the local computerclub (which brought a couple more computers, scan-ners and cameras) we all picked a common Saturdayto come together and make images for anyone whowanted them.

‘GET YOUR MUG SHOT!’ IS BORN

Although we’d planned to hold this in the local com-munity centre where the computer club met monthly,a chance dialogue with the Head of Technology at thepublic library changed that. We received her blessingto go downtown and set up in the main branch of thepublic library. From there it mushroomed...

• ethernet access and IP addresses were arrangedwith the public library’s IT staff

• public e-mail accounts were established so theimages could be immediately sent as requested

• the front two sections of the main circulationcounter were made available for the scanningstations

• media releases to the community TV, radio andnews channels were drafted, flyers and handoutsabout the editing process were designed.

Soon we had volunteers lining up who were willingto staff the equipment and share their knowledge ofdigital photography and scanning. From high schoolstudents to senior citizens, everyone had someexpertise to share! Apple Canada, through the localusers’ group (AppleSPICE), donated matching T-shirts for all the volunteers and ‘Get Your Mug Shot!’was born.

“Two photos? Not a problem! Is that e-mail or printquality?”

For five hours we took over the foyer of the mainbranch. The public was warmly welcomed and invit-ed to have a favourite picture scanned or pose on thespot for a digital photo. Then they were invited toparticipate in the process of editing the image andpreparing it for sharing: 72 dpi and 500 pixel width fore-mailing, 72 dpi and 800 pixel width for screen shots,or 300 dpi and 4 X 6 sizing for printout purposes.

We encouraged them to e-mail the pictures to any-one they wanted and had three e-mail stations live tohelp them do so immediately. Additionally, for thedonation of $1 to cover the cost of a blank CD-R, weoffered to burn all their pictures to a keepsake CD.

A HEARTFELT SUCCESS STORY

We’d expected the day to have some public inter-est and to provide the students and volunteers with achance to shine – but what happened was truly


incredible. In the space of a few hours we took orscanned hundreds of pictures and got to meet the realmulticultural face of the city. E-mail destinations cov-ered the world: China, India, Lebanon, South Africa,Ghana, Germany – and it was rare to find someonewho did not know the e-mail addresses of theirfriends and family. One entire spindle of CD-R blankswas consumed as people took the high quality digitalversions of the photos home.

A very hesitant mother was finally coaxed by heryoung son and posed with him for some pictures.Seeing her pictures appear on screen brought smilesand she had her son quietly ask how much this wasgoing to cost. The boy interpreted for us and told herthis was truly free. The smiles turned to profusethanks as she realized we really would help her to e-mail the photos to family back home.

One enterprising young man, after learning how toscan the wallet snapshot of his wife and newborn daugh-ter, verified how long we would be there. He showed upagain an hour later with a manila envelope of preciouswedding photos to scan and e-mail them home as well!

It was infectious. A pack of giggling 13-year-old girlstried us out as a model shoot opportunity. Their highenergy level, cheerful experiments with the editingsoftware and hilarious comments on the unexpectedresults soon drew more people in to give it a try!

THE OUTCOME?

Technology we had taken for granted was beinggreatly appreciated by people who did not have suchfree access. Skills we had taught our students werebeing fully utilized and validated. True community wasbeing built.

By the end of the afternoon when we were ready topack up, requests were already coming in to do it again –requests from the public who had found this communityservice invaluable, requests from the students and vol-unteers who were aglow from the compliments received,requests from the public library staff who had loved thegreat, lively public involvement we had generated.

Will we do it again? Plans for ‘Get Your Mug Shot 2’are already underway. zz

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYTL

OSLAPresident’sReport

Esther RosenfeldOSLA President 2002 and 2003

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OLA and OSLAadvocacy efforts for

school librarieshave intensified asof October 2002.Esther Rosenfeld

and Stephen Abramaddress the

Education EqualityTask Force.

On September 18, OLA president Stephen Abram and Imade presentations to the Education Equality TaskForce. Stephen spoke eloquently as the president of

a 4,000-member professional association, a professionallibrarian, a businessperson, and a parent. He deplored thedeteriorating state of Ontario’s school libraries and attrib-uted this deterioration to the government’s short-sightedfunding formula and its inadequacies.

Indicating that our society now demands information liter-acy skills of its citizens, Stephen stated that this could not beaccomplished by public libraries working alone, by use of theInternet, or by the training programs of corporations. Heemphasized that society’s need for an information literate cit-izenry demands the province’s commitment to adequatelyfunded school libraries, and to teacher-librarians and theirteaching of information literacy skills.



After Stephen’s passionate address, my role was to provide the details andfacts. The complementary OSLA presentation emphasized the specifics ofthe present funding formula, the lack of definite provincial standards forschool libraries, the varying ways the funding formula has been implement-ed by school boards, and its devastating results for school libraries.

Both presentations made similar recommendations:

• That the funding formula be changed so that each school would have aqualified teacher-librarian as well as qualified support staff, with specialprovisions for small schools.

• That teacher-librarian staffing and library support staffing be protectedso that this staffing cannot be used by school boards in other areas.

• That there be adequate protected funding for school library resources.• That a new policy document for school libraries updating Partners in

Education be written, and that this new document establish a set ofprovincial standards for school libraries.

• That there be a designated and properly staffed portfolio for schoollibraries at the Ministry of Education

• That the Ontario government support the Ontario Digital Library andOntario Knowledge Network for Learning initiatives to provide equitableaccess to resources throughout the province.

The presentations were well received by Task force members. For furtherinformation and full versions of the presentations and supporting materials,please see the OLA website at http://www.accessola.com.

OLA and OSLA were not the only ones advocating for school libraries inpresentations to the Rozanski Task Force. Many school boards (notablyDurham DSB, Kawartha-Pine Ridge DSB, Peel DSB, and Toronto DSB) arguedthat the present funding formula has caused significant deterioration ofschool library programs and urged changes to the formula. OSSTF recom-mended changes to teacher-librarian funding as part of their presentation.Numerous parent groups spoke about the decline of their local school’slibrary, and Parents for Education emphasized school libraries in their submission.

Another group that has been advocating for school libraries is theCanadian Coalition for School Libraries. The coalition is national in scopeand was formed earlier this year, sparked by John Lorinc’s article on schoollibraries in Quill & Quire. Its membership includes individuals representingCanadian publishers, school library organizations, library organizations, andparent groups. The group has sent a brief to the Council of Ministers ofEducation of Canada, and sent a written submission to the Rozanski TaskForce. The coalition had a booth at Toronto’s annual Word on the Street fes-tival in September, and asked visitors to sign a petition supporting schoollibraries in the form of a postcard. About 3,000 postcards were signed andsubsequently delivered to the Education Equality Task Force. OLA andMicromedia ProQuest shared the costs of what was a very successful event.

All these efforts have put school libraries on the radar screen. OSLA isthankful for the support of OLA, and the support of other groups and individ-uals. We await the task force report. zz


Professional resourcesTL

Where Do I Start? A SchoolLibrary HandbookSanta Clara Office of Education,Library ServicesLinworth, 2001 (Professional Growth Series)Paper, 8 1/2” x 11”, 153 pages,bibliographical references andindex. ISBN 1-58683-043-0

Where Do I Start? is actually theschool library handbook preparedby the Library Services departmentof the Santa Clara Office ofEducation. This title is intended asa quick reference tool for schoollibrary staff, providing an introduc-tion to and overview of each topicand suggesting resources for fur-ther reading. Topics coveredinclude an overview of schoollibraries, space, public relations/marketing, collection, program,internet, procedures, and automa-tion. Both elementary and second-ary school libraries are included.

While Where Do I Start? has anAmerican focus – which showsmost clearly in references to docu-ments, standards, and legal issues –much of the general information isapplicable in Canadian schoollibraries. This handbook is easy toread, as advertised, but I did findthe page design annoying. However,this is a relatively minor matter asWhere Do I Start? is a quick refer-ence on specific matters ratherthan a book a reader is likely to readthrough from beginning to end.Where Do I Start? would certainly bea useful addition to a district profes-sional collection for districts thatdon’t have their own school libraryhandbooks. Districts in the processof developing such a handbookmight want to purchase a copy ofWhere Do I Start? as part of a collec-tion of model handbooks.

Catalog It! A Guide toCataloguing SchoolLibrary MaterialsAllison G. Kaplan and Ann Marlow RiedlingLinworth, 2002 Paper, 8 1/2” x 11”, 191 pages, bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-58683-014-7, $71.90

Because Catalog It! is designed as atext for students in School LibraryMedia specialist courses, it isdesigned to address the specificneeds and challenges of cataloguingin school libraries. Topics coveredinclude the history of cataloguing,copy cataloguing, cataloguing tools,intellectual access, physical de-scription, processing, cataloguingfor automated library systems, andthe future of cataloguing. Theauthors address AACR2R catalogu-ing rules, the use of Sears andLibrary of Congress subject head-ings, Dewey Decimal Classification(somewhat – the authors recom-mend a DDC workbook), and MARCrecords. Exercises are included andall exercises and examples usematerials likely to be found inschool library collections.

If you catalog school librarymaterials, you need this book. Ifyou’re fortunate enough to workwith a library technician or if yourschool district provides central cat-aloguing services, then you need toread this book to understand howmaterials are catalogued so you’llhave a deeper understanding of theorganization of your collection andof how to structure effective OPACsearches. Although the authors doassume that Catalog It! is beingused as a text in a course with aninstructor, it can be read and usedprofitably by individuals or groupsof teacher-librarians for non-creditprofessional development. It would

be well worth the investment forschool districts to buy enoughcopies of Catalog It! to put a copy inthe hands of each person responsi-ble for cataloguing school librarymaterials.

The School Library MediaSpecialist’s Tool KitRichard Pearson andKaye Y. TurnerHighsmith Press, 1999 (Handbook Series)Paper, 8 1/2” x 11”, 89 pages, bibliographical references andindex. ISBN 1-57950-012-9

The authors of The School LibraryMedia Specialist’s Tool Kit draw onexperience, research, and Americanschool library standards to identifystrategies teacher-librarians need toconsider to offer effective service.This title is a handbook of practicaladvice for both new and experi-enced teacher-librarians in both ele-mentary and secondary schools.The chapters are short – three to sixpages – and each chapter addressesone item or area. Topics coveredinclude ambiance, volunteers, disci-pline, budget, censorship, planning,evaluation, and so on.

While The School Library MediaSpecialist’s Tool Kit does cover abroad range of topics, the cover-age is rather hit-and-miss. It’simportant to understand that thistool kit is a collection of ideas andsuggestions, not a comprehensivetext on school librarianship. Giventhis, and the fact that this title cov-ers both elementary and second-ary school libraries, The SchoolLibrary Media Specialist’s Tool Kitis best suited to a district levelprofessional collection.


Bulletin Board Power: Bridges to LifelongLearningKaren Hawthorne andJane E. GibsonLibraries Unlimited, 2002,Paper, 8 1/2” x 11”, 117 pages,index. ISBN 1-56308-917-3

Bulletin Board Power: Bridges toLearning might be of interest toelementary school teacher-librari-ans looking for bulletin boardideas. Although Hawthorne andGibson do provide some generalhow-to suggestions for the cre-ation of bulletin boards, they rec-ommend that readers refer totheir first book, Bulletin Boardsand 3D Showcases That CaptureThem With Pizzazz (LU, 1999). InBulletin Board Power, Hawthorneand Gibson provide 72 bulletin

board designs, which can be usedto promote reading. Each designis illustrated with a black andwhite line drawing, and detailsabout background, lettering, etc.are provided. The book includesseveral of the patterns used forthe bulletin boards.

Although Bulletin Board Powercould be worth browsing forideas, readers might find thedesigns less appealing thanexpected. The quality of both theillustrations and the patterns isalso disappointing, especiallygiven the relative ease of produc-ing good quality work with evenfairly basic desktop publishingprograms.

If Bulletin Board Power is beingconsidered for purchase for a dis-

trict collection, it would be a goodidea to have a number of elemen-tary school teacher-librarians takea look at it first. This is one of thosetitles that should be bought from adisplay rather than a review.

by Brenda Dillon


Professional resourcesTLSchool LibraryManagement, 4th editioncompiled by the editors of The Book Report, LibraryTalk, and TechnologyConnection, with the assis-tance of Catherine Andronik Linworth, 1998 (Professional Growth Series)Paper, 8.5”x11”, 280 pages, bibliography. ISBN 0-938865-66-8, $58.00

This collection of 123 columns,articles, tips and bright ideasculled from the pages of The BookReport, Technology Connection andLibrary Talk addresses the struggleall school librarians face in meet-ing administrative and instruction-al demands each day. The authors,all of whom are American, raisequestions about the changing rolewe play in schools.

While most of these articles arenew to this edition (1998), somewere published as far back as 1993.The articles are arranged undereight topics: Organization/Management, Planning, Personneland Evaluation, Budget, Facilities,Collection Development, Circula-tion and Inventory, TeachingInservice Workshops and Organi-zing Author Visits. A newer editionwould place more attention on theinternet and on library program.There is a mix of elementary andsecondary emphasis which forsome may be a drawback. Given thegenerally good quality of Linworthpublications, this one is a disap-pointment and is not recommendedfor personal or school level collec-tions. Central/shared collectionsthat do not have the three maga-zines may wish to consider it.

z Brenda Dillon and Dianne Clipsham

The Best of LM_NET Select 2001Michael B. Eisenberg,Peter Milbury &Michelle Walker Linworth, 2002Paper, 8 1/2” x 11”, 187 pages, CD ROM with complete 2001LM_NET Select messagearchives. (PC/MAC not specified)ISBN 1-58683-114-3, $71.90

LM_NET, a free listserv for schoollibrarians, was 10 years old on June5, 2002 and now has 15,000 mem-bers in 65 countries. Because trafficcan be quite heavy, LM_NET Selectwas created – a daily Best ofLM_NET. This book is the best ofthis best (with the complete 2001LM_NET Select message archiveson the accompanying CD ROM). TheBest of LM_NET Select 2001 presentssome of the major LM_NET discus-sions of 2001, organized into fivetopics: Reading and Literature;Curriculum and Instruction;Information Management; Comput-erized Reading Programs; andTechnology. The messages are pre-sented unedited, so browsing thisbook is like browsing the archives.In fact, as Mike Eisenberg notes inthe preface, The Best of LM_NETSelect 2001 is ‘the first print archiveof the LM_NET community.’

An LM_NET membership givesone access to a huge pool of col-leagues with an incredible amountof collective experience andexpertise. This book and theaccompanying CD ROM make thisexpertise available in a convenientand easy-to-use format. The Best ofLM_NET Select 2001 would certain-ly be a useful addition to a districtcollection. However, it must beremembered that LM_NET mem-bership is free and the archives areavailable online, so this informa-tion is available without the bookor CD ROM. Given budget realities,

there are probably resources ofequal or higher priority that areavailable only in print.

100 Library Lifesavers: A Survival Guide forSchool Library Media SpecialistsPamela S. BaconLibraries Unlimited, 2000Paper, 8 1/2” x 11”, 317 pages,bibliography and index. ISBN 1-56308-750-2

Pamela S. Bacon provides 100 life-savers – tips, tools, and quotes frompracticing teacher-librarians – de-signed to make a teacher-librarian’slife a little easier. She expresses thehope that using these lifesavers willallow teacher-librarians to findmore time to model a love of read-ing. These lifesavers cover all gradelevels and the copyright statementincludes permission for individuallibrarians/educators to copy theactivity sheets for classroom use ina single school or library.

While I could modify some of thelifesavers for my own use, I didn’tcome across anything I could orwould use ‘as is’. So, although 100Library Lifesavers is designed to bepractical and immediately useful, Iwould still have to recreate andthen modify any lifesaver I decidedto use. I think this concept hasmerit and great potential, but Iwould have found the book muchmore useful had it come with a CDso I could simply modify the exist-ing forms. I consider this title anoptional purchase and recommenda personal preview. It’s important tonote that district ownership doesnot allow users to photocopy mate-rials as this permission is grantedonly to the owner of the book.


Running a School LibraryMedia Center, 2nd editionBarbara L. Stein and Risa W. BrownNew York: Neal-SchumanISBN 1-55570-432-8

“This updated and expandededition of Running a SchoolLibrary Media Center: AHow-To-Do-It Manual offersa starting-from-scratch intro-duction to library media spe-cialists who are starting theirfirst jobs; more experiencedlibrary professionals, para-professionals, and clerks willalso find information andresources of value in thesepages.”

(Preface)

It’s true! This resource manualdelivers what it promises. It beginswith a chapter on ‘How To GetStarted’, which is broken downinto the subheadings The People,The Facility, The Collection, GoalSetting, Stress Management andProfessional Organizations. Thesesections are short, to the point,and relevant, with the exception ofProfessional Organizations, whichis American. Also included in thisinitial chapter is a list of six essen-tial survival strategies. None ofthem are rocket science, but all ofthem are useful.

Other chapters give a solidoverview of:

• Policies and Procedures• Ordering and Processing

Materials• Cataloguing, Circulation• Maintaining the Collection• Hiring and Working with Staff• Designing and Using the

Facility• Information Literacy and • Programming

Included throughout are sever-al sample forms, charts, reports,notices, checklists, surveys andletters which could save many ofus countless hours since they areeasily adapted to our own needs.

As well, useful tips are framedin boxes alongside much of thetext. Many of these are super andwould be extremely useful to ateacher-librarian just starting out.For example, in the section onBooktalks, under Programming,the tip reads as follows:

Do’s & Don’ts for BooktalkingDO:•• make notes•• hook the listener•• practice•• say title and author first and last•• point cover of book at listenersDON’T:•• tell the ending •• talk about a book you haven’tread

Finally, another wonderful fea-ture of this book is theAppendices section at the end,which includes extensive lists ofsources such as Book Vendorsand Listserves, to name a few.Once again, the majority of theseare American, but Canadiansources are listed as well.

Running a School Library MediaCenter is the kind of book teacher-librarians will like to have ontheir office shelves, one that willbe referred to over and overagain.

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2002 OSLA

COUNCIL

Esther RosenfeldPresident

Toronto District School [email protected]

Angela DiPrimaSecretary-Treasurer

York Catholic District School [email protected]

Sya Van Geest Past-President

[email protected]

Kendra Godin-SvobodaDurham District School Board

[email protected]

Flavia RenonOttawa-Carleton District School Board

[email protected]

Anita Brooks-KirklandWaterloo Region District School Board

[email protected]

Michelle ReginaYork Catholic District School Board

[email protected]

Bobbie HenleyGrand Erie District School Board

[email protected]

Cheryl DinninThames Valley District School Board

[email protected]

Joyce CunninghamRainy River District School Board

[email protected]

Rose DodgsonToronto District School Board

[email protected]

PORTFOLIOREPORTS Autumn 2002

Portfolio:ADVOCACY

led by Cheryl Dinnin

The editorial board of TheTeaching Librarian is still wait-ing to hear from you, the read-ers. We know that most of youhave wonderful ideas for thelibrary that you could sharewith others. We need theseideas for our column, ‘ItWorked For Me.’

The themes for this year’sThe Teaching Librarian areManagement, Partnerships,and Evidence. We’re excitedabout these and hope you’llfind the issues worthwhile.

We’d like to build a bank ofphotos of school librariesshowcasing the dynamic learn-ing places they are. Send anyalong to the OLA office, keep-ing in mind that permission isneeded if individuals areshown.

Please be patient as youawait your copy of TheTeaching Librarian. OSLA hasbeen undergoing a transition inlayout editing but we hopeyou’ll agree the wait is worth it!

Portfolio: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

led by Michele Regina

Responding to the needs ofthe members has always beenthe focus of OSLA professionaldevelopment. In the past fouryears, the summer institutesheld in August have been organ-ized around topics of impor-tance to teacher-librarians suchas advocacy, literacy and cur-riculum design. These insti-tutes have been very wellreceived by participants.

OSLA is dedicated to the con-tinuation of high quality profes-sional development. As such,we are in the process of rethink-ing approaches for the deliveryof programs best suited tokeeping teacher-librarians andSLICs current and in touch withnew and essential curriculum,trends and programs. Look forthese new and innovative pro-fessional development initia-tives in the near future.

In the meantime, plan toattend this year’s SuperConference, January 30 toFebruary 1, 2003. It promisesto be a tremendous profession-al learning event. Hope to seeyou there!


Portfolio: MEMBERSHIP

led by Joyce Cunningham

During the past three years,OSLA has been running a pilotproject which involves blockmembership. The project hasbeen successful in severalways: membership has in-creased; the members receive adiscount; and the process inwhich a Board individual gath-ers all the information and actsas a contact has resulted inmore sharing of information.OSLA Council has thereforedecided to take the necessarysteps to open this opportunityto members in other Boards.The final step will be a vote atthe AGM.

At our AGM at SuperConference we will once againbe presenting the OSLA Awardsto the Teacher-Librarian of theYear, the Administrator of theYear, and the Award for Excep-tional Achievement. I urge all ofyou to come to this presenta-tion and join us in celebratingthe achievements and success-es of these dedicated people.

At the AGM we will also bewelcoming several new peopleto the Council. This is youropportunity to put a face to thename and discuss your ideaswith both the new and continu-ing members of Council.

I sincerely hope that many ofyou will be able to attend thiswonderful conference for ourmembers. 44

Portfolio:READING PROGRAMS, LITERACY

led by Anita Brooks-Kirkland

Last year, under the leader-ship of the small but dedicatedgroup of elementary teacher-librarians remaining in the dis-trict, more schools in WaterlooRegion than ever before partici-pated in OLA reading programs.

To celebrate this success,the teacher-librarians hostedtheir own Silver Birch celebra-tion for students in WRDSB ele-mentary schools. KarenPenner chaired the organizingcommittee. The big day was onMay 24, 2002, the day after theSilver Birch awards were pre-sented in Toronto. Local TVpersonality Tom Knowlton wasthe host, and entertainmentwas provided by Ronno andthe Bierdo Brothers. Guestsincluded Silver Birch authorsLynda Wilson and Song NanZhang, Waterloo mayor LynnWoolstencroft, WRDSB ChairSandy Shantz and Director ofEducation, Cec Omand.

Of course, the most impor-tant guests were the nearly1,500 students who had partic-ipated in Silver Birch programsin 30 schools. Several of the

students got to perform theirwinning songs in the SilverBirch songwriting contest withthe Bierdo Brothers andRonno. Many schools and indi-vidual students won drawprizes donated by local busi-nesses. The highlights of theafternoon, of course, weremeeting the authors and hear-ing the announcement of theaward winners.

This event drew consider-able attention to the leader-ship of teacher-librarians insupporting literacy with thisvery exciting program. Theatmosphere was tinged withsadness, however, since it tookplace just a few days after theannouncement that the alreadysmall contingent of 28 elemen-tary teacher-librarians in theregion had been cut to just fivefor its 100 schools.


Portfolio:SUPER CONFERENCE

led by Rose Dodgson

Super Conference 2003 prom-ises to be a superb conference,truly offering an exciting pro-gram with something for every-one. It takes place January 30 toFebruary 1, 2003 at the MetroToronto Convention Centre.

This year, OSLA spotlightspeakers are Roland Case andRon Jobe. Roland Case, Profes-sor at the Faculty of Education,Simon Fraser University, willoffer two sessions: one at the ele-mentary level and one at the sec-ondary level on the challenges ofCritical Thinking About Infor-mation Technologies. He willshare strategies and ways thatteachers and teacher-librarianscan teach the intellectual toolsto support students in thinkingcritically about the use and con-tent of electronic informationtechnologies

Ron Jobe, Associate Professorat the Department of Languageand Literacy Education at theUniversity of British Columbia, isthe co-author of ReluctantReaders and InfoKids. He will be presenting two sessions. One will be on strategies and

resources to help reluctant read-ers take control of their ownprocess. In another, Ron willexamine using non-fiction andinformational texts with reluc-tant readers.

This year, OSLA alone is offer-ing more than 40 workshops byteacher-librarians, educators,authors and specialists on a wide range of topics gearedfor elementary and secondarylevels. These include sessionson Instruction, Advocacy,Leadership and Partnerships.Program strategies and units oninformation literacy, literacy,reading programs, informationtechnology (Inspiration, Inter-net searching), InterdisciplinaryStudies, integrating media, andInterdisciplinary Studies will beshared. New this year arePosterSessions showcasing pro-grams, units and documentsfrom across the province. Theywill be displayed in theExhibition Hall.

These are only some of theexciting workshops offered atSuper Conference. In all, thereare more than 200 workshops

sponsored by the combinedmember associations of theOntario Library Association.

The plenary and keynotespeakers this year are DaveSnowden, Director of the newlyformed Cynefin Centre, a knowledge management insti-tute which focuses on usinghuman networks to enable theemergence of new meaning inorganizational complexity,along with Russell Mills,Publisher and President of theOttawa Citizen. The SaturdayLuncheon speaker is LinwoodBarclay, author and Toronto Starcolumnist.

On Friday, you may want tostart your day with the SilverBirch and Red Maple authorbreakfast and end with the fun-filled gala celebration Fridayevening at the CBC Atrium. Youwon’t want to miss the largestCanadian Library Trade Show inthe Exhibition Hall featuringhundreds of vendors, displays ofbooks, material and technology.

zz

PORTFOLIO UPDATES continued

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