School Libraries Count!

Yesterday wasn't all about socializing - we all attend workshop sessions, but there were Wi-Fi connectivity problems in the morning, so we weren't able to blog live. I attended a session facilitated by Annette Lamb called Re-imagine Rejuvenate Renew: Beyond Library Media Specialist 2.0 and one by Betty Morris on her research study, Principal Support of Media Specialist & Teacher Collaboration. Sandy and I also went to a demonstration of ABC-CLIO's social studies database facilitated by Pam Berger. Lunch was provided and participants had a chance to work collaboratively to get a feel for this resource. That's how we realized that MSLA member Elizabeth Tully from Phillips Andover Academy was sitting right next to us. Elizabeth will be doing a session at our MSLA conference in a couple of weeks called Wonderful Wikis.

The session that provided the most new information for me was Keith Curry Lance's overview of his research in Sizing Up American’s School Libraries: The First Annual Report on AASL’s School Libraries Count! Survey. Here are some brief notes on his findings:

Over 4500 responses completed: 4000 public; over 200 independent. States with more than 100 responses: CA, MD, PA, FL, NC, TX, TN, VA, ID, OR, OH, IL, WI, NY, NJ, SC (3/4 of responses)

• Staffing: HS, 1.5 FTE; others 1 FTE
  Enrollment: 1k+ 2+ FTE; <1k>
• Staff activities:
  Delivering instruction: ES 15 hrs; MS 10; HS 8
  Overseeing budget
  Planning with teachers
• Collection
  # of books: HS 14k; others 11k
  volumes/student: ES 22; MS 16; HS 12
  age of collection: median copyright date 1994 or earlier
• Technology
  LMC computers: ES 9; MS 20; HS 32
  Networked computers elsewhere in school: ES 72; MS __; HS__
  Remote database access: 65%
• LMC visits
  Individual: ES 60; others 200-300
  Group: ES 23; others 20
• Expenditures
  Total: ES $5k; MS $8k; HS $11k
  Per student: 2k+ $20k - $8/student; <300>

Gearing up for 2008*

• Watch AASL website, e-newsletter, listservs, etc.
• Spread the word via your state/regional association, state library agency, LIS education program, etc.
• Help us improve returns from private & charter schools, other under-represented groups (magnet, special ed, vo-tech)
• Suggest 3-5 one-time questions on hot topics
• Plan to participate & encourage your colleagues

*2008 survey will launch at Midwinter, January 11th in Philadelphia

Valerie has set up a wiki where we will post notes on the sessions we attend and links to the presenters' handouts. Later today I'll post links there to Keith's full presentation as well as the others I attended.