DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 400 528 CS 012 640
TITLE Libraries & Reading: Indispensable Partners.INSTITUTION Middle Grades Reading Network, Evansville, IN.SPONS AGENCY -Lilly Endowment, Inc., Indianapolis, Ind.
PUB DATE [961
NOTE 30p.
PUB TYPE Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.)
(120) Reports Evaluative/Feasibility (142)
EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS Adolescents;. Elementary Secondary Education; Futures(of Society); *Library Collection Development;*Library Collections; *Library Role; LibraryStandards; Middle Schools; *Reading; ReadingImprovement
IDENTIFIERS *Indiana
ABSTRACTAttention to school libraries must be at the heart of
any comprehensive plan for improving youth literacy. Excellent schoollibraries are essential if young people are to have access to thereading resources to help them gain the level of literacy achievementvital to meeting the challenge of the twenty-first century. Sectionsof the booklet discuss facing the challenge of the twenty-firstcentury; the role of school libraries; the "sad state" of schoollibraries in Indiana; how much should be spent on books for middlegrades school libraries; how long it will take to rebuild schoollibrary book collections; what needs to be done now to make acommitment to school libraries; and school libraries and youngHoosiers. Contains eight references and the Reading Bill of Rightsfor Indiana's Young Adolescents. Appendixes present a library booksinventory form, a chart indicating library inventory by copyrightdate, a library endowment plan, and a form for a library media centermonthly report. (RS)
*******************************************************************
* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.
***********************************************************************
LibrariesINDISPENSABLE PARTNERS
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE ANDDISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL
HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it.Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in thisdocument do not necessarily representofficial OERI position or policy.
w
-
l/: -
BEST COPY AVAILABLE j
Advisory Board
Richard C. Anderson
Leati Meyer Austin
Eileen Baker
Cathy Barlow
Linda Cornwell
Tony Eichelberger
John T. McGovern
Norman Newberg
Kenneth R. Romines
Judith Davidson Wasser
Judith Zorfass
Network Staff
Jack W. HumphreySue HennessyJulie JohnsonCarolyn Scavone
Middle Grades Reading Network
University of Evansville
1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, Indiana 47722
Telephone (812) 479-2624
Fax (812) 474-4032
E-Mail [email protected]
Funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.
University of Illinois
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Richmond Community Schools
Morehead State University
Indiana Department of Education
University of Pittsburgh
William Penn Charter School
University of Pennsylvania
San Francisco Unified School District
Technical Educational Research Center
Education Development Center
DirectorAdministrative AssistantAdministrative AssistantConsultant
L rarieseading
INDISPENSABLE PARTNERS
Current,
Interesting, andAttractive SchoolLibrary BookCollections AreEssential for
Healthy MiddleGrades Reading
Programs
4BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Indiana:Facing the Challenge ofthe Twenty-First Century
NAFTA, GATT, global trade, information
highway, and research parksthese areterms we hear frequently today in the news.They point to the emerging era of com-merce and economic development of thetwenty-first century. This is an era that willbe vastly different from the industrial andagricultural world of the earlier part of thetwentieth century, when factory jobs wereplentiful and farming was a family affair.Even in the last decade of the twentiethcentury, these conditions are no longerpresent. Indiana, like many other places, isfeeling the change.
The beckoning economic era is global,rather than national, in scope. It requires ahighly skilled workforce, with individuals pos-sessing the flexibility to train and retrainmany times over the course of their lives.Gathering and processing information arevital skills in this world, as computers andtheir accompanying electronic formsE-mail,CD-ROM, and databanksbecome essentialtools for negotiating the world. This is awork world requiring very literate workers.
Not all of the changes of this new eraare restricted to business; civic life, too, isaffected. To participate fully in a moderndemocracy, citizens need broad literacy andcommunication skills. Politics today aremore global; at the same time, they are morelocal. Televised town hall meetings, E-mail,and other forms of media put us in closertouch with politicians and issues. On theother hand, because of the complex mannerin which politics, economics, and culture arenow intertwined, local events may have un-expected ramifications on what were onceconsidered foreign issues. Again, a literatecitizenry will be essential if informed demo-cratic decisions are to be reached.
Indiana's young adolescentsat thecrossroads of their lives between childhood
and adulthood and at the crossroads be-tween two eras, a nationalized industrial/agri-cultural economy and a global transnationaleconomyface particularly great challenges.Their future lies in a world that is only nowcoming into focus, and their past lies in a
If they are lucky, during theseyears young adolescents will readbroadly and deeply . . . .
world that is quickly fading from focus.They, and their parents, are caught inthe middle, often unsure of how best toproceed.
These middle years are critical in many
ways. It is a time when young peoplemake important life decisions that will open
or close future doors. It is also an impor-tant period in the development of readingskills that will help them in transition to fu-ture opportunities. If they are lucky, duringthese years young adolescents will readbroadly and deeply, learning to use readingas a tool for gathering information, makingdecisions, and exploring new areas of
5
AO`
Ji10.§
co,
knowledge. We hope they will also come tosee reading as pleasurable, exciting, and
meaningful. It is during these years thatlifelong reading habits are formedor notformed, as the case may be.
How will Indiana face the challenge ofthe twenty-first century? Whatever pathsthe state pursues, it is clear that high lev-els of literacy will be essential for futureHoosiers. This literacy achievement cannotbe attained without the foundation for lit-eracy provided by excellent school libraries.
Reading Is Critical:The Role of SchoolLibraries
Developing strong, competent, indepen-dent readers is really a very simple thing ifyou remember one adage: the more youread, the better you read. The Center forthe Study of Reading at the University ofIllinois finds that:
Independent silent reading is one ofthe most important activities for thereading development of students of all
2
ages. Research shows that studentswho do a lot of reading "on their own"become better readers because inde-pendent reading:
enhances their reading compre-hension;
provides them with a wide range ofbackground knowledge;
accounts for one-third or more oftheir vocabulary growth; and
promotes reading as a lifelongactivity. (p. 1)
In addition to increased comprehensionand vocabulary, there is also strong evi-dence that independent reading improveswriting style, spelling, and grammatical de-velopment (Krashen, 1993).
Surprisingly, although television is oftenblamed for the lack of interest in readingamong young people today, Krashen re-ports that "the culprit seems to be theabsence of good books" (Krashen, 1993,p. 83). Access to books is essential ifyoung people are to engage in indepen-dent reading, as well as in the readingnecessary for their school studies.
Access to books is a broad, encom-passing concept. It means that youngpeople must have reading materials avail-able to them in number and variety. Books,magazines, and other materials should beup-to-date and appealing in their formatand in the way they are displayed. Youngpeople need encouragement to select ma-terials that are challenging and about topicswith which they may be unfamiliar as wellas those that are at comfortable readinglevels and about familiar topics.
There is overwhelming evidence that
school libraries make a difference in provid-ing young people with access to books.And the better the school library, the betterthe results for young people's reading
6
achievement. School libraries which havelarger, quality collections; which are avail-
able to students more hours; which providecomfortable and relaxing reading environ-ments; and which are staffed with qualifiedschool librarians produce students withhigher reading achievement (Krashen, 1993)."The closest correlation to high scores oncollege entrance exams is not per-pupil ex-penditure for instruction, teachers' salaries,or textbooks. Instead, by a wide margin, itis the local tax dollars spent per pupil onlibrary media centers" (New Jersey SchoolBoard Association Newsletter quotingWilliam Bainbridge, School Match President,
March 21, 1995).Excellent school libraries are essential if
we are to ensure that all young peoplehave access to the reading resources thatwill help them to gain the level of literacyachievement vital to meeting the challengeof the twenty-first century. While we wishthat they would also find books and en-couragementfor independent reading intheir classrooms, in after-school programs,and at home, we cannot be sure thatthese other sites will do the job. The oneplace charged with this mission is theschool library, and this is where we shouldfocus our attention. Attention to school li-braries must be at the heart of any com-prehensive plan for improving youth literacy.
The Sad State ofSchool Libraries inIndiana
In 1994 the Indiana Media Journal pub-lished a study of school library media pro-grams that was conducted by the Associa-tion for Indiana Media Educators (AIME).Their findings should sound an alarm. Thisreport states that in Indiana, the per pupilinvestment in the library media center is "5to 8 years behind the national average"(Callison & Knuth, 1994, p. 109). The Indi-ana State Reading Association concurs. Itreports that Indiana's school libraries areunderfunded, only purchasing a quarter ofthe books they need to keep their collec-tions current ("Indiana State Reading Asso-ciation Resolution to Increase Funding forBooks," 1994). AIME recommends thatschool libraries purchase two books perpupil per year if collections are to be ad-equately sustained, and three books perpupil per year if collections are to grow tomeet independent reading and curricular
needs.
Junior high school collections in Indianarank twenty-seventh nationally. The AIMEstudy found that there was "no growth injunior high school book collections and even
a decline in the book collections in senior
Adliaik I
7
Ii
'/
high schools" (Callison & Knuth, 1994,p. 134). While we engage in rhetoric aboutschool reform, our middle grades librarycollections decline, even though we haveclear evidence that the size of a schoollibrary's staff and collection is the bestschool predictor of academic achievement(Lance, Welborn, & Hamilton-Pennell, 1992).
School library collections are not onlyfailing to grow, they are also aging. Thisis a serious problem for nonfiction bookcollections. In Indiana's junior highschools, 58 percent of the nonfiction titlesare over 15 years old, and of those, 30percent have copyright dates that are 25years or more old. Copyright dates of1970 or earlier would disqualify most booksfor classroom use. For middle school stu-dents studying contemporary social or sci-ence issues, this is a serious problem. Insuch dated texts, they will find no refer-ences to eye, heart, or lung transplants,pocket calculators, or the end of apartheidin South Africa, not to mention the fall ofthe Soviet Union. In fact, Nixon, our Presi-dent in 1970, will not have visited Chinayet (Callison & Knuth, 1994).
4
Poor school library collections not only
deny young adolescents knowledge of theworld, they also deny them critical informa-tion needed to make career choices. TheIndiana Workforce Legislation mandates that
all students in grades 1 through 12 receivecareer awareness instruction, but our school
libraries are not adequate for the task. The
many out-of-date volumes on the shelvesof middle school libraries can be counted
on to present restricted career options forwomen (secretary, nurse, or teacher) andmay fail to provide depictions of a multi-cultural work force. Many of the occupations
that young people should be considering
today were not even in existence in 1970.There are several reasons why school
libraries in Indiana are not being funded atthe necessary level. One is that whileschool library budgets increased little be-tween 1980 and 1990, the cost of booksdoubled. Out of these same budgets,school libraries must now also eke out thecost of such large ticket items as comput-ers, CD-ROMs, and VCRs (Humphrey, 1990).
Hoosiers have also failed to valueschool libraries. Although Indiana has only2 percent of the nation's population, it has18 of the 20 largest high school gymnasi-ums in the country (Hoose, 1986). Notonly gyms but also computer resources re-ceive more support than school libraries.In 1994 one Indiana school corporation,with less than 1 percent of the state'sstudents, announced it would spend $24million to improve computer resources in itsschools. In 1994 the entire state of Indi-ana spent only $7 million on library booksfor the 1,907 schools (964,352 students) inthe state. The primary reason that gymsand computers receive funding, when
school libraries do not, is the CapitalProjects Fund. This critical source ofschool revenue cannot be spent on books.
With Hoosier school library book collec-tions in such dilapidated condition, thespecial efforts of teachers and librarians topromote student reading often go fornaught. For instance, the Indiana StateDepartment of Education annually distrib-
utes a list of ten excellent Read-Aloud titlesappropriate for use with middle grades stu-dents. Unfortunately, Indiana schools servingyoung adolescents possess, on the average,
only 3.4 of these titles. Few schools pos-sess over half of the recommended titles.The Young Hoosier Book Award Programpresents a similar problem. For this award,students read 20 nominated titles and votefor their favorites. However, the averagenumber of Young Hoosier Book Award titlesavailable in middle grades school librariesis again low at 13.3. This is upsettingnews, because the Read-Aloud titles andthe Young Hoosier Book Award titles repre-sent the best new trade books of the year.In other words, no matter how hard dedi-cated teachers and librarians promote goodreading choices, if the materials are notthere, young people cannot read them.
Part of the reason that school librariesare overlooked in district plans is that theyare "invisible." Although the improvementof school libraries is critical to any systemicreform effort, libraries have never driven areform effort. Focused as we have beenon improving school management, achieve-ment, curriculum, specific disciplinary ap-
proaches, and the like, we have not clearly
To build excellent school libraries,we must purchase at least twobooks per pupil per year.
stated the link to the school library. As aresult, we have not studied the quality andfunctioning of school libraries as we haveother issues. At school and district levels,administrators are often not aware of thelibrary's needs, nor do they have a plan toaddress them.
An exciting contrast to this dismal pic-ture is that offered by Maconaquah SchoolCorporation just north of Kokomo. There,after studying school library conditions, they
I, :1,1_1, 1. l 1.1
Raro
cAllOtS
95
learned, to their surprise, that "in this cor-poration of 2,000 students, only 19.4 percent
of the library books are current and onlyslightly above one-fourth book per studentper year is being purchased" (Holland, 1995,p. 1). As a result, the school board createda library update plan, voting to spend$450,000 to implement it. While $450,000may initially seem like a high price tag tomany districts, it may actually be little com-pared to social costs if young people do nothave access to better school libraries. TheMaconaquah example foreshadows the workthat lies ahead for schools, districts, and
communities. (See appendixes for inventoryforms, plans, and usage report developedby the Maconaquah School Corporation toincrease acquisition and circulation of books.)
If we are to prepare Indiana's youngpeople with the literacy skills they need topursue their future optimistically, we needschool libraries that have excellent fiction
and nonfiction collections. There is no sub-stitute for books. Without access to books,reading achievement suffers. Starving school
libraries is, in the long run, only robbingPeter to pay Paul. To build excellent schoollibraries, we must purchase at least twobooks per pupil per year. At this rate, we
6
will have current book collections in ten years.
In addition to the collections, good school
libraries must be staffed by professionalschool librarians familiar with the booksyoung people like and trained in ways ofintroducing young adolescents to readingmaterial. Masters of information systems,school librarians must also be knowledgeable
in assisting young people to learn how touse the resources of the library. Also im-portant are the clerical staff who assistschool librarians in the multitude of dutiesrequired to keep a school library functioningsmoothly so that it can serve young people.
School libraries should be the heart ofa school's life. They provide support forevery area of the curriculum. They area resource to students and faculty alike.School librarians should be in close contactwith their colleagues at the local publiclibrary, connecting these two resources tobetter help young people.
Improving Indiana's school libraries re-quires knowledge and commitment. Schoolsneed to study their library services anddesign plans for the future. Adequatemonetary support for the plan needs to beallocated, whether that comes from district,state, federal, or private funds.
10
How Much Should WeSpend on Books for MiddleGrades School Libraries?
The average copyright date of books inIndiana middle grades school libraries issomewhere in the 1960s. This means thathalf of the books were written during or be-fore the 1960s. You can check your libraryby pulling out ten books at random, addingup the copyright dates, and dividing by ten.Chances are, most of the books you selected
were written at least twenty-five years ago.Compare these old books with the non-
print media that we surround our studentswith at home, in the community, and atschool. In a world with new VCRs and TVsets, with new movies and television pro-grams, and with old books, you do not haveto guess what is most attractive to youngadolescents. We need to provide new
books just as we provide new computers,
VCRs, and TVs.How much should we spend on books
for our libraries? The recommended num-ber is two books per student per year. Atthe present time, Indiana schools are buyingone-half book per student per year, whichresults in 75 percent of the school librarybook collection being more than ten years old.
Yet, it is common knowledge among librar-ians that books that are ten years old ormore, that have not been checked out in the
past year, and that are not of lasting qualityshould be removed from the collection.
Here are some examples of what isnow being spent each year in Indianamiddle grades schools based on one-half
book per student and what we shouldspend each year based on two books perstudent. According to The Bowker Annual,the average cost of a hardback book is
$17.64.
Number ofStudents 400 500 600 700 800 900
Present Numberof New BooksPurchasedAnnually 200 250 300 350 400 450
Present AnnualExpenditure forBooks $3,528 $4,410 $5,292 $6,174 $7,056 $7,938
RecommendedNumber of Booksto Be PurchasedAnnually 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800
RecommendedAnnualExpenditure
$21,168 $24,696 $28,224 $31,752for Books $14,112 $17,640
117
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
: - - . - . '. '
. 11 see -
II seem.
' - :
- : - 55 '' ' . S O ' ' 00
' ' ' . ' 'II II ' . . . ' '- I III see - .
.
an [77k-,, Tr Fill71 ITTil (Innurn Frril7 rrrin-wriqn
Fr-v in -Fan1111171111111Ti
in Fin ri-riFi Frial 117111 TEAurin irriTruill
iiiiiTify/kiriAll imil iffluiIsmion n-ri
In riTofF Fillaril] Fil aIF frTyrrrni1 rn mini Iii rirn
in FTTn Tun1111r1111111 Illn w II Flin IV
ilio Ili non Inil iniiiriwinIv/4 in ion 1,111111-ri
nri-rm ii-rrn 111T1 III Iii fro!!!IT11171 I rhui lirrrum fm
IIII, ;Inii rilli iii !wok illimirn loinrn Fri, Til rr-ri
al Fri-Arlin]71 irriii 1111-111run FIT]11 rrrafilT1171111711 ITTIIIriT117TiTirn
vi,Trii mull 'I[II rillirl11111T11111 IT1170111-1111
in rIT7irram11717 MilIITTFTTITITI 1E1
ri rurilirti IT11111T1107/1111111-115-10,1r111 rin\lriirrIn ai Tun Fan
4-rlmin 11111 TiIT-MPH"Ihri 1rTilri 1111
rirrinrri ila HIEirl li Oil inlu-run [Rai IIII 1111111 Firri11 li ci IF illIlifi
ifiri III i in ill111111 P IIIT All ""
rrTIT7111 TNnil 1 pArn11ir411r0 Ilil Lon 'ill
rn FTLiF wn:17 n-r7 IT 171
mIlln ranIT FITITTIFFT1
m rrrn,nrra rn[Ti main r(-rn
tirrnarrrAni 1a frrq Furl
in FL Tri 11TTmin prrn Ti
firrilil II ill' I I in huh Id Pill rin [aim ill IF1 11)111 rn VT 117111-1-1111
11 IFT1T1 ITT91 in ME TEA 111r1E1A FM 111 1111T11711711111111110 [I riThil117-70111117 IT TII -cri mil Fri Irvin [Hiiri 1111114 III 1171T4 IITTITI !win ii17T171-11TT1IT1711TirlIE1 iri 111 liorp rli 11 11 ['I rrthlIT1 fin-Mr TM
[Ti trim R1111-nlini ri n-r1111111"Fri Fr,winiq al mlii Trri1 IT ITHTIIITR11rAii In-4i illin Mill uri Erni rim 11111-a
ilicrilif muATI irrT1 Frail
In For 1 fp[Trim FrrilT Ell It 1 ii
FriITTF71 1r1 F1111 linTarn!
131 Noll MT/
IT! 11110 mil7 ruin Ii rimI Iron Trill]rrirrl-Frim
111R1 ill III 111 mlmid Fi !Iry 11nrif1171711
m ITTlIrITTIF11111rwrirorAmilmmin in rtrrin-rn-ri II Trim 1110111
TI ms in i;rim IT nilriTrill Er:7111M
[7,Tro Turrifin 11-7,\ NiiiiTI
IT117111171In FKIr wrinIT Trrl;TII FITIIrrvfillillr41
m frri El Frial FITIII drillIriuniaffiti
iiirrirriina rucn Himir 11011111fliMil URIIll 10111117Y Y
Turrrl won
iiiii FLIT' ,117fITTIT1 fiffir TiFIT MU-Till
IT nim Ti-rill rrir-ifriA La iiIlll IrTh.rii iilliri
min Iii limill11771717nn ii1,00 ii7-1
I TTITI ii III i 1IIIrn FoTi tin IN ,1111,1411111
Ti F-ArlirliJ:i En fn' rrilimn 1-77-1
FL,Tiii -rni-r3nn FII\TIFFI1 71-717-1701III F7111117117719,ifil liTTFI-,Ti ariiin ti\ III T1111111
F1 rrrn Trii FriIli EIrgrI11-firi
ifirTurrAin 1 In FTL51.1-riiIli [ruin-nal rIm FP Tifir, von flillrwriTri-11)1fin "[nom Till
Fi11111MIT11 ITITEIT1711111177 WTI fill
117111 In Ilin II lullfp irvIll miriIf/ 1111[0T:111
il roll IIim rif77111 rliF II1 II iii r 11111 Fill r ioil iTT1rnr-P-FTTITTI
11 17- 1r in 1T FT) rumriy,TTI FITITTI7 rrniTn wrilan
1174 Ill Tun in furl AT" in milt' IF,Ain Irri FicIP WM B1 Trril Furl
III !Tor rr Iurn Fir 1ill rth,n in
rri 1-111,io III-FiI i irriii if flin
FA n-rn51 itrillii 71
ii,n -rn in
ITAii ITTIT11117111Looll, 11 hiL ni-nm rim 1viim FT1 lin r HI la
rrni P iln- HIP 11
rin11711 TMI 1r7111rm 11111 1111 11 r IF hil/ III 111 AI FIT,11 4,rn riTITI rrriin IN Muir LII II it in mon
RI 1:01-1111 IT n-rn rrTrnri, 11114 111i711-11411 EMU rillI INIIIIITI nil
177\Til Tf1TRIrn iiiommi-Firn
n wiln Fin IFIFITTrarrin
fin nip in'riliirn FM
IFT171111/4111Tv Tun Firmrim Milli]Film TrFn 1
11111 roll] itrtyrri [571 TiIMITTIFIT1Intl FrrUrTql
ITIlnin irrirt fru'11"i InT1111T11in lowill in
1111 11 r IT W4 111 1111011 I-7w1 Tr IT 7r0r1
HIT] 11 11-ft in 11
inin ',or frrirn rtriT rrn iv, ,irnwin ioi
SO . -
.
. - -
"Ivor!'" Im Fill (TimFrill III
1TTT1 irrlilT7III WTI [IIIram-Trim
- . " - . IV -
11 - . 5 0
- -
-
. 000 - 00 III
ol. 0 100 0 . ' - 0 . 0 0
80 '' I. . '00 II
- 0 . 005 . '0 .
"
55
- . -
"I
0 0 - 0 000
00 . 000 0 ' 0
' 000 A . 0" - ' -
III0 0 IP 0
. 0' 0' 0 000
riri ritIll row-,-,Trl run Fri -rnfliTTITI Filliill lintil FET11111I111117171 411111111
[-or 71111-1rin Fro-nrwl1 maiiialnii
lili\111 Intlfl iTTiiiiilli MIii 1011 im ir
11 117.9 TT1 11al RuTrin
1 r oi , b ..,11777711-111
III ITIllf Ti4T1NTI TrFi P11111I Tr 171, Ill.4rIPTTR1111TFIII111T7111 FM
lfl 15\ II IFr[rrin Fri IIF li al 111.1
117-1 A ifl 11711 1 11111 kin 11 ro ilITI )111111 T.,di, .fir, .11 i I, lin 1111TITTFrorn
IITT7111 NV 11,nn I-77i [TM rill I,' \ TI Trl
111 IFTAIII 111.1-,-\ Tr' Fin 111-111
17,1111 F17111rri rrrian Trim
I Fog Tflil rlfill 1104\1mi-a
11 Uril iMil 11rnIFC\1114-rnf i FTFIET111)
[Irvin n ith 11
11111-11furi1111ATI Trn irurnur 171;1 171rimm 71111 IIII 1,101i ITTITJ
Ill Irklf [ftFill dui 11,1
1 Fl UHL\ TII 1111im min Ern
MInrorri-rn in
in 1 1, r ATI ii inIli fiffill 111111
117Til d 111)I 1111111177 11111 II [An 411/4
11711117771FIR rill-Tail 11lin in ciii 171rriFpqm 111110F I1M11
.
.5.- /foot s- 11 1'1100
1111 171,1111E111r,-,v,r,fliTirrrilii Hi17TITT117111ri rrraTFrrnn
TTI1E11En rilMITil
11 1E71 ,ET -.1 11
111 Pi\ TrrthillFrii1771171111urn-J[1[7m
1111TV)TiITIAll iHr51T111111ri[r177111 ITT'nmiri Trim11114\111MMTRU 91Offl
II1 17)1111 111 1ITT,i111 FT 1Ii11 111001111lin 1111111111,71i
1 it ITTRITI ilillIn 11 1,1111 Tinn irinxi TRun71 Trin lui
<< 1I 14 nuniti
r 1-177111711ITIIIiiii,11 r'4 I liliril I1T111111
nn FRP TI]ru1 l71171711
11111-4\111111 1:-,Tri rrpq [TnnFTTIT1 Iliffril,
R\ UT -Mil aNI Frimr-Fa
n [ru,i IT I 11fill firiclil .Err,nIT/111111111117141 rill 11rri Try, ITN
,q11111111
IIIETTIllifilli IA-Til-rn 1rrffinIF ITITTI MI11FITT) ,ITTFITI
1111FAIll IITr[rai 1711 rlIITT171TfiTil1 m -F1'0111111
IITI FaliTTIIn 7,70. frriITITTT1TT 1E-HTTTITTI
M li i ilin 4 1-1.111 11E1 Rill 1111101
I frT11.11,1,1 III 111114\111FM10 ITI 113I11
1171 n lii In IIrTT17,77,1T11 11117171 TT1
nn Ron Iri I-111 ITT, I HI ill17_7_1=1,71 ITTITITrilll
1 Fair[ -rnTrnEn ITC .1\ IlITTFTI1 fIlITtalE31111im FATI -umnimmuilI117 ITTIE1
n[rri 1-1l 111111115-fillT1TI IT TFETil17.1:5171711:11n-r-rn I1 a LI
N11,117M11111in i-on Tr ,ITYT11 71 ElIn I-WTI-11141IF-Ii).0)1ITT1
Trim firiTI1iv 11 imuriTri11 It Prri ilINT1
11110 roll II TEl
Pimp-Au'M11,-01171
Iii oli i I film'TITT77, ITT1
rrii tilt-, Pr,VI irri ii ill
11 1-011 mi,111 ITT)] rumITTITTITMT,I
I r-corr ITEMEll ITTL11-111171
1E1 Trilorl rill1 Jirraum rir-;\ri
n ,Trivr1 71MT. TM 1E1
11 irrI ITI rinurruyinn111 IR rl 711RiFirrirrillwrzra r7m
All VIP ILIUMInri Lon IT ,arra-n(17111Ill 1 1:1)1711111,1it 1,1 111 RI
IITIT Trimpi rm. 1 ly-imil
urno I 'Triminn run win
EITI 4 rhin hn IA 111wIn MIn II nic Torn
111-11 il 17411 11
r111 -r771 1TIrn I' ,Iri it PI ITTirm-ii7
f111 111111 in 1,IE ITTFI Ell IIIrrimfriTITI
rorr 71111 11El1 PTO-1111111 MI-WIT' 711WI [Elk\ fillll .1-1, .1711T111IT1:711 ITT 1E1
n rrpi TT1 111111TVFATTE1TI 11-4 11'111 I11.7111T111111
)11" friTlo TTI1MTITI11 T11
In 1--)1111 IfT1111,T,11 MI it111T F1)11111)117111 161111 III
(Till MITI11 Ili . in .I n.111rTFT1TIITT1111
HIM F11717111117711171111-11I in J,11-; Ili d) ta
IM-111H1111I1,11011 III FrIT1TTFITINT1I,ri17711Tirn nil II, i\ T171
ml Fun rm-,111 ITT [1 ET1-111
[rim EFF17,1
Fur -rnwriEll FITA111711114 Win Till
n TR In n111 FIT To
irriv,i-rrnIT 7511T11111-1)11- FTIo TTI
Trimrm771[5-11n wr,FITI nom
in FLIT111,-,fiTill En LIVT FIVTTFTTAinrR ran maMR ii-Tinin li
ITIFITTITTIrrJn ,u 1E7111THiii irr-T Tim
1 irm TPTnlIin ri 1,\ iJi a-rnn FrnTo iiiiiFon Trrn in
Fr 11 , in th-r-,IN 1111,0 oi171-17711rrn rrri-r7Tri FM
- - - .- -I 41) - of . -
.011-11 - .. :so . .
- - - -.5- -. . . . -- - .- e . .
0 - - . - .
If We Provide NewBooks, Will StudentsRead Them?
Is it true that middle grades studentsdo not care to read? Are the students theproblem? If school libraries are stocked withnew books, will the students ignore them?
The Lilly Endowment Inc. funded twoprojects administered by the IndianaDepartment of EducationReading Excite-ment and Paperbacks and Books for Rural
Youth Access. These projects provided newbooks for a large number of middle grades,school libraries.
"Our circulation more than doubled."Elaine Stephenson, Crawford CountyJunior-Senior High School, Marengo.
"Last year's checkout ex-ceeded the previous year by3,000 books. Checking out andreading books from the librarynow seems to be the COOL thingto do, even for the boys.Deborah Duke, Randolph SouthernJunior-Senior sigh School, Lynn.
10
"The infusion into the collection of alarge number of attractive, new booksincreased circulation approximately 15-20percent when the new books were madeavailable." Ann Abel, Maple CrestSchool, Kokomo.
"Our circulation jumped from 1,834 in Sep-tember and October in 1992 to 2,815 duringthe same period in 1993." Jo Ellen Pendel,Northside Middle School, Muncie.
"August through November 15 circulationjumped from 4,895 in 1991 to 6,449 in 1993."Eden Kuhlenschmidt, River Valley Middle School,Jeffersonville.
"The enthusiasm generated by these beautiful
new books has been remarkable. Students are
excited about reading and eager to get their
hands on favorite books. Our nonfiction circulation
in October 1992 was 497 and in October 1993
was 658. Our fiction circulation in October 1992
was 695, and this increased to 968 in 1993."
Virginia Michel, Navarre Middle School, South Bend.
"Circulation statistics have increased byover 346 percent due to giving 12- to 14-year -olds the material they want to read."Patricia Miller, Krueger Junior High School,Michigan City.
"The impact of the books on student participation
and attitude was remarkably positive and enthusiastic.Our circulation doubled!" Dianne Murray, ShakamakJunior-Senior High School; Jasonville.
"The new books have made an astound-ing impact on our circulation." Peg Hunt,River Forest Junior-Senior High School, Hobart.
"Our quarterly book circulation was 1,385in 1983. By 1991, it had dropped to 548.After the new books arrived, the circulationzoomed up to 1,543. Without a doubt, it hasproven that putting books in the hands of stu-dents causes them to read." Dick Ramey,Attica Junior-Senior High School, Attica.
14
Making a Commitmentto School Libraries:What We Must Do Now
The Middle Grades Reading Network'sStakeholder group drafted an action planfor the state of Indiana. In that plan, Be-coming a Community of Readers: A Blue-print for Indiana (1995), they argue for fiveimportant actions that would vastly improveschool libraries.
1. The state should providecategorical funds for books.
2. The state should allow andencourage the use of theCapital Projects Fund topurchase books.
3. School libraries should purchasetwo books per student peryear.
4. Performance-Based Accredita-tion should include schoollibrary staffing, book acquisitionrate, and circulation of librarymaterials.
5. The Indiana Department ofEducation should collect anddisseminate information aboutper-student school library bookacquisition rates and circulationrates.
These actions would do several critical
things. First, they make funds available forthe purchase of books. Second, they pro-vide collection acquisition standards for
schools. Third, they make library qualityand performance part of the criteria by
which we judge a school's excellence.Taken together, these form a powerful
package that has the potential for havinggreat impact on improving Indiana's educa-
tional performance.
In 1995 the Indiana State Legislature,
through HEA 1646, directed the Indiana
State Board of Education to adopt rules
concerning the establishment and mainte-
nance of standards and guidelines for
school libraries. We trust that the Stake-
holders' actions will be incorporated in the
new standards and guidelines.
OS
1511
L.
School Libraries andYoung Hoosiers
In a few short years, today's youngadolescents will be entering the world asadultstaking up jobs, starting families, andvoting about important community issues.The world in which they and their childrenmake their way will differ in many signifi-cant ways from the world in which theirparents and grandparents worked andraised their families. Participating in this
new era of transnational economies andelectronic communication will require strongreading achievement.
The middle grades are a critical time inyoung people's reading development. Dur-ing these years they not only improve theirskill in reading, but they should also ac-quire the habit of reading that will stay withthem throughout their lives.
Excellent school libraries and the prom-ise they offer for access to books are cru-cial if Indiana's young people are to meetthe challenges of the future successfully.
16
Reading Bill of Rightsfor Indiana's Young Adolescents
All young adolescents in Indiana need access to the kinds of reading opportunitiesthat will allow them to grow up to be successful members of a literate community. It
is the responsibility of the entire community to offer support for providing these opportunities.Our ultimate goal is the creation of Communities of Readers where each young adolescentwill be able to fulfill his or her potential as a reader.
To that end, we believe that Indiana's young adolescents deserve:
1. Access to Books Access to current, appealing high-interest, and useful booksand other reading materials in their classrooms, homes, public and schoollibraries, and other locations within the community.
2. Encouragement to Value Reading Schools that feature an environment wherereading is valued, promoted, and encouraged.
3. Time to Read Dedicated time during the school day to read for a variety ofpurposesfor pleasure, information, and exploration.
4. Skilled Reading Leaders Teachers and school librarians who continually seekto renew their skills and excitement in sharing reading with young peoplethrough participation in diverse professional development activities.
5. Public Library Support Public libraries that provide services specificallydesigned to engage young people's interest in reading.
6. Community Agency Support Community-based programs that encourage themin all aspects of their reading development.
7. Family Support Opportunities for reading at home and support from schools,public libraries, and community agencies to families with young adolescents toencourage family reading activities.
8. Reading Role Models Communities of Readers in which all adultsin school,at home, and across the communityserve as role models and provide guidanceto ensure that reading is a priority in young people's lives.
By strengthening and bringing together these eight components, we believe thatwe can make Indiana a Community of Readers in which young adolescents will thrive.Indeed, it is only in such an environment that young people will have the opportunitiesto become prepared to meet the challenges of the future.
17 13
References
Callison, D., & Knuth, R. (1994). The
AIME statewide survey of school library
media centers: Expenditures & collections.
Indiana Media Journal, 16(3), 103-162.
Center for the Study of Reading. (Undated).
Teachers and independent reading.
Urbana-Champaign: University of Illinois.
Holland, E. (1995). Maconaquah School
Board commits $450,000 to libraries.
Indiana Reading Quarterly, 27(2), 1.
Noose, P. M. (1986). Hoosiers. New
York: Vintage Books.
Humphrey, J. W. (1990). Do we providechildren enough books to read? The Read-ing Teacher, 44(2), 94-95.
Krashen, S. (1993). The power of reading:Insights from the research. Englewood,CO: Libraries Unlimited.
Lance, K., Welborn, L., & Hamilton-Pennell,C. (1992). The impact of school librarymedia centers on academic achievement.Denver: Colorado Department of Education,State Library & Adult Education Office.
Middle Grades Reading Network. (1995).
Becoming a community of readers: Ablueprint for Indiana. Evansville: Universityof Evansville.
Supportyour ptdiblic
an school libraries
14 18
I Burkhart
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Appendixes
19
Appendix A
Copyright
Before 1941
1941-45
1946-50
1951-55
1956-60
1961-65
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
School
Library Books Inventory
Number of Books (tally) Total
20
17
Copyright
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
18
Number of Books (tally) Total
21
Libr
ary
Inve
ntor
y by
Cop
yrig
ht D
ate
No
Dat
eB
efor
e19
4119
41-
1950
1951
-19
6019
61-
1970
1971
-19
8019
81-
1990
1991
-19
94T
otal
Boo
ks
No.
Boo
ksP
erC
hild
Enr
oll-
men
t
Hig
hF
-83
F-1
60F
-223
F-4
28F
-717
F-4
00F
-374
F-3
7F
-2,4
22S
choo
lN
-99
N-2
92N
-282
N-9
61N
-2,3
94N
-2,0
16N
-1,2
47N
-245
N-7
,536
Tot
al(1
82)
(452
)(5
05)
(1,3
89)
(3,1
11)
(2,4
16)
(1,6
21)
(282
)(9
,958
)15
.96
624
Mid
dle
F-6
8F
-95
F-1
73F
-457
F-7
35F
-703
F-2
38F
-2,4
69S
choo
lN
-26
N-1
01N
-296
N-7
65N
-1,5
99N
-947
N-2
56N
-3,9
90T
otal
(94)
(196
)(4
69)
(1,2
22)
(2,3
34)
(1,6
50)
(494
)(6
,459
)14
.04
460
Pip
e C
reek
F-6
6F
-103
F-3
22F
-823
F-8
25F
-451
F-4
7F
-2,6
37
Ele
men
tary
N-1
0N
-18
N-9
7N
-360
N-5
76N
-644
N-8
8N
-1,7
93T
otal
(76)
(121
)(4
19)
(1,1
83)
(1,4
01)
(1,0
95)
(135
)(4
,430
)8.
7950
4
Mac
onaq
uah
F-1
23F
-179
F-5
02F
-1,0
38F
-808
F-8
09F
-127
F-3
,586
Ele
men
tary
N-2
2N
-63
N-2
93N
-561
N-7
48N
-478
N-6
7N
-2,2
32T
otal
(145
)(2
42)
(795
)(1
,599
)(1
,556
)(1
,287
)(1
94)
(5,8
18)
12.9
644
9
F-8
3F
-417
F-6
00F
-1,4
25F
-3,0
35F
-2,7
68F
-2,3
37F
-449
F-1
1,11
4N
-99
N-3
50N
-464
N-1
,647
N-4
,080
N-4
,939
N-3
,316
N-6
56N
-15,
551
Tot
als
(182
)(7
67)
(1,0
64)
(3,0
72)
(7,1
15)
(7,7
07)
(5,6
53)
(1,1
05)
(26,
665)
13.0
92,
037
Per
cent
of
Col
lect
ion
.72.
94.
011
.626
.929
.121
.44.
110
0
F =
Fic
tion .2
N =
Non
fictio
n23
20
Appendix C
MACONAQUAH SCHOOL CORPORATION
LIBRARY ENDOWMENT PLAN
A. Review the corporation selection policy in conjunction with the totalpolicy handbook update.
B. Write letters to known jobbers and invite bids.
C. Weed books not currentexceptions should be noted.
D. Inventory collections after weeding to determine types remainingfiction,types of nonfiction, reference, etc.
E. Obtain library book selection manuals as a reference tool for selectingtitles.
F. Form a selection committee for each school consisting of:1. Librarian (chairperson).2. Building principal.3. School board member.4. Six teachers.5. Six parents.6. Six students.
G. Have the selection committee consider:1. Popular books selected by students.2. Collection development needs after weeding.3. Inclusion of special programs such as:
a. Young Hoosier Book Award.b. Newbery and Caldecott Award books.
4. Preschool collection for each elementary school.5. Books, magazines, and reference materials to support the revised
curriculum.6. Literary classics from all periods.7. Emphasis on 1990 and above copyrights (priority on 1993-96).
H. Provide staff development on book selection and motivating studentsto read.
24
I. Relate to the staff and the advisory group that the purpose of theLibrary Endowment Plan is to upgrade our libraries in order to:1. Encourage voluntary reading so that good reading habits are
developed and students enjoy reading.2. Enhance achievement, resulting in higher test scores, through
improved reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, grammar, andwriting ability.
3. Support the revised curriculum.4. Increase community involvement.5. Fulfill the school board goal: "Recognizing that reading is the most
fundamental skill needed, establish effective libraries that will promotereading among students and the community at large."
J. Establish a two-year timeline.1. August
a. Present plan to school board.b. Send letters to jobbers.c. Establish baseline circulation rates for each building.d. Complete weeding and baseline inventories.e. Advertise for bids.
2. Septembera. Select building book-selection committees.b. Award bid.c. Begin selection process.
(1) Books and reference materials should be hardbacks.(2) Magazine subscriptions should be ordered for one year.(3) Turtleback/Perma-Bound-type books should be ordered only for
sets of classroom novels.(4) Teachers should select books for their classrooms considering
that:(a) Books should be rotated among grade-level rooms, where
applicable, at least one time each semester.(b) Middle school and high school subject-area books should be
rotated, where applicable, at least one time each semester.(c) Classroom library books should be rotated through the
building library as deemed necessary by the classroomteacher and building librarian.
(5) Preschool books should be selected by preschool andkindergarten teachers and librarians with committee input.
d. Begin design work on bookcases for all schools through the high
21
25
school technology classes. They will design and construct (someor all) bookcases as a special project.
3. September-Octobera. Select books.b. Order books (1st phase).
4. February-Marcha. Select books.b. Order books (2nd phase).
5. Preview books as they arrive.a. Consider items G and J, section 2c.b. All students and teachers should have an opportunity to voice
their opinions about the books. Classes can be rotated into thelibrary where books are displayed. Voting sheets can be given tostaff and students on which they can check titles listed, or paperslips can be used to write titles of books chosen for initial class-room use.
c. Information can be gathered, tabulated, and used by each class-room teacher and the selection committee.
6. As books arrive and as the review process indicates:a. Pull undesirable books from the collection as determined by
majority vote of the building committee.b. Process all books through the school building library database in
approximate numbers as follows:Maconaquah Elementary470 Building library
75 Each classroom x 17 rooms = 1,275TOTAL 1,745
Pipe Creek Elementary525 Building library
75 Each classroom x 22 rooms = 1,650TOTAL 2,175
Middle School480 Building library
75 Each classroom x 29 rooms = 2,175TOTAL 2,655
High School640 Building library
75 Each classroom x 40 rooms = 3,000TOTAL 3,640
Approximate 1995-96 TOTAL 10,215
26
7. Shelve building library and classroom selections.NOTE: All books should be ordered "shelf-ready processed" withmylar on books with dust jackets, bar codes (SMART-site locationand the title included), and MicroLIF data disks (catalog cards, bookpocket, spine label, borrower's card).
8. Repeat the process in year two.
K. Establish a preschool collection in each elementary school and providetraining sessions for parents on how to read aloud to young childrenand why it is important.
L. Open the elementary and high school libraries to school-district patronsduring the school day and after hours at selected times.
M. Establish program evaluation criteria to include:1. Monthly circulation data.2. The selection of student classroom librarians so that classroom
circulation rates can be maintained.3. Results of surveys to parents, students, and staff.4. Information on teacher, grade-level, department, and school projects
and activities.
N. Market the program with:1. Ongoing posters to promote reading.2. Display cases.3. Attractive libraries.4. Librarian and author booktalks.5. AIME conference presentations by librarians.6. Presentations by superintendent to local, state, and national
meetings/conferences, as requested.7. Visitation package and package that can be mailed upon request.8. Press coverage.
0. Other suggestions:1. Obtain computer software and books for the Accelerated Reader
Program for grades 6-9 and the Electronic Bookshelf for grades 1-5.2. Start a Books for Babies Program in the community, whereby all new
babies are given their first book compliments of the MaconaquahSchool Corporation.
3. Implement a Kindergarten Parent/Child Read-To-Me Program.
23
27
4. Give each kindergarten child a new book at kindergarten registration/screening.
5. Develop a professional library for staff that would include books onhow parents can help in the educational process.
6. Start a Teachers Under Cover Program (this could includecommunity members as well) to encourage more adult reading androle modeling.
7. Establish a Students' Own Bookshop in the middle school.8. Encourage community participation by initiating a Library Endowment
Program.a. Provide labels to be placed on the inside front cover of donated
books.b. $16 per book could be donated in honor of birthdays,
anniversaries, and other special occasions; in memory of; etc.9. Begin a 10-minute-per-day sustained silent reading time in each
school when all students and teachers readno homework, gradingpapers, etc., would be permitted.
2824
Appendix DMaconaquah School Corporation
Library Media Center Monthly Report
School Enrollment
Circle One:
Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May
Circulation
Books (library) Video Tapes
Books (classrooms) Films
Professional Materials Filmstrip Sets
Magazines Tapes/Cassettes
Microfiche Laser Disks
VF Materials Slide Sets
Other
Activities and Services
Booktalks or Reviews
Collections Sent to Teachers
Planning Sessions Attended
Instructions to Groups of Classes
Classes Using Library
Elementary Reading/Language Arts
Business Science
Fine Arts Social Studies
Foreign Language Vocational
Mathematics Special Education
PE and Health Other
Total Number of Classes
Materials Added
Books Other
Special Programs, Services, Meetings, or Promotions
25
29
0
MIDDLE GRADES READING NETWORKUniversity of Evansville1800 Lincoln AvenueEvansville, Indiana 47722
30
(9/92)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and improvement (OEN)
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)
_NOTICE
REPRODUCTION BASIS
IC
This document is covered by a signed "Reproduction Release(Blanket)" form (on file within the ERIC system), encompassing allor classes of documents from its source organization and, therefore,does not require a "Specific Document" Release form.
This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission toreproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, maybe reproduced by ERIC without a signed Reproduction Releaseform (either "Specific Document" or "Blanket").