Library Reporting

• Why? • What?• How?

Can’t they see I’m

doing a good job?

You cannot expect them to know, unless you tell them!

And when you do the telling, it is important to do it well.

(Spin it!)

Reporting is Advocacy

“School librarians will not be

heard until their day-to-day

practice is directed towards

demonstrating the real, tangible

power of their contribution to the

school’s learning goals.”

Ross Todd 2002. School Library Journal

GUIDELINES FROM NATIONAL LIBRARY - Annual Report

Purpose To show your Board of Trustees (and the school community) how the investment they have made in the library throughout the year has made a difference to student learning To document the impact of any major changes, special programmes and developments in your library, including progress on any development objectives that feature in your school’s Annual or Strategic Plan To identify key areas for development for the coming year and seek BOT support To acknowledge assistance, donations and BOT support

http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/developing-your-library/tools-and-guides/school-library-annual-report

Essential Items

Report on following that relate to your school:  

Support for Inquiry LearningDevelopment of your library collection Evidence of library usageLibrary ICTLibrary staffing summaryLibrary EnvironmentFinancial ManagementCommunication/Promotion

The level of detail depends on whether your school requires you to use a specific template for the School

Library Annual Report, to make a full report or a brief summary.

http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/developing-your-library/tools-and-guides/school-library-annual-report

Support for Inquiry Learning

Outline ways in which the library has supported inquiry learning, and information literacy development, with evidence to support your statement.  Note where there has been an increase in collaboration between library team and teaching staff, or if the school has developed an inquiry approach in which the library has played a part.

You can include how you supported learning using tools other than books: ie internet, databases,

http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/developing-your-library/tools-and-guides/school-library-annual-report

Support for your school’s reading programme

Describe how the library has responded to the analysis of reading data through:

•targeted book-buying

•reading incentive programmes involving the library

•special events supporting reading or writing

•collaborations between teachers, literacy leaders and library team•any collaborations with outside agencies, e.g. public library

If you have undertaken a student survey to gauge reading preferences, present the summarized results in an appendix, but refer here to main findings, actions and the impact.

http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/developing-your-library/tools-and-guides/school-library-annual-report

Development of your library collection (books and online)

•Relate your summary of buying to your focus for the year

•Identify topics where you can focus more on e-resources

•Review your Collection Development Plan and how it impacted on purchasing

•Acknowledge any donated resources

•If you have assessed or weeded part of the collection, mention what you have done (or are planning to do) as a result

•Summarize any initiatives in developing your collection to promote reading for pleasure

Evidence of Library Usage•Give a brief summary of issue statistics which may show changes in usage

•Provide any other evidence such as increased use by classes, individuals and small groups, increased usage of online resources (i.e. usage which won’t be reflected in issue statistics) and relate to reasons why

•If you have targeted any specific groups of library users this year (e.g. students, or teachers) provide some data that shows how successful this has been.

•If you have changed any procedures or resourcing priorities as the result of user feedback from student or teacher surveys, provide brief summary.

•Report on any impacts on library usage resulting from Web 2.0 initiatives, e.g. a library blog, especially if you are reaching new users

•Summarize what you did for any special events or programmes, who was involved, and the impact on usage.

•If the library opening hours have changed, provide evidence of how this has impacted on usage, and include examples of user feedback if you have some.

Library ICT•Include any new developments in ICT provision or usage in the library, e.g. software upgrades, web-based catalogue, library blog•Acknowledge the contributions of those who have contributed to and managed the library presence on the school website.•Summarize any issues around technical support, hardware upgrades, broadband speed, etc. and how these were resolved•Database useage•E-book planning

Librarian ICT

•Online activity- blogs, webpages, wikis•Library social networking

Library Staffing Summary

•Acknowledge the library team, their strengths, highlights of the year and their paid hours of work.

•Acknowledge the hours given by adult volunteers, and student librarians

•List any professional development or study undertaken by library staff this year, including external courses, SLANZA meetings, network groups, and conferences attendedIf paid hours of staffing insufficient, use evidence already provided to support your proposal for an increase in paid hours.

Library Environment•Acknowledge staff/class/local community contribution to library displays or other tasks.

•Acknowledge any new equipment and how it has impacted on the library and it’s users.

•Include reference to library building, or items of furniture and equipment that need upgrading or replacement.  (For all capital expenditure, check with your principal or executive officer as to what process your school uses for capital expenditure proposals.)

Communication/Promotion•Detail all the ways in which the library has promoted itself•Detail all ways the library has communicated to their members ie newsletters, blogs

Financial Management•State the amount allocated for the maintenance, management and development of the library, excluding wages

•If you have received donations, or funding from any grants or fundraising events, state how these have been used

•Acknowledge the BOT funding.

•You may include a record of expenditure in the appendix

•State the level of funding required for the coming year to enable priorities to be achieved.  (Your budget proposal for next year can be attached in an appendix.)

Appendices

The following information can be attached to the annual report where relevant:•Record of expenditure for the last year•Buying Plan for the collection and detailed budget proposal for the coming year•Library statistics

Format - what to put in, what to leave out?

Keep your report as brief as you can Clarity is importantReplace long descriptions with graphs and photosUse bullet points or numbers Provide data to support your statements

Accentuate the Positive!Know Your AudienceKEEP IT SIMPLE!

DO-

“Figures are important to show what value the library provides to the students' learning and to the school generally, but the anecdotes / stories of students' successes / photos of events / reports of people from other schools coming to look at the library / are also really important.

Also, statements from research about school libraries is good.”

Who is your audience?In most cases you will be reporting to your Board of TrusteesWhat do you know about them? What is their area of focus, expertise? What is there current level of support for the library? What can you include in your report that would have a positive impact on library services and/or finance?

What do they want to know?Talk to teachers at your school and ask how much detail they include and what formats have worked best. (Try and make sure you are meeting/exceeding the school standard).Ask a Board member what they think is important. Think about the people on your board and how to best present to them.

This is particularly important record if you are not in the Library full

time.

Evidence of Library Usage

use snapshots rather than

words

Top five books borrowed this year:The Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsThe Recruit by Robert MuchamoreTomorrow When the War Began by John MarsdenThe Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick NessDiary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

New Stock Write-off End of Year Stock

2010 532 559 6189

2009 423 383 6216

2008 544 134 6176

2007 522 145 5766

Vital Statistics

Save everything

!

Other useful info:•Casual useage•Numbers during breaks•Student librarian support•Teacher support•Surveys•Activities

The Library Request Book:

Date Name Request Result

Remember to take photos of:

✓Groups in Library

✓Any special event

in Library

✓Author visit

✓Displays

✓Everyday classes

✓You!

Use your ammunition! You can recognise actual useage and pinpoint underuse as an area for development. Don’t feel to blame for what isn’t happening.Provide suggestions for improvement – not just the problem.You need FACTS to back up your ideas.

What shouldn’t be in my report?

•Do NOT use your report to complain! It is not an opportunity to get back for things that have not gone your way.

Do NOT report specific behavior, if there is an issue that must be presented, find a way to generalize ie most classes in the library follow the guidelines. (This is not the time to name names.)

Do NOT send off a breezy letter, take the time to report properly.

Grammar and spelling mistakes.

Magazine Stylehttp://issuu.com/scsdmedia/docs/scsd_mc_annual_report_2009_2010?AID=10829131&PID=3662453&SID=skim725X536022X411e17a7e5aaa94da03e88e4a3f96a76

http://issuu.com/scsdmedia/docs/scsd_mc_annual_report_2009_2010?AID=10829131&PID=3662453&SID=skim725X536022X411e17a7e5aaa94da03e88e4a3f96a76

http://theunquietlibrary.libguides.com/content.php?pid=117200&hs=whttp://www.slideshare.net/theunquietlibrary/the-unquiet-library-annual-re

port-200910?from=embed

http://issuu.com/joycevalenza/docs/annualreport11

http://www.macalester.edu/library/dashboard/2010/index.html

http://readingpower.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/library-reports/

SOME TO ASPIRE TO:

Advocacy for school libraries in New Zealand

http://slanzawiki.wetpaint.com/page/Advocacy+for+school+libraries

Where to go for advice: