Storm clouds for school libraries...

The proposed Obama budget, as we have all read by now, has left school libraries behind. It will hurt those who need school library resources the most, something that I would have thought Obama would have been more sensitive about. The irony in this is that, in this economy, public library usage statistics have shot up as adults and families cannot purchase books and DVDs and people are using libraries and their computers for job searching, resume building, and networking. This year MLA and MSLA are advocating for libraries on March 9th at the Statehouse in Boston. It might be the most crucial Library Legislative day ever held.

More detailed information on the proposed budget can be found at this School Library Journal link: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6717242.html?desc=topstory

That Elusive Future - it's still here!

The elusive future of school libraries is not going away. We keep seeing the signs...ebooks, kindles, nooks, learning commons, laptops, wifi, new classification systems, web 2.0 applications, new features on existing applications, etc., etc., etc. It is confusing with so much happening. Yesterday I received a link to this information:

As people rushed to fill their freshly unwrapped e-readers – one of the top-selling gadgets this festive season – the online retailer said sales at its electronic book store quickly overtook orders for physical books. Its own e-reader, the Kindle, is now the most popular gift in Amazon's history.

The full story is at http://tinyurl.com/yg26vd5

It makes us wonder what the future holds for school libraries and school librarians...more high school learning commons are appearing over the horizon. So what is the answer, if there is an answer, on the direction we should head in. Here are some thought provoking links to articles - by no means inclusive - on this topic.

http://digitalreshift.org/files/adminguide.pdf

An Adminitrators Guide to School Libraries - a good document to have handy as brief but smart guide to school libraries present and possible future.

http://www.designshare.com/index.php/articles/school-library-future

Facilities of the future. The ideas of Doug Johnson and Rolf Ericson as applied to the future of school libraries and the way people find information.

http://www.lrs.org/impact.php

Research from Library Research Service (LRS). Documents, forms, powerpoint shows, etc. Useful items for different purposes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/books/16libr.html

A series of New York Times articles on The Future of Reading: The Digital Librarian.

http://www.slideshare.net/Anne.Robinson/school-libraries-and-the-future

Powerpoint show on future possibel directions for libraries plus related powerpoint shows.

These links underscore some of the changes we face. We are in a state of great change on so many fronts that it seems nearly impossible to keep up with. I would like to hear what others think and feel about this.

Learning for Life...L4L

For anyone who isn't entirely clear on a recent development in school libraries it is hoped that the following information will provide a good picture:
National Plan for Implementation of Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs
This implementation plan was created to support states, school systems, and individual schools preparing to implement the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs.

The plan will also increase awareness and understanding of the learning standards and guidelines and create a committed group of stakeholders with a shared voice.
Events NEW!
L4L State Coordinators
Download the Document
Resources
Get Involved!
For questions about the implementation plan, please contact Jennifer Habley, Manager, Programs and Affiliate Relations, jhabley@ala.org or at (800) 545-2433 x 4383.

AASL’s Learning 4 Life
By Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 7/10/2008

Perhaps the title “Standards for the 21st-Century Learner” wasn’t sexy enough. But the committee in charge of implementing the American Association of School Librarians’ new learning standards have chosen a catchier nickname: Learning 4 Life.

The announcement was unveiled at the American Library Association’s (ALA) annual conference in Anaheim, CA, last week by Susan Ballard, chair of the committee and director of library media, and technology services at New Hampshire’s Londonderry School District.
Standards for the 21st-Century Learner was unveiled in October during the AASL conference in Reno, NV. What exactly are they? They outline "what a student has to know and be able to do, and what a library media program has to look like for the student to achieve that," says Julie Walker, AASL's executive director.

Ballard explains that in order for school librarians to promote the standards to other teachers, administrators, and the broader education community, a new marketing and branding initiative was necessary.

Learning 4 Life was selected as the subtitle for the standards, and the words “learning” and “life” were selected because the standards include skills that are necessary for children to become information literate and productive members of our society, says AASL. The number 4 was purposely selected to represent the four areas identified in the standards, as well as the four subtopics in each area.

AASL, a division of ALA, will also consider including ALA’s longstanding advocacy slogan “@ your library” to the standards’ subtitle making it Leaning 4 Life @ your library.