INTEROFFICE MEMORAND UM

TO: FROM: DATE: CC:

PATRICK HILL JULIE DOUBERLY 4/9/2012 DEBRA MINICK

SUBJECT: GEORGIA DOE 2011 LIBRARY MEDIA PROGRAM SELF-EVALUATION RUBRIC

Each year the Georgia DOE releases a Library Media Program Self-Evaluation Rubric. This rubric consists of 19 target indicators which measure student achievement, flexible scheduling, collaborative planning, and staffing. I used this tool to evaluate the quality of our media center based on state education laws, state board policies, state guidelines, and selected National Standards. I am pleased to say that our overall results were positive. Results In my assessment, the MCES media center ranks Exemplary in 9 categories, almost half of the total categories in the survey. These high marks include indicators for collaborative planning between the media specialist and teachers, encouragement of reading throughout the school, flexible scheduling, use of technologies such as streaming video and Smart boards, availability of resources and OPAC via LAN throughout the school, and support of school administration for the media center program. Our library scores Proficient in 8 categories including the integration of information literacy standards into content instruction, provision for diverse learners, assessment of student achievement, square footage requirements, policy formation and professional development opportunities. Although our results were positive overall, our program met only the Basic requirements regarding staffing and the use of GALILEO databases. Recommended Actions It is my recommendation that the areas of staffing and the use of on-line services such as GALILEO be addressed as soon as possible. As you know, Joni Aycock is the sole media specialist at MCES, working without a media aid or clerk. This often means that

story-times and research instruction must be interrupted to deal with the everyday business of the media center such as locating and checking out books. Funding should be provided by the state and county to hire a part-time, if not full-time, media clerk. More in depth collaboration with the 4th and 5th grade teachers regarding research projects could lead to increased GALILEO traffic. Having access to teachers lesson plans several days to a few weeks in advance would allow the media specialist to prepare recommended resources for each class via GALILEO. Increased collaboration could also increase two indicators from Proficient to Exemplary. With the help of classroom teachers, the media special could be made more aware of the needs of each individual learner and make lessons tailored to that class. This is only possible if the classroom teacher provides an assessment of the learners in her class. Increased collaboration would also allow for the jointdevelopment of rubrics and other forms of assessment. However, increased collaboration requires additional staffing for the media center to free Ms. Aycock to meet with teachers for longer periods of time.

Julie Douberly Media Specialist In-Training