As with all things in life, we need balance.
For me, theme 2 has clearly demonstrated that, in order for a library to function as we want it to, there is a need to balance collaborative services, the collection management, and the budget that sustains it all.
As a result of this realization, and an examination of the library at the school I work at, I have realized that things here are not in balance. This is mainly because the reference collection that we have does not contain a sufficient number of “resources [that] adequately support the particular learning outcomes that teachers are addressing in the classroom” (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 72).
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On the surface, this sounds like an easy enough problem to solve: Simply buy more books! However, in reality, the endeavor to restore balance in one area of a library program means maintaining and caring for the balance in all other areas and is complex!
In Evaluating, Selecting, and Managing Learning Resources: A Guide, the British Columbia Ministry of Education notes that once we see a flaw in a collection, the next step is a “Needs Assessment” (72). During this, it is “is important to survey teachers to determine priorities in terms of pedagogy, format, and so on” (72). This brings us back to a need for collaboration before material selection and reminds us that “the use [and selection] of reference materials should involve a collaborative effort by the classroom teacher who is the subject expert, and the teacher-librarian, the information specialist” (Oxley, Lesson 5). Without involving our subject experts, it is impossible for us to select truly meaningful resources.
With information from stakeholders considered, we can look at the next piece of the puzzle; the budget. While every librarian dreams of an unlimited budget, the reality is that this is not the case. In fact, according to the data provided in the BCTLA’s 32nd Annual Survey of Working and Learning Conditions in Public School Libraries, my school’s funding was at $2027.83 (well below the average budget of an elementary school library in B.C.) (Hufton, 6). This means that the dream of simply buying unlimited amounts of resources with abandon to suit teachers' general research needs is not on the table. Especially ones that come with a hefty price tag and an expiry date. For example, it is not realistic for our library to spend $1000 dollars (almost half our budget) on print encyclopedias that will need to be replaced either yearly or in the near future (Oxley, Lesson 6; Riedling & Houston, 24).
A solution suggested by Riedling & Houston is the option of online materials whose cost may vary, and therefore be less (24,25). This is corroborated by the quote I received from Britannica School (an online children's encyclopedia database)which stated that a year-long, whole-school subscription would cost $439(Kirkness). These resources are regularly updated; 2 years of this service would still cost less than a set of new encyclopedias; and it would leave room in the budget for the purchase of additional needed print resources.
This solution however, leads us back to assessing our clientele needs. Our school has not previously functioned as a “tech-friendly” environment, so choosing a balance between print and online resources will take some serious promotion and leadership on the part of the TL.
The British Columbia Ministry of Education notes that, in the promotion of new resources, “it is vital that key personnel promote the availability, location, and curricular relevance of the resources'' (97). This might look like providing in-services on using the online database, creating bibliographies organized by curricular topics, or even putting in place a new QR code system (using a free QR code generator such as this one) that makes the resource easily accessible and joins the physical library resources with the online resources available (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 97). This is quite the undertaking for the TL, but perhaps worth it if it provides meaningful services to students and teachers.
At this point, I should note that the idea of QR codes in libraries to connect physical and digital references is not unheard of- it came up both in our group discussion in week 7 and is again explained in this video from Harvard Music Library below.
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With the solution of an increased reference collection through a digital resource supplemented by print resources through leftover budgets, and much teacher collaboration needed to get it all up and running... My takeaway from this theme is that striving for the balance that is needed in order to run the library effectively requires creativity, flexibility, and an ongoing willingness to work hard to provide the best information services possible for students and staff. Riedling & Houston say, "a good reference source is one that serves to answer a question" (17), so if this creative combination and use of resources maintains the balance between collaboration, budget, and question answering, it is a win for everyone.
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Works Cited
British Columbia Ministry of Education. Evaluating, Selecting, and Managing Learning Resources: A Guide. Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data, Revised 2002.
Hufton, Amanda. Annual Survey of Working and Learning Conditions of Public School Libraries (32nd). British Columbia: BCTLA, 2012/2013. 24, February, 2023. https://bctla.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wlc-2012-2013.pdf.
Kirkness, Len. "Britannica Online - SCHOOL Edition trial Access." Received by Chelsey Fidler, 02 February 2023. Email Communication.
"Lesson 7 Discussion Posts" 24 Feb, 2023, https://canvas.ubc.ca/groups/489591/discussion_topics/1676400
Oxley, Kristie. "Theme Two:Managing and Evaluating Reference Services." University of British Columbia, 9 Jan. 2023. Lessons 5-7.
"QR Codes in the Library: A Window to Online Research Services" Youtube, uploaded by Harvard University, 20 Dec. 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40vw_p4uyts
Riedling, Ann, and Houston, Cynthia. Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips. 4th ed., Libraries Unlimited, 2019.
I think QR codes would work really well in seamlessly integrating the digital and physical collections. In situations where everyone has a cell phone or tablet, they make it easy to get to a specific website. In elementary schools where the students don't generally have a phone, it would be important to have ipads available in the library so that students could take advantage of the QR codes. My school has ipads, so you've given me food for thought in terms of an easy and inexpensive way to make targeted parts of the digital collection visible. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBalancing the key elements of managing an effective library is every challenging on a small budget. I agree that creativity is key. We have used QR codes for younger students, however, I think they would be helpful for all levels. I wish you the best at brining your library up to more acceptable standards.
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