School libraries matter : views from the research

As school districts across the United States increasingly question the need for trained librarians, this collection of research-based evidence helps make the case for a state-licensed librarian in every school.

While serving on the AASL legislation committee, Mirah Dow recognized the urgent need to utilize research-based evidence to prove school librarians are much more than an educational luxury. This collection is the result. It brings together school library research studies and findings from the past decade and draws connections to how they can be applied to situations and questions that occur in practice. Taken as a whole, the research underscores that state-licensed, school librarians are a necessity for 21st-century students.

Chapters center on important research studies from the past decade that examine data and locate school libraries within operational contexts. Methodologies are explained and findings summarized, while notes clarify practical applications for school librarians. Because each chapter includes a connection to broad realms of theoretical influence in the social sciences, the work will also be relevant to educators and public policymakers, arming them to better communicate research-based links between investments in school libraries and student learning outcomes.

• Illustrations p. xiii
• Foreword p. xv Blanche Woolls
• Preface p. xvii
• Introduction p. xxi
• 1 Professional Dispositions of School Librarians p. 1 Gail Bush and Jami L. Jones
• Introduction: Exploration of Professional Disposition of School Librarians p. 1
• Dispositions in Action p. 1
• The Concept of Professional Dispositions p. 3
• The Question of Professional Dispositions of School Librarians p. 5
• A Broad Context for a Review of the Literature p. 6
• The Delphi Study Methodology p. 7
• Research Design: Delphi Method p. 7
• Research Findings and Plans of Action p. 8
• Envisioning a Future p. 14
• Conclusions: Identification of School Librarian Professional Dispositions p. 15
• References p. 15
• 2 School Librarians in Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development Mirah J. Dow and Jacqueline McMahon Lakin
• Introduction: Information Behavior Research p. 19
• Cutting School Librarians Is a Paradox p. 19
• What Is information Behavior? p. 21
• Constructivism p. 21
• Constructivism in Education and Sociology p. 21
• Constructivism in Library and Information Science Research p. 22
• Constructivist Theories of Information Behavior p. 22
• Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development p. 22
• Student Achievement p. 23
• Annual Yearly Progress: Federal Mandate p. 24
• Every Student Should Graduate High School Ready for College and Career p. 24
• Students' Growth: State-Level Example p. 25
• Methodology p. 27
• Dervin's Sense-Making p. 27
• Kuhlthau's Information Search Process p. 27
• Information Behaviors Necessary for Achieving Common Core State Standards p. 28
• Research Findings: Notably Higher AYP Proficiency with School Librarian p. 29
• What More Is Needed? p. 33
• Conclusions: A New Picture of the Presence or Absence of School Librarians p. 34
• References p. 35
• 3 Influencing Instructional Partnerships in Preservice Elementary Education Teachers p. 39 Mirah J. Dow and Tonya Davis and Angela Vietti-Okane
• Introduction: Preparing Future Teachers p. 39
• Literature Review p. 39
• Partnering in Instruction p. 39
• Collaboration Theory p. 40
• Context: Elementary Teacher and School Library Partner Course p. 41
• Research Questions p. 42
• Methodology: Pre- and Post-survey and Procedure p. 43
• Limitations p. 44
• Findings p. 46
• Conclusions p. 46
• References p. 49
• 4 Everyday Life Information Seeking Practices of Upper-Income High School Students p. 51 Lori L. Franklin
• Introduction: A Focus on Students Today in a New School Library p. 51
• New Technologies and Today's Young People p. 51
• A Study Spark for Examining Teenage Students p. 52
• Literature Pinpoints Need for Studying ELIS Practices in School Libraries p. 52
• Savolainen and the Theoretical Framework for This Study p. 52
• Studying Teens in a Highly Technological School Library p. 53
• Methodology p. 53
• Choice for a Unique Study Site and Population p. 53
• A Newly Constructed School: Rivals and Rule Testing p. 54
• Data Collection p. 54
• School Librarian Interviews p. 55
• Student Focus Group Sessions p. 56
• Print and Virtual Documentation p. 57
• Generalizability, Substantive Validation, and Reliability p. 57
• Study Limitations p. 58
• Findings p. 58
• Theme 1 Students Prefer Own Cell Phones to Library Computers p. 58
• Theme 2 Students at This Site Require a Specific Type of Instructional Model p. 59
• What Are the ELIS Practices Exhibited by Students at the Study Site? p. 59
• How Do the Students in This Study Use Physical and Virtual Technologies in the School Library? p. 60
• Conclusions: ELIS Practices of Upper-Income High School Students p. 61
• References p. 63
• 5 The Impact of School Libraries on Academic Achievement p. 65 Keith Curry Lance and Linda Hofschire
• Introduction: Circumstances that Define American Public Education p. 65
• Site-Based Management p. 65
• Absence of Reliable, Dedicated Federal Funding p. 66
• School Staffing Trends p. 66
• Standards-Based State Tests p. 66
• Advent of Computers and the Internet p. 67
• Advent of eBooks, eReaders, and Tablet Computers p. 67
• Partnership for 21st-Century Skills p. 68
• Typical School Library Research Questions p. 68
• Review of the Literature p. 69
• School Libraries and Student Achievement p. 69
• Moving Beyond Student Achievement Studies p. 71
• Methodological Challenges p. 72
• Five-Step Improvement Plan p. 73
• Creating Partnerships with Administrators and Teachers p. 73
• Sharing Research about the Impact of School Libraries and Librarians p. 73
• Defining the Roles of School Library and Librarian p. 74
• Creating New Measures of School Library Outputs and Outcomes p. 74
• Documenting the Impact of Teaching 21st-century Skills on Strident Learning p. 75
• Conclusions: New Questions to Be Studied p. 75
• References p. 77
• 6 The Role of the School Library: Building Collaborations to Support School Improvement p. 79 Elizabeth A. Lee and Don A. Klinger
• Introduction: Education, A Lightning Rod for Reform and Accountability p. 79
• Topic and Problem p. 80
• Do School Libraries Matter? p. 81
• Our Approach to the Question p. 81
• Our Findings on Exemplary School Libraries p. 83
• Collaboration as a Path to School Improvement p. 86
• Conclusions: Moving Forward, Being Effective Regardless of Current Status p. 86
• References p. 88
• 7 Perspectives of School Administrators Related to School Libraries p. 91 Deborah Levitov
• Introduction: Mixed Methods Study of School Administrators p. 91
• Lack of Administrative Awareness p. 91
• Context and Background of the Study p. 92
• Research Questions p. 93
• Literature Review p. 93
• Administrators' Knowledge of School Library Programs p. 94
• Informing School Administrators about School Library Programs p. 95
• Methodology: Mixed Methods Approach p. 96
• Participants p. 96
• Assumptions p. 97
• Limitations p. 97
• Improvement Plan (Summary of Findings) p. 97
• Administrators' Changed Perceptions p. 97
• A Shift in Language p. 101
• Changed Perceptions p. 102
• University-Level Coursework about Libraries/Librarians p. 102
• Administrators as Advocates for Librarians/Libraries p. 102
• School Librarian and Administrator Hold Commonality p. 103
• Implications p. 103
• Solutions for Informing Administrators p. 104
• Informing School Library Specialists p. 104
• Conclusions: Recommendations for Further Study p. 105
• References p. 106
• 8 A Content Analysis of School Librarian Conferences: A Search for Empowering Professional Development p. 109 Judi Moreillon
• Introduction: Content of Professional Development Conference Offerings p. 109
• A Line of Inquiry to Improve Teaching in Higher Education p. 109
• Topic and Problem of Conference Professional Development Content p. 110
• Research Questions p. 111
• Literature Review p. 112
• Methodology: Content Analysis p. 113
• Preparation of the Analysis p. 113
• Sample p. 116
• Findings p. 116
• Improvement Plan p. 117
• Conclusions: State-Level Conferences Are Important for Empowering Professional Development p. 118
• References p. 118
• 9 School-Based Technology Integration and School Librarian Leadership p. 123 Marcia A. Mardis and Nancy Everhart
• Introduction: Solutions to Technology-Related School Challenges p. 123
• Technology Integration p. 123
• Research Questions p. 124
• Theoretical Framework: Formative Leadership Theory p. 125
• Literature Review p. 125
• Leadership in Schools p. 126
• School Librarians and Leadership p. 126
• Methodology: Participatory Research p. 127
• Procedure p. 128
• Validity and Reliability p. 129
• Improvement Plan p. 130
• Conclusions: Questions Answered through Cooperative Inquiry p. 130
• References p. 134
• 10 Crossing the Language Barrier: The Potential for School Librarians in Facilitating Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning in the School Library p. 137 Andrew J.M. Smith and Nancy J. Brown
• Introduction: English Language Learners p. 137
• The Multicultural School p. 137
• Problems for Foreign-Born Students p. 138
• The Role of the School Librarian in Standards-Based Education p. 139
• The Changing Environment: From School Library to Learning Commons p. 141
• Learner Characteristics p. 142
• Strategies for Supporting ELLs from the Research p. 142
• Books and Instructional Materials p. 142
• Instructional Strategies p. 143
• Programming to Support ELLs p. 144
• Technology Applications and Projects p. 145
• Practical Matters p. 146
• Conclusions: Culturally Responsive Leaders p. 146
• References p. 147
• 11 Views from Research: From Ideology to Action p. 151 Mirah J. Dow
• Introduction: What Must We Say about School Libraries? p. 151
• The Purpose p. 151
• The Premise p. 152
• The Practices p. 152
• School Libraries Matter p. 153
• Conclusions: Characteristics of a Professional School Librarian p. 162
• References p. 163
• Index p. 165
• About the Editor and Contributors p. 171