Posts Tagged ‘resource selection’
I’m in the process of curating resources for assignment 2, The library research guide. Having previously made pathfinders I thought this assignment would be straightforward. However, I have come to realise that there is so much to think about when curating resources for the research guide.
More than a Google search
Research guides are so much more than doing a broad Google search and trawling through the pages to find something that I think is suitable, then copying and pasting the URL. The curation of these resources relies on the TL understanding not only the topic area, but the students who will be accessing the research guide. The research guide also needs to embed research literacy skills, so students get the research guide is more than a collection of resources; it explains how to use the resources to get the most value out of them. Appropriate annotations of the resources allows students to navigate the resources and use them more effectively. In this way, the research guide supports students in navigating a range of quality resources and avoiding the infoglut of a poorly executed Google search.
Accessibility and readability
I hadn’t previously considered the readability or accessibility of resources but now realise that this is so important. If students are presented with a resource that is not suitable for their needs, then it is of little use. There are several readability checkers available online including Experte and Sitechecker.
The readability score (scale of 0-100). The following table shows the ranges
(Image from https://www.experte.com/readability-checker)
The access of the resources is also important. Different students have different needs when it comes to access and these must be considered in the creation of a research guide. The research guide that I am currently creating is focusing on the Year 8 history topic: Japan under the Shoguns. While researching suitable sites I discovered that there are sites available that have a read aloud function for many of the articles. This function is available on worldhistory.org and School Britannica. It is also available on many eBooks. This function allows students of lower reading abilities to access resources that they may otherwise not access.
Information literacy
To ensure the research guide is more than curated resources it is important to embed information literacy skills. Links to effective note-taking skills, note-taking templates and information about effective research skills are paramount. It’s one thing for students to access the resources, it’s another to support them in effective notetaking and research. The inclusion of instructional videos and clear templates support students to navigate and get the most out of the research guide.
Be sure to
Final hot tips for a great research guide
- Know your students
- Know the curriculum
- Use the readability checkers
- Check the readability of each web resources
- Check the readability of the research guide
- Embed information literacy skills
- Notetaking templates
- Notetaking skill information
- Boolean operators
- Easy navigation of the research guide
- Visually appealing but not distracting
- Working links
- Appropriate annotations
- Modelling of correct referencing
The role of the library is to support the needs of the school community by providing a wide range of physical and digital resources (Fleishhacker, 2017; International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), 2015). It sounds quite simple but is a daunting task that involves knowledge of the curriculum, the school community, the current collection and how to build and manage a balance of resources that best support these needs.
Prior to ETL503 I did not realise that resourcing was the responsibility of both the teacher librarian (TL) and the classroom teacher (CT). I thought that supporting teachers involved providing resources such as pathfinders, lists of websites and piles of books (Gemell, 2021, November 4). In fact, selection of resources is set out in Standard 3.4 of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (2014). I now understanding that for optimum resourcing, it is vital for the TL and the CT to collaborate, with the TL providing a whole-school birds-eye view of resourcing across the curriculum, and the CT focused on their class’ needs (Gemell, 2021, November 8).
I was also initially baffled by the seemingly interchangeable terms of collection development and collection management. Through further investigation and discussion, I sifted through the terminology to discover that the two terms are, in fact, different. I was involved in a great discussion with several other students, and we nutted out that management is what happens after the collection has been developed (Gemell, 2022, January 3). This was summed-up perfectly by Kay Oddone (2022, January 10) who commented that “development is an activity that is part of the overall management of the collection.” Through this discussion I developed further understanding in the nuance between collection development and collection management.
I then came face-to-face with the concepts of copyright and creative commons. I must admit, this is an area that I have never put much thought into and I’m sure I have been in breach of copyright at some time. I was under the impression that anything could be used so long as it was properly referenced (Gemell, 2021, December 12). However, this area is hugely complex and goes far beyond appropriate referencing. I believe there is an expectation that librarians have a basic understanding of copyright and licensing of electronic resources and, as such, support the school complying with copyright requirements (Copyright laws, 2021). To assist with this, I found an invaluable resource in the website https://smartcopying.edu.au/.
I had previously heard of creative commons, but like copyright, had never given it much thought. I now understand that creative commons licenses help with the sharing and reusing of creations. Creating my own post (Gemell, 2021, December 12) about the different licenses and their uses has definitely supported my understanding of the link between copyright and creative commons. This understanding is invaluable as a TL because it helps to ensure that the library is complying with copyright, and also able to provide resources under creative commons licenses to support the school community across the curriculum. Through this knowledge of creative commons and copyright the TL is also in a strong position to advise others on copyright issues and the use of creative commons materials.
Through ETL503, I have an improved understanding of the importance of a collection development policy (CDP) as a strategic document. According to the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA, 2017), “A collection development policy is essential to a school library as it explains why the collection exists” (p. 8). During discussions with other students, it was surprising to realise just how many schools did not have a current CDP, or even more startling was the schools that did not have one at all. I found myself in that position with a policy available for my secondary school, but no policy for the primary school (Gemell, December 27). If it is such a crucial document, then why is it seemingly not a priority?
Collection development is an incredibly complex process with a multitude of facets (Oddone, 2019, August 19). These facets increase with the development of technology and changes in information access, not only in schools, but in society as a whole. It serves as a blueprint for the overall goals, processes and overall management of the library (Abercrombie, 2018, 30 May), ensuring there are clear processes for budgets, resource selection, deselection and challenged materials (Abercrombie, 2018, 30 May; Libraries Tasmania, 2021). The policy is also explicit in its descriptions of the school profile including their specific requirements. With all these elements in mind, the CDP must be updated regularly to stay current (ALIA, 2014).
The development of a CDP is an important matter to discuss with the school leadership and demonstrate the importance of developing, reviewing, and maintaining this document. The school leadership must be part of the development of the CDP (Libraries Tasmania, 2021) so they can best support the needs of the library through budgeting, and understand that the library is not stagnant, but continually changing and evolving with users’ needs, including technology and digital resources.
The CDP policy serves an important role in the issue of self-censorship. I had previously not considered self-censorship as an issue but, through my readings, have discovered that it is very common and easy to fall into to avoid conflict situations (Jacobson, 2016). The CDP supports the librarian by having clear selection criteria and processes (including use of selection tools) as well as outlining the process for challenged materials. This ensures confidence in the selection of potentially contentious material (Gemell, 2021, 28 December).
Through collection development and management, the library can be equipped for the future. It is important for the library to consistently update materials (including deselection) and provide digital resources (Tonini, 2020, June 24). The key to future-proofing the library collection is fluidity. Samantha Macey (2022, January 2) summed this up perfectly, stating that “the collection development policy should be continually revised (collaboratively if possible) to reflect the fluid nature of libraries, and to keep on top of any new developments.” The information landscape is ever evolving, and it is the responsibility of the library to evolve with it. Remember, a stagnant library is a redundant library (Gemell, 2022, January 8).
The number one goal of any library is to provide knowledge to the community, no matter how that knowledge is accessed and it is up to the library and librarians to “understand the community and adapt to their needs” (Gemell, 2022, January 8).
References
Abercrombie, S. (2018, May 30). Why do you need a collection development plan? Knowledge Quest. https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/why-do-you-need-a-collection-development-plan/
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2014). Australian professional standards for teachers. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards.
Australian Library and Information Association. (2017). A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres. (2nd ed.). https://read.alia.org.au/manual-developing-policies-and-procedures-australian-school-library-resource-centres-2nd-edition
Australian Library and Information Association. (2014). Future of the library and information science profession: School libraries. https://read.alia.org.au/content/future-library-and-information-science-profession-school-libraries
Copyright laws. (2021, September 30). A simple guide to copyright for librarians: 15 essential facts and tips. Copyrightlaws.com. https://www.copyrightlaws.com/simple-guide-copyright/
Fleishhacker, J. (2017). Collection development. Knowledge Quest. 45(4). 24-31.
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions School Libraries Section Standing Committee. (2015). IFLA school library guidelines. https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/school-libraries-resource-centers/publications/ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf
Jacobson, L. (2016). Unnatural selection. School Library Journal, 62(10), 20–24.
Libraries Tasmania, (2021). Procedures and guidelines. https://libraries.tas.gov.au/school-library/Pages/managing-procedures.aspx
Tonini, S. (2020, June 24). 7 tips for future-proofing school libraries. eSchool News. https://www.eschoolnews.com/2020/06/24/7-tips-for-future-proofing-school-libraries/2/
Libraries must adapt to changes and the needs of the community. A library that remains stagnant in its services becomes redundant. The key point of libraries and librarians is to understand their community and adapt to their needs (Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), 2014).
The principal must be future-focused for the library to continue to be of service to the school community. A principal who believes that a library is a place to house books will be doing a disservice to their school community. The collection development policy must reflect the changes in access to information and adapt to these for the library to remain relevant (Abercrombie, 2018).
In a primary school setting the physical non-fiction (NF) section will continue to be a vibrant area of the library collection, however this must be regularly updated (including weeding) to ensure current information is presented (Abercrombie, 2018; ACT Government Education, 2019). I know at my library the NF section is hugely popular and the books are suitable to the needs of the students.
In 10 years’ time, the NF section at the senior school would look vastly different. My library in the senior school has a well-resources NF section that is hardly touched by the students. When researching for assignments, the students use online platforms rather than physical resources. All students in the high school have their own laptop which is used in all classes, whereas the primary school students do not have uninterrupted access to information technology. I believe that within 10 years the NF section of the high school library will no longer be there or will be limited to a few bookshelves. This does not mean that the collection will have shrunk because the online collection will grow significantly. The budget that would have been spent on the physical NF resources would be used to purchase e-resources.
The teacher librarian themselves play a critical role in the function of the school library (ALIA 2014). Casting my mind back to my high school library experiences, I remember a ‘library dragon’ who was unapproachable and sent you out if you so much as breathed in the library. This was not a space where I wanted to go to do any kind of research but, being pre-internet boom, there was little choice. I am sure this was not everyone’s experience, but it definitely stuck with me and, as I embark on my TL journey, I know what I do not want to be. In a typical day at the library, I support students and teachers alike in selecting resources for research and recreational reading, and my main project is creating resource pages for students and teachers to use to support research across a range of subject areas.
I feel the library will always be a space where the school community can come to access resources (either physically or digitally), learn research skills, or simply enjoy some quiet time.
References
Abercrombie, S. (2018, May 30). Why do you need a collection development plan? Knowledge Quest. https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/why-do-you-need-a-collection-development-plan/
ACT Government Education. (2019). School libraries: The heart of 21st century learning. https://www.education.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1435435/School-Libraries-The-Heart-of-21st-Century-Learning.pdf
Australian Library and Information Association. (2014). Future of the library and information science profession: School libraries. https://read.alia.org.au/content/future-library-and-information-science-profession-school-libraries
This is a series of questions to ask when selecting e-resources for the school library. They are in no particular order and bring together considerations from a variety of sources.
Questions:
- Is this resource relevant to the needs of the school?
- Teachers?
- Students?
- Age appropriate?
- Is an e-resource the best format based on school needs?
- Tangible vs digital resource
- What are the licensing terms of the e-resource?
- School-owned?
- Subscription-based?
- Can the resource be accessible on multiple devices?
- How will the school know about and access the e-resource?
- How much is the resource?
- Value for money?
- Use across year groups and curriculum?
- Does the school already have the technology available to support the e-resource?
- What is required?
- Is it worth it?
- Does the resource cater for diverse needs of students?
- Enlarge print function?
- Read aloud function?
- Does the e-resource come with support from the provider?
- What happens if an issue is encountered?
These questions are all important when selecting e-resources and need to be carefully considered before purchase. As with any resources, the e-resource must add to the value of the school library. It is no good purchasing e-resources if they can’t be accessed properly or do not support the needs of the school.
References
Charles Sturt University. (2021). Collection development. https://library.csu.edu.au/our-libraries/contact-library-team/library-management/collection-development
Libraries Tasmania. (2021). Electronic resources management. https://www.libraries.tas.gov.au/school-library/Pages/collections-eresources.aspx
Reference and User Association. (2008). Guidelines for the introduction of electronic information resources to users. American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinesintroduction
In my readings during the week, I have been learning about the abundance of selection aids. I never realised there were so many available and how these sites were used to guide resources selection for TLs. I decided to review three online selection aids; Walker Books Australia and New Zealand, Booktopia, and Scholastic Book Wizard. The school library in which I work uses Booktopia as a selection tool. We have two libraries; one P-6 (co-ed day school), the other 7-12 (girls only boarding school) which means we have a variety of needs to address in resource selection. Here are my findings:
Walker Books Australia and New Zealand
Strengths
- Easy to use
- Variety of ways to search
- Gives age range recommendations for each title as you click into it
- Books are available in Australia
Weaknesses
- Only displays books that are distributed by Walker Books Australia
- Physical resources only – no ebooks or audio books available through this service
- Pricing is embedded in the fine print
- Can’t purchase direct from the publisher
I found this to be a valuable website, however I would probably only use it to get information about latest titles and age recommendations.
Booktopia
Strengths
- Easy to use
- Variety of ways to search
- Shows other similar books when you select a book to look at
- Books are available in Australia
- When a book is selected it shows if it’s also available as an ebook and/or audiobook
- Clear pricing
- Reviews provided when a book is selected
- Wishlist builder
Weaknesses
- No age recommendations when a book is selected. This can be difficult for a school library because the content needs to be considered before purchasing. This is particularly pertinent when selecting manga.
- Can be overwhelming as you go down the rabbit hole of recommendations
I found Booktopia to be a particularly user-friendly website and the search functions are easy to use. Everything is set out clearly and I like to wishlist builder so that I don’t lose track of what titles I am interested in.
Scholastic book wizard
Strengths
- Select books by reading level or grade level
- Simple funneling system to get to the recommendations
- The more options you select the more refined the search
- Click through to the main Scholastic teacher store
- Search results are not overwhelming because of the series of filters on the search
- Further recommendations are available for similar style books
- Wishlist function
Weaknesses
- Can’t just browse as soon as you open the webpage. You have to click through a series of options to get to the books.
- Not a lot of options come up after each search so there are limited options.
I found this website looks good to start with but turned out to be slightly frustrating because the search functions were so restricting. Unless I was looking for a recommendation for a particular genre for a particular year level, I would probably rather go straight to the Scholastic Teacher Store site.
Overall, Booktopia seems to be a one-stop-shop for physical and digital resources and I believe this is why is it utilised as a selection aid at my school library.
As I begin diving into the content of ETL503 I am reflecting on the role of the teacher librarian (TL) and that of the role of the classroom teacher (CT) in relation to resourcing. This raises some interesting questions:
- Do the roles overlap?
- How do the roles complement each other?
- How are the roles different?
First and foremost, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (2014) sets out in Standard 3.4 that all teachers must ‘select and use resources’. The four levels are outlined as such:
- Graduate teachers are required to “demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.”
- Proficient teachers “select and/or create and use a range of resources, including ICT, to engage students in their learning.”
- Highly accomplished teachers “assist colleagues to create, select and use a wide range of resources, including ICT, to engage students in their learning.”
- Lead teachers “model exemplary skills and lead colleagues in selecting, creating and evaluating resources, including ICT, for application by teachers within or beyond the school.”
With this standard in mind, my initial reaction is that the roles complement each other and collaboration is vital, as the final goal for both the TL and the CT is successful learning for students. I do feel that the TL, almost by default as a central curriculum and resourcing expert, comply with the criteria for Highly accomplished/lead standards as they collaborate with and assist classroom teachers. ‘The services (TLs) provide and the resources they access impact on every teacher and every student’ (ACT Government Education, 2019, p. 5).
The CT supports the TL by providing specialist knowledge of their subject area and understand the needs of the students in their class. CTs also are up to date with the curriculum requirements for their subject (NSW Department of Education, 2017). This knowledge is important in locating and evaluating potential resources. The TL provides the CT with expertise in locating and evaluating resources.
To complement the skills of the CT, the TL brings the general overview of curriculum, including links to General Capabilities and are up to date with new resources which are available. TLs are skilled at linking teachers and students with resources available both inside and outside the school.
The two roles differ in that the focus for the TL is more on the information service management role (Australian School Library Association, 2021; School Library Association of South Australia, 2015; NSW Department of Education, 2017). This management role is about the needs of the whole school and the selection of resources that meet the curriculum requirements of all students.
So, in some ways the roles of the TL and the CT overlap, but the TL is more focused on a whole-school view, whereas the CT is particularly focused on their class. As such the roles complement each other. It is very difficult for the TL to select appropriate resources without the input of the CT and the TL can provide insight into potential resources across a range of curriculum areas. The two roles become and partnership and work hand in hand.
References
ACT Government Education. (2019). School libraries: The heart of 21st century learning. https://www.education.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1435435/School-Libraries-The-Heart-of-21st-Century-Learning.pdf
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2014). Australian professional standards for teachers. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards.
Australian School Library Association. (2021). What is a teacher librarian? https://asla.org.au/what-is-a-teacher-librarian
NSW Department of Education. (2017). Handbook for school libraries. https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/media/documents/schoollibrarieshandbook2015.pdf
School Library Association of South Australia. (2015). Teacher librarian role statement. https://www.slasa.asn.au/Advocacy/docs/RoleStatement2015.pdf
So, here I am again, at the start of another unit for Teacher Librarianship. Before I get too far into the throws of readings and discussion tasks, I wanted to take the time to frame my thinking about my first impressions of what ‘Resourcing the Curriculum’ means. My initial thoughts revolve around collaboration with classroom teachers to find out what they are teaching and then finding resources, both in the library and online, that would support both the teachers’ and the students’ needs. This could include creating pathfinders or providing teachers with a list of websites and a pile of books to use. I believe resourcing the curriculum requires the TL to have an overview of the curriculum areas being taught at the school by staying up to date with current curriculum requirements and syllabus documents.
I believe it is also the responsibility of the TL, through collaboration with teachers, students and the principal to select, procure and organise resources that will be of use to the school. The library is not the place for the TLs personal preferences regarding resources; selections have to be made based on the needs of patrons.
I think a big challenge is how to know where to find the right resources to support the school community. There are so many other challenges that feed into this overarching challenge; changes in technology, resource access for the school community, availability of resources and changes in curriculum. I am looking forward to learning more about how to best assist students and teachers in resourcing and how to select (and deselect) resources to keep the library catalogue and available resources relevant.