SLSA White Paper
School Library Systems: Building Local Capacity
Today the universe of information is larger and the world is smaller.
This
challenges the school community to provide expanded resources and
instruction
to use them successfully. School Library Media Centers play a critical
role
in meeting this challenge. These Centers provide the information
resources
for students and staff to develop ideas, solve problems, and create
products.
Students become productive citizens and achieve individual potential.
School
Library Systems establish the foundation for building local capacity in
these
Library Media Centers by supplying guidance, structure and resources.
School Library Systems and their member libraries are in the unique
situation
of directly providing information services to virtually all students
and
staff in New York State. This enormous task requires dedicated library
staff
and funding to provide adequate and timely resources.
School Library Systems were established across the State in 1985 to
complete
New York State's network of libraries and library systems by providing
equitable
access to resources for the students, teachers and administrators of
all
public and non-public schools.
School Library Systems serve as a component of the statewide library
network
by:
- Sharing resources
- Disseminating information
- Coordinating services with all types of libraries
School Library Systems enable member libraries to improve services to
their users by:
- Strengthening instructional practices
- Collaborating with school staff to implement learning standards
- Creating access to local resources
- Coordinating resource sharing
- Providing electronic information resources
- Implementing continuing education, consultation and other
essential
services
Great things have been accomplished. Indeed, since the 1980's, School
Library
Systems have developed initiatives based upon the curricular needs of
our
schools and students. According to Oneida School Library Media
Specialist Katherine Cronn, "The School Library System has made it
possible for our students
to broaden the scope of their research. It has changed the way we
teach."
Regrettably, inadequate funding has prohibited School Library Systems
from
taking full advantage of the growing possibilities of information
sources
in the electronic age. Inadequate funding has also meant that School
Library
Systems cannot be equal partners with other types of libraries in the
statewide
network because the capacity to provide resources, access and training
to
member school libraries is limited.
School Library System services are rooted in three interwoven areas
categorized
by the acronym ACT.
Access: making the library collections of member
schools
accessible to the educational community and all libraries in the New
York
State Library Network
Content: building special collections of materials through
Cooperative Collection Development projects and providing databases of
information through
cooperative purchase of full text resources such as NewsBank,
EbscoHost, UMI
ProQuest and Electric Library
Training: providing for continuing education, professional
development and specialized training for the educational community,
especially School Library Media Specialists
School Library Systems work with library professionals and others to
help build school capacity and information literacy to meet the New
York State Learning Standards. Today's educational community faces new
challenges not
envisioned even five years ago. For example:
Doubling of information every three years
Increasing diversity of student populations
Increasing volume of electronic transfer of information
School Library Systems build capacity by:
Providing professional development opportunities
Facilitating materials/resources sharing in the global community
Meeting the needs of special clients
Creating cooperative collections
Developing and supporting information systems
If schools are to provide equitable access to information for all
students, rural or urban, and districts rich or poor, a shared vision
and adequate funding
for School Library Systems are needed.
School Library Systems funding maximizes cost-effective and equitable
access
to information resources for the educational community.
Statewide, School Library Systems negotiated online access to over 500
magazines
and three months of the New York Times through UMI ProQuest for 1,740
library
media centers at a cost of $95,000. Subscriptions to individual schools
normally
cost $6,000. This is a savings of $10,345,000.
School Library Systems maximize resources!
To build local capacity to serve local information needs, the School
Library
Systems Association recommends the following funding.
establish base grant at:
$175,000 for School Library Systems including up to 65,000 students
&
certified staff
- over 65,000 $250,000
- over 125,000 $325,000
- over 1,000,000 $1,800,000
$52/square mile $7.00 per pupil and certified staff in public and
non-public schools in the system service area as per Basic Educational
Data Survey.
No School Library System will receive less money due to the application
of
this revised funding scheme.
This formula was derived by the School Library Systems Association
after
researching precedents in funding formulas for other types of library
systems.
The per pupil/staff funding stream is equitable and accountable. With
an
increase in base grants and realistic per pupil/staff funding each
School
Library System would have sufficient resources to function at a high
service
level.
