What does a good library tell you about a school?

Thank you Governor Walz and Lt Governor Flanagan for recognizng the important role school library media specialists play in building great schools!
 

What does a good library tell you about a school? (from School Libraries Head for the Edge.)

Had I any say in the decision, my grandsons would attend only the very best schools. And in order to qualify as a “best school,” the educational institution would need a darn good library program – one that has professional and support staff, up-to-date materials in a generous quantity, an articulated information/ technology literacy curriculum, a modern physical facility, and lots of up-to-date technology. 

As it turns out, I am not the only person who feels this way about the importance of good libraries. The general public understands this as well. ALA’s 2010 The State of Amercia’s Libraries <http://tinyurl.com/stateamlib> reported:

School libraries ... receive good grades in national surveys, which indicate that 96-plus percent of Americans feel they are an essential part of the education experience because they provide resources to students and teachers and because they give every child the opportunity to read and learn.

Why do nearly 100% of American’s support libraries?  Because you can tell a lot about a school's general philosophy of education - in practice, not just in lip service - by what sort of library it supports. 

Most of us who have been in education for awhile can very quickly sense what a school values within ten minutes of walking in the door. I love it when I see open classroom doors and hear friendly greetings; view student work posted in the hallways; observe fresh paint and litter-free hallways; and notice lots of adult volunteers. Even more than the curriculum, faculty credentials, school awards, or (especially) test scores, an open, inviting climate is the sign of a “successful” school. 

Too often, the most telling signs of a successful school goes unrecognized.  A good library program is a clear signal that the school:

1. Believes education is about teaching kids how to ask and answer questions, not just know the "right" answers and that asking good questions is a sign of intelligence, not stupidity.

2. Believes kids should have access to a diversity of topics and points-of-view and be taught the skills to make informed opinions of their own. This should be as important to every parent, regardless of political affiliation.

3. Believes kids' personal interests are legitimate areas of investigation and that curiosity is a trait worth cultivating. Kids who won’t read novels may well read books and magazines devoted to cars, video games or sports.

4. Believes it is as important to create kids who want to read as to simply create kids who can read and that everyone should read for pleasure. Whether the reading is done in books, magazines or online, fiction or factual, long works or short, all reading is respected and valued.

5. Believes access to good fiction collections of both contemporary novels and classics helps kids meet critical developmental tasks and that reading fiction builds the capacity for empathy.

6. Believes kids should be content creators and content sharers as well as content consumers. The skills, guidance and equipment to make movies, websites or audio casts is a critical function of our best library programs.

7. Believes it is important to have more research skills than simply being able to Google a topic - and that it is important to have a professional who teaches those skills. Good librarians teach discrimination, organization and synthesis skills - not just how to create footnotes.

8. Believes high quality commercial sources of information should be available to all kids regardless of economic level. While there is a good deal of information available at no cost. much of it has a commercial bias, may be incomplete, and lack authority. Good databases and online reference materials cost money - just like print.

9. Believes technology use in education is about creativity, problem-solving and communications, not just drill and practice.

10. Believes learning occurs in lots of places, not just in the classroom and that learning takes place outside school hours. Good libraries are open before and after school, during lunch time, and when students have study periods. And really good libraries are “open” virtually, 24/7

11. Believes kids, like adults, sometimes need a "third place" that is neither the classroom nor home where they feel welcome, comfortable and productive. Good libraries recognize that learning is often social in physical spaces as well as online.

12. Believes life-long learning applies to adults as well as to children. An important role of the librarian is teaching teachers new skills and new resources.

I wonder how many districts’ promotional materials - those glossy fliers and pamphlets meant to convince parents of the quality of their schools - brag about good libraries? Such information might be convincing - at least to 96% of them.