Idaho Librarian

1) How would you characterize the quality of library services currently being offered to Idaho students across the K-12 spectrum by the state’s public schools?

NJS: We all know that Idaho has many fine school library staff doing their best with the resources they have. So let’s take a step outside of our world and look at this from a non-Idahoan’s vantage point.

I feel Idaho has mixed grades. State-funded LiLI databases and the Idaho State Library’s support are among our shining stars. Another star is the opportunity for professional development and networking that the Idaho Library Association and intra- and inter-district library groups provide (e.g., regular meetings held by Meridian’s secondary media generalists or Canyon-Owyhee Library Group).

Outsiders would see that we have many challenges on the road to quality library services. For instance, Idaho accreditation does not require certified personnel in its K-12 school libraries nor specify much in the way of guidelines for a school library media program. Some untrained paraprofessionals share horror stories of basically “You’re hired. Here is the schedule, the circulation system manual, and the students.” They do their very best to shape a program, but from what?

As I see it, other challenges in Idaho include low library budgets and the lack of availability for graduate-level library science classes. Training new library professionals as well as quality professional development from local universities would keep us at the forefront of research-based best practices. I believe educated and trained library professionals bring vision and quality instruction to library programs. If paraprofessionals are employed, then supervision and support is needed for the quality of service our students deserve.
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JF: It’s not enough for Idaho school libraries to get C’s; resources in our communities are limited enough that school libraries have a central role in preparing students for a changing future.

The LiLI databases are a great contribution. We’ve gone from having a backfile of 20-25 magazines to having access to 500. Libraries can function with dated, but comprehensive, resources on the shelves and send students to the Internet for timely materials.

The library community is great. As a beginning librarian—just three years ago—I brought questions to every COLG (Canyon-Owhyee Library Group) meeting. What were people doing and how was it working? And I didn’t catalog anything until after the workshop at the state convention; I just didn’t have the confidence.

I couldn’t agree more with Norma Jean about the need for professionals in school libraries. The most important role of a good librarian is teaching teachers; we update them on what materials are available, on what options for new materials are, even on how other teachers are presenting things. To work effectively, one has to have the knowledge and experience to merit teachers’ respect.

2) What circumstances seem to be chiefly responsible for the
shortcomings of those services?

NJS: Money. Public school libraries are an easy area to underfund. When times are tight, the library media center’s resources—staff or purchasing power—are easily cut. Districts can and do back off from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges' accreditation standards and use Idaho’s accreditation standards which have little in the way of guidelines for the program, materials, and activities.

Let’s consider quality library staffing for a moment. If tight financial resources guide administrative decisions, and one certified media generalist costs about the same as 2+ library paraprofessionals, then it is no wonder that Idaho has so many paraprofessionals in its elementary and middle school libraries.

I can’t lay the whole blame on money. If Idahoans and their legislative representatives value what a quality information literacy program can bring to student achievement, then school library media centers would be on their radar screen. So, the question here is not only do parents and legislators understand, but does every library staff member understand the library media program’s value?

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JF: Money and time, student time. Schools are under so much pressure to teach everything on the curricula now that there is so little time for library. If the powers that be are going to distribute information skills standards among content areas, it’d be nice if they’d put a footnote or something saying responsibility is shared by the media generalist. As it is, teachers feel like they’re asking for a big favor when they ask us to do our job.

                3)      How can we, as librarians and citizens, help to change
                      those circumstances and improve library services to the state’s
                      children?

NJS: We need to start with ourselves so others recognize our value. I agree with Dr. Ken Haycock, Canada’s teacher librarian guru, when he suggested at the AASL National Conference last fall that school library media professionals should use best practices such as: be exemplary; avail yourself of a relevant and continuing education before and after hire; tie your library program’s goals to school improvement goals; invest the public’s money wisely; and clarify and promote your role and program. He highly recommended that school librarians be a part of long-term planning and leadership in your schools and districts.

What else can librarians do? We can encourage those institutions responsible for training our administrators to share the vision of AASL’s Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Then take part in future administrators’ education by saying yes to being on a panel, etc. I also want to hear Idaho media generalists clamor for university support for NCATE’s (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) certification requirements for school library media specialists. Another idea is to use existing resources like LIBIDAHO and ILA to share best practices and successful lessons. One more call to action for us is to paint a picture of Idaho’s library media programs with data on a regular basis. Who are we? What are we? In responding to the questions for this article, I found a frustrating lack of reliable and current data. Let’s use the data to quantify our successes in student achievement and our need for resources as we plan for improvement.

A number of things are in place to improve Idaho’s public school library programs if we use them. The Idaho Library Association provides professional development with regional and state conferences. The Idaho State Library lobbies for the LiLI databases for our students’ use. They also offer professional development through the annual Summer Institute and a variety of workshops across the state. ISL continues to have a staff liaison to public school libraries, Stephanie Kukay, who works on behalf of our issues. Then, there is Valerie Fenske, Idaho State Department of Education’s Curriculum Technology Center librarian, who coordinated the update of the SDOE’s School Librarian’s Manual this winter. She successfully approached Dr. Dan Prinzing to underwrite most of AASL’s Leadership Institute, Leadership through Collaboration, coming to the ILA Conference in Boise next fall. But most importantly, Valerie gathered five professionals to comb the Idaho Achievement Standards for the library media program’s piece in resources and instruction. District administration will receive the results this summer.

You probably have surmised that I think it takes all of us working together and supporting one another to meet the challenges in our library media programs. I hope this article prompts more conversation on Idaho’s school libraries. Remember part of a conversation is your response.

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JF: What could one add to that? I just hope everyone gets to be part of a team that puts the kids and the needs they have today first.