LIBE+463+Assignment+3

//Wynter Oakes//
 * Collection Evaluation & Report**

__**Ecole KLO Middle School**__
 * June 2012**

Student Enrollment = 862 Students Enrolled in Science 9 = 280

Science 9 includes curriculum specific to Astronomy, Chemistry, Electricity, Genetics and General Processes of Science. . The current Ecole KLO Middle School library collection has approximately 20,000 resources. Approximately 20% of these resources are in the 500's - natural science & mathematics and 600's - technology (applied science) categories. The following sub-categories are relevant to the Science 9 curriculum and were considered during this collection evaluation. . __**Raw Quantitative Data**__ When looking at the resources (books, VHS, DVD, teacher resources) in the 500's - natural science & mathematics category and 600's - technology (applied science) categories:
 * __Collection Evaluation Focus__**
 * Science 9**
 * 500 - Natural Sciences & Mathematics ||
 * 520 - Astronomy & Allied Sciences ||
 * 530 - Physics ||
 * 540 - Chemistry and Allied Sciences ||
 * 570 - Life Sciences ||
 * 600 - Technology (Applied Sciences) ||
 * 610 - Medical Sciences ||
 * 630 - Agriculture ||
 * There are approximately 4070 resources
 * The earliest publication date is 1947
 * The average publishing date is 1993
 * The median publishing date is 1996
 * 11% of the resources have a publishing date since the Science 9 curriculum was last changed (2006)
 * 7% of the resources acquired since the curriculum last changed (2006) have been relevant to the Science 9 curriculum

When looking at the loans for resources relevant to the science 9 curriculum:
 * 8% of the loans this year (excluding the fiction section) have been for resources relevant to the Science 9 categories. This percent is the same when comparing the total library loans (excluding the fiction section) with the loans for the categories relevant to Science 9 since the curriculum last changed six years ago (2006/2007)

User surveys were designed to assess the use of the Science 9 resources in the library. The four teachers at Ecole KLO Middle School who teach Science 9 were porvided with and  surveys. Six of the nine classes completed the student survey and two of the four Science 9 teachers completed the teacher survey.

When reviewing the student responses the following was noted:
 * 51% of the Grade 9 student population was surveyed (143 out of 280 students)
 * 80% of the respondents were in the English program (113 students)
 * 20% of the respondents were in the French Immersion program (30 students)

When asked about the resources that were used in the library and the related topics in Science 9 the following student responses were given: //Resources used for:// //Areas of Science 9:// //Science 9 resource format used:// Other uses of the library: . Note: This is a summary of the raw data. Please refer to raw data for original data reports from Mandarin. . __**Q**____**ualitative Data Collected**__ //Personal Observations// When I looked at the collection I observed the following: __Stacks (500-699 section)__ Positive Negative
 * Task || Number of responses ||
 * In-class assignment || 8 ||
 * Class project || 7 ||
 * Research a topic || 7 ||
 * Prepare for a debate || 0 ||
 * Study for a test || 0 ||
 * Personal Interest || 2 ||
 * Topic || Number of responses ||
 * Scientific method/science fair || 6 ||
 * Astronomy || 9 ||
 * Chemistry || 4 ||
 * Electricity || 4 ||
 * Genetics || 5 ||
 * Other || 1 ||
 * Format || Number of responses ||
 * Non-fiction books || 13 ||
 * Online databases and references || 4 ||
 * Print references || 2 ||
 * Videos (through Learn360) || 5 ||
 * Internet/websites || 8 ||
 * Other Uses || Number of responses ||
 * Printing (location of student use printer) || 1 ||
 * Use a computer || 2 ||
 * Place to Study || 4 ||
 * Many resources in the area of astronomy
 * Many collections of non-ficiton (such as planets, elements, etc.) were obvious and easily seen on shelves
 * The resources looked old, crowded and messy
 * The aisles in the stacks were narrow and dimly lit
 * it was difficult to read spine labels on the bottom shelf
 * There was no logical start/stop for the Dewey categories. For example, the 500's started in the same shelf unit the 499s finished, and the 600s started on the bottom shelf which was difficult to read
 * Many books were misshelved

__Reference Materials__ Positive Negaitve
 * Online databases, periodicals and references are available for students to login through the KLO library and school district website
 * Outdated, yellowing and dirty resources
 * Not easily accessible, the reference materials stack was behind a TV cart
 * Did not appear to be used recently, the books on the shelf were stuck to the shelf

__Video__ Positive Negative:
 * Students and teachers can access Learn360 via login through the KLO library and school district website
 * Many newer titles
 * Many resources available for genetics topics
 * Strong Bill Nye collection - students really enjoy this particular type of resource
 * Many videos in VHS format but not all teachers have a VCR, most use laptops, projectors or SmartBoards
 * Videos are stored behind a door that is propped open, difficult to access

__Student use__ During my observations:
 * No students used the reference or non-fiction section
 * Many students were using general websites if using digital resources
 * Students are unaware of the difference between databases and general websites

//Student Survey Responses (as written on survey response form)// Why was it easy to find information you were looking for:
 * "There was the computer library search, the catagory was displayed"
 * "the internet is easy to use. Somethimes there are limited amounts of computers though, so it is not alway easy to have acess to them"
 * "The computer search thing helps a lot, but I susally still have to ask where ceratin sections are."
 * "There was alot of information"

Why was it difficult to find information you were looking for:
 * "Too many numbers on the barcode"
 * "Online it is easy to get distracted or somthing that you are looking up you might get the wrong information"
 * "Because theres alot to go through to find it."

Which language were the science resources you used in and why:
 * "French because you don't have to translate the information
 * "French because our teacher told we had to"
 * "French cuz I had to"
 * "Both because I had science in french and I looked at english stuff to clarify"
 * "Both didn't understand one, check in the other"

//Teacher Survey Responses// __**Collection Mapping**__ //Age of Resources// Yellow = Mean publishing date (1993) Black = Median publishing date (1996) Green = Resources with publishing date newer than when Science 9 curriculum last changed (2006 and on) Orange - Resources with no publishing date listed in automated library system

// Of special interest: the average age of the relevant Science 9 resources is OLDER than the students taking Science 9. //.

//Resource Usage// In general, student knowldege and use of the science resources available is minimal.

Upon evaluating the library loans it was noted that 8% of the total loans were for resources that are relevant to the Science 9 curriculum. This is the case for the current school year, as well as, for the time period since the Science 9 curriculum was last changed (2006-present).



This is supported by the student survey results. The following graphs represent information about the resources used for those students who are using the library. //Science topic area of library resources used:// //Task when using science resources:// //Format of science resources used:// Student comments on the survey indicate three themes:
 * 1) Students use general websites as their primary source for research
 * 2) Students find it difficult to locate print resources if they use OPAC
 * 3) When finding information, students noted the large amount of information they find

Teacher response to the survey indicate three themes:
 * 1) Teachers are unaware of the library resources available for use
 * 2) Digital technology is frequently used in their classes, and appears to be preferred to print resources
 * 3) Effective/efficient research practices and information literacy needs to be developed in students

__**Summary and Recommendations**__ In summary, the science area of the collection needs to be an area of focus for collection development. Generally, the resources for Science 9 are old, outdated, irrelevant, worn, and of most concern, unused. In addition, considering the size of the Science 9 student population, there is a disproportionately small amount of Science 9 resources available for this grade level compared to the rest of the science resources. Furthermore, it is apparent that language of resource needs to be considered when developing the collection. Students surveys indicate that there is an expectation to use french science resources, however, at times students need to refer to english science resources to re-check information.

It should also be noted that there is minimal use of both the electronic resources and print resources avaialble to Science 9 students. The loans for resources relevant to the Science 9 curriculum are only 8%. This small number is supported by the student survey which indicates that 89% of respondents did not use library resources for their Science 9 course.

While many print resources in the collection need to be de-selected and new resources acquired, another concern is the lack of knowledge (of the Science 9 students and teachers) of the digital resources available. Since science is a rapidly changing field, access to up to date resources is essential. Furthermore, from the teachers who completed the survey, it is apparent that the use of digital resources is preferred.

Therefore, recommendations regarding collection development include:
 * 1) Bishop (pg. 156) suggests considering to de-select those science resources that are older than 5 years or were last circulated 3-5 years ago. Thus, the first recommendation would be to weed the 500-699 print portion of the library collection. Even though the focus of this specific evaluation is Science 9, since the teacher-librarian in this library media center is a science and math subject specialist, has taught all grade levels of science and math offered in the school, and is familiar with the provincial curriculums, weeding the 500 and 600 categories would be possible while still maintaing resources for other science and math grade levels offered in the school. Based on the age and state of the 500-699 portion of the collection, the recommended goal would be to weed at least 50% of the print resources relevant to science. This will also allow for a general clean up the stacks enabling users easier access to relevant reliable resources.
 * 2) Teacher feedback suggests a preference for the use of digital media in the classroom. In addition, Bishop (pg. 59) recommends consideration of the appropriateness of the format of the resource with regards to content. Therefore, the second consideration would be to ensure there are appropriate and reliable digital resources available for use by Science 9 students. Having a range of digital resources available will be important in this area of the collection because of the short time in which the content material becomes outdated. In addition, preference by teachers and students to using digital resources is another reason to ensure there are appropriate science related resources in that particular medium. The recommended goal would be to ensure students have access to at least two online databases, an online encyclopedia, online video database and a list of qualitiy websites/applications that include the topics: astronomy, chemistry, electricity and genetics.
 * 3) In order to ensure there is a balance of resources available for all topics covered in the Science 9 curriculum, it is recommended that acquisition of print resources for the following topic areas be considered: scientific method and science fair, chemistry (ionic and covalent compounds) and electricity. With regards to scientific method, the content is an underlying theme to all content specific topics (in all grades, not just Sicence 9), thus many resources need to be available to users. Science Fair is completed as a class project by many Science 9 classes, in addition to entry to the school fair being offered to all students as an extra-curriculuar activity. Thus, ensuring resources to support student learning in the area of science fair will be beneficial to Science 9 students for their coursework, as well as, all other students in the school. The topics of chemistry and electricity are areas of science that include content that does not change as rapidly as other areas. Thus acquiring quality print resources that can be used for these areas will be benefical and more cost efficient than print resources in other topics.
 * 4) Although the language of delivery is different, the curriculum for Science 9 in English and French Immersion is identical. Furthermore, as can be seen on student survey responses and through personal communication with students and teachers, they feel there is a lack of available resources at grade level content and readability. Therefore, the final recommendation would be to ensure that during the process of weeding and acquisiton there are sufficient resources in both languages. Particular attention should be given to ensuring that both the content, as well as the level of French, is appropriate for Grade 9 French Immersion students. In some cases a comparable English resource is also available in French, however in most cases a French version is not available. The goal would be to provide resources in French for all five topic areas in the Science 9 curriculum. While it may be difficult to have a large variety of qualtiy French resources for each topic, ensuring all areas are covered should be a goal.

In addition to the above recommendations, it is suggested that user accessibility to the collection be considered. Providing a collection that consists of quality resources is important, but so is ensuring the users are aware of those resources. Thus, it is recommended:
 * Evaluate the location of print resources, and move if necessary, to ensure easy location and/or identification. For example:
 * Organizing the stacks so that Dewey categories start in logical places and are easy to read
 * Where possible, removing the books from the bottom shelf of the stack
 * Addressing lack of signage and/or signs that are to small to read
 * Increasing student and teacher knowledge about the digital resources available:
 * Publishing pamphlets on topics such as "how-to", "what's available", etc.
 * Providing inservice to teachers regarding resources for teacher and/or student use
 * Directing student attention to digital resources when working with them in the library media center
 * Ensuring high visibility of, and easy access to, available digital resources on the library website

__**Reflection**__ I am new to teacher librarianship and my first job as TL starts in September. So, the job of evaluating one small section of my collection was challenging, but rewarding. It was difficult because I was unsure of where to start and what information to collect. However, in general I found this process valuable for many reasons and have come away with goals to focus on next year based on evidence. This has already increased my confidence as I step into my new role, but also provides justification to others for some of the changes I plan to make.

In the beginning I found it difficult to narrow down the information I wanted to collect and how I was going to collect it. I used a variety of the collection-centered and user-centered techniques outlined by Bishop (2007). In general, I tried to collect information that was valid, reliable, timely and credible (Bishop, 2007). Collection-centered techniques included examining the collection directly and an age analysis. User-centered techniques included circulation studies and a user-opinion survey. Simulated-use studies were not conducted because the time-line for the assignment did not allow for citation studies or document delivery tests.

In addition to my uncertainty of how to start, there were three additional challenges I encountered during this process: the limitations of the automated library system, the limiting scope of the section I focused on for this assignment, and having users complete the survey by hand.

//Limitation of the automated library system// The library clerk was very willing to help me by running the reports I requested from the automated library system. However, this was a challenge because I was unsure of what I was looking for. A lot of our time together was spent looking through the reports that were available. I also found the automated library system used by our district limiting. I was not able to print reports specific enough for my needs. Thus, when I was looking through the printed reports I felt I spent more time than I should have further grouping data in a way that suited my needs. For example, with the reports I printed from our automated library system, I had to compile information by hand looking at the specific 100s categories. It would be helpful for me to have a better working knowledge of the capabilities of the automated library system. However, the next school year is the last year we will be using the current system. Thus, when the district switches automated library systems, I will take advantage of the training opportunities so I can use it to its full capability. For the time being, I see it as beneficial to “hang in there” with the current system.

//Limiting scope of the section I focused on for this assignment// During this process I also found focusing on the section of the collection relevant to Science 9 curriculum somewhat difficult. I understand the purpose of the assignment is to become familiar with the knowledge surrounding collection evaluation and to put that knowledge into practice and this is best achieved if there is a focus on a small section of the collection. However, I think that as a TL I would want to broaden my focus slightly. I found by focusing on grade 9 curriculum only I had to dissect the raw data to a point that I felt inefficient at my task. As Agee (2005) notes “finding time to review the collection is difficult but often necessary” (p. 93) so being efficient is also of necessity. I believe in my case it would have been more effective to look at the science curriculum for all levels taught in our school. I have a strong knowledge of the science/math curriculum for all grades offered in the school because I have taught science and math at every level. Thus, by broadening my focus to science in general, I feel I could have eliminated some of the time I took to separate data specific to Science 9 and would have been able to evaluate a larger portion of the collection at the same time. Even saying that, I do recognize that by completing the evaluation I have, I now have a good general understanding of what science resources are available. This is definitely information that will benefit me in the future when I evaluate the science resources for the other two grades in our school. I also want to mention that in the future I will determine the breadth of my focus based on both the content area I am evaluating and my background knowledge of the that area. For example, I feel confident I could evaluate the collection with regards to the science curriculum for all three grades in our school, but would want to focus on one grade level at a time for a subject I am less familiar with like social studies. Furthermore, I think that it is essential that one of the first tasks I complete next year is an overall collection map, even if it is just using collection-centered techniques. This will allow me to prioritize which area of the collection I will focus on first.

//Having users complete the survey by hand// Another challenge I encountered was compiling the data from the student surveys. Half of the Grade 9 population completed the student survey I created in the time-line given. However, that was a lot of data to analyze by hand. In the future I would use an online survey program available in our district to administer the survey. I am familiar with this program from other inquiry projects I conduct so it would be an efficient process for me to design/create a survey that addresses the areas I am interested in gathering data about for the library media collection (and/or program). I am also familiar with the available reports and would be able to run reports specific to my needs. One other consideration for the future would be to build time into an activity, like library orientation, to have students complete a survey. For the present assignment, I had classroom teachers administer the student surveys. However, if students completed a survey during orientation, teachers would not have to administer it, and depending on my data collection goal, I could make the survey as short or involved as I wanted.

Even with these challenges, there were a few aspects that were positive and helped in the collection evaluation task. Something that helped me during this process was my background in science, my knowledge of the curriculum and my experience teaching science at all levels in our school. I believe a working knowledge of the curriculum is helpful to be able to effectively evaluate a collection. I also think that a working knowledge of the classes and sub-divisions of the Dewey system is beneficial. Before this assignment, I had a general overall understanding of the Dewey system from a user’s perspective. However, once I really looked at the 100 sub-division labels it was easier to read and understand the library automated system reports and as such an overall picture of that area of the collection became clearer. In the future, I will need to familiarize myself with the classes and sub-division for the section of the collection I am focusing on so that when I consider learning outcomes in my mind they are connected to a Dewey number. It was also useful to have a strong knowledge of the curriculum in order to evaluate specific areas of the collection and the types of resources that would be most appropriate for that topic. For example, it was helpful to have an understanding that the knowledge in chemistry and electricity concepts covered in Science 9 do not rapidly change, thus print resources may be more appropriate for this area than an area like astronomy, where new information is being discovered daily. Similarly, familiarity with all levels of science curriculum is beneficial. Understanding the areas of chemistry covered in Science 9 is important, but it is important to not discount resources appropriate for lower grade levels that provide a foundation for Science 9 chemistry. This is especially important to consider when providing resources for differentiating learning and students with disabilities.

I also noted the benefit of involving others in the process of data collection. Bishop (2007) states the “collection evaluation process provides an opportunity to work with students, teachers, and administrators to ensure that a collection meets their needs” (p. 157). For this assignment I provided Science 9 teachers with surveys. Three of the four teachers were extremely willing to help by completing the teacher survey themselves and administering the student survey to all of their classes. One of the teachers was very hesitant. I took the approach that there was no pressure to have her classes complete it, if it could not be done that was fine; however, could she at least please complete the teacher survey since the science area of the collection was going to be one of my focuses next year. About an hour later that particular teacher sought me out in the building to ask for the student surveys in case she “could fit it in”. I took this as indication that once she reflected on the value of the information she and her students could provide me the priority for completing the survey increased. In this case the information gathered will benefit both of us. I will have more information to base my development decisions on and she and her students will benefit from a collection that developed in such a way that supports her teaching and benefits her students’ learning. The importance of involving others in the process of collection evaluation is also essential for another reason. For this assignment I chose Science 9 because I have taught the course in the past, will teach it next year, and I am very familiar with the curriculum. However, I do not profess to be an expert in all subject areas. It will be essential that I look to other teachers in the school when evaluating humanities areas of the collection. It will be important to understand which resources they may use personally in their classroom, but also to get a better understanding of the curriculum/course in general. I will also need assistance with ensuring the “authenticity” of the materials for that part of the collection (Bishop, 2007).

As Bishop (2007) states, “(s)chool media specialists should oversee evaluation of the collection. However, it is helpful to have input from faculty and students” (p. 141). Although it is important to involve others in the process of collection evaluation, one difficulty I found with this assignment was the time it took. In the end, the hesitant Science 9 teacher was able to have one of her two classes complete the survey. However, due to time constraints, even though the other three teachers were willing to administer and complete the surveys only two teachers had time for their classes complete it. Furthermore, although the teachers were willing to administer the survey, the timeline in which I needed it completed presented a challenge (considering the time of the school year). Furthermore, I could not proceed with the evaluation until I had the surveys returned. Therefore, in the future I need to be considerate of both the time it takes to gather information and when in the school year I am asking for that information. On a positive note, although the information cannot be used for this particular assignment, the teachers of the classes that did not complete the survey by last week have agreed to complete it before the end of the year.

Overall, I am excited about the process of collection evaluation. One of the reasons is because I enjoy data analysis. I also like to base goals on quantifiable information. Now that I have been through the process of collection evaluation (and reporting) on a small scale, in the future I plan to develop a stronger plan for how I complete collection evaluations. In the beginning I think I will continue to use the four techniques I used for this assignment, however, I will try to have a more defined sense of goals for data collection and the timeline.

I also enjoyed the reporting component within this process. I enjoyed being creative by “using pie charts, graphs and other visuals to convey the information you want people to remember” as the Arizona State Library (n.d.) suggests, in summarizing findings. Producing these visuals also helped me recognize/remember that the audience of the evaluation was other stakeholders, in addition to myself. It reinforced Bishop's (2007) statement about the importance of media specialists completing the process because it provides information “on which to base decisions about collections and for communicating collection needs to administrators” (p. 141).

__**References**__ Agee, J. (2005). Collection evaluation: A foundation for collection development. //Collection Building: 24(3)//, 92 – 95. Arizona State Library. (n.d.). //Collection assessment and mapping//. Retrieved June 11, 2012, from http://www.lib.az.us/cdt/collass.aspx#Findings Bishop, K. (2007). //The Collection Program in Schools: Concepts, Practices, and Information Sources//. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.