The Canadian Library Associationn (CLA) is pleased to announce the launch of its latest publication Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. This publication presents a model for the development and implementation of the school libraryas a library learning commons. It provides educators with a common set of standards of practice for moving forward. CLA President Marie DeYoung stated that the organization considers this publication asa “definitive learning support that is critical for all Canadian schools.” Leading Learning addresses the impact on education of new technologies. The explosion of digital information calls for new working spaces, new networks, and new approaches to supporting learning. Leading Learning is focused on the concept of the new school library learning commons which responds to the needs of 21st century learners. School libraries are measured by the transformative changes in knowledge and learning they encourage and support. In the document, learning commons are positioned as centres of teaching expertise which is achieved through a combination of resources, technologies, collaborative strategies, and physical and virtual learning spaces that support all learners as they evolve. Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada offers a vision and provides practical approaches for a ll those engaged in creating successful 21stcentury school libraries in Canada. Its framework presents five standards supported by a set of themes and growth stages that lead to the transformation from traditional library facility to vibrant library learning commons. The standards represent guideposts along a journey of continuous growth. Because Canadian schools are at different points on this journey, this publication includes a range of markers of progress, sets of implementation strategies, and rich examples of innovation and success. Leading Learning also contains key resources to provide educators, individual schools, and school districts with helpful direction and support. CLA focuses on partnerships and liaisons within and beyond the school ‒with other libraries, such as public and academic libraries, and organizations such as school board trustees, and the Council of Ministers of Education in Canada. The complete Leading Learning document is available free of charge at: http://clatoolbox.ca/casl/slic/llsop.html with a ccompanying bibliography: http://clatoolbox.ca/casl/slic/llbibliography.pdf
Monthly Archives: May 2014
Library teen services book
The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: a Call to Action, is the result of a yearlong national forum conducted by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) in 2013, with funding provided by the Institute of Museum and Library
services. The Call to Action lays out a new path for serving 21st century teens through libraries. This 2014 report shows that many libraries are continuing to grapple with diminishing resources while at the same time struggling to meet the needs of a changing teen population. Additionally, significant developments in technology have led to the need to rethink how services for and with teens are best created and delivered. The Call to Action provides recommendations on how libraries must address challenges and re-envision their teen services in order to meet the needs of their individual communities and to collectively ensure that the nation’s 40+ million teens develop the skills they need to be productive citizens.
Cape Town LIS education conference
The 75th LISC Conference will be held 27-28 November 2014 at the University of Cape Town. The theme is LIS Education and Research in a Dynamic Information Landscape. Details are found at http://www.lib.uct.ac.za/lisc/2014/04/08/lisc75-years-commemoration-conference/
Australia hosts international library symposium
The inaugural International Library Symposium will be held from 28-30 September 2014 at The Southport School, Gold Coast, Australia. This event is proudly supported by the Queensland School Library Association. Registration is now open at: www.thesouthportschool.com/ils<http://www.thesouthportschool.com/ils>
Preliminary Program is available at: http://goo.gl/cshxys
Library professionals, academics, researchers, authors, teachers and students with an interest in discussing and learning more about the vital role libraries play in schools and the broader community will gather to attend the inaugural International Library Symposium on Queensland’s Gold Coast. This event will provide delegates with a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas, share and understand common ground, and hear presentations from an impressive range of nationally and internationally renowned keynote speakers.
Symposium Theme: Embracing New Landscapes The library profession is one of the most dynamic components of modern education. As libraries have been (and continue to be) at the forefront of resource development and management, those involved are constantly needing to ‘up-grade’. With the launch of each new ICT resource a new ‘learning landscape’ is created and educators need to keep abreast of these advances so they may provide the very best services for their clients. Maintaining a solid foundation of accessible and cutting-edge learning and teaching resources within the educational sector is vital for continuing ‘best practice’ within the library profession.
Symposium Structure: The International Library Symposium will feature a series of keynote presentations from nationally and internationally recognised social commentators, authors, creators and educators. The program includes extensive networking opportunities for delegates, a range of social events and a Trade Exhibition.
IFLA School Libraries Mid-Winter Meeting Minutes
IFLA School Libraries Section Midyear Meeting, London (UK)
April 7 & 8, 2014
Headquarters of CILIP
(Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals)
MINUTES
7 April 2014, 09:15 am to 16:30 pm
8 April 2014, 09:15 am to 13:00 pm
1. Introductions: Barbara Schultz-Jones, Chair and Treasurer; Dianne Oberg, Secretary; Tricia Adams, Web Editor (and host for the meeting); Lisa Astrom; Diljit Singh; Danielle Martinod; Annike Selmer (not present, sent her regrets)
2. Plan and Expectations for the Meeting
Barbara Schultz-Jones (Chair) outlined expectations for the meeting and reviewed the agenda. The focus of the meeting was the review of the draft revisions of the 2002 IFLA/UNESCO School Library Guidelines.
3. Section Meeting Updates
Lyon – WLIC 2014
- Saturday, 16 August 09:45 – 12:15 School Libraries Standing Committee Meeting (SC I) — a second meeting (SC II) will be scheduled later in the week.
- Wednesday, 20 August 11:45 – 13:45 IFLA/UNESCO School Library Guidelines: Review and Recommendations
- Thursday, 21 August 10:45 – 12:45 School Libraries on the Agenda: Advocacy Initiatives from Around the World
Paris – Satellite Meeting
- Saturday, 23 August – 15 to 20 year olds – reading across the world: Why? Where? How? – a full day program at Bibliotheque nationale de France, co-sponsored by IFLA Libraries for Children and Young Adults, IFLA School Libraries, IASL, and a local organizing committee.
4.Action Plan and New Initiatives
Publication of a DeGruyter Saur edited book – report from Barbara and Dianne
Working title – School Library Guidelines: Global Action
Co-editors — Barbara Schultz-Jones and Dianne Oberg
Advisory Board — Joint Committee of IFLA School Libraries section and IASL (International Association of School Librarianship)
Timelines — Call for Chapters: June 2014; Submission of full chapters, November 2014; Feedback/editing, December 2014; Final copy to publisher, January 2015.
Leadership program for school library leaders –Diljit Singh suggested that the section explore the possibilities of a new leadership program, possibly to be developed under the umbrella of the IFLA BSLA (Building Strong Library Associations) initiative. More work will be needed to develop this idea, but the group expressed support for a program of this kind because of the need for it.
5.Review of the Guidelines
The group worked through the document, beginning with Chapter 1. An introduction and appendixes will be developed at a later date. The group approved the re-organization of the content of the document and agreed that examples of “best practice” from around the world would be solicited and added to each chapter. The best practice examples would constitute an important “value added” element of the guidelines and would provide recognition of the range in school library development around the world. The group recognized that the document needs to be completed as soon as possible, but the planned timelines may need to be extended in order to add elements not currently included.
Summary of Revisions / Suggestions:
Chapter 1 –
1.1 Introduction – expand the “why” of a school library; add concepts of an information culture, a culture of learning (look at FADBEN Manifesto)
1.4 Role of a school Library within a school – improve language around school librarian’s leadership role (last sentence in the section).
1.9 Consider adding a section here on Evaluation (or perhaps a reference to Chapter 6 content on evaluation).
Chapter 2 –
2.1 Introduction – rework for greater clarity
2.3 Planning – make reference to international development goals (millennium and/or post-2015 goals) – review dimensions for redundancies
2.5 Ethical bases and issues – add responsibilities to “rights of students”
2.6 Policies (delete procedures in title) – library as centre of reading and inquiry – para.2 The policy should make it clear that the library is for all – rework para. 2 and para. 3 for clarity.
Chapter 3 –
3.1 Introduction – add to provide physical and intellectual access to information and ideas.
3.2 Staffing roles and rationale – drop idea of principal and teachers doing what librarians need to do
3.3 Competencies needed to provide school library program – drop idea of “personal” competencies – replace “pedagogy” with teaching and learning.
3.4.1 Instruction – break #2 into “Inquiry-based learning” and “Information literacy, etc”
3.6 Roles and competencies of the volunteer library worker – add a para. about student volunteers
Chapter 4 –
4.2.1 Location and space – review for redundancies
4.3.1 Collection management – replace “challenged” with controversial – add an example
4.3.2 Issues related to digital resources – replace “gateway” with access point
4.3.3 Collection standards – remove quantitative statements
Chapter 5 –
5.2 Program and activities — add “an essential component of teaching and learning” – acknowledge that the balance of activities will vary
5.3 Literacy and reading promotion – add to “free voluntary reading” other terms used such as “wider reading” (UK), “reading for pleasure” (USA), “free choices for reading in the classroom and on their own”
5.4 New section for Information Literacy / Competencies/ Fluency – add MIL (media and information literacy)
5.4.1 Essential features – simplify, maybe move skills discussion to information literacy section.
5.5 Professional development for teachers – omit helping teacher to “cope”, change ‘gateway” to access point, add “personal learning networks”
Chapter 6
Rewrite this chapter to make it about evaluation, evidence-based practice (not about promotion and marketing per se, but about the role of evaluation and EBP in promotion and marketing and advocacy as well).
5.Other Activities
On Monday evening, Tricia Adams arranged for an evening of traditional English food at Boyd’s Restaurant.
- On Tuesday afternoon, Danielle Martinod welcomed all members of the section to Lyon with information about the city and conference center and an array of food and wine to sample.
- On Wednesday, the group travelled by train to Oxford for a Professional Development Day, hosted by Oxford University Press and provided to us compliments of the School Library Association (UK). The PD topics included the issues and challenges related to ebooks in school libraries and the translation of books for children and young adults from English to other languages.
6. Votes of Appreciation
Special thanks to Tricia Adams for hosting the SC, for the meeting arrangements at CILIP HQ, for the PD day at Oxford University Press, and for her generous hospitality during our visit to the UK.
Special thanks as well to Danielle Martinod for her warm welcome to her city, Lyon.
7. Mid-year Meeting 2015
Barbara Schultz-Jones, Chair of the School Libraries SC, will be hosting the April 13, 2015 mid-year meeting in Denton, Texas at the University of Northern Texas. Members of the SC are invited to attend the Annual Conference of the Texas Library Association in Austin, Texas which is scheduled for April 14-17, 2015.
Minutes approved. May 9, 2014
Dianne Oberg, Secretary, IFLA School Libraries SC
Below: Barbara, Tricia, Danielle, Dianne
French School Libraries Manifesto
FADBEN MANIFESTO 2012 (en français après)
Teaching information-documentation and information culture
Our connections to knowledge, to others and to the world have been disrupted by digital information technologies in a way that cannot be reversed or predicted. This new informational paradigm stretches over numerous fields – economic, scientific, political or educational – of our societies. Thus, it deeply affects our cultural landmarks and practices. UNESCO considers the informational skill as essential for the 21st century human being. Since France subscribes to these international issues, the French government would definitely benefit from including this skill in the educational system in an explicit and formal way.
Today, the ability to access and use information is essential to play a role in this knowledge-based society. However, this ability cannot be reduced to a mere procedure. It must be inserted into genuine knowledge about the situation and function of documents, information and communication, which would lead to an informative acculturation favouring the social, cultural and professional integration of individuals. The present adaptive approach to the development of living information ability must be continued by a more rational and better-organized approach which would focus on reflexive and operational knowledge based on in-depth study and review. The objectives of students information culture are numerous : building knowledge to enable students to understand information occurrences ; developing an enlightened understanding of the stakes and mechanisms of the information and communication industries ; and enabling students to develop a critical approach to the endless technological innovations and the “documentarisation” [1] of human beings when personal data are being used. Eventually, ethical and responsible attitudes regarding the use of information should be developed.
Henceforth, how can we be satisfied with what our educational system is offering ? Concerning institutional documents, prescriptions about knowledge and abilities in library and information science can be found in the secondary school and its basic program, and in a lesser way, in the syllabuses of various subjects. Is it indeed possible to talk here about transmitting information culture ? In practice, it is rather fragmented training, led in a sporadic and random way. Thus, cultural disparities are increasing, instead of being reduced. The working conditions of the French Librarian school teachers are getting less and less favourable to the training of the students, although the CAPES [2] has legitimized their teaching and educational mission since 1989. FADBEN, the National Federation of French Librarian school teachers, thus exposes the lack of a genuine institutional frame to structure this field of teaching, and the lack of recognition of the didactic framework necessary to address real school knowledge concerning the subject of information and documentation.
FADBEN also complains that Librarian school teachers do not get the recognition they fully deserve regarding their educational expertise.
FADBEN consequently calls for the recognition and the formalization of the educational contents specific to Librarian school teachers that is to say the information and documentation subject ; contents they have to teach using the Information and Documentation Centres (CDI) which are didactic resource places they have to manage, as well as the online information resources that can be used to enable students to build an information culture. FADBEN also calls for the complete recognition of Librarian school teachers by the institution and the inscription in official texts of didactic and educational liability, in accordance with their status as qualified teachers. FADBEN wants Librarian school teachers to remain qualified teachers in the future as they are now, along with the continuation of the recruitment process by CAPES, claiming the establishment of a regional and general board of inspectors specialized in the information and documentation field. FADBEN asks for the update of the 1986 circular letter in order to clarify the primacy of the integration of informational culture for the students.
FADBEN consequently asks for institutional means to guarantee the quality of the teaching of information and documentation and the added-value of the educational resources system.
To this end, FADBEN suggests the setting up of a ministerial working group which would develop an information and documentation curriculum to be registered in the official guidelines. This curriculum would aim at creating a consistent module of information culture teaching for first-to-final-year students and even for higher education. Librarian school teachers would be entrusted with the teaching of this module. It would be based on the progress and the assessment of learning. This general education text should plan the necessary epistemological and structural links with the closely related media and digital cultures, and with other school subjects. In order to do so, the ministerial working group should include the question of the initial and further training of Librarian school teachers.
From today onwards, clear and strong measures have to be taken to enable Librarian school teachers to fulfill their mission and for students to claim ownership of their information culture. FADBEN is prepared to meet and explain its suggestions to anyone who thinks that the teaching of the information culture is a part of equal opportunity and citizenship for all.
NOTES [1] “documentarisation” of human being cf Olivier Ertzscheid, Jean-Michel Salaün, Roger T. Pedauque and Manuel Zackland’s works
[2] The CAPES is the certificate necessary to teach in French secondary schools
______________________________________________________________
Enseignement de l’information-documentation
et ouverture à la culture informationnelle
Manifeste 2012 :
Le contexte de l’information numérique bouleverse de manière imprévisible et irréversible notre rapport au savoir, aux autres et au monde. Ce nouveau paradigme informationnel irrigue tous les champs, qu’ils soient économiques, scientifiques, politiques ou éducatifs, qui composent nos sociétés, modifiant en profondeur nos repères et nos pratiques culturelles. La compétence informationnelle est ainsi présentée par l’UNESCO comme indispensable aux hommes et aux femmes du XXIème siècle. La France, qui souscrit à ces enjeux internationaux, gagnerait à les inscrire de manière explicite et formelle dans les finalités de son système éducatif.
Aujourd’hui, il faut maîtriser l’information pour participer à la « société du savoir ». Mais cette maîtrise ne peut pas être uniquement procédurale, elle doit intégrer des connaissances sur la place et le rôle de la documentation, de l’information et de la communication, pour permettre une acculturation informationnelle favorisant l’intégration sociale, culturelle et professionnelle des individus. Il convient de prolonger l’actuelle approche pragmatique des formations à la maîtrise de l’information, qui s’est appuyée jusque-là sur des référentiels de compétences procédurales, par une approche culturelle plus rationnelle et plus structurée. Celle-ci doit se centrer sur des savoirs réflexifs et opérationnels construits par l’étude et l’examen approfondi. Les objectifs de la culture informationnelle pour l’élève sont multiples : construire des savoirs permettant la compréhension des phénomènes informationnels, favoriser la critique éclairée des enjeux et des mécanismes des industries de l’information et de la communication, ainsi que la distanciation à observer devant la course sans fin à l’innovation technologique et à la documentarisation de l’homme via l’exploitation de ses traces numériques. Il s’agira enfin de développer des attitudes éthiques et responsables lorsqu’il est fait usage de l’information.
Dès lors, comment se satisfaire de ce que propose l’école aujourd’hui ? Institutionnellement, on retrouve bien des prescriptions de connaissances et de compétences en information-documentation dans le socle commun et, de manière plus diffuse, dans les programmes des différentes disciplines. Mais peut-on parler pour autant d’un enseignement de la culture informationnelle ? Sur le terrain, la formation est encore trop souvent morcelée et dispensée de façon sporadique et aléatoire, creusant les inégalités plutôt que les réduisant. Les conditions d’exercice des professeurs documentalistes dans les établissements sont, quant à elles, de moins en moins propices à la délivrance de ces formations. Pourtant, depuis 1989, le mode de recrutement par le CAPES légitime la fonction pédagogique et enseignante du professeur documentaliste. La FADBEN dénonce ainsi l’absence d’un véritable cadre institutionnel pour structurer cet enseignement et la non-reconnaissance d’un cadre didactique de référence pour penser les savoirs scolaires de l’information-documentation. Elle déplore encore le refus de reconnaissance de l’expertise pédagogique des professeurs documentalistes.
La FADBEN revendique par conséquent la reconnaissance et la formalisation des contenus d’enseignement qui relèvent du domaine de spécialité du professeur documentaliste, à savoir l’information-documentation, qu’il doit enseigner en prenant appui, non seulement sur les ressources du Centre de documentation et d’information (CDI) qu’il gère en tant que système didactisé, mais encore sur les gisements d’informations en ligne à partir desquels peuvent être construits par les élèves les savoirs de l’information-documentation et de la culture informationnelle.
La FADBEN revendique la totale reconnaissance par l’institution et l’inscription dans les textes officiels de la responsabilité pédagogique et didactique du professeur documentaliste, conformément à son statut de certifié en documentation.
La FADBEN revendique le maintien des personnels dans le corps des professeurs certifiés, la poursuite de leur recrutement par CAPES et la création d’une inspection pédagogique régionale et générale spécifique à l’information-documentation.
La FADBEN demande que la circulaire de mission de 1986 soit actualisée pour préciser la priorité donnée à l’acculturation informationnelle des élèves.
La FADBEN demande que des moyens institutionnels spécifiques soient débloqués en conséquence, afin de garantir la qualité de l’enseignement dispensé en information-documentation et la valeur ajoutée du système de ressources à visée pédagogique.
Dans cette perspective, la FADBEN propose la constitution d’un groupe de travail ministériel chargé d’élaborer un curriculum info-documentaire, de façon à l’inscrire dans les directives officielles. Celui-ci aura pour but la création d’un enseignement à la culture informationnelle, sous la forme d’un module cohérent dont la mise en œuvre sera explicitement confiée aux professeurs documentalistes. Ce module s’inscrira dans le cursus de tous les élèves de la 6ème à la Terminale, ainsi que dans les classes post-bac. Le curriculum sera également basé sur une progression et une évaluation des apprentissages. Il devra prévoir les nécessaires articulations épistémologiques et structurelles avec, d’une part, les cultures médiatique et numérique qui lui sont voisines et, d’autre part, avec les disciplines scolaires existantes. Pour ce faire, le groupe de travail ministériel sur le curriculum devra intégrer la question des formations initiale et continue des professeurs documentalistes.
Des décisions fortes et claires doivent être prises dès aujourd’hui pour permettre aux professeurs documentalistes d’exercer convenablement leur mission et aux élèves de s’approprier cette culture. La FADBEN est prête à rencontrer toutes celles et tous ceux qui considèrent que l’enseignement de la culture informationnelle participe à l’égalité des chances et à la formation du citoyen et de la citoyenne, pour leur exposer ses propositions.
Flyer FADBEN-IFLA 2014-english flyer_2014_IFLA_french