Education Libraries - Special Libraries Association

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Meyer developed a reclassification proposal in cooperation with the head of Collection Services. This proposal was supported by the guiding principles, especially the following principle: Information and ideas are readily accessible and freely exchanged. Research ideas, national standards, state guidelines, the best of practitioners’ skills, and the changing educational environment are valued. (See Appendix B) At the time, the center’s collections used multiple classifications, some developed locally. Library users often had difficulty finding the materials they needed. Meyer researched the library literature and found Acquiring and Organizing Curriculum Materials : A Guide and Directory of Resources (Lare, 2004) particularly helpful in developing a standards-based plan to make the center’s materials more accessible. She also researched practices among consortial partners in the region. With input from Carolynne Myall, the head of Collection Services, Meyer proposed to adopt a modified Dewey Decimal System for juvenile materials and to use the Library of Congress (LC) classification for the remaining instructional materials and textbooks. The proposal was approved by the Dean’s Council, the library’s management team comprised of the dean, associate dean, division heads, and collection management librarian. Though approved by library administrators, it was cataloging staff who had to implement the proposal. The staff were asked to develop new processes to undo the work they had done over years. The proposal included dividing the center’s fiction collection into three age-related categories: EZ for picture books, JUV for children's, and YA for young adult or adolescent literature, with all three areas then shelved by the author's last name. Non-fiction children’s literature was also converted to Dewey Decimal. Instructional materials and textbooks were assigned LC numbers based on subject content (i.e., Q for sciences) in all formats. During the reclassification process, everyone compromised to some extent in adjusting workflow, priorities, and policies. Cataloging staff adapted to the changes in processing materials for the Curriculum Center, and the project was completed in one year. In addition to thanking staff during the reclassification project, Meyer honored them with a celebratory lunch near the end of the project. Flexibility is a skill that should be recognized, and expressing gratitude for a job well done is an important characteristic of leadership. Next Steps in the Transformation The transformation of the Curriculum Center is not complete; the center will continue to evolve. In the context of EWU Libraries’ strategic plan, Meyer has identified three priorities in making the vision of a center for the twenty-first century a reality: developing and implementing an assessment plan for the center’s resources and services, incorporating more educational technologies, and developing collaboration spaces. An assessment plan will include systematic evaluation of the center’s resources and services. Anecdotally, Meyer has identified several impacts from the transformation. Students now use the center as a place to meet and to study, and use of education databases has increased. Faculty requests for library instruction have increased, and faculty members seem more open to share resources and to collaborate. Library staff take pride in the new environment. However, the change is very new, and Meyer does not have enough qualitative or quantitative data to demonstrate the full impact of the transformation. Informal discussion about the role of the Curriculum Center needs to be more formalized through focus groups and online surveys. A key performance indicator will be evidence of integration of the center’s resources into the Education Department’s curriculum. She is gathering usage statistics of the center’s materials and databases for regular analysis. The incorporation of educational technology is a major shift that has occurred in K-12 schools, and students need to be skilled in evaluating and incorporating technological resources. The Curriculum Center is one of several places for students to develop these skills. The learning Education Libraries, Volume 31, No. 2, Winter 2008 26
esources librarian is forming partnerships with other technology centers on campus, including: the Education Department’s computer lab; the campus-wide student technology labs, including the Multimedia Activities Resource Service (MARS) lab; and the Teaching & Learning Center. Departmental resources, such as the software acquired by the Mathematics Department for math education and software used by the art education program, are two areas to explore. Open-source web resources that support the goals of the Education Department are being added to the library catalog, but students also need access to the proprietary resources used in area schools. As a start the library has recently added a video and image database, unitedstreaming by Discovery Schools, that is used by educators in the Spokane Public School system. While the Curriculum Center at EWU Libraries has never had a strong production unit, resources for collaboration and group work is vital to teacher education. One priority for the Curriculum Center is to develop spaces that offer technology for collaborative presentations, writing, and other group interaction. Easy access to learning materials from the center, digital library resources, and instructional technologies, in an environment designed for collaboration, will make the Curriculum Center a natural place for group activity. Conditions for Success at Your Institution Academic libraries have experienced many changes in the last twenty years, some driven by institutional policy and others by technology. Concurrently, education reform at the national, state, and local levels has made sweeping change in teacher preparation programs. If curriculum centers do not keep pace with the needs of future educators, they will become irrelevant to education students and practitioners alike. The ideal curriculum center for the twenty-first century varies by institution based on organizational mission and vision. At EWU Libraries five conditions have made it possible to transform an outmoded curriculum center into a curriculum center for the twenty-first century. These conditions probably exist to some degree at your institution. To determine whether the time is right for successful change, ask the following questions: 1. Who is the catalyst with the qualities to make change happen? 2. By what process will we envision the curriculum center of the future? 3. What are the essential structures, the “good bones,” upon which we will build the center? 4. How will we (re)allocate resources to support the transformation? 5. Do we have the organizational leadership to create a curriculum center for the twenty-first century? The answers to these questions will identify the gaps that must be addressed and the conditions strengthened to develop successfully a vital resource for educators today and in the future. . If curriculum centers do not keep pace with the needs of future educators, they will become irrelevant to education students and practitioners alike. Appendix A Vision, Mission, Values, and Guiding Principles for the Curriculum Center at EWU Libraries Vision Statement: The Curriculum Center is a physical and virtual library where the EWU community explores quality teaching resources. The Center supports creative and knowledgeable teacher preparation. The Center is an active learning place where users easily find resources. The Center promotes multiple approaches of teaching diverse learning styles and abilities. Mission Statement: The Curriculum Center promotes excellence in teaching through the use of quality resources. Education Libraries, Volume 31, No. 2, Winter 2008 27
Page 1 and 2: Education Libraries 21 st Century L
Page 3 and 4: Librarians in Disneyland By Jacquel
Page 5 and 6: children. I love Jamie Lee, and she
Page 7 and 8: Now just as a side note, and perhap
Page 9 and 10: Visual Literacy extorts us to think
Page 11 and 12: in “Beam Me Up Scottie” has alw
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Page 17 and 18: Exit surveys and informal conversat
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Page 29 and 30: Internet References This mega-list
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Page 71 and 72: Digital Preservation Issues Cornell
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