THE FUTURE IS HERE:
ESSENTIAL QUALITIES FOR 21ST CENTURY
SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTERS
Mary Mehsikomer
NW-LINKS/Region 1
LET’S TALK ABOUT…
21st Century Skills Partnership
 Role of the School Library Media Specialist
 Standards
 Students
 Recommendations and Ideas
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IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT BOOKS ANY MORE…
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Reading remains critical to student success
Books are viable (mostly) but…
Other forms of reading
audio
e-books
on-line resources
devices
Internet
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL
LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST TODAY?
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Leadership and instruction information and
technology literacy
Promote reading
Collaborate with teachers
Market
Procure and maintain resources to support
curriculum
Promote intellectual freedom
Manage a program(s)
Keep up with technology
DID YOU EVER THINK
People would challenge Huckleberry Finn and
Scout Finch?
 Vampires would become a social norm?
 Testing would take over your computers?
 You would have computers?
 People would question whether having a library
is NECESSARY?
 That a nook might be something other than a
cozy corner?
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REFRESHED ISTE STANDARDS
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Students, Teachers and Administrators
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Creativity and Innovation
Communication and Collaboration
Research and Information Fluency
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision
Making
Digital Citizenship
Technology Operations and Concepts
AASL 21ST CENTURY LEARNER
Inquire, think critically and gain knowledge
 Draw conclusions, make informed decisions,
apply knowledge to new situations, and create
new knowledge
 Share knowledge and participate ethically and
productively as members of our democratic
society
 Pursue personal and aesthetic growth
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REFRESHED MEMO STANDARDS FOR
INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY LITERACY
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Inquiry, Research and Problem Solving
Expanding Literacies
Technology Use and Concepts
Ethical Participation in a Global Society
SO WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF A 21ST
CENTURY SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER?
MEMO Standards for Effective School Library
Media Programs – 2000
• Essential and fully integrated
• Information literacy standards integral to
curriculum
• Models and promotes collaborative planning and
teaching
• Full range of information resources and services
MEMO STANDARDS (CONTINUED)
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Flexible and equitable access to learning
resources
Collection and resources supports curriculum
Shows commitment to intellectual freedom
Supports mission and goals of school
Adequately and professionally staffed
Ongoing administrative support
Program assessment
MEMO STANDARDS (CONTINUED)
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Encourage reading, viewing, and listening
Support diverse learning needs, abilities and
styles
Integrate use of technology
Links to larger learning community
Intellectual access to information and ideas
Physical access to information and resources
Climate conducive to learning
MEMO STANDARDS (CONTINUED)
Adequately funded
 Mission goals and impact of program clearly
communicated
 Human, financial and physical resources
effectively managed
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THE DIGITAL STUDENT
•Net Generation, Generation Y, Millenials,
Digital Natives, iGeneration, ADHD
Generation (your own term here)
•Constantly connected
•Multi-taskers
•Instant gratification
•Internet first
•Comfortable with online relationships
•Work in teams
•Games
READING, WRITING AND THE WEB
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Web 2.0
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Blogs
Wikis
Mini Blogs (Twitter, Plurk)
Social Networking
YouTube
Second Life
Instant Messaging
THE 21ST CENTURY SCHOOL LIBRARY
 Integrated
and essential – don’t forget
VISIBLE
 Promotes collaborative planning and
teaching
 Supplies full range of information resources
in multiple formats
 Supports diverse learning needs, abilities and
styles
 Integrates technology with real world
learning
 Promotes 21st century information and
technology literacy skills
 Suggestions?
FOR EXAMPLE THE LIBRARY WEBSITE
At a minimum:
 Access to MnKNOWS resources (ELM, etc.)
 Destiny Catalog or Library System
 Online Curriculum Resources –
http://www.thinkfinity.org
 Administrator Resources
 Hours of operation
 Contact information
TRY THIS YOURSELF:
Google a school district not your own
 Go there and choose a school
 From the school web page can you find the media
center?
 Can you even find the link to the catalog?
 How long did it take you?
 Is there any information there besides links to
data bases or the catalog?
 Did you see anything you could use?
 What would you do differently?
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VISIBILITY AND PROGRAM DATA
What data are you collecting on your program?
 Do you report regularly to your administrator?
 Do you reach out to the parent community?
 Do your teacher colleagues rely on you to
accomplish their goals? Do you reach out to
them?
 Do you design projects?
 Do you teach?
 Do you participate in curriculum design?
 Do you have a relationship with the technology
department?
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COLLECTION
Are you making maximum use of FREE online
databases (ELM)
 Are you weeding?
 Do you maximize use of your automation system?
 Does your collection proactively support the
curriculum?
 Do teacher colleagues know how to use library
resources?
 Are you exploring new technologies or media?
 Do you provide professional resources to
colleagues?
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FACILITY
How is it arranged?
 Does the physical arrangement encourage
collaboration? Or solitude?
 Is it accessible all day? Or longer?
 Are materials readily accessible?
 Is it attractive and welcoming?
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ACCESS
Before and after school?
 Online 24 X 7?
 When is the librarian available?
 Is the catalog automated and searchable?
 Are other groups able to use the library?
 Do you have enough computer access?
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THE LIBRARIAN
Are you nice or scary?
 Do you understand the needs of a 21st century
student?
 Are you embracing technology? Would
“technology integrationist” describe you?
 Are you knowledgeable about online resources?
 Are you actively collaborating with your teachers
and administrator(s)?
 Do you read journals and keep up with trends in
your profession?
 Are you a MEMO member?
 Are you tired?
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WHAT DOES ONE LOOK LIKE: THE
UNQUIET LIBRARY
https://sites.google.com/site/theunquietlibrary/
Buffy Hamilton
Creekview High School
Cherokee County School District
Canton, Georgia
WHAT NEXT
Small steps are OK!
 What would you like to do differently?
 How can you start accomplishing your goals?
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