The Research
16 statewide studies have correlated the components of a quality school library program with higher standardized reading test scores (http://www.lrs.org/impact.php). Although the evidence is compelling, few school administrators are aware of it.
Despite the fact that school libraries are "big ticket" budget items in terms of staffing, facilities, and resources, very few university courses that prepare school administrators integrate any information about how to utilize, manage, or support an effective school library program.
Funding
In July 2007, the School Library & Information Technologies Graduate Department of Mansfield University was awarded a prestigious Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant for almost $1M. This is the fourth IMLS grant for scholarship support that Mansfield received. The funds will provide graduate scholarships for teachers to become certified school library media specialists and to offer an online library advocacy program for school principals and other administrators. The concept behind the grant is to build partnerships between trained school library media specialists and informed building principals to address the critical shortages of school library professionals today.
With grant money, the original "Partners for Success: School Library Advocacy for Principals" online program was written and continues to be facilitated by Deb Kachel, an instructor in the School Library & Information Technologies Graduate Department of Mansfield University. After major revision and updating in 2009, the course was retitled "Leveraging School Libraries to Improve Student Learning" and is currently being considered for eligibility in the Pennsylvania Partnership for Inspired Leadership (PILS) Program.
Program Results
The course was first offered in July 2003 and has been offered seven times. Mostly building-level principals enroll in the program, although superintendents, directors of curriculum and technology, assistant principals, and other district administrators have participated. Most are recruited by a Mansfield Scholarship student and the grant pays all their costs to participate, including books and materials. However, the course can be taken for one graduate credit or 15 clock hours of continuing education by any school administrator. To date administrators from 17 states and one foreign country have completed the program.
Overwhelmingly, administrators who have completed the program claim that is has given them a new understanding of how school libraries can impact student achievement and plan to implement many of the ideas learned. The program is also being studied by a University of Missouri doctoral student who will soon publish research results. A short video is also available which includes comments from three of the principals who completed the program. It is available free from Mansfield University.
Watch a short
video about the course
