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May 11, 2010 - YEAR TWO

Presented by:Bernadette ArnoneJeannette Balantic

Elena CascioJonathan Daniels

Margaux DelGuidicePatricia DonovanDawn Friedrich

Lois KusterJim McAleeseRita Melikian

LIBRARY MEDIA CURRICULUM REVIEW &

RESEARCH COMMITTEE UPDATE

Recommendations Status

Conduct library orientation for all students and faculty. Implemented

Visit Adelphi and Hofstra universities to explore their expectations of our students’ preparedness for college research.

Completed

Upgrade library circulation/management system. Completed

Reconfigure the physical space in the middle school and high school libraries.

Completed

Utilize technology to access, record, analyze, and synthesize information in support of research.

Ongoing

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 2009/2010 SCHOOL YEAR

Recommendations Status

Align and implement Nassau County Schools Library Skills Scope and Sequence with the district research scope and sequence.

Ongoing

Meet with curriculum coordinators and faculty to plan research projects.

Ongoing

Purchase materials/books based on district research scope and sequence.

Ongoing

Encourage student reading through book clubs, reading contests, student book reviews and by purchasing books through student recommendations.

Ongoing

Continue to assist faculty in teaching research skills by pushing into classrooms (including evaluation of sites and discussion on plagiarism.)

Ongoing

Showcase new and popular young adult titles. Ongoing

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 2009/2010 SCHOOL YEAR

Destiny Online Catalog4

Accessible via library homepages

Recommendation: Upgrade library circulation/management system

Recommendation: Implement library skills scope and sequence

K-12 Scope and Sequence is aligned with the AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner.

Click on the image to access the document.

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Primary and Elementary Level Libraries

The library curriculum lays the foundation for creating lifelong readers and learners.

In addition to fostering a love of reading, the elementary and primary curricula helps build a solid foundation in information literacy.

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Recommendation: Upgrade library circulation/management system

Students in the primary schools use the OPAC to search for books

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In the 2009 -2010 school year, students at the primary schools read 29,117 books.

Encourage student reading through book clubs, reading contests, student book reviews and by

purchasing books through student recommendations.

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In the 2009-2010 school year, students at Stewart and Stratford schools read over 50,000 books.

Using Follett Destiny, our new library circulation/management system, students are encouraged to write reviews of books they read.

Annual Collection Analysis

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School Holdings Average Age

Items per Student

Recommended Items per Student

Hemlock 8,160 1989 39.85 20

Homestead 7,097 1987 27.79 20

Locust 6,286 1990 24.44 20

Stewart 25,106 1994 38.44 20

Stratford 17,774 1992 21.54 20

Middle School

17,227 1991 15.01 20

High School 20,773 1984 17.64 20

Research at Stewart and Stratford Schools

Students conduct research in all grades. Topics include: Famous Americans,

endangered animals, Civil War, New York State, marine animals, analysis and creation of poetry, inventions, family heritage/countries

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The research products include: informational podcasts, blogs, wikis, traditional reports, brochures, posters, voice threads, one-note software note taking projects, class books, and PowerPoint presentations.

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Research at Stewart and Stratford Schools

Garden City Middle School

On the middle school level, the library curriculum aims to promote students’ commitment to reading and research.

The components of the research process introduced on the elementary level are put into practice in the middle school library to ensure that students are prepared for research at the high school.

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Recommendation: Continue to assist faculty in teaching research

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• Collaborated with subject area teachers on student research assignments.

•80 classes of seventh and eighth grade students visited the library to conduct research for English and social studies assignments.

Recommendation: Utilize technology to access, record, analyze, and synthesize

information in support of research

Four new databases were added to the middle school library resource collection. They provide access to thousands of full text periodicals, reference sources, and previewed and grade appropriate websites.

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WebPath Express by Follett

Database Total Logins

Total Page Views

American History

1324 15,334

World History: Modern

360 3,897

TOTAL 1684 19,231

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Usage from February –April 2010

Library databases are available around the clock.

Recommendation: Utilize technology to access, record, analyze, and synthesize information in support of research

Recommendation: Purchase materials/books based on district

research scope and sequence.

Further developed the library’s Professional Collection; it includes approximately 300 books and over 25 journal titles.

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Recommendation: Encourage student reading through book clubs, reading contests, student

book reviews and by purchasing books through student recommendations.

Book displays showcase new and popular books to promote reading for pleasure.

Celebration of National Library Week– complete with contests and prizes awarded each day. 17

The high school library curriculum reinforces skills that have been nurtured in

students in the primary, elementary and middle schools as it begins to prepare students for

college level research.

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Recommendation: Visit local universities to explore their

expectations of students’ preparedness for college research

We turned to the expertise of professionals at local college libraries to inquire about how to better prepare our students for college level research: Adelphi University, Hofstra University, St. Joseph’s

College

College professors emphasized the importance of good research skills including proficiency in: Database usage Citing sources Synthesizing material Developing a thesis statement

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Recommendations: Plan research projects with faculty and coordinators and assist

faculty with teaching research skills

Library goals were aligned with the recommendations of the research committee.

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Recommendations -- Spring 2009 Status 2010

Increase the number of mobile laptop carts available to classroom teachers to meet the growing demand for research opportunities

Library Research Lab

Explore the possibility of offering a writing/research course in grade 9 or 8 Completed

Explore the possibility of developing of a writing center in the middle school Completed

Secure summer curriculum time to complete the research manual Completed

Offer teachers staff development opportunities to support them as they implement research projects Ongoing

Provide teachers with time for vertical and horizontal articulation regarding students’ research experiences Ongoing

Plan library orientations for students and teachers (ms/hs) Completed

Present committee’s work to the faculty on Superintendent’s Conference Day Completed

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RESEARCH COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS, 6-12

Recommendations: Plan research projects with faculty and coordinators and assist

faculty with teaching research skills

Collaborated with teachers and coordinators to implement grade level research projects identified by the research committee.

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GARDEN CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLSResearch Assignments

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Grade Content Areas Research Assignments6 Science Research Current Environmental Issues

7 Social Studies Leaders of the Early Republic and Slavery

8 Humanities Paper(English/Social

Studies)

Holocaust To What Extent do Individuals Shape History?To What Extent Do Music & Literature Reflect History?

9 Living Environment English

Issues that Threaten BiodiversityPoetry Research Assignment

10 Global HistoryAP Global History

To What Extent do Individuals Shape History?Global Issues

11 English Literary Research Paper-Two Literacy Criticisms & primary documents

12 Social Studies Gov’tAP Macroeconomics

English AP Literature

Position paper on Contemporary IssuesSenior ProjectResearch Project & Oral PresentationLiterary Criticism Research Assignment

Over 630 classes have visited the new library research lab since October of 2009.

New Library Research Lab

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In early September bookcases were moved and the library space was reconfigured to allow for a new

research lab.

Students Utilize Online Information

Instruction on database usage for accurate online information retrieval

Use of EasyBib to create in-text citations and works cited

Use of Turnitin.com (Plagiarism detection service) for all research papers and projects

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Librarian Guided Research at GCHS

Month Library Lab Usage Library Usage

October 2009 93 classes 17 classes

November 2009 52 classes 24 classes

December 2009 95 classes 22 classes

January 2010 33 classes 12 classes

February 2010 49 classes 26 classes

March 2010 87 classes 25 classes

April 2010 74 classes 25 classes

May 2010 76 classes 15 classes

TOTALS 704 classes 166 classes

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Research Support Available Online at GCHS Library Website

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Research Support Materials

Recommendation: Use technology to access, record, analyze, and synthesize information in

support of research

EBSCO and GALE DATABASES – October 2009 – April 2010

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Database Name Total Searches

EBSCO – Includes: -History Reference Center-Magill OnLiteraturePlus-Newspaper Source-Points of View Reference Center-Science Reference Center

10,028

GALE – Includes:-Business and Company ASAP-Custom Newspapers-Gale Virtual Reference Library-Global Issues In Context-Literature Resource Center-New York State Newspapers

12,132

Total Searches (7 Months) 22,160 Searches

Funds were allocated to substantially increase the number of databases available for student research at the high school.

Students Choose Young Adult Books For Pleasure Reading

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High interest young adult titles are now featured on display throughout the Garden

City High School Library.

Recommendations -Primary and Elementary Libraries

Allocate additional funds to replace out of date materials and to purchase books that support the reading and writing programs. 30

Recommendations – Middle School and High School

Libraries Plan staff development to collaborate

with faculty on research assignments.

Evaluate and revise curriculum support materials for the research process.

Maintain the financial commitment to the high quality subscription databases to facilitate student research.

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Recommendations – Middle School and High School Libraries

Partner with faculty to conduct booktalks and book discussions with students.

Develop the nonfiction collection in the Garden City High School Library to appeal to all demographics of students, including male readers.

Assessment of student and faculty use of the library, including student and faculty recommendations, via the use of an online survey created by the librarians.  32

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS

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