Collection+Analysis

Auburn Junior High School Media Center Collection Analysis

 * ===Collection report ===
 * ===[[file:egypt results by call number.htm]] ===
 * ===Report analysis ===
 * 53 nonfiction books
 * 1 in Religion
 * 4 in Social Science
 * 3 in Language (two informational titles in Spanish)
 * 3 in Technology/Applied Science
 * 1 in Arts and Recreation
 * 41 in History, Geography, & Biography
 * 23 published since 2000
 * 11 published 1990-1999
 * 2 published 1980-1989
 * 17 published 1960-1979


 * 8 biographies
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5 published 2000-2010
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 published in 1985
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 published 1960-1969


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">9 non-print/media
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3 DVD (1994-2006)
 * ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6 VR (1997-2000) ====


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4 fiction (1987-2003)


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4 reference (1999-2002)


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 teacher resource


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The current collection at AJHS has many up-to-date materials. However, it does need to be weeded, with materials from the 1960s through the 1980s being removed if they are no longer circulating. They are in poor condition and may have out-of-date information in them. Many of the non-fiction sources are brief country guides, with good general information but little useful information for students looking for in-depth research. There is a need for specific, detailed information that is written at an appropriate level for middle school students. There are currently only three DVDs in the collection, although the VHS tapes are not excessively old. Some more current multimedia resources would be useful. There are a few reference materials available, but again, more current reference materials are needed. There are only four fictional books associated with the topic. While fictional books would not be very useful for a research project, students who find the topic interesting and are interested in pursuing additional knowledge on the topic independently might enjoy having some fictional titles available.


 * ===<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interview with school librarian and teachers ===
 * Teacher Interviews
 * Teacher interviews reveal that 8th grade language arts teachers are responsible for teaching the research process. Teachers have worked collaboratively to create a research unit that takes three to four weeks to complete. Students research "an important place." Research takes place both in the library, with students locating and using print sources, and in the classroom, with students using electronic databases to locate articles. Teachers and students have found that many of the places they are interested in researching have only out-of-date materials or are not covered in-depth.
 * The best resources are books that cover multiple topics, so that there is some high-quality, detailed information on the topic, but not necessarily a book just on the single topic, as that tends to have too much detail. Teachers report that the research project works well because students choose a variety of topics, which best utilizes the resources in the library, as opposed to all the students vying for a few resources. The library also is a nice place to individualize instruction to meet the learner's needs, as resources can be found for low readers, struggling readers, grade-level students, and advanced and gifted students, as well as ESL students and other students of varying needs.
 * Teachers have enjoyed working with Mrs. Lundey, who is quick to purchase materials that they identify as useful. Her introduction to using Destiny and/or AVL for students is also useful, and they have learned some things they were not previously aware of, such as how to use WebPath Express. Because they know she is very busy and works so hard, teachers are reluctant to ask Mrs. Lundey to locate resources other than books for them, but if she were to recommend something they would definitely take the time to look at it.
 * Interview with Mrs. Lundey
 * Mrs. Lundey discussed the evaluation and purchasing of materials to support curriculum-based projects in the school. Oftentimes she does not get much advance notice of projects, and must evaluate the collection and identify needs in an ongoing and collaborative effort with the teachers involved. For example, several teachers did this research project last year, more have done or plan to do it this year, and most expressed that they intended to continue using this unit in the foreseeable future. Because of these plans, Mrs. Lundey feels like it is a good investment to continue building the collection in this area. As students and teachers are using the available resources, they make recommendations based on what they need, and Mrs. Lundey uses evaluation tools such as the //Children's Literature Comprehensive Database// to locate and evaluate possible purchases. In addition to fielding requests, Mrs. Lundey solicits teacher feedback to help her determine the best way she can support the school curriculum through her library purchasing. Mrs. Lundey is also evaluating older and out-of-date resources as students pull them, noting items that are in poor condition or might need to be weeded. She has plans to look at the non-fiction section carefully when she does inventory later this year.
 * Mrs. Lundey also discussed the types of materials she looks for and purchases. She generally purchases multimedia resources based on teacher request. She uses //CLCD// to locate any reviews on multimedia and to help her decide on the best possible version if there are multiple versions of an item. She is interested in finding new ways to purchase and distribute audio files. One possibility is having audio files in MP3 format available for check-out through Destiny that would load onto student hardware for listening and that "self-destructs" automatically after a specified time. That would allow students to use their own iPod, mp3 player, or laptop to listen, without the concern associated with housing and checking out expensive pieces of hardware. Mrs. Lundey talked about the importance of providing ESL students with books in their first languages, especially for pleasure reading. She would also like to increase the collection of foreign-language non-fiction books, but they are difficult to locate and very expensive to purchase. However, English-language books intended for a younger audience are also useful for both ESL students and some students with disabilities as a non-fiction resource.
 * Interview with a Public Librarian
 * Ms. Eve Kneeland provided us with information about selection and ordering. She has been working recently to build the foreign language collection. She has found grants that have helped her purchase additional materials in multiple foreign languages. She discussed some of the sources of reviews that she uses, which were the same ones we have used. She shared many useful places to find and order foreign language and multicultural materials, such as Asia for Kids ([|http://www.afk.com]), Culture for Kids ([|http://www.cultureforkids.com]), and World Language ([]). She also discussed her favorite bindings and sources for DVDs and audio recordings.