IOWA SCHOOL LIBRARY STANDARDS February 2019 Vision for Iowa’s School Libraries Iowa schools benefit from library programs that engage the entire school community to elevate the learning experience for all. Schools and districts engaged in continuous improvement with a focus on literacy, digital/information literacy, using technology in learning, improved student outcomes, and collaborative support for classroom teachers can find a wealth of resources in successful Library Programs. Continuous school improvement and library programs have a mutually beneficial relationship.
Teacher librarians are uniquely prepared and strategically positioned to: ● teach students to think critically and independently to construct new understandings and insights from varied information sources. ● lead and embrace the integration of technology to enhance learning. ● connect communities of learners in virtual and physical spaces. ● collaborate with the school community to design and enact rigorous learning experiences and participate as positive digital citizens. ● maximize access to quality print and digital resources. ● champion and support the reading life of students. ● nurture curiosity to develop in students a passion for learning for life.
In 2018, The American Association of School Librarians released the new National Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries. The new Iowa School Library Standards articulated in this document integrate the national standards with Iowa Code, Iowa Administrative Rules, and best practice. The following elements are not all specifically required by Iowa Code, but are highly correlated with successful school library programs. Use of these standards can also ensure compliance with these basic code requirements. For information about meeting Iowa Code for Library Programs while engaging in continuous improvement, please refer to the Iowa Department of Education School Library Program Standards Guidance.
How to use this document: This document has two sections: Teaching and Learning (highlighted in a yellow band) and Library Management (highlighted in an orange band). This document can be used by teacher librarians and leadership teams to discuss how Library Programs can support continuous improvement- especially universal instruction and local infrastructure, when implemented at successful levels. The 1 point column reflects minimal code requirements, while the Anchor and subsequent point columns represent the characteristics of successful library programs that improve student outcomes and support local teaching staff. This optional document supports leadership team conversations in a similar manner to the SAMI Self- Assessment of MTSS Implementation.
Attribution Statement Material adapted from the School Library Evaluation Checklist, National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries by the American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association, copyright © 2018 American Library Association. Used with permission.
Note: TL = Teacher Librarian
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# Anchor Standard 0 1 2 3 Data Source(s)/ Not Started Emerging/Developing Operationalizing Optimizing Evidence How do you know?
1 The K-12 Library The K-12 library A sequential K-12 library AND the library AND the library ● Written K-12 Library Curriculum supports the curriculum has not yet curriculum is developed curriculum is aligned curriculum is regularly Curriculum reading life of students been examined as an and adopted in with the Iowa Core and reviewed and revised ● Curriculum map and addresses inquiry, integrated part of the consideration of the Iowa the classroom by the TL in ● Lesson plans for information literacy, and local curriculum and Core to enhance student curriculum. collaboration with collaborative units or digital literacy. instruction achievement and as an appropriate schedule of classes integral part of the The library curriculum stakeholders. ● Annual report district’s instruction and provides diverse ● Iowa School Library curricula. learning experiences The library curriculum Program survey data that allow for individual provides challenging (state survey) The library curriculum is differences in learners and authentic learning ● Local climate survey taught and assessed by and diverse viewpoints. opportunities that data the TL. address the needs and interests of the broad The library curriculum is range of learners. regularly reviewed and revised. The library curriculum addresses information and technology skills needed to promote the transfer of information- related problem-solving strategies across all disciplines.
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2 The TL is a catalyst in Time and opportunity The TL maximizes access AND the TL dedicates AND the TL is ● Narrative about how the igniting a passion for for the TL to support a to and promotes the use time to support reader instrumental in TL supports the reading reading in every student culture of literacy in the of high-quality and high- guidance through creating school-wide program, communicated and creating a culture of school has not yet been interest literature that individual practices and activities in various ways literacy in the school. examined. reflects the diverse recommendations, that ensure a ● Crosswalk between developmental, cultural, varied activities, lessons commitment to library curriculum and social, and linguistic needs and collaboration with sustaining a community literacy/reading of all learners teachers. of readers. curriculum ● Connections with AND the TL models the classroom needs and enjoyment of reading and collections (e.g., rotating encourages learners to library books into read widely and deeply in classrooms; providing multiple formats. selection assistance) ● Book displays and promotions; booktalks (live or recorded) ● Participation in reading programs (Goldfinch,ICC, ITA, IHSBA, Battle of the Books, Global Read Aloud, etc.) ● Student-produced work: book trailers, reviews ● Survey of students as to their reading habits
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3 The TL teaches a A systematic approach A systematic process of AND the adopted AND the TL informs and ● Visual/display of systematic approach to inclusive of the TL to inquiry that is research- inquiry process and models effective adopted inquiry model inquiry and the skills that inquiry and the skills based, focused on learner- information strategies instructional strategies ● Library website with support information that support developed questions, are embedded within and the use of curated resources to literacy. information literacy has robust information grade bands and within resources to implement support classroom not yet been adopted. exploration, reflection and disciplines, such as collaboratively planned instruction revision is adopted. common practices with learning experiences ● Integration of library science and social through group and resources within the The TL works with studies.. individual instruction, school’s Learning teachers to integrate the assessing student Management System information search The TL designs progress and evaluating (LMS) process and to improve instruction and delivers activities. ● Schedule/planning integration of learning services that support forms for collaborative technology into equitable access to The TL collects units curriculum. information in an Assessment for ● Lessons that engage efficient and ethical Learning (Formative students in research manner by all members Assessment) skills: generating of the school information to questions; identifying community. contribute to jointly relevant sources and planned learning keywords; searching The TL fosters activities with the strategies; evaluating opportunities for classroom teacher sources; extracting and learners to demonstrate citing sources. personal curiosity and ● Gallery of student creation of knowledge creations demonstrating through engaging with a personal interests wide variety of ● Artifacts of student work resources and demonstrating skills technology. ● Samples of formative assessments
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4 The TL teaches the skills Skills and The TL demonstrates and AND the TL models and AND the TL educates ● Written K-12 library and understandings understandings required documents how resources collaborates with the school community curriculum required for digital for digital literacy (and and technology are used classroom teachers to on the ethical use of ● Policies literacy and the safe, the safe, legal, and to address information embed legal-, ethical-, information and the ● Lesson Plans legal, and ethical use of ethical use of digital needs. and social-responsibility intellectual property of ● Bibliographic Style Guide digital resources. resources) as provided concepts into the others. (appropriate for level) by the TL have not yet The TL provides explicit inquiry and adopted/used been implemented or instruction in the safe, information-seeking throughout scaled in the local legal and ethical use of process. AND the ethical use of school/district system. information, e.g., information is ● Formative assessments copyright, fair use, consistently embedded ● Newsletter licensing of intellectual across all curricular communications property; ethical online areas. ● Publications for staff, behavior; privacy and parents, community digital identity; per the ● Inservice/professional local Board policies. development ● Data from student and staff survey (e.g. Bright Bytes) ● Gallery of student creations demonstrating personal interests
5 The TL leads, networks, The local system has not The TL assesses existing AND the TL promotes AND the TL provides ● Library website with and communicates the yet explored utilizing uses of technologies and and uses research students, and curated resources to effective, research-based the TL to integrate explores and evaluates supported technologies educators with learning support classroom integration of technology technology for learning new/emerging to support teaching and opportunities related instruction to enhance learning across curriculum. technologies to support learning. to new technologies, ● Integration of library across curriculum. teaching and learning. use and production of a resources within the variety of media, and school’s Learning laws and policies Management System regarding information. (LMS) ● Data from student and The TL facilitates staff survey (e.g., Bright engagement between Bytes) communities of ● Publications that learners in virtual and demonstrate physical spaces. instruction/inservice
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● Schedule or plans about collaborative sessions (live, Zoom, Skype, Google Docs, etc.) ● Communication about programming (author visits, guest lectures) ● Evaluation forms ● Usage statistics of digital resources (e.g., AEA Scout)
6 The TL collaborates with Collaboration time has The TL recognizes the local AND the TL collaborates AND the TL ● TL is a member of PLC(s) teachers to design and not yet been scheduled; school culture and with teachers to collaborates with and/or collaborative teach engaging learning or the TL is not yet a identifies strategies to scaffold resource-based, teachers to design and teams experiences. member of initiate and facilitate participatory learning to enact engaging learning ● Collaborative planning collaborative teams, collaboration. broaden and deepen experiences that forms or documents; such as PLCs. understanding. incorporate multiple units and lessons. literacies, i.e., ● Co-teaching information, media, visual and technical literacies, and foster critical thinking.
The TL collaborates with teachers to embrace new skills, knowledge, and standards in the profession as they relate to teaching, learning, technology, and innovation.
Collaboration is formalized, systematized, and
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supported school-wide to enhance learning.
7 The TL serves on The TL is not yet a The TL is a member of the AND the responsibility AND the TL participates ● TL is a member of the decision-making teams in member of building’s instructional for leading and in or provides input to school and/or district the school and collaborative or teams with special managing the school various decision- leadership and decision- participates in school leadership teams. expertise in identifying library in each school is making teams: making teams. improvement and resources and shared equally by the instruction, curriculum, ● Agenda/s and notes accreditation activities. technologies to support TL, the principal and textbook, technology, from leadership team teaching and learning. when available, the facility, budget, participation. district level director, professional who jointly develop development, and new goals, establish program adoption. priorities and allocate resources necessary to accomplish the mission.
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# Anchor Standard 0 1 2 3 Data Source(s)/ Not Started Emerging/Developing Operationalizing Optimizing Evidence How do you know?
1 Each school, regardless of Resources are not yet School library policies AND the TL participates AND support staff, ● TL folder number size or level, has at least allocated for a full-time ensure that learners and in the development of including technical (indicating BOEE one full-time certified certified TL. educators have access to a schedule that support, is provided to endorsement) Teacher Librarian. the school library and to provides maximum assist the TL in ● TL job description qualified professional access to the library, its providing a ● TL schedule library staff throughout the personnel and comprehensive ● Record of classes taught school day. resources, and time for program. by the TL instruction. In most ● List of collaborative cases, this means at Staffing increases with units taught with least one full-time enrollment and teachers. certified Teacher program needs. ● Job description(s) for Librarian who is on site library support staff within the district at all ● Schedule(s) for library times. support staff
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2 The library program The facility and The TL ensures equitable AND the library facility AND the library facility ● Schedule of classes and provides a facility and environment of the physical and intellectual accommodates and resources are activities in the library environment in which library program have access to facilities, multiple learning readily accessible ● Photographs of library collaboration, innovation not yet been resourced resources, and services by activities in both before, during and after facility in use and creative problem and integrated as a part providing barrier-free, physical and virtual school hours and during ● Library hours posted in solving thrive. of the global learning universally designed spaces. vacation periods. library and on website community. environments and indicating when the appropriate staffing, AND the learning The library is perceived facility is accessible policies, and instruction to environment is as central to the ● Circulation/access facilitate access. conducive to educational mission of policies independent and the school, a part of the ● Library is part of facility The environment is collaborative global learning upgrade plans inviting, safe, flexible, and exploration, problem community, and conducive to learning. solving, innovation, provides 24-7 access to communication and information resources creation. and services.
3 The library provides Library resources (print The TL selects high-quality AND a dynamic AND teachers and ● Report from collection experiences with and and electronic) are not and high-interest literature collection development students provide input analysis tool access to a current and yet coordinated with in formats that reflect the board policy identifies to develop the ● Comparing collection diverse collection of classroom and curricular diverse developmental, criteria and guides the collection with both quantities and average resources, fiction and needs or with resources cultural, social, and TL in the selection and print and electronic age with data from state nonfiction, print and available from the AEA. linguistic needs of the withdrawal of all resources to support library survey digital, to support resources within the curriculum and diverse
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student and curriculum range of learners and their collection learning needs. ● Building-level collection needs. communities. development plan A dynamic collection (identifying needs and The TL selects resources development plan is action steps) according to principles of adopted to guide the TL ● Policies and guidelines intellectual freedom and in ensuring a current for collection provides learners with collection of sufficient development, selection, access to information that: size and depth to donations and weeding ● Represents diverse accommodate the ● Book orders or wish lists points of view in a learner population. showing that pluralistic society; professional reviews and ● Scaffolds for higher The TL establishes award lists (e.g, thinking and policies and practices diversity) were used to application; that promote effective identify quality resources ● Differentiates for acquisition, description, ● Budget line showing individualized needs, circulation, sharing, amount allocated for especially for struggling and access to resources updating collection learners. within and beyond the annually school day. ● Book suggestion form An efficient system using (print or digital) standardized protocols to facilitate access to items in the collection (catalog), and tracking (circulation) is adopted, implemented, and maintained.
4 An appropriate budget The library budget is not The TL, the principal and AND the library budget AND the library budget ● Comparing library (established by the yet planned as integral the district level allocation represents allocation is sufficient budget allocations and District) supports the to instruction and supervisor, if applicable, an appropriate to update resources in per pupil expenditures annual updating and curriculum. cooperatively plan the proportion of the support of curricular with data from state replacement of library library budget. building budget. needs. library survey materials and equipment, ● Annual budget request supplements other ● Budget plan school resources, and provides a wide variety of resources and technology that fosters opportunities
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for learners to demonstrate personal curiosity and creation of knowledge.
5 A process for ongoing The library program is The TL completes the AND the TL utilizes AND the administration ● Narrative describing how evaluation of the library not yet evaluated in the annual State Library survey evidence-based provides necessary the library is integrated program and context of meaningful and uses that data to assessment strategies supports to realize into the Strategic plan instructional goals guides student and teacher assess the local program. including student and established goals. ● Completed library programming decisions. data. staff surveys and program audit based on student assessments to The building State Library Standards develop program goals. administrator and TL ● State Library Survey provide reports for the results The TL engages with district/Board on the ● Local survey results measurable learner library’s impact on the ● Schedule for outcomes and with instructional process communicating to Board, data sources to and success. school community, etc. improve resources, ● Annual report instruction, and services.
The administration and TL partner in identifying program goals and action plans.
The TL prepares an annual report for the school administrator on the building level library program’s goal progress and impact on the instructional process and success.
6 The school library The school board policy The school board has AND the TL adheres to AND the TL shares with ● Written board approved program is managed addresses only 1-2 of adopted policies to guidelines established the learning community policies (selection and within a clear framework the following: selection address selection and in the selection and district policies and reconsideration,
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of Board approved and reconsideration of reconsideration of school reconsideration policies building procedures confidentiality, and use policies and building level school library materials, library materials; when managing concerning such issues of information procedures that ensure confidentiality of confidentiality of student resources. as materials selection, resources) and any intellectual freedom and student library records, library records; and legal circulation, accompanying equal access to or the legal and ethical and ethical use of AND the TL establishes reconsideration of administrative information that use of resources; or has information resources, circulation procedures materials, copyright, guidelines. represents diverse points not been recently including plagiarism and ensuring that access to privacy and responsible ● Library-relevant policies of view in a pluralistic reviewed/adopted. intellectual property rights. information and use of technology and are known and publicly society. resources are not social media. available impeded by fees, loan ● Building level library restrictions, or other procedures, practices barriers. and expectations are communicated AND material challenges are addressed and managed as defined in the administratively approved and endorsed reconsideration policy
7 A communication plan The school library The school library makes AND the TL provides AND the TL identifies ● Public acknowledgement concerning the library communications plan connections with parents frequent and timely opportunities and of and advocacy for the program is implemented has not yet been and the community. communication to implements strategies value of the library that identifies multiple developed; or current stakeholders through to educate stakeholders program by methods and connections communications have school and library about library programs administrators, teachers, with the school not yet reached all websites, newsletters, and services. and the school community and beyond. stakeholders and email, and social community. purposes. media. The TL builds and ● Library website advocates for strong ● Documents and/or links The school library relationships with to library maintains a vibrant stakeholders who communications Web presence which recognize and support (newsletters, social provides access to a an effective school media posts) wide variety of digital library. ● Library participation or resources and involvement in school- information about the The TL encourages wide family events library program. families and other
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members of the community to participate in school library activities.
8 The career development The TL does not yet The TL participates in AND the TL regularly AND the TL and other ● Programs or certificates plan directs professional participate in building or building and district participates in library library personnel indicating attendance at development to foster district inservices nor inservices. science professional remain current and relevant AEA events. leadership competence receive relevant development through engage in continuing ● Program or certificates and creativity in professional learning TLs are evaluated with webinars, AEAs, and education activities to indicating attendance at developing instruction, opportunities. instruments that address professional ensure instruction and conferences. services and programs for their unique organizations. activities reflect the ● Hosting or mentoring the library. responsibilities and most recent practicum students contributions according to The TL designs and developments in and/or new TLs. established district leads professional professional practices, ● Presenting at practices for all development that information conferences, workshops. professional personnel. reinforce the impact of technologies and ● Presenting during PLCs the school library’s educational research. ● Membership in resources, services, and professional programming on The TL models and organization(s) learners’ academic promotes the use of ● Participation in library- learning and educators’ personal and related groups to share effectiveness. professional learning ideas networks.
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