Regional Trends - Libraries

A story in The St. Ignace News' series bringing our readers fresh perspectives on the top issues facing the Straits area and the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

The state education department and the Library of Michigan are so convinced that active school libraries are crucial to a student's educational success, they have produced a new video to impress the idea upon school boards and administrators across the state.

The "21st Century Media Center" video, released Wednesday, January 21, is a collaborative effort showcasing the essential need for school library media centers. "Media centers" means that libraries now offer information in multiple media formats, such as by video and online, in addition to books.

The video shows how school libraries and librarians teach skills students will need in college and work. It is geared toward those who influence programs in Michigan schools, including superintendents, administrators, school boards, parent groups, community leaders, legislators, and educational associations. The statewide superintendents' association and the Michigan Association of School Boards will distribute the video to their members.

It can also be viewed online at www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan.

Research shows students in school districts with good libraries have higher test scores and better grades. More than 60 studies in 19 states have shown a correlation between strong school libraries and academic achievement. In fact, a study of reading performance for schools with and without qualified librarians shows libraries can make a tremendous difference in students' reading achievement on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) test, ranging from 8% better scores for high school students to 35% for elementary students, according to a 2003 study published by the Library of Michigan.

The deficient condition of libraries in many Michigan public schools, and particularly the absence of qualified school librarians, prompted the study, the Library of Michigan reported.

More school administrators need to hear the message that school libraries are vital for learning, the state's top reference educators believe.

"We started in the summer of 2005 with the simple question of what could we at the Library of Michigan do to best support school library media centers and powerfully tell the story of just how valuable these centers are," said State Librarian Nancy Robertson. "We invited people to the table who made sense to be a part of the planning process, people from the K-12 and university learning communities, the ones who see firsthand and understand the variety of educational challenges facing today's students."

Library of Michigan and state Department of Education staff were joined in the video project by the Michigan Association for Media in Education, the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning, Wayne State University, and representatives from several intermediate school districts and regional educational media centers.

The group used guidelines for successful libraries programs, crafted by the Michigan Association for Media in Education, and worked to find the best way to illustrate its point to people who make decisions about education.

Today's schools must align classroom environments with real-world environments by stressing certain skills, according to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, an organization that builds partnerships among education, business, community, and government leaders. Those skills important for success in learning and in careers include information, media literacy, and communication skills, as well as critical thinking and problem solving.

Ms. Robertson believes that properly staffed school media centers are the best place to nurture such skills for today's students.

The librarian is a key figure in student learning, she believes, because librarians help students understand how to evaluate information and how to use it ethically - for example, taking into account copyright laws - in research projects.

Some school districts insist their librarians must be certified by the state education department, or even that they have a master's degree in library science. These would be considered among the "properly staffed" media centers referred to in the video.

Many districts even require that media specialists have a master's degree in library science from institutions accredited by the American Library Association or the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, said Roger Ashley of the Michigan Association for Media in Education. In Michigan, these accredited institutions are Wayne State University, Grand Valley State University, and University of Michigan.

Individual school districts set their own requirements for librarians they hire.

"There is so much information out there and available to kids today, and not all of it good," Ms. Robertson said. "It's not about just clicking the mouse and seeing what answers you can find; it's about learning how to navigate myriad informational resources and developing the 21st-century analytical skills

that will help students of any age determine a course of action."

The collaborative group decided a video would be the most powerful and accessible tool to share the message, Ms. Robertson said. The eight-minute video features interviews with teachers, school media specialists, students, parents, and school superintendents, each giving their own viewpoint on why students should have access to staffed school libraries. Research skills they learn there will be crucial to their success in college, and they not only will learn to find and evaluate information, but to use it both efficiently and ethically, the video points out.

Referring to school librarians and their role in education, "they are our every-subject specialists," Ms. Robertson says in the program.

School libraries have become media centers that offer multimedia research options, and high school students will need these research skills in college, parents and students say.

These skills are important in many career settings, the leader of Michigan's Department of Education points out.

Said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan: "If Michigan is to turn out highly educated and information-savvy students who can confidently make their way in life, in business or in any setting, then our school media centers must be considered an integral part of the education process."

Ms. Robertson agrees.

"This is a conversation we must have over and over and over again with statewide educational associations, parents, teachers, government officials, and anyone else who cares about the educational success of our kids," she said. "Our schools need and rely upon wellfunded and fully staffed library programs, and it's a need that our kids can't afford for us to ignore."