 Administration
Definitions
A . Media - The term media refers to all modes of communication including print and non-print forms and their accompanying technology.
B. School Library Media Center - The school library media center is that facility designed for the housing and utilization of all instructional media within the school center.
C. Media Specialist - The media specialist is a certified teacher who has professional preparation in educational media. This individual administers the school’s media program as a supportive service to the total school curriculum.
D. Media Support Staff - Supporting staff includes para-professionals such as media aides, secretaries, and parent volunteers.
Faculty Handbooks -- References to Media Centers The Faculty Handbook contains the following guidelines indicating what should be expected from the school media center.
SCHOOL MEDIA CENTER
The school media center is a valuable resource for teachers and students. A wide variety of print, audio-visual-based materials and technology-based resources relating to curriculum needs are available in the media center, and each school also has at least one media specialist to assist teachers in scheduling and using these resources. Teachers and students are encouraged to make full use of the media center. Some guidelines for use are listed below.
a. CLASS VISITS - Media center use and research are encouraged and should be scheduled in advance so that adequate work space and materials can be made available. Teachers should remain with their classes and are responsible for the discipline of their students. Because of obvious reasons, media center use should not be part of substitutes' plans unless arranged in advance with the media specialist.
b. INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PASSES - Passes for media center use may be issued during class periods when space is available. Teachers may issue passes for up to five (5) students at one time during a class. In smaller centers, and in situations where class visits are scheduled, fewer than five students at once may become necessary.
c. CLASSROOM COLLECTIONS - Print and non-print materials and bibliographies on special subjects will be assembled by media specialists on request.
d. AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS - Items to help enhance curricula, such as video recordings, sound recordings, etc., are available from the media center, and are listed in CyberCat, the district's online media catalog.
e. TECHNOLOGY-BASED RESOURCES - Technology which includes CDs, DVDs, and curriculum-related software, as well as an on-line library catalog and circulation system, is available in the media center for both student and teacher use. Media specialists are available to assist in the use of these technologies. Teachers should check with their media specialist to see which of this type of resource is available.
f. AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT - Each media center has a list of AV equipment available. Equipment should be reserved in advance and returned at the end of the school day. Media specialists will train teachers and student operators. Only trained operators should be permitted to use equipment. The principal must approve the use of equipment off campus.
g. ADDITIONAL SERVICES - Each school media center offers many other services for teachers and students. Teachers are also encouraged to make suggestions for collection purchases. Check with your media specialist(s) for further information.
h. INTERNET USE - Teachers will monitor student access to the Internet. Use of the Internet by students should only be for school-related purposes.
The School Library Media Staff Structure A. Media specialists - Each K-12 school in Hillsborough County is assigned at least one library media specialist according to the established district formula. It is the media specialist’s responsibility to see that all of the instructional and managerial tasks of the media center are carried out in keeping with professional standards. Such standards are contained in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Each school
should have a copy of this document on hand.
In a media center where more than one media specialist is employed, the duties should be divided in such a way that all responsibilities are shared and each person should be knowledgeable in the routine or procedures of the others. The media professionals should share common goals, programs, and policies. Responsibilities should be decided in a cooperative manner with the philosophy of the media program in mind. Each professional should feel free to establish new programs and revise routines with the approval of the majority of the professional staff.
B. Support Staff - The media center’s support staff, media secretaries and volunteers, should be available to assist all media professionals. Priorities should be set for them according to the budget deadlines, student services and programs, and media processing.
Volunteers, whether parents, other adults, or capable students, can provide valuable assistance, especially if the school has only one media specialist. The media specialist must evaluate the capabilities of each volunteer and assign tasks accordingly. In doing so, he/she must be able to state specifically what is expected of each person in each position. Such job specifications must be realistic and feasible.
When working with adult volunteers, the media specialist should assume the role of co-worker/friend and be highly professional in his/her knowledge of the school’s staff and individual students. This is a public relations role and can be highly beneficial to the library media program and to the school.
Proficiencies, Roles and Responsibilities of the Media Staff A. All Media Specialists Need the Following Proficiencies
1.Comprehension of the broad spectrum of library media and an awareness of the importance of media to education
2.Knowledge of the theory of learning and communication process
3.Knowledge of curriculum content
4.Broad knowledge of print and non-print materials
5.Knowledge of sources and procedures for acquiring library media
6.Knowledge of application of various types of technology in instruction
7.Skill in determining comprehension levels of students and ability to select materials to meet these levels
8.Desire to stay abreast of emerging technologies as they apply to the education profession
9. Ability to work with principals, teachers, and other educators to develop an approach to instructional planning that includes developing objectives, designing educational experiences, and selecting appropriate library media to meet the objectives
10. Ability to gain and maintain the respect of school staff and students
B. Role and Responsibilities of the Head Media Specialist
When more than one media specialist in employed in a school media center, one is designated as head of the program. In addition to the duties performed by all media specialists, the head media specialist is responsible for leadership of the media program, as described below. When only one media specialist is on the staff, he or she has these leadership responsibilities.
1. Assumes a leadership role for School Library Media Committee members and establishes long and short-range goals, recommends changes in services, and assists in evaluation of the media program
3. Provides leadership in planning, organizing and delivering all in the school, including information instruction, staff development, media production and consultation/information services
4. Leads in the design and development of innovative instructional programs
5. Assures that media is selected according to the district selection policy and provides leadership in maintaining a balanced collection
6. Serves as media program liaison person with the school administration
7. Leads in communicating with departments and grade levels and in coordinating media services with the instructional program of the school
8.Takes a leadership role in securing media specialist participation on such school committees, and the Curriculum Committee, Budget Committee, School Advisory Committee (SAC), and Technology Committee
9.Calls, organizes, and preplans meetings of the media staff
10.Coordinates responses to portions of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation studies, to education audits, and to other school and district evaluation procedures
11.Includes all media specialists on the staff in discussions concerning media program planning, budget, scheduling, materials selection, staff assignments, and other program functions, so that decisions are a result of a team approach
12.Consults with administrators in the selection of new media specialists and media clerks and in the placement of media specialist interns
13.Serves as a communications link between the director of the District media program and the school media center
14.Orients and assists new media specialists and substitute media specialists in the school
15.Identifies maintenance needs, initiates requests for needed repairs, and directs the maintenance of the media collection, including materials and equipment
16.Directs and assists in the inventory of media
17. Leads in promoting the media program in the school and community
C. Role and Responsibilities of All General Media Specialists
1.Plans with teachers information skills and instruction correlated with subject-area curricula and shares in delivery of that instruction
2. Works with teachers to develop educational objectives, plan learning experiences, and identify media appropriate to the particular instructional design
3. Evaluates, selects, and orders appropriate library media, including equipment
4. Works with other educators to plan and evaluate media programs and services
5. Organizes and delivers media services in the school
6. Administers the media center budget
7. Organizes the collection for easy and quick access and efficient circulation of materials and equipment
8. Plans for and stimulates effective use of media facilities, materials, and equipment
9. Maintains the collection, including materials and equipment, and inventories the collection annually
10. Keeps accurate budgetary and inventory records
11. Assists teachers and students in designing and producing learning materials and supervises the design and production of materials
12. Trains students and teachers in the use of equipment necessary for effective utilization of materials
13. Plans and implements in-service training for teachers in selection and use of media and technology
14. Assists students and teachers in selection and use of appropriate media
15. Promotes reading, listening, and viewing
16. Coordinates district media services in the school
17. Assists in planning new or renovated media facilities
18. Supervises the clerical staff of the media center
D. Elementary Media Center Secretary
1.Types and files correspondence, purchase orders, warehouse orders, interoffice memos, bibliographies, etc.
2.Oversees operation of circulation system; oversees return of overdue material and assists in clearing withdrawal records; orders replacement borrower and document labels; ensures new students receive student ID card/label from Information Services or in-house ID badge system
3.Oversees proper shelving of books and other materials, and keeps shelves in order
4.Collects and receipts funds for lost library books, book fairs, etc.
5.Maintains and records media center statistics
6.Receives and completes processing of new materials
7.Helps in supervision of students and oversees media center when media specialist is out of media center
8.Types lists of new acquisitions and reading lists; prints subject bibliographies from oHorizons or CyberCat, the online public access catalogs for teachers and media use
9. Assists in inventory and in the maintenance of media materials
10. Maintains media center workrooms, and ordering of supplies
11. Assists in the production of materials, e.g. transparencies, sound recordings, and video recordings
12. Assists in the delivery of special media programs and activities
13. Schedules equipment and facilities usage as appropriate under direction of media specialist; assists with delivery and operation of AV equipment when needed and maintains records relating to equipment
14. Assists with displays and exhibits
15. Assists students using online public access terminals
16. Pulls requested books and other requested materials for teachers
17. Assists with property control; places DSB/BPI labels on all new equipment and engraves DSB/BPI number on equipment/furniture
18. Answers telephone, take messages, and makes telephone contact as needed for media center
19.Performs other related duties as may be assigned by the media specialist
E. Responsibilities of the Secondary Media Center Secretary
1.Types and files correspondence, creates purchase orders, interoffice memos, bibliographies, spreadsheets, databases, etc.
2.Helps in processing audiovisual materials and other items not processed centrally
3.Oversees operation of circulation system: return of overdue material, assists in clearing withdrawal records, orders replacement borrower and document labels, ensures new students receive card/label from Information Services
4.Oversees proper shelving of books and other materials and keeps shelves in order
5.Collects and receipts funds for lost library books, book fairs, etc.
6.Maintains and records media center statistics
7.Receives and completes processing of new materials
8. Types lists of new acquisitions and reading lists, prints subject bibliographies for teachers and media use
9. Assists in inventory and in the maintenance of media materials
10. Maintains media center workroom and ordering of supplies
11. Assists in the production of materials, including video recordings, sound recordings, computer presentations, banners, and transparencies
12. Makes telephone contacts as needed for media center business; answers media phone, takes messages
13. Schedules equipment and facilities usage as appropriate under direction of media specialist; assists with delivery and operation of AV equipment when needed and maintains records relating to equipment maintenance and circulation
14. Assists with displays and exhibits
15. Assists students with use of online databases
16. Pulls requested books and other requested materials for teachers
17. Assists with property control, places DSB labels on all new equipment, and engraves DSB numbers on equipment/furniture
18. Assists media specialist in student control by helping check passes as needed
19. Performs other related duties assigned by the media specialist
Media Program Functions A. Meeting curriculum needs - The library media specialist must develop a congenial relationship with the school’s administrative and instructional staff in order to have insight into the school’s teaching methods and organization. The media specialist should have copies of the current curriculum
programs and should receive updates as they are issued. The media specialist can begin to plan the media program only after becoming familiar with the instructional program, the physical layout of the media center, and all available resources.
B. Scheduling - Making full use of the media center’s materials and services requires not only that they be available, but that students have ample opportunity to utilize the media center.
A good educational program requires continuing free access to the media center by individuals, groups, and classes. Some objectives call for scheduled research or instructional visits to the media center. Provision should be made for both scheduled classes and free visitation.
To ensure effective supervision and assistance for students, teachers should send a maximum of five students at a time on media center passes to the media center.
Teachers are encouraged to schedule class visits in advance with the media specialist. The media staff can then plan to provide appropriate materials and instruction to support and enhance the assignment, incorporating the latest materials and technologies
C. Quality Support - When a quality library media program is in place,
The school can expect from the media specialist:
1.An understanding of children and young people
2.Ability to administer and organize a school instructional media center using professional procedures
3.Knowledge of many materials and reading levels
4.K nowledge of teaching methods and courses of study
5.Ability to promote students’ and teachers’ use of materials for personal and instructional purposes
6.Instruction in the use of media center resources
The pupil can expect from the media center:
1.General collections of books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and computer software for research, class instruction, and personal enrichment
2.Direction in use of media center materials
3.Opportunity to use media center materials freely in a manner conducive to learning
The teacher can expect from the media center:
1.Maintenance of up-to-date collections of reference and enrichment materials for the instructional program
2.Input in the selection of additional materials for purchase
3. Assistance in teaching students and teachers to use equipment and instructional materials
4.Maintenance and scheduling of instructional materials and equipment
5.Provision of emergency assistance with equipment when possible
6.Notification of the receipt of new materials
The media specialist should also demonstrate professional skills through the following:
1.Working closely with and advising administration and school committees on all phases of the media program
2.Demonstrating, interpreting, and promoting the media program to students, teachers, and parent organizations
3.Participating in local, state, and national professional organizations and conferences when possible
4. Serving on district media committees when possible
5.Maintaining accurate information for equipment/materials inventory as well as for monthly or quarterly reports
6. Keeping current knowledge of new technologies available in the education environment
D. Management of Learning - Management is the executive function of planning, organizing, coordinating, controlling, and supervising an administrative unit with responsibility for the results. Any organization that provides service to people must be organized to satisfy the needs of its clients. The school media center is no exception. The ultimate client is the learner!
Evaluation of staff and Program
A. Evaluation of the media program - The effectiveness of the media program should be evaluated periodically. Such evaluation should be based upon a combination of informal sources, including circulation records, average daily attendance, and teacher and student evaluations. The evaluation can determine new directions and revisions that the professional staff can follow in planning future goals.
B. Professional growth, advancement and evaluation of media specialists and media centers
1. University courses - The media program at the University of South Florida is accredited by the American Library Association and offers classes in media and technology.
2. In-service training programs - Media specialists are urged to participate in in-service training programs that the principals’ and county-level personnel plan for curriculum improvement. Workshop meetings are considered a part of in-service training. All K-12 media specialists are expected to attend library media workshops offered on the District’s Professional Planning Days.
3. Professional organizations - Media specialists are eligible for membership in national, state, and local educational organizations.
4. Personal evaluation - All library media specialists are evaluated according to procedures prescribed in the teacher's contract. Methods and forms used consist of:
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) For more information, please see their Web site
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