the hub of the school

hank hanneken, principal
mattoon school district #2
mattoon, illinois

The Hub — Probably an unusual name for a library or learning resource center. I doubt if there will be a move statewide to rename all libraries or learning resource centers as The Hub, but the title does create the image of what the learning resource center should be in the future in our schools.

Webster defines Hub as 1, the center part of a wheel and 2, a center of activity. Both definitions meet my philosophy of what a learning resource center should be. Many communities in our state still view the library or learning resource center as a storage place for books and materials. Access to these materials is gained through a check out system with the librarian, in many instances this checking out of materials is considered to be the main function of the librarian. Use for instruction in many cases is limited to teaching library or research skills. In some instances library times and schedules are still used for accessing the resources warehoused in the library.

Change is the image I receive when I view education today. Even more rapid and continuous will be the changes in education for the future. The image of the learning resource center or library is not changing. Parents, boards of education, superintendents, building administrators, classroom instructors, and special and support service personnel still have the same image of the library. The idea of the library as a storeroom for books and teaching materials is still prominent in the minds of persons involved in the educational process. This idea or image must change if schools are to keep pace with the rapidiy changing world in which we live.

Sophisticated educational jargon can be used to develop a philosophy or a learning resource center. Many times these well developed philosophies are shelved and never put into actual use. A simplified philosophy for a learning resource center is as follows:

The learning resource center (LRC) should be the information center of the school where is stored all the answers to the children's many questions about the world around them. It should be a stimulating place where children may search out answers on their own with the guidance of an adult. It is the place where the student will find personal assistance to deal with an academic problem that he has not mastered. The LRC is a place where students can share in common endeavors and find rewards and recognition. And finally the LRC is assisting teachers by gathering materials and by providing individualized help for students in need and students ready for independent study.

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How do we implement this philosophy? How do we create a new image for the learning resource centers in a district's schools? Where do we begin? These were some of the questions posed by Mattoon Community School District #2 when they began an evaluation of their learning resources and developed a plan for the future.

A committee was established to investigate the status of the learning resources in the school district. From the present status a list of needs would be developed and projections made for the future. The committee was composed of regular classroom instructors, the high school librarian, junior high school librarian, unit librarian, media director from Eastern Illinois University, media director from Lakeland College, and two administrators in the public school system.

The committee visited each elementary school in the district, examining the library facilities and media services as they presently exist.

The unit library was visited and its polices and procedures were assessed. The facility was examined in relation to the services which the unit library provides for staff and students of the individual schools.

An exemplary program was visited in Harrisburg Community Unit School District #1. This school system has adopted the library/resource center concept and has two new elementary facilities with learning resource centers as the hub of learning acitivites in its school.

Committee education has been an ongoing process through the expertise of Dr. Bandsaw, Dr. Scholes, and Mr. Gary. Through these gentlemen and written standards the committee was able to formulate ideas as to what should be included in a library/resource center program of excellence. As a part of the formulation of ideals, materials, and direction are provided by Dr. Margaret Moore, Media Director for the Harrisburg Schools, and Ms. Marie Sivak, Program Planning and Development, Illinois State Board of Education. To determine what should be included in a library resource center concept the standards and recommendations of three agencies were examined — the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the American Library Association, and the Illinois State Board of Education. These standards and recommendations include physical facilities, materials, budget, and staff.

A survey was formulated and conducted of all elementary instructional staff to determine their perceptions of need in the area of library/media serviecs. The instrument surveyed staff as to the desired library/media services for themselves and their students.

A search is being conducted for exemplary library/resource center programs in other districts similar in size to Mattoon Community Unit #2. A comparison study and examination of these districts would be helpful in the finalization of plans for our district.

The preceding developmental process of the learning resource center committee has led the group to finalize the following statements of philosophy for a library/resource center concept for Mattoon Community District #2. It has enabled the group to compile a statement of needs and directions which it feels will give guidance for the development of a library resource center concept for the district and the eventual establishment of at least two library resource centers.

Statements of Need and Direction Facilities

To enable the development of a learning resource center in each attendance center, it is first necessary to study the existing facilities in each school as to an available, adequate space for the development of such a center.

When the area for the learning resource center is located in each school, the facilities need to be examined and improved to provide convenience and comfort in learning activities in relation to furnishings, adequate storage, seating, and overall learning environment.

Certain attendance centers have space conflicts with special classes such as art, band, and music. If the learning resource center is to be fully utilized, the value of such uses and other locations for special classes should be examined.

Personnel

To fully use the existing and projected facilities to their maximum, the learning resource centers in the elementary schools must be staffed all day.

The district should begin preparation to provide certified library/media specialists in all elementary attendance centers.

To explore the possibility of staffing the learning resource centers with certified specialists, it might be useful to inventory existing district personnel as to library/media qualifications.

Job descriptions should be developed for all district media personnel. The job descriptions could begin with positions already in existence.

It would be helpful to develop a flow chart of responsibility in the area of library/media service in the district. This flow chart would indicate levels of administrative decision making.

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Services Provided By Building Learning Resource Centers

A statement of and philosophy for the services to be provided by each learning resource center to the staff and students of that attendance center should be outlined.

The philosophy of services provided by the learning resource center should be flexible enough to apply to all attendance centers.

The learning resource center services should be available full time at each attendance center.

An effort should be made to provide enrichment and remediation for students through independent use of media centers.

Use of the media center should be connected to special learning activities of many types within school (displays, contests, spelling bees, special days, dramatic presentations, etc.).

Many areas of curriculum development should be related to services offered through the learning resource center. Specific curriculum developmental areas to be included, but not exclusive, are:

To promote reading and reading guidance through media centers.

To investigate a plan to recognize creative programs and strategies/ideas in media use.

To create library skills units to be taught by grade in media centers.

To include media services directly in curriculum planning and textbook selection.

To consider the implications of competency testing to media services.

To study media requirements to articulation of curriculum.

Media and Materials Organization and Development

To assure the best use of all media and materials in each building, an accurate inventory of all software and hardware items needs to be completed. This inventory, once completed, then needs to be periodically updated.

Using the inventory as a guide, a list of desired, future purchases for each building needs to be developed by comparison with suggested standards.

To utilize all possible teaching tools to their fullest, a plan for use of television and computers in education needs to be developed. Television programming through Cable TV, Illinois State Board of Education, and WILL Instructional programming should be examined. Computers should be examined for use as, not only as an instructional aid in education, but for information storage and retrieval in all areas of the school system.

Building Level Staff Development

To assure the utilization of the learning resource center by staff members, in-service education is a necessity.

In-service should also be conducted from the central administrative level through the building administrative level to assure understanding and continuity of the program.

Staff and administrators should be made aware of and participate in the districtwide effort to improve media services.

The possibility of out-of-district funds to provide monies for staff development might be investigated.

An effort should be made to publicize the services and use of the learning resource center to facilitate acceptance and further use by staff and students.

It might be helpful in the continuity and quality of the library/resource centers to be developed in the schools if a committee were formed, such as the advisory committee, to evaluate the program progress each year and make recommendations.

Unit Library Services to the District

The actual services and role of the unit library needs to be assessed in relation to those services actually feasible with current staff and facilities, and those services that are most desirable.

A three-year plan for media service development and expansion pertaining to the unit library needs to be developed.

The unit learning resource center needs to provide more production services to staff until such a time service can be provided at the building level.

The budget for the unit learning resource center might need to be expanded to meet service needs.

Policies and Procedures

A plan needs to be developed to search for external funds to compliment unit expenditures on media services.

There is a need to establish a uniform policy on purchasing of materials to avoid duplication.

There is a need to create a budget for such areas as film and cassette rental, return postage, and miscellaneous needs of the learning resource centers

There is a need to examine the system for hardware and software purchase and make needed changes that will assure that each building achieves minimum standards of library and media materials.

A system for repair of hardware needs to be developed to guarantee that instructional tools are operative and used to their maximum.

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Evaluations and Recommendations

A good library/media program supports curricular areas. Such a program must include staff, resources, and facilities. The learning resource center committee felt a close examination of all three areas must be completed to insure the effective use of the projected media centers in the elementary schools.

The media program for elementary buildings in Mattoon Community Unit Number Two generates from part of the third floor of the Armstrong Center. The Armstrong Center, formerly the Brown Shoe Company, is located on the north side of the city at 1400 Piatt Avenue. The space provided for the unit learning resource center is adequate to meet the present services offered. The main function of the unit learning resource center is material selection and storage with circulation provided by a check out system developed by the unit librarian.

To facilitate effective media utilization easy accessibility to and by the system is important. A centrally located media center could provide greater accessibility for the administration and Board of Education as well as the instructional staff. Establishing the unit learning resource center in the new administrative service building would provide this accessibility and increased service.

The creation of a teacher production area in conjunction with the unit learning resource center could provide staff with the supplies and space needed to produce instructional materials for any specific unit of study. In planning a teacher production area considerations should be given to purchasing equipment such as an electric primary typewriter, roll laminator, stencil maker/cutter, ditto machine, thermofax, photocopy machine, photography and film processing equipment, slide reproduction equipment, lettering devices, letter punch press, worktables, and storage. It is recommended that a five year plan with priority purchases be developed. As the use of the services increases, a full or part-time production person may be desired. To facilitate planning for a new concept in media center services, the Illinois State Board of Education can provide information on "Teacher Centers" being developed in other states as well as our own. The Illinois Research and Dissemination Network will provide a computer search to identify resource projects in our vicinity.

State monies through the Illinois Center for Educational Improvement can be acquired to aid in planning and implementation. There are some private funds established for library media projects in public schools. The committee offers its services as a facilitator to the development of the project.

External advice and aid can be acquired for the asking, but the success of any program depends on utilization of resources within the system. The expansion of professional services through a media center should begin with an extensive program of in-service. Through discussions with various groups concerning the proposal, local resources can be identified.

In-service should involve long-range planning. Orientation workshops should be scheduled first with central administrative staff. Determinations can be made as to the role of the media center as it pertains to the Board of Education and central office personnel.

Directors of support services and building administrators should be included in preplanning orientation. Unless support and participation is received from the instructional leaders in the system, the program may never reach full potential.

Bulletins and newsletters disseminated through the system from the central office could play an important role in acceptance of the new program.

Small group or building meetings with the instructional staff could not only make them aware of the intended program, but also provide valuable input to their media needs in implementing the adopted curriculum.

As the program progresses continuous in-service will be needed. Mini-in-service meetings on a yearly, rotating basis could be developed to evaluate and determine directions for the future. Course credit for media utilization classes could be established through Eastern Illinois University. These courses or workshops could be developed into short-term, after school meetings. The board may wish to investigate the possibility of credit on salary schedule or a one-time stipend to provide incentives for participation.

In-service and planning for the new program, should culminate in the development of a handbook of media services from the unit resource center. This handbook should illustrate such items as a scope and sequence of library skills to be taught with follow-up activities to be used in the local resource center and classroom.

As a conclusion to the evaluations and recommendations for facilities and resources of a media program, the committee would like to point out that patience and careful planning will be the key to the successful implementation of a total media program, will have a positive effect on the quality of education provided for the citizens of Mattoon Community Unit District Number Two.

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To insure direction to the project of expanded facilities and services, the committee recommends that a person be appointed to an administrative level position as supervisor and coordinator of district media programs. A job description should be developed by central office to include, as a primary task the realignment of the services of the unit media center as discussed previously.

The responsibility of working closely with building administrators to develop quality media services to meet the needs of the students and instructional staff should be included in the job description.

Interviewing, employing, and assigning personnel to unit and local media centers should also be a job responsibility of the media coordinator. Expanded services and the establishment of learning resource centers in each elementary school will necessitate the assignment of qualified personnel to these areas. A personnel inventory could be undertaken to identify qualified library-media people already employed within the district.

Another responsibility of the media coordinator would be to rewrite job descriptions for all media positions within the district, from the unit librarian to the library clerical aide. As job descriptions are prepared, a flow chart of decision-making responsibility should also be developed. When suggestions or questions concerning the program arise, persons within the system should know immediately where actions and answers can be received.

Generally, the assignment of media coordinator would be to investigate every branch of the educational community to determine its potential in relation to media services to all in the system. These activities could extend from developing a course in library-clerical skills training at the high school level to involvement with community programs initiated through the schools, such as poster and essay contests.

The media coordinator may want to establish an advisory committee to review the district's program from time-to-time. This committee should consist of users of the programs, such as students, staff, and community.

Policy and Procedure

Previous statements and recommendations concerning the three areas of a media program (facilities, staff, and resources) have touched on policy and procedures needed districtwide. The committee in this section, will not attempt to establish a policy or procedure, but list areas where better utilization might be achieved through such an adoption.

A total operating budget could be established for each attendance center. Additional budgets for supporting programs such as the unit media center, could also be assigned. The present system causes uncertainty as to money available and in what areas. Building administrators and project directors would then be required to prioritize their expenditures based on perceived local needs.

Buying standardized equipment for all buildings and programs would facilitate better utilization by the system. The Illinois State Board of Education is in the process of developing standards for video cassette tapes developed by their agency. These tapes would be useless to the local district unless the equipment purchased matched that of the state.

The committee recommends that goals and objectives be developed for expansion of media services for Mattoon Community Unit Number Two. This expansion plan should be attached to a timeline of five years. The beginning point could be the establishment of learning resource centers in the two elementary buildings as directed by the superintendent in his document, Setting The Pace, 1980-81.

A procedure to be examined in the expansion project would be to conduct a search for external funds to assist in equipment and facility acquisitions. Inventory and realignment of personnel may be one possibility to staffing an expansion project.

The establishment of an advisory committee consisting of users of the program should be examined. This committee could review and provide directions to insure a program that is broad enough in scope to meet the future needs of its citizens.

The system of repair of hardware and other audiovisual equipment should be examined. Expansion of media services will place a greater demand on equipment. A system that returns broken equipment to circulation quickly should be developed.

The procedures, needs, and methods implemented to evaluate library resources can and will vary from school-to-school, district-to-distirct, but the need for change will not.

Every inch of space in our educational setting must be examined as to how it can be used effectively to educate children. Every dollar allotted to education must be spent with maximum return in mind. Every learning resource center/library must also be examined carefully to reap maximum results.

Education in our state and country is being placed "under the microscope" with everyone joining in the viewing. When their eyes fall upon the library, let them see a changing image. Let them see "the hub."

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