Evaluation Plan: Improving Reference Services

Introduction

As information specialists, teacher-librarians are critical to the success of student learning and reference services are at the core of ensuring that students are able to access the information they need. 

Image courtesy of Pixabay

The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate the present conditions of the learning commons at Queen Elizabeth Secondary School with respect to a specific area of the reference collection, services, and/or policies and to provide a clearly identified rationale for modernizing the specific area by including a detailed plan that outlines the evolution of the reference section that has been identified.  This assignment involves the application of Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada in addition to Ann Marlow Riedling's (2013) "Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips" to evaluate and outline the transition.

Analysis: 

Determining Terms: what specific area to analyze?

There are three main terms related to reference: reference collection, reference sources, and reference services.  Each area has many components involved that require maintenance by the teacher-librarian.  According to the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science, each definition is discussed below:

1. Reference Collection: "Print copies of materials such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, directories, etc. and any virtual representations of like material."
2. Reference Sources: "Any publication from which authoritative information can be obtained, including but not limited to reference books, catalogue records, indexes and databases."
3. Reference Services: "The activities required to meet the information needs of the library's clientele.  Services might be delivered in-person, by telephone, or electronically.

Although each term can be viewed individually, they also work cohesively as one unit.  To be clear, I have chosen to specifically review Leading Learning's (2014) standard "Designing Learning Environments to Support Participatory Learning" with respect to Queen Elizabeth's learning commons.  The following is an analysis of present conditions with respect to the aforementioned standard via the theme "designing for responsive print and digital collections" which incorporates all three references types.

Courtesy of Leading Learning 2014

Present conditions

According to the 'Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada' published by Leading Learning: Standard of practice for school library learning commons (2014), the school-library at this site is in the emerging stage of development with respect to responsive print and digital collections.  Students have access to digital and print collections that are primarily designed by the teacher-librarian (or district learning resource centre) and generally focus on Canadian identity with interjections of first-nation or aboriginal content.

Courtesy of Leading Learning 2014

Rational:

Why this area needs to be changed an improved?

The purpose of this evaluation plan is to establish an evolving reference collection to reflect growing 21st century needs of the school community and changing curriculum.  Recent improvements in technology and changes in school demographics are not reflected in the current reference collection at Queen Elizabeth Secondary.  Currently, the teacher-librarian is active in collaboration on assignments of interest to staff members.  However, the teacher-librarian does not receive much input from staff regarding collection development.

How is it affecting student learning?

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The lack of responsive print and digital collections could be inadvertently affecting student learning in multiple ways.  With the recent change to B.C.'s curriculum, some print and digital items may no longer be relevant or timely in terms of content.  In addition, a lack of diversity for multiple perspectives could be hampering the accessibility/diversification of the collection.

Evaluation Plan:

The following evaluation plan will be used to advance the reference collection and services at Queen Elizabeth Secondary from an 'emerging' growth indicator, to an 'evolving' growth indicator with respect to designing for responsive print and digital collections.  That means that "print and digital collections are built by teacher-librarians in consultation with teachers to facilitate curriculum content and independent reading" (Leading Learning, 2014, p. 20).  Future development of this standard could involve the consultation of students to further the growth of the collection and services to "ignite knowledge building and a love of reading" (Leading Learning, 2014, p. 20).  Improvements in reference services in this standard has the potential to develop all three of B.C.'s core competencies (communication, thinking, and personal and social responsibility). 

How will the change take place?

In order to make effective change across all components of references, the transition will take place in two forms:

1. Establish a Learning Commons Leadership Team

According to Leading Learning, "The Library Learning Commons Leadership Team represents the learning needs of the entire school community" (Leading Learning, 2014, p. 22).  The leadership team will work collaboratively with the new curriculum to ensure that resources are meeting the needs of students.   The collaboration team should include at least one administrator and all department heads (student representation could be added or could be part of a separate leadership team in collaboration with the teacher-librarian in the future).  Meetings will be held once a month to discuss the current vision, curriculum, resources, and goals of student learning and will be led by the teacher-librarian in the learning commons.  Department heads will further collaborate within their departments to ensure transparency and communication.

Topics of conversation could include but are not limited to:

• Digital Resources (indexes and databases, apps, green screen technology etc.):  How can we effectively use these resources?  How can we improve the use of these resources?  Are there any resources we are omitting? New developments in technology?
• Non-Fiction Print Resources: How best to support classroom teachers with curriculum?  How best to support student interest in reading for personal interest?  What resources do teachers and students prefer to use?  How can we support the use of resources to ensure effective learning?
• Fiction Resources:  What do our students like to read?  What topics are well covered?  What topics are not well covered?  Fiction resources to meet the needs of the curriculum?
• Professional Resources:  What is our school-community interested in in terms of professional development?  What are important issues for our students?  How can we best support our students?
• Multiple-Perspectives: How can we diversify the collection?  What groups are well represented?  What groups are not well represented?
• Physical Space:  Does the space promote the core competencies and experiential learning?  What can be done to enhance the space?  Is the classification system working for our patrons?  Would a new classification system be beneficial to us?

2. Collection Development

Once the leadership team has been established, the teacher-librarian should gather all information from patrons to enhance the collection in order to meet the growing and changing needs of the school community and curriculum.  The teacher-librarian should be asking the following questions:

Image courtesy of Pixabay

• Is the collection well balanced?  
• Are patrons aware of what resources the library has?  
• How are patrons notified of new resources?
• Is circulation adequate?

In addition, the teacher-librarian should remain up-to-date with collection standard information as detailed by Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada (2006) as well as district standards.

Who will be involved in the change?

The following people will be involved in the change:

1. Teacher-librarian
2. Administration
3. Staff
4. Students

A timeline for improvement?

In order for the learning commons to progress from an emergent standard to an evolving standard, the teacher-librarian should be given a year.  This allows time to set-up the leadership team and conduct meetings.  It also allows time for the teacher-librarian to make changes to the collection based on the feedback.  Lastly, the teacher-librarian has the ability to make changes if he/she sees fit.  Keep in mind, this is based only on one-aspect of Leading Learning's (2014)  five standards.

How will you communicate the change?

The change will primarily be communicated electronically and verbally through the use of email and meetings.  Flyers and school announcements have the potential to be used to communicate with the entire staff and students to ensure they are informed of any updates.  Furthermore, the teacher-librarian should ensure that a Pinterest board is created to digitally communicate additions to the library learning commons with links to the catalogue and title information.  Staff should be made aware of the set-up at a staff meeting and be given a handout either at the meeting or in their mailboxes.

Other considerations?

The teacher-librarian should begin to develop a student-led leadership team towards the end of the year.  The library learning commons primary purpose is to serve its patrons and their voice should be heard.  This team could take part in decisions that effect their learning commons as well as foster the enjoyment of life-long reading with their peers.  Lastly, maintaining a personal learning network is the key to success for the teacher-librarian.  Keeping informed with other librarians and developments in the field will only add to the success of the school-library.

Follow-up:

How will you determine the success?

Success will be determined in two ways:

1.  Leadership Team

Image Courtesy of Pixabay

The success of the leadership team will be measured informally by the teacher-librarian.  This includes how many people show interest in joining, continue to attend meetings, and the quality of discussion.

2. Collection

The success of the collection will be measured both informally and formally.  

• Has circulation of non-fiction items increased?
• Has circulation of fiction items increased?
• Is the school-community reflected in the collection?  Who may be left out?
• Has library usage improved?
• Has teacher collaboration improved?

Data can be collected for collection statistics.

Conclusion

By the end of the year, the goal is for the teacher-librarian to improve the overall quality of reference services.  The learning commons should advance to the evolving stage of Leading Learning's standard regarding responsive digital and print resources.  A reflective and professional teacher-librarian has the ability to transform the collection to serve the needs of the school-community and ensure the success of access to information for all students.

References

Asselin, M., Branch, J., & Oberg, D., (Eds). Achieving information literacy: Standards for school library programs in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Canadian School Library Association & The Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada.

Canadian Libraries Association. (2014). Leading learning: Standards of practice for school library learning commons in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Libraries Association.

Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science. Retrieved April 03, 2017, from http://www.abc-clio.com/ODLIS/odlis_A.aspx

Riedling, A. M., Houston, C., & Shake, L. (2013). Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips. Linworth Publishing Company.

*It's important to note that not all of these sources were cited directly, rather, they provided a framework of knowledge* 

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Reference Materials & Services

Introduction

As LIBE 467 comes to a close, my journey with reference services and materials has just begun.  So much of the material being explored in this course is applicable to real-life experiences in the library.  At the beginning of the semester, I never fully realized the depth of reference services and through the final six weeks of the course, I am now better equipped to deal with reference materials when evaluating and acquiring resources that suit a particular school culture and support the curriculum.

Scope

Despite the general consensus that non-fiction circulation is in decline, I discovered through my learning that an effective teacher-librarian needs to create a sense of balance within the library between digital and print reference services.  A well-balanced collection appeals to a variety of different learning and teaching styles and increases the potential of success for students.  I was particularly inspired by a TedX (2009) titled "How I Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba that reminded me of the notion that not all students have equitable and equal access to resources and that the learning commons is essential to developing all students learning.  Through his talk, William demonstrated the power that libraries have to create a safe place for students to explore topics of interest.  This is especially prevalent with B.C.'s new curriculum that encourages experiential and personalized learning.

Conclusion

Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Through the last theme of the course, I have a greater sense of appreciation for reference services and materials.   The role of a teacher-librarian is never static as information is in a constant state of change and the teacher-librarian has the power to enable students to learn effective information literacy skills that foster critical thinking and questioning techniques.  This is particularly challenging with respect to digital resources, the web, and grey literature (which is a concept I still struggle with).  Change is inevitable and knowing selection and evaluation criteria for each type of reference material (encyclopedia, digital database, atlas etc.) is essential in determining the validity of removing or adding a resource to the library based on a variety of criteria such as cost, accuracy, currency, vendor, authority, format, scope, etc) in order to best support student learning.  Resources that I've been exposed to through this course such as Riedling's (2013) "Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tool and Tips" will be invaluable moving forward in my career.


References

1. Kamkwamba, William. (2009). "How I Harnessed the Wind". TEDX.

2. Riedling, A. M., Shake, L., & Houston, C. (2013). Reference skills for the school librarian: tools and tips. Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC. 

Cooperative Program Planning and Teaching- a look at Reference Services

Introduction

Image courtesy of Pixabay 2017

21st century literacy skills have evolved and as a result, what students are required to learn and the way they are taught is shifting.  Learning environments are beginning to emulate new workplace conditions where educators are placing the student at the centre of their own learning through resource-based activities that involve critical thinking, information skills, communication, and collaboration.  However, while teachers are prescribing more cooperative assignments to their students, evidence suggests that teachers are not actively seeking collaborative methodology to improve their own practice themselves.

The purpose of this assignment is to discuss two hypothetical teachers who are at a range of different levels of concern/use with respect to the effective use of reference resources in their pedagogical practice.  In addition, this assignment involves the application of  Concerns-Based-Adoption-Model (CBAM) approach to change (see Table 1) and Po-Sen Huang's CBAM model found here (Table 2).

Table 1: Copyright National Academy of Sciences

Overview

The following section will provide an in-depth look at two hypothetical secondary school humanities 8 teachers to describe their situation, experiences, and methods of instruction with respect to reference services.

Teacher 1

Situation:

Teacher 1 has been a secondary school humanities teacher for 8 years.  The do not participate in any extra-curricular activities or are on any committees.  The educator rarely shows interest in adopting new methodology even with the implementation of the new BC curriculum.

Experiments:

Teacher 1 does not make use of the library learning commons.  Rather, teacher 1 simply uses the computer lab for research-based assignments and does not pre-face the research process for students. Typically, assignments are 'Google' based assignments with searchable criteria and recall answers.

Methods (CBAM designation):

According to the CBAM, Teacher 1 is at stage 0 with respect to 'Stage of Concern' and 'Levels of Use'.  Teacher 1 is not concerned about cooperative program planning nor are they interested in taking action.

Teacher 2

Situation:

Teacher 2 has been a secondary school humanities teacher for 6 years.  The educator frequently attends district workshops such as 'SPARK' and 'Formative Assessment'.  In addition, they are an active member within the school community on committees such as 'Staff Committee', 'Social-Emotional Learning Inquiry', 'Conversation Cafe', and 'Sunshine Fund'. 

Experiments:

Teacher 2 has spent a considerable amount of time adapting their methods to fit the new curriculum.  Recently, they have developed a variety of humanities 8 inquiry projects on ancient civilizations and youth homelessness.  The inquiry projects use a variety of reference resources from the learning commons, web, and community.

Table 2: CBAM by Huang

Methods (CBAM designation):

Teacher 2, according to the CBAM is located in the collaboration stage of concern as they are questioning how their newly developed inquiry project is affecting learners as well as comparing how the project worked in various other humanities classes.  As a result, Teacher 2 is in the integration level of use in the behavioural indicators.  They are "making deliberate efforts to coordinate with others in using the innovation" including an civilization inquiry project and a youth homelessness inquiry project (Huang, n.d.).

Finally, in order to fully understand the scope of the situation, the final portion of the overview details the current state of the library learning commons.

Learning Commons:

According to the 'Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada' published by Leading Learning: Standard of practice for school library learning commons (2014), the school-library at this site is in the emerging stages of development with respect to its conversion in both "cultivating effective instructional design to co-plan, teach, and assess learning" and "facilitating collaborative engagement to cultivate and empower a community of learners"(2014, Leading Learning, p. 8).  

The learning commons is a welcoming place for students and staff and the new teacher-librarian has made a considerable effort to reinforce information literacy.  The methods and experiments include: informal and formal conversations/communication of new resources, reminder of access and procedure to online databases, and willingness to collaborate with teachers who show interest.

Collaborative Planning Stages

The following section will map out a collaborative planning process to increase/develop the use of reference resources for the above mentioned teachers.

Teacher 1

Objectives:

Image courtesy of Surreyschools.ca 2017

• Increase awareness of learning commons reference services including: ready reference, research project sources, and readers advisory methods
• Provide written information on access to digital resources
• Spark the conversation/interest in resources by providing reference materials that reinforce curricula and evolve current state of methodology

Content:

The purpose of this cooperative plan with respect to reference resources is to progress Teacher 1 from Non-Use/Zero Awareness to an Informational level of concern and an Orientation level of use in the CBAM model.  The focus will be to use CBAM to practice professional development to evolve the educators questions and to become orientated with reference programs.  This process will be informed by on-going monitoring by the teacher-librarian using the new curriculum as a motivator to establish trust, shared vision, and communication.

Sequence:

1. Informal conversations/communication
2. Formal documents regarding availability of reference services
3. Offering of one-off lessons to improve student information literacy skills in reference services

Methodology:

Image courtesy of Pinterest 2017

1. Establish trust with educator
2. Develop a shared vision
3. Communicate effectively

Activities:

1. Informal conversation/communication: the teacher-librarian will target all humanities classes with general reference material by maintaining constant communication regarding new reference resources under the humanities 8 curriculum being added to the learning commons. Teacher-librarian will develop a Pinterest board titled 'Humanities' and update new items to the list that includes current print resources and web-based references resources for target subject area.
2. Formal documentation: the teacher-librarian will email a copy of available district databases and how to access those databases including login and password information to all teachers on the site.  In addition, these documents are also to be printed and placed in the teachers mailbox.  During a staff meeting, the teacher-librarian will demonstrate how to access the databases.
3. Lessons: To target all humanities classes, the teacher-librarian will offer two reference services lessons.  The first lesson will be an orientation to the learning commons including all the resources available to the students.  At the conclusion of the first lesson, the students will check out a fiction title for silent-reading purposes.  The second lesson will detail online databases and will develop students information literacy skills by teaching students how to evaluate a source using the acronym CRAAP (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose).  The lesson will use fake and real websites to challenge students.  A follow-up lesson can be provided to the students based on how to develop a proper bibliography and how to cite sources.  A second follow-up lesson could be done to demonstrate the British Columbia Teacher-Librarian Associations 'Five Points of Inquiry'.  This inquiry workshop would introduce each facet or point of the inquiry process and how educators can incorporate various tools and reference resources to enhance the development of student information skills.

Evaluation:

The teacher-librarian will partake in an ongoing analysis of the following aspects to determine the viability of Teacher 1 to progress into the next phase of their use of reference resources:

Image courtesy of Pixabay 2017

• Does the educator respond in a professional manner to the informal communication efforts by the teacher-librarian?
• Does the educator post the learning commons resource information in their classroom or by their desk?
• How does the educator perceive the lessons offered?
• Does the educator collaborate with the teacher-librarian for the follow-up lesson?
• Is there an increase in library usage by Teacher 1 afterwards?
• Have the students developed information literacy skills during the lessons?

It is important to note that the process of developing Teacher 1 into the next stage of reference resources may take time and that the teacher-librarian should not be discouraged if the educator remains to have no apparent interest in progressing as they may not be ready to develop their skills or practice, or remain unwilling to change their methodology.

Teacher 2

Objectives:

• Implement self-reflection techniques to refine practice
• Determine how reference use is affecting learners
• Compare results with others
• Share methodology

Content:

The purpose of this cooperative plan with respect to reference resources is to progress Teacher 2 to a deeper level of awareness in the Collaboration/Integration level of concern in the CBAM model.  The focus will be to use the Concern-Based model to practice professional development to evolve the educators practice to incorporate deeper levels of collaboration.  This process will be informed by on-going monitoring by the teacher-librarian using the new curriculum as a motivator to establish trust, shared vision, and communication.

Sequence: 

Image courtesy of Pixabay 2017

1. Establish informal journal evaluation of techniques used and success of students
2. Develop focus group in humanities
3. School-wide sharing
4. Collaborative mentoring committee

Methodology:

1. Establish trust with educator
2. Develop a shared vision
3. Communicate effectively

Activities:

1. Establish informal journal evaluation of techniques used and success of students: after a cooperatively planned unit, the educator journals the effective instructional methodology and the ineffective methodology based on the success of students and/or debriefs with the teacher-librarian.  Multiple test days and test-classes should be used to account for marginal errors.  Educator can share ideas with teacher-librarian and discuss ways to improve/develop information skills based on student and teacher feedback on how the lesson went.
2. Develop focus group in humanities: Using collaborative planning time, a humanities group will meet to discuss what instructional methods are working best with their students in terms of reference services.  With the help of the librarian, teachers develop joint instructional practices.
3. School-wide sharing: Teacher 2 or the small focus group can create a presentation for a staff meeting to share their reference skills and inquiry projects based on the new curriculum.  Not only should this presentation detail their successes but also their failures to demonstrate the learning process and effective strategies.
4. Collaborative mentoring committee: A committee will be formed after the staff meeting that seeks to develop learning partners and collaborative mentorships for teachers to use as a vehicle for effective instructional strategies in reference sources.  These mentorships will take place all year and at the leisure of the individual teachers themselves.  Class visit schedules can be set up and the teacher-librarian can be an active member of the process.

Image courtesy of Pixabay 2017

Evaluation:

The teacher-librarian will partake in an ongoing analysis of the following aspects to determine the viability of Teacher 2 to progress into the next phase of their use of reference resources:

• Feedback during small and large group meetings
• Success of the collaborative mentoring committee
• Perceived increase in use of the learning commons

Conclusion

Cooperative program planning and effective use of reference services benefits all members of the school community.  However, a teacher must be willing and ready to implement change to their methodology.  The teacher-librarian can be a great facilitator of collaboration and ensuring that as the resource specialist, that students are developing 21st century skills in information literacy.  Successfully developed units ensure that learning outcomes are being met and sparks creativity in students and teachers alike.

References

Canadian Libraries Association. (2014). Leading learning: Standards of practice for school library learning commons in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Libraries Association.

Ekdahl, M., M. Farquharson, J. Robinson, L. Turner. 2010. The Points of Inquiry: A Framework for In-formation Literacy and the 21st Century Learner. Vancouver, BC: British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association.

Huang, P. (n.d.). Levels of Use - Concerns-Based Adoption Model. Retrieved March 4, 2017, from https://sites.google.com/site/ch7cbam/home/levels-of-use

Ken Haycock. "Collaboration: Critical success factors for student learning" School Libraries Worldwide (2007): 25-35.

Riedling, A. M., Houston, C., & Shake, L. (2013). Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips. Linworth Publishing Company.

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM): A Model for Change in Individuals. (2017). Nationalacademies.org. Retrieved 3 March 2017, from http://www.nationalacademies.org/rise/backg4a.htm

*It's important to note that not all of these sources were cited directly, rather, they provided a framework of knowledge* 

Managing and Evaluating Reference Services

Introduction

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As I reflect back to the beginning of the semester, I can appreciate the natural sequence that LIBE 467 'Information Services' is developing.  The past three weeks have emphasized the important role that a teacher-librarian plays in a school community, particularly when concerning information literacy.  While the previous theme lead me to a understanding of reference services, the second theme of the course has challenged me to consider the multi-faceted role that teacher-librarians play when managing, evaluating, and implementing an effective program.

Scope

The second theme of LIBE 467 covered three weeks or topics pertaining to reference services, however, the first topic that detailed information services and cooperative program planning and teaching was the module that stuck out the most to me.  Collaboration is an aspect of teaching that I highly value, however, it's also an aspect of teaching that is sometimes under utilized by others for various reasons.  Therefore, I appreciated how this lesson broke down the different levels of reference services in order to support research skills to provide formal and information learning opportunities for students to develop skills related to information literacy.

Image courtesy of imagesource.com

Prior to this lesson, I never fully considered the role that the student plays in collaboration as Riedling has done when she discusses the purpose of the reference interview as "fundamentally a conversation between the school library media specialist and the student, for the purpose of clarifying the student's needs and aiding in meeting those needs" (Riedling, 2013, p. 99).  As a teacher-librarian, we bring students and information together however, I never considered these information conversations a part of collaboration before but can now appreciate how the two are interconnected.  Having a better understanding of the role of a teacher-librarian in this aspect will aid me in the future development of reference services.

Conclusion

The ability of the teacher-librarian to focus on interpersonal skills to develop sound references services and collaborate with not only teachers and administrators, but also students is essential to the success of an effective learning commons. A sound knowledge of the collection and research interview process will foster an appreciation for the role the library and librarian in the development of research skills.  This idea is increasingly important as new curriculum is being implemented that requires inquiry, collaboration, and reference services.  The following TEDX deals with an experience in a public library but emphasizes the importance of libraries in the 21st century and the creation of an environment in which students feel comfortable to learn freely and to ask questions, an important aspect of the reference interview.

References

1. Riedling, A. M., Shake, L., & Houston, C. (2013). Reference skills for the school librarian: tools and tips. Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC. 

2. Smith, Pam Sandman. (2013, December). What to expect from libraries in the 21st century [Video file]. TEDx. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa6ERdxyYdo

Evaluation and Selection of a Reference Source

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Assignment #1: Evaluation and Selection of a Reference Resource

Part 1: Evaluation of current reference source

Introduction:

 Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World is a specialized encyclopedia that raises awareness of endangered wildlife and plants.  The following is a detailed MARC record of the reference source:

Image courtesy of Queen Elizabeth Secondary catalogue

Accuracy/Authority:

Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World (2001) is a specialized encyclopedia created by Brown Partworks Ltd and copyrighted by the Marshall Cavendish Corporation, a reputable publishing company.  The encyclopedia’s editor is Anne Hildyard.  There is limited information on the editor, however the Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data has a written component in the publishing information that indicates to the user sound accuracy and authority. According to Reference Skills for the School Librarian (2013) by Ann Marlow Riedling, the evaluation and selection criteria of an encyclopedia should include standard titles and should consult appropriate review sources.  As a result, I registered for Booklist- an annual review board of general and specialized encyclopedias.  Their review concluded with the following information regarding the accuracy and authority of the source:  “Each entry is signed and presented in a clear, user-friendly format combining succinct scientific information and statistics” (Booklist, 2001).

Image courtesy of BookList

To test title entry authority, the following example was undertaken.

Example:

Author Warren D. Thomas is referenced for several entry titles.  A simple search returned results that Thomas is the author of many books and was a notable chief zookeeper for several years at the L.A. Zoo.  He is recognized for his conservation efforts and environmental awareness.

Lastly, according to Booklist (2001), “more than 1,400 species threatened with extinction were selected from data provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)”.  These organizations are widely recognized and considered reputable.

Therefore, in conclusion, the standard titles that have been signed and reviewed indicate reliability of information and thus accuracy/authority.

Currency:

Copyrighted in 2001, the currency of this science-based encyclopedia is outdated at 2017.  Riedling (2013) suggests that print encyclopedias should be replaced every 5 years including science books in print format thus making the content of Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World dated especially considering the timeliness of environmental issues and rise in global warming.

Format:

Photo taken of Endangered
Wildlife and Plants

According to the Queen Elizabeth Secondary catalogue MARC record (2017), the encyclopedia “presents profiles of approximately 1,400 endangered animal and plant species and subspecies, arranged alphabetically by common English name, covering their statuses, physical features, habitats, geographic ranges, diets, behavior, defenses, and threats, and includes color photos, maps, and box features”.

 Critically, the format is user-friendly and includes various visual components to aid in understanding.  However, the information presented may no longer be relevant or current due to the timeliness of the encyclopedia.  While this may be the case, the outlook of the encyclopedia is functional, clear, and easy-to-follow.  The purpose of the encyclopedia is enhanced by the chosen format, which also includes a glossary, an index, and a table of contents increasing fluidity.

Photo taken of Endangered
Wildlife and Plants

Indexing:

Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World contains a thorough index.  This key feature is located on the last page of the encyclopedia, is written alphabetically, and not only includes reference pages for content, but reference pages in italics to refer to picture captions.

   By including a succinct index, potential users are able to efficiently and effectively locate the information that they are in need of.  Lastly, each volume of the encyclopedia has it’s own index.

Objectivity:

Objectivity includes bias, representation, stereotyping, exclusion, emphasized, de-emphasized, and length of articles.  While encyclopedias are produced for profit, my review of Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World has concluded as follows:

a.    Bias:

The information represented in the encyclopedia appears to be objective and informative in nature.  During my review, I did not come across any title entries with opinion statements.  However, I obviously did not have the time to read the encyclopedia in its entirety.   The only area of potential bias that I can hypothesize would be included in the addition of conservation efforts and/or in the rate/reasoning for extinction.

b.    Representation:

According to Rielding, representation includes asking the question “are both sides of a controversial issue represented?” (Rielding, 2013).  However, the nature of the encyclopedia is not controversial but represented factually.  Therefore, this component of objectivity appears irrelevant.

c.    Stereotyping:

Implicit or passive bias including stereotyping does not appear to be an issue.

d.    Exclusion:

Written in 2001, there could be an issue of exclusion and inclusion regarding what animals/plants are selected and why.  The basis for the selection is situated in the following data from these two organizations: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

e.    Emphasized/De-emphasized/Length:

Some title entries (for example, bears) have more data included due to the fact that they have more sub-species therefore the length of their entries are naturally longer.  However, there may also be more information on certain species of plant of wildlife in general.

Scope (relevancy/purpose/curricular connections):

BC Ministry of Education 2015 Environmental Science 11

 The user-friendly language and visual components of the encyclopedia make it appropriate for high school use.  The language is detailed enough yet succinct in its presentation so that students can easily access the information they need.  However, the source is currently irrelevant as the categorization of endangered species of plants and animals are in-flux.  In addition, the updated curricular connections make the source somewhat irrelevant.  The only subject and curriculum that may use Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World as a reference source include Environmental Science 11 (see curricular competencies and content photos).  However, after consultation with the science department head at Queen Elizabeth Secondary, it was indicated that the source would not be of use to staff or students for classroom purposes.

BC Ministry of Education 2015
Environmental Science 11

With the major changes in curriculum in British Columbia and the date of the encyclopedia, I believe that this reference source can appropriately be replaced and weeded from Queen Elizabeth Secondary School.

Efficient use of space:

While the set of encyclopedias is not taking up too much space within the library at Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, the circulation of the reference source is limited. For example, the first volume of the set (Abu-Bir) has never been checked out in its entire existence at the school.  However, this could be because the reference section is limited to in-school use with a select few resources requiring a 24-hour loan period.

With the addition of online databases that the Surrey School District subscribes to and the change in curriculum, the value of maintaining these encyclopedias in the reference collection is questionable.

Rubric: Evaluation of a Reference Source: Encyclopedia

Criteria	Meets	Minimally Meets	Does not meet
1. Accuracy/Authority ·      Reputable publishing company? ·      Appropriate titles? ·      Author authority? ·      Reviewed information?
2. Currency ·      Copyright date (encyclopedias /5 years) ·      Timeliness
3. Format ·      User-friendly? ·      Visual elements? (Maps, charts, images etc.)
4. Indexing ·      Included index? ·      Table of contents? ·      Glossary? ·      Functionality?
5. Objectivity ·      Bias? ·      Representation? ·      Stereotyping? ·      Exclusion? ·      Emphasized/Deemphasized/Length?
6. Scope ·      Relevancy? ·      Purpose? ·      Curricular Connections?
7. Space ·      Circulation? ·      Efficiency?
Comments:
Overall evaluation:

Part 2: Selection of replacement

Introduction:

After consulting with the science department head at Queen Elizabeth Secondary School regarding the shift in new curriculum and the needs of the school, collectively, we decided that a digital approach to replacing this reference source would be most valuable for those teachers who might consider using the content, or for those students who are simply just interested.

In this case, I chose to replace the reference source Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World with an‘app’ that can be installed to the iPad cart held in the school library (class set of 30)

The basis of my evaluation began with the American Library Association’s criteria for ‘Evaluation Apps’.  The evaluation criterion for applications is relatively new and will likely continue to be established as the integration of technology into the learning commons becomes more prevalent.  The details of my selection and evaluation are as follows.

Image courtesy of iTunes (2017)

App Name: Species on the Edge

Header of Review:

Basic Information:

According to iTunes (2017) Species on Edge is a "unique guide to 365 species on the Red List, the most widely recognized list of threatened and endangered species, complies by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)".

Image courtesy of iTunes (2017)

Price:

Using Apple’s ‘Volume Purchase Program’ for educational purposes, Species on Edge is $2.79 each for 1-19 units and $1.39 each for 20+ units.  Therefore for a total of 30 units the cost would be: $41.70.  It appears this is a one-time fee but that is unclear.

Image courtesy of iTunes (2017)

Body of Review:

Image courtesy of
Common Sense Media

In addition to my own review, I consulted Common Sense Media which provides independent reviews on all types of media for parents and educational purposes.  Their full review has been hyperlinked.  In general, the independent review found the app Species on Edge appropriate for ages 12+ and have rated the app 4/5 stars.  Their review is as follows:

Common Sense Media- Species on Edge (2017)

Functionality:

With a sleek interface, the app is very user-friendly.  Several tabs go into depth on various features and functions to give students a glance of the species, or more detailed information depending on their needs.  The app did not lag and was easy to get in and out of various information.

Audience:

 The app is applicable to a high school setting in British Columbia especially considering the age range and in-depth features.  Common Sense Media's evaluation of 12+ is justified.

Visual Design:

 Clearly laid out with vivid images and display features, the app is visually appealing yet functional for the user.  The app includes an alphabetical index, images, maps, categories, and extinction rate.

Image courtesy of iTunes (2017)

Appropriateness/curricular connections:

 The app is not only age appropriate but is also more affordable than replacing the entire set of encyclopedias.  However, the app does not provide as many species (limited to wildlife only).

The curricular connections were already mentioned in the evaluation of the encyclopedia set Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World.  The only content and curriculum that this topic pertains to is Environmental Science 11.  See images in part 1 scope.

Purpose/currency:

 The purpose appears to be objective and informational.  The app was developed and updated in 2011 thus making the content much more relevant than the set of encyclopedias.  Primarily, the evaluation remains very similar to the set of encyclopedias in terms of scope.  When dealing with authority and accuracy, Harper Collins Publishing is a highly regarded company therefore ensuring authority and accuracy.

In conclusion, the replacement and weeding of Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World with the app Species on Edge makes pedagogical sense.  Using the developed rubric for future evaluations and selections could be beneficial to any teacher-librarian.

References

1.   BC's New Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved February 05, 2017, from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/10-12#s

2.  Booklist Online: More than 170,000 book reviews for librarians, book groups, and book lovers-from the trusted experts at the American Library Association. (n.d.). Booklist Online: More than 170,000 book reviews for librarians, book groups, and book lovers-from the trusted experts at the American Library Association. Retrieved February 05, 2017, from https://www.booklistonline.com/Endangered-Wildlife-and-Plants-of-the-World/pid=190181

3.  Hennig, Nicole. (2014). Evaluating Apps. Library Technology Reports, 50(8), 15-17. (found via: https://journals.ala.org/index.php/ltr/article/viewFile/4650/5500)

4.  Hildyard, A. (2001). Endangered wildlife and plants of the world. New York: Marshall Cavendish.

5.   iTunes. (2011). Species on edge. Harper Collins Publishers Limited.

6.  Riedling, A. M., Shake, L., & Houston, C. (2013). Reference skills for the school librarian: tools and tips. Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC.

7.  Species on the Edge. (n.d.). Retrieved February 05, 2017, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/species-on-the-edge

8.  Welcome to SD No. 36 (Surrey) Catalogue. (n.d.). Retrieved February 05, 2017, from http://library.sd36.bc.ca/common/servlet/presenthomeform.do?l2m=Home&tm=Home

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