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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