Library Standards Project
- State Board of Education action, Item 26
On March 12, 2009 the State Board of Education approved the launch of a project to develop California school library standards. Contact the project: librarystandards@cde.ca.gov
Web 2.0 Tools for Library and Classroom
Online learning tutorials created by the California School Library Association.
- School Library Learning 2.0 (Outside Source) for school library people and
Classroom Learning 2.0 (Outside Source) for classroom teachers and administrators to learn how 23 tools of social networking can enhance teaching and learning. - Learning 2.0 (Outside Source) for Middle School Students. Students will learn to use 10 social networking tools responsibly.
Library Surveys
- CDE Online School Library Survey
The annual online survey is closed. It will be open to collect information from individual schools about their libraries in 2008-2009 starting in November. Information about prior year surveys is available any time. - Statistics About California School Libraries
Number of books per students, staffing ratios, and more. - School Libraries Count! (Outside Source)
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) "School Libraries Count" gathers annual data on changes in the field to gain understanding of the state of school library media programs nationally. Private schools are included.
Library Funding
- School Library
Funding
Beginning in 2005-06, funding for the California Public School Library Act (School Library Materials) program is included in the School and Library Improvement Block Grant, established by Assembly Bill (AB) 825, Chapter 871, Statutes of 2004. - Frequently Asked Questions
Information about state funding, additional funding sources, and staffing. - NEA Foundation Grants (Outside Source)
The National Education Association (NEA) Foundation makes $1,000 awards to public schools serving economically disadvantaged students to purchase books for school libraries as part of Books Across America Library Book Awards. The NEA Foundation makes these awards in collaboration with the National Education Association. The new application process has not been announced. Other grants are available. - Laura
Bush Foundation for America's Libraries (Outside Source)
Grant opportunity. The Laura Bush Foundation will make grants of amounts up to $5,000 to school libraries. Funds are to be used to update, extend, and diversify the book collections of those libraries. The application www.laurabushfoundation.org (Outside source) is currently available. Please note it must be submitted through the web site; the application cannot be mailed, e-mailed, or faxed. The last day to submit questions regarding the application is December 14, and the deadline to submit the application is December 31. - Improving Literacy Through School Libraries (Outside Source)
Grant Opportunity. View the list of FY 2009 grant awards and abstracts. - Lenski Covey Foundation grants for purchasing books (Outside Source). Annual awards to purchase books for young people, preschool through grade 12. Grants for 2009 will range from $500 to $3000 and are specifically for children's book purchases rather than administrative or operational uses. The deadline to apply is June 15, 2009. Only libraries or organizations within the United States, its territories, or commonwealths are eligible.
- Target Early Childhood Reading Grants (Outside Source) support programs like weekend book clubs and after-school reading programs that foster a love of reading and encourage children, from birth through age nine, to read together with their families. The maximum award is $3,000. All schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations are eligible for the grant. The deadline to apply is May 31.
Research
Links to current research about the impact of a quality school library on student achievement.
- Research Related to School Libraries
Current research about the impact of a quality school library on student achievement. - California's School Libraries Make a Difference by Doug Achterman, University of North Texas, December 2008
Library Collection Development
- Literature Links
CDE recommended literature lists and more from libraries and educational associations. - School Library Policies
Sampling of resources for districts and schools for developing and revising policies for selection, intellectual freedom, acceptable use, privacy, and weeding.- Weeding the School Library - a brochure (PDF; 280KB; 2pp.)
Teacher Librarians
A teacher librarian is a person who possesses both a California teaching credential and a California Teacher Librarian Services credential. Other states frequently refer to this as "library media specialist." Find a program to become a Teacher Librarian.
Legislation to change credential title from library media teacher to teacher librarian became effective on January 1, 2008 (SB 132, Chapter 730, SEC 16).
Requirements as defined by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTCC).
- Basic
Credential Information (Outside Source)
(see "Service Credentials") - Regulation
Information (Outside Source)
(see "Coded Correspondence 00-0013")
Statistics on Teacher Librarians
- CBEDS and Teacher Librarians
October 7, 2009, is the next CBEDS Information Day. - DataQuest Report on Teacher Librarians
Provides actual numbers within the state, a county or a district. Construct search around staffing and pupil services by type.
Assessing Your School Library
Tools for assessing your school library.
- Check It Out
- Looking at the School Library (PDF; 120KB; 3pp.)
School and Public Library Cooperation
Activities between school libraries and public libraries.
- "Joint Use" Public/School Libraries (Outside Source)
Public and School Libraries: Issues and Options of Joint Use Facilities and Cooperative Use Agreements, Christopher Berger, California State Library. - Library of California (Outside Source)
A network of California libraries.
Key Connections
- Key Connections
Professional library associations, research assistance, and CDE Web pages frequently used by the CDE library consultant.
