Strategic Planning For School Library Media Centers

A strategic plan is a useful tool for communicating the purpose of the library media center (LMC) to the administrators, teachers, and parents of the school community. An initial benefit is an assessment of the library program's strengths, weaknesses, and impact on the teaching and learning process. The library media specialist should use the planning process to garner greater support, identify priorities for future direction, provide the basis for effective budget development, and articulate the LMC's integral role in the school's instructional program. Based on Information Power, as well as input from focus groups of librarians, computer educators, teachers, administrators, and parents, the authors identified a core of the essential elements found in quality library media programs. Rubrics developed for this core provide a foundation for developing and prioritizing goals and objectives, as well as tools for ongoing evaluation. School library media centers, often short of time and staff, will welcome this easy-to-follow blueprint, packed with forms, questions to consider, templates, rubrics, and charts. From forming a committee and constructing surveys, to good PR and a consistent evaluation process, this essential handbook provides the tools to create a visionary mission statement, the strategic plan that embodies it, and the steps to implement it.

This text shows teacher librarians how to become leaders in their schools and apply their unique skills and insight to develop a timely and meaningful vision for the school's library. It can be very difficult to break the habit of addressing time-consuming tasks that are no longer mission critical. Having a vision and plan is the best way to establish a new, more effective pattern. As the education system, technology, and the world continues to evolve, it is paramount for teacher librarians to have a strategic plan to overcome today's challenges... and to be ready for the changes that are sure to come. This book describes two types of strategic planning for teacher librarians. Each methodology is presented via a sequential approach to the planning process. The first section of the text addresses those who are pressed for time and are lacking some necessary resources. The second section explains the classical approach to strategic planning for teacher librarians.

Offers step-by-step instructions for implementing long-range media center plans in school libraries, identifying priorities for future direction, explaining the basis for effective budget development, and emphasizing the library media center's role in the school's instructional program.

More than just a compendium of management theories, this book provides much food for thought that will help readers gain important insights into their own roles as school library managers and leaders.

Provides guidelines for using strategic planning techniques in creating a clear vision of the role of the library media center in increasing student performance.

This guide provides practical, step-by-step directions for implementing the planning process described in Information Power.

Plan, design, and build the library of your dreams! Use this step-by-step guide to remodel or build your new library. Includes case studies from practitioners on common facilities issues. Also includes ready-to-use sample tools and floor plans! This step-by-step guide offers all the technological and practical information needed to make a functional, enduring, and accommodating library for the future. Includes checklists, forms, and timelines to guide you in your library planning journey.