SLIC - Commonwealth Schools in the Information Age

Commonwealth Schools in the Information Age: The Status of Information Services in Kentucky School Media Centers

In an age when school libraries are becoming cybraries, a survey of media specialists in Kentucky school indicates that school library media centers in the Commonwealth are providing traditional library orientation and library skills instruction. Although the study indicates that the most popular information tools used in the schools are internet search engines, library media specialists view issues such as collaboration with the classroom teacher and the library budget as more pressing issues than teaching higher level information literacy skills such as the ethical use of information or the evaluation of online resources. The author of the study recommends library media specialists review the state benchmarks for information literacy to determine if they are teaching essential information skills as part of their library programs.

As we move into the digital information age, school library media centers are experiencing dramatic changes in the way information services are organized, administered, and used by teachers and students in the school Although media specialists are keenly aware of the changing face of information services in school libraries, current research does not fully explain what shape information services in school libraries has taken in recent years. Much of the research in the area of information services in school library media centers has focused on information literacy, particularly how students move through the information seeking process (Kuhlthau, 1988, 1989). However, it is not known what information tools and resources teachers and students are using most often in library media centers during this process, how media specialists make decisions about what resources to provide, what skills and topics they teach, and what they think are the most critical information needs in their schools. Results from a number of state studies indicate that providing access to a robust collection and up-to-date technology in the library, along with a process approach to teaching information skills, is associated with higher student achievement, but it is still unclear how school libraries are providing information regarding information services in their schools and whether or not they are providing resources and instruction that reflect this new information landscape. (Lance, 2002; Lonsdale, 2003).

It is the purpose of this study to fill in some of the missing pieces in school media center information services research. This study is a survey of Kentucky school media specialists and the information services they provide. The study focuses specifically on the types of information resources and information literacy instruction provided in library media centers and media specialists’ views on school information literacy needs. Results of this survey will provide a snapshot of the status of information services in Commonwealth primary, intermediate, and secondary schools at a time when this area of library media services is undergoing a significant transformation.

Although the face of information services is changing rapidly in all libraries, the basic definition of this area of librarianship has consistently focused on two areas: 1) service to library users through instruction in use of information resources and 2) providing quality information resources in a variety of formats (Rubin, 2004). The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) describes information services in a library setting as “taking a variety of forms including direct and personal assistance, directions, signs, exchange of information culled from a reference sources, reader’s advisory services, and dissemination for information in anticipation of users’ needs or interests, and access to electronic information” (RUSA, Introduction). In the school media center, it is the media specialist’s responsibility to select and evaluate information resources in all formats and to provide instruction on how these resources can be most effectively used (Riedling, 2005). According to Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, the library program should follow the library media center’s mission and goals, the school curriculum and goals, and the information literacy standards for student learning (American Association of School Librarians, 1998). The goals and standards in Information Power reflect the transformation of the school library into a library media center, and the changing role of the school librarian from a “keeper of the books” to an “information specialist,” “instructional partner,” and “program administrator” (American Association of School Librarians 1998, p.5). This shift reflects the increasing importance of information services provided by the school library media center in this digital information age.

School media specialists widely acknowledge that electronic information resources now available to students through internet search engines and electronic databases have affected all of the roles defined by Information Power. Information resources that used to be housed only in the school media center such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, and periodical databases, are now available electronically in the classroom, at home, or virtually anywhere an internet connection is present. Information services such as reference, reader’s advisory or information literacy instruction can also be done online. According to Lonsdale (2003) media specialists continue to function as information specialists who select and evaluate information sources for their media center, but their role as instructional partner has changed from a provider of resources to a key player in creating lifelong learners who can locate, use, and evaluate information. This assertion is supported by Todd’s research which indicates that media center programs focusing on the information needs of students and providing targeted instruction in collaboration with classroom teachers will enhance both the content and information literacy skills of students (1995, 2003).

As a program administrator, media specialists must also grapple with the transformation of their libraries into what Kapitzke refers to as “cybraries,” which function as informational spaces for accessing, learning about, and learning through information (2001). In other words, as information resources become increasingly available outside the library, and traditional library skills and information literacy instruction become an integrated part of the classroom curriculum, media specialists must understand how their roles have changed, and adapt to these changes. According to Neuman (2003), while print and audiovisual resources are sure to remain important tools for learning in classrooms and library media centers, it is the “interactive resources that hold the greatest promise for enabling students to engage meaningfully with information and use it as the basis for developing sophisticated understandings of the world in which they live” (p. 510).

As it becomes increasingly clear that information services are changing quickly, it is important to begin to assess how school media centers and school media specialists are adapting to these changes, how their collections are changing and what their perceptions are of their school’s most critical information needs. Furthermore, with the increased focus on documenting the impact the library media center has on student learning, it will be vitally important for media specialists to be able to document and explain how information services provided through the media center and the instructional program of the library contribute to academic achievement.

A number of studies focusing on the contribution of school library media centers to student achievement have been conducted in states across the country, in Canada, and Australia (Lonsdale, 2003; Scholastic, 2006). Many of these studies use a standardized survey instrument developed by Keith Curry Lance and the “Colorado team” which group attributes of the library media center into three areas: learning and teaching, information access and delivery, and program administration. In these studies, attributes of library media centers were analyzed along with student achievement and community data. (Lonsdale, 2003). Results of these studies indicate that there is a significant relationship between the quality of information services provided in the school and student achievement (Scholastic, 2006). For example, analysis of a study of school media centers in Alaska indicates there is a relationship between achievement and the amount of time library staff spend teaching information literacy to students, planning instruction with teachers, and providing in service training. In Pennsylvania, a similar study indicates that student learning increases when media specialists teach cooperatively with classroom teachers, and teach information literacy skills independently of classroom teachers (Lance, 2002; Scholastic, 2006). An unpublished study of library media center practices indicates that in high scoring Kentucky schools students have access to larger collections, more access to up-to-date technology and receive instruction in one of the research process approaches such as the Big6 (Allard and White, 2000).

These state studies indicate that the media specialist, in the role of information specialist, instructional partner and program administrator, is a key partner in a school initiative to boost student achievement. Preliminary research findings from Kentucky also indicate that information services also impact achievement in schools in the Commonwealth. However, the picture of information services in Kentucky media centers is not complete because it is not yet clear what types of information resources and services are provided to students in the Commonwealth and how student achievement is affected by the services provided by the library media center. It is the purpose of this study to provide more information on this critical issue in library media education.

In this survey of Kentucky library media specialists, the following question are proposed:

1. What information resources are most used in Kentucky library media centers and at which grade level?
2. What kinds of information literacy instruction is provided by the library media specialists and at which grade level?
3. What do Kentucky library media specialists identify as the most urgent information literacy needs in their schools?
4. Do school or community variables have an impact on information services provided in the school?
5. Are there any significant differences in the kinds of information services provided to students in high performing schools?
6. Are there any significant differences in the what media specialists in high performing schools identify as the most urgent information literacy issues in their schools?

To answer these questions, a survey was developed and administered to library media specialists in Kentucky in 2006. The survey was comprised of 11 multiple choice questions about school community and library media center demographics, and three multiple answer questions about information resources and services provided in the library media center. The questions related to information services included in this study were part of a larger 60 item survey of library media center practices. This survey included items related to school and community demographics and library media practices listed in the Kentucky standards document of library media centers, Beyond Proficiency: Achieving a Distinguished Library Media Program (Kentucky Department of Education, 2001)

The questions about information services and information literacy activities used in this study were developed based on an interview guide used over the past two years by graduate level library media education students in an information services field observation assignment. The most common responses to the interview questions provided by library media specialists being interviewed were used to develop the multiple answer questions on the information services portion of the survey form.

The survey was pilot tested in the fall of 2005 with media specialists in primary and secondary grade levels and revised according to their recommendations. The survey was first distributed in May, 2006 to members of the Kentucky Library Media Specialists Listerv (KYLMS) via an email message that provided a link to the online survey document. A total of 35 media specialists responded to the survey. In September, an email message containing a link to the survey was sent to 592 library media specialists listed in the Kentucky Department of Education library media specialist electronic mailing list. Thirty-two of these emails were returned because of a bad address. After a follow-up reminder email to the same list, the response rate to the survey was 56 percent, with a total of 333 library media specialists responding to the survey.

Descriptive, Chi square, and linear regression statistics included in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 4.0 program are used to analyze the data in the study. Descriptive statistics provide an overall picture of survey respondents’ communities and types of information resources and services they provide to the school. The Chi square statistic is used to identify significant differences in information services provided in high achieving schools. Linear regression statistics are used to determine if any of the school community or library media center demographics account for a significant variation in school test scores measured by the state’s combined accountability index.
The 333 school media specialists responding to the survey are from schools representative of the total population of schools across Kentucky in terms of their geographic distribution, and school and community demographics (Kentucky Department of Education, 2007). Thirty one percent of the respondents are from central Kentucky, the state’s most populous region, while 23 percent are from eastern Kentucky, 19 percent are from western Kentucky, 14 percent are from northern Kentucky, and 11 percent are from south central Kentucky. A total of 41 percent of the schools are located in rural areas, 28 percent are in small towns, 17 percent are in urban areas, and 14 percent are in suburban areas. Of those media specialists responding to the survey, 64 percent report their school serves a student population where more than 50 percent qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. A majority of media specialists responding to the survey (58 percent) work in elementary schools, while 22 percent work in high schools, and 15 percent work in middle schools. About four percent of the media specialists report they work in an “other” kind of school.

A majority of survey respondents report that their schools fall into the middle range on the combined Kentucky accountability measure referred to as the “CATS” test. A total of 41 percent of the respondents state that they scored between 65 and 79 out of a possible 100 points on the CATS index, while 36 percent report their school scored between 80 and 94 points on the index. In the upper range of index scores, 11 percent of the schools report they scored between 95 and 100 points, while six percent of the schools report they scored more than 100 points on the assessment. In the lower range, 5.3 percent of the respondents reported they scored between 50 and 64 points, while only one schools reported it scored below 50 points on the index.

All but one of the media specialists responding to the survey indicated they held certification as a library media specialist. About 60 percent of the respondents report that their media centers are on a flexible schedule at least half the time. All of the middle schools and 97 percent of the high school have this kind of flexible schedule, while 44.8 percent of elementary school media centers are flexibly scheduled. Of those media specialists responding to the survey, 84 percent of media specialists report they are assigned full time to their school, while 42 percent of media specialists report they have teaching duties in addition to their responsibilities as media specialists.

In response to questions regarding budget and staffing levels, 49 percent of the media specialists report their schools meet recommended media center budget allocations, 81 percent report their schools meet minimum numbers of books recommended for the collection, 32 percent report their schools meet minimum staffing guidelines for small schools (200 students or more) and 40 percent report their schools meet minimum staffing guidelines for larger schools (500 students or more).

A stepwise linear regression analysis was performed on the data to determine if any of the school community variables accounted for a significant amount of the variance in student test scores. The analysis shows that 4.4 percent of the variation in school index scores is affected by whether or not less than 50 percent of the students qualify for the free and reduced lunch program (adjusted R2 = 0.119, F = 12.644, p = .001) and 2.2 of the variation in scores is affected by whether or not the school met minimum state standards for the number of books in the library collection (adjusted R2 = 0.062, F = 5.886, p = .016).

Table 1 lists the responses by library media specialists to questions regarding the most commonly used information tools, instructional activities in the area of information services, and their views on the most critical information literacy issues in their schools. The responses to these questions are sorted by elementary, middle, and high school levels in order to identify any differences between information services activities that may be provided to different age groups. As the table shows, when asked to select the two most often used information tools in their schools, elementary and middle school level media specialists selected print reference materials and electronic search engines, while at the high school levels, electronic resources, including internet search engines and the state supported electronic library, were the most popular. The table also shows that in all grade levels the state provided electronic library (KYVL) plays much less of a role in the information seeking activities of students in these schools than internet search engines.

When asked to select the top four kinds of information skills instruction provided to students in media centers, responses were similar across school levels, and included basic library skills instruction, library orientation, searching for information using the media center Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC), types of print reference resources, and instruction in how to search online catalogs and databases for information. At the elementary level, there appears to be more emphasis on print resources and basic library skills, while at the intermediate and high school levels, there is more focus on using electronic resources. However, none of the higher level types of information skills instruction, such as the use of an information literacy model, instruction in evaluating print and electronic resources, or instruction in the ethical use of information is taught by more than a third of the media specialists surveyed.

When media specialists were asked to select the four most critical information literacy issues at their schools, the responses were similar at the elementary and middle school levels and included increasing collaboration between teachers and media specialists, the library budget allocation, teaching critical reading skills, and teaching research skills. At the high school level, the most critical issues shifted to those more closely related to the use of electronic information and included ethical and legal uses of information, increasing collaboration, and improving research and information evaluation skills.

Table 1: Library Media Specialist Information Resource Critical Issues and Instructional Activities by Level

Information Tools used in the School	Elementary School (percent and rank)	Middle School (percent and rank)	High School (percent and rank)
Print reference	76.4 (1)	60.8 (2)	25.7 (3)
Search engines	71.3 (2)	82.4 (1)	73 (1)
Kentucky Virtual Library	38.5 (3)	45.1 (3)	55.4 (2)
CD	7.7 (4)	2.0 (4)	0
Other Electronic databases	5.6 (5)	11.8 (5)	25.7 (4)


Information Skills Instruction provided by the LMS
Basic Library Skills	90.3 (1)	56.9 (2)	43.2 (4)
Library Orientation	68.2 (2)	74.5 (1)	87.8 (1)
Types of Print Reference materials	63.6 (3)	39.2 (5)	39.2 (5)
Searching the OPAC for information	58.5 (4)	43.1 (4)	54.1 (3)
Searching online catalogs and databases for information	31.8 (5)	51 (3)	74.3 (2)
Types of Electronic Reference materials	29.2 (6)	31.4 (6)	27 (7)
Information Literacy Models such as the Big6 or Super3	24.1 (7)	19.6 (9)	12.2 (10)
Critical Reading Skills	22.6 (8)	25.5 (7)	16.2 (9)
Note Taking Skills	14.9 (9)	11.8 (11)	6.8 (11)
Evaluation of Print and Electronic Resources	11.8 (10)	17.6 (10)	31.1 (6)
Ethical and Legal uses of information	11.3 (11)	23.5 (8)	23 (8)


Most Urgent Information Literacy Issues at the School
Increasing Collaboration between the LMS and Teacher on Information Literacy Projects	71.3 (1)	54.9 (1)	56.8 (2)
Budget allocation for the LMC	51.8 (2)	51 (2)	33.8 (7)
Teaching Critical Reading Skills	51.3 (3)	45.1 (4)	40.5 (6)
Teaching Research Skills	49.7 (4)	58.8 (3)	48.6 (3)
Teaching Online Searching Skills	39.0 (5)	45.1 (4)	45.9 (5)
Implementing a School wide Information Literacy model	28.2 (6)	21.6 (7)	16.2 (8)
Teaching Ethical and Legal uses Use of Information	15.4 (7)	41.2 (5)	59.5 (1)
Teaching Evaluation of Print and Electronic Sources	14.9 (8)	33.3 (6)	48.6 (4)

A Chi square analysis was performed on the data to determine if there was a difference in the responses of high performing schools to these questions. High performing schools are defined as those schools with an above average score of 80 points or more out of 100 on the combined accountability index. Overall, media specialists in schools scoring above average on the accountability index selected print reference resources significantly more as one of the two most often used information tools (Chi-square = 2.913, d.f. = 1, p = .056). Media specialists in these schools also selected basic library skills instruction significantly more as one of the four kinds of information skills instruction provided at the school (Chi-square = 3.678, d.f. = 1, p = .037).
There were also significant differences in what media specialists in high performing schools selected as one of the four most urgent information literacy issues at the school. At the elementary school level teaching research skills was selected significantly more by media specialists in high scoring schools (Chi-square = 6.547, d.f. = 1, p.= .008), as was teaching online searching skills at the middle school level (Chi-square = 8.983, d.f. = 1, p = .002).

Although school libraries have entered the digital information age, it appears from this study that Kentucky school media specialists continue to take a traditional approach to information services by focusing on basic library skills instruction, library orientation classes, and print resources. Their most urgent issues also continue to be long-standing budget and collaboration issues that affect all areas of the library media program. These conventional practices and issues dominate the information services landscape in Kentucky schools even when this study shows the popularity of electronic information resources, specifically internet search engines. This study shows that print reference materials are among the two most popular information tools at the elementary and middle school levels. High performing schools especially rely on traditional print based information resources and basic library skills instruction. However, this study also shows the use of internet search engines runs a close second and closes in on the use of print resources at the high school level. Although media specialists appear to provide instruction in basic electronic searching, there does not appear to be much instruction in the more critical electronic information skills including ethical and legal use of information and evaluating information resources. The lack of instruction in these areas has been reported by other researchers and may indicate a serious information literacy gap in our schools (Asselin, 2001).

At the high school level the internet search engines and the state supported electronic library play more of a role in students’ information searching activities. However, when looking across all grade levels it is disappointing that the state supported electronic library does not play a larger role in providing for the information needs of students, as the access to online catalogs and electronic databases are more authoritative than resources generally found through internet searches. The generally low use of state supported electronic databases could be due what research has shown to be a difficult information tool for young people to use (Brown 1999; Hirsh 1999).

It is interesting to note that at the high school level, the ethical and legal use of information becomes the most urgent information literacy issue. This may mean that the focus on basic library skills in the primary and intermediate grades may not have prepared students for how they are required to use information at the secondary level.

The predominant use of internet search engines, accompanied by a lack of instruction in using electronic resources, may have resulted in a learning gap related to information literacy. Although Kentucky does have a state approved information literacy curriculum, which defines information skills that should be taught by Kentucky media specialists beginning at the primary level and continuing through the secondary level, it may not be implemented in many schools, resulting in an information literacy gap in Kentucky schools. Further research on the implementation and use of the state recommended Student Benchmarks for Information Literacy by library media specialists would help shed light on this issue (Kentucky Department of Education, n.d.)

Although conclusions made from this study are limited by the charactersics of the survey respondents and may not be generalizable to a larger population, the study does raise some important issues related to the status of Kentucky schools in the information age. This study shows that students may be participating fully in the digital information age and are using search engines to locate and find information. Library media specialists, however, do not think providing information skills for the digital age is the most pressing information literacy, and are not providing higher level information skills instruction in this area. This could lead to some serious information literacy gaps for students as they prepare for membership in a global information society.

Reference and Information Services Survey

c. Less than 300 students 301 to 600 students 601 to 900 students Over 900 students

e. Information literacy instruction at the school is provided by: Library Media Specialist,Classroom Teacher Library Clerk Teacher Aide

g. School meets/does not meet minimum state guidelines for library budget allocation of $20.00 per student

h. School meets/does not meet minimum state guidelines for library collection of 10 books per student

i. School meets/does not meet minimum state guidelines for library staffing of 1 librarian per 200 students

j. School meets/does not meet minimum state guidelines for library staffing of 1 library clerk per 500 students

1. Select four items from the list below as the kinds of information literacy instruction that is provided most often at the school:

Basic orientation to the library
Basic library skills
Searching the OPAC for specific information
Searching online catalogs and databases for specific information
Introduction to types of print reference materials
Information literacy models such as the Big6 and Super3
Evaluation of print and electronic sources
Note taking skills
Critical reading skills
Ethical and legal issues related to information literacy
Other

2. Select two items from the list below as issues related to information literacy you perceive being the most urgent at your school:

Budget allocation for library
Teaching research skills
Teaching critical reading skills
Teacher evaluation of print and electronic resources
Teaching online searching skills
Teaching ethical and legal use of information, such as copyright and plagiarism
Implementing a school wide Information Literacy Model such as the Big6 or Super3
Increasing the collaboration between the library media specialist and teacher on information literacy project
Other

3. Select two items from the list below as the information tools most frequently used in your school

Resources from the print reference collection
Resources from the CD/DVD reference collection
Resources from the State Online Library (KYVL)
Resources from the Electronic Databases not part of the KYVL
Resources from Internet Search Engines
Other

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