I think Evidence Based Practice can seem daunting to many librarians who have so much on their plates already -- rubrics, collecting surveys and polls and portfolios, etc. However, if EBP is presented as a few simple things that librarians can do, instead of a slew of different practices, it won't be so seemingly difficult. Please see below for a couple of ideas:
In the DiScala and Subramaniam article ("Evidence-based practice: A practice towards
leadership credibility among school librarians," 2011), they mention an online information-literacy skills evaluative tool called TRAILS. This is a good tool for librarians to use for EBP, because it's already been created. Librarians do not need to reinvent the wheel -- if evaluation of students' skills is necessary, this tool can easily be used.
In addition, a more creative means of EBP is student portfolios -- something that also shouldn't be hard to create. If students are posting work on blogs or the library website, twitter feeds, and other Web 2.0 tools, the librarian can easily create a compendium of some of the students' best work to present to the principal, school board, parents' meeting, etc. The library website can continually feature students' best work, for the school community and parents to view and explore. This will also increase the visibility of the library in the community at large, and be its own advocacy tool as well!
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Tuesday, December 04, 2012
Library Advocacy Animoto
Check out my library advocacy animoto video, just in time for the holidays!
Library Advocacy
I think one of the most important things about advocating for your library is to keep the focus on the benefits for the users -- not on yourself or your job, or worst-case scenarios, or scare-tactics. I tried to make my video fill a need that someone would already have -- what kind of gift to get someone -- and make the library the solution to their need! Can't think of what gift to get? Buy a book for the school library in someone's honor - you'll get your gift-giving out of the way, and you help out your library not only today, but in years to come as well.
Library Advocacy
I think one of the most important things about advocating for your library is to keep the focus on the benefits for the users -- not on yourself or your job, or worst-case scenarios, or scare-tactics. I tried to make my video fill a need that someone would already have -- what kind of gift to get someone -- and make the library the solution to their need! Can't think of what gift to get? Buy a book for the school library in someone's honor - you'll get your gift-giving out of the way, and you help out your library not only today, but in years to come as well.
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