• Central High School Library

    Library Program Evaluation Goals

    Parkway libraries serve all students, families, and staff in the Parkway School District and serve as the hub of our schools and therefore, our evaluation methods must meet the broad needs of these diverse communities. Starting in May of 2016, librarians began to analyze the effectiveness of their program looking for areas of improvement. The evaluation outlined topics of study and driving questions followed by the key findings of the study. These key findings set the stage for the program recommendations that will guide the work of the library program going forward.

    Through synthesis of the many data sources used in this evaluation and upon reflection of all components of Parkway school libraries, it is clear that each of the main topics reflected in our key findings cannot exist in isolation and that there is much overlap in regards to implementation. The following recommendations are grouped according to topic and provide an illustration of the broad reach of the library program.

    The Parkway Libraries Program Evaluation Committee, in accordance with our adoption of the Future Ready Librarian and Project Connect Frameworks, recommends the following topics and goals:

    Main Topic 1: Advocacy
    Parkway libraries will strive for clear communication of the role of school librarians.

    • Create multiple avenues for communicating with the school community (students, parents, teachers, administrators, etc.)
    • Ensure equity of access to print and digital materials for all Parkway students
    • Promote use of technology in classrooms to support equity of experience in the use of digital tools and materials
    • Develop district materials outlining the role of the librarian in the digital age

    Main Topic 2: Responsiveness to Community
    Parkway libraries will be responsive to the community and have a finger on the pulse of each individual building.

    • Align individual library program goals to building CSIP
      • Character Education
      • Social Justice
      • Literacy
      • Personalization
      • Globalization
    • Flexible use of budget to meet school needs
      • Collection management (both print and digital)
      • Makerspace
      • Software subscriptions
      • Furniture
    • Advocate for student privacy
    • Scheduling
      • Utilize flexible scheduling for elementary libraries
      • Schedule time for intentional collaboration between librarian and teacher teams to support curriculum
      • Consistent scheduling limiting number of release time minutes for elementary librarians
    • Development of building collections (print and digital)
      • Actively pursue materials that represent diverse cultures
      • Develop and maintain modern collection to include recent and classic titles
    • Create intentional time for administrative tasks
      • Cataloging
      • Reporting
      • Development of programming
      • Collection development
      • Data collection and analysis

    Main Topic 3: Instruction and Programming
    Parkway libraries will support classroom instruction and provide relevant, timely programming to meet the needs and interests of each individual community.

    • Evaluate and update current library curriculum to include the following topics:
      • AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner
      • ISTE Standards for Students, Teachers,and Administrators
      • Digital Age Literacy
        • Literature appreciation
        • Information literacy
        • Media literacy
      • Digital citizenship
      • Research skills
      • Library skills
    • Develop and offer experiences for creativity, exploration, and discovery as a part of library program
      • Makerspaces
      • Coding and technology
      • Innovation

    Main Topic 4: Educational Leadership and Professional Development
    Parkway librarians will strive to be seen as leaders in buildings and will have access to just in time, targeted professional learning for librarians.

    • Provide ongoing support for librarians around Future Ready and Project Connect Frameworks and technology integration
    • Seek individual and group opportunities for leadership and professional learning

    Main Topic 5: Library Physical Spaces
    Parkway libraries are multi-use spaces that are inviting and available for learners of all ages.

    • Explore opportunities to create modern library spaces with flexible seating and multi-use zones for a variety of educational experiences

    Read the full report here.