Strategic Planning for School Library Media Centers

By (author) Mary Frances Zilonis, Carolyn Markuson, Mary Beth Fincke

Not available to order

Publication date:

23 October 2002

Length of book:

136 pages

Publisher

Scarecrow Press

ISBN-13: 9781461731610

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.
Using this planning framework will "force" library personnel to focus on the key components of school library service, which can only enhance the program. Even if one has a library plan in place, this may prove to be of value as its strength lies in its succinct guidelines for school library service.