Table #10 Community Affairs: Building a Culture of Literacy Through the Library
Audience: All
Presenter: Adam Marcus
PS 32K
317 Hoyt Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Library Web site http://www.ps32.org/library-blog/
E-mail http://www.ps32.org/library-blog/
Description, Goals, Intended Outcomes:
Attendees will walk away with tools for using the library to build community throughout the school and to foster a culture of literacy within the community (creating another argument for the substantiality of the library). Hopefully they will engage in a dialogue and add their own ideas to the list.
Process to Develop and Implement this Project:
i. Family Reading Nights
ii. Dinner-a-Book-and-a-Movie
iii. SeussPrise Party
iv. Book-or-Treat Party
v. BookStock concerts
Budget: (See attached document detailing the latest budget)
Timeline:
When creating the plan consider the mission, your population, what is already working, shortcomings, needs, who will help, who already helps (within and outside of the school community). It needs to be flexible and centered around the students.
The 5-Year Plan
i. Create buzz and a space different than any in the school
ii. Form LAC
iii. Set mission and Vision
iv. Get volunteers
v. Raise Funds
vi. Reading motivation
i. Build collection
ii. Involve the community
iii. Renovate
i. Renovate
ii. Build technology and network
iii. Create planning network
iv. Establish Curriculum
i. Move to all open-flex schedule
ii. Establish Curriculum
iii. Collaborate with teachers and incorporate IFC into classroom curriculum
iv. Enhance the budget and raise money
v. Build digital and print collection
vi. Community outreach
vii. Incorporate into CEP
viii. Create seamless network for technology throughout the building
ix. Classes for parents
x. Partner with MS 442 (the separate MS in our building)
Evidence of Outcomes, Possible Adaptations, Lessons Learned:
• Teachers commenting on how their students’ reading levels have improved due to the library program
• Parents commenting on how their children want to read
• Increasing participation in library events
• Increasing support from local politicians
• Referrals from local politicians
• Increased usage during expanded hours
• Collection size tripled
• We raised $500,000
• We have the support of the local public library
• We have a huge number of teacher, student, parent, and community volunteers
• Our principal is 100% behind the program
• Staff is starting to collaborate more