Exploratorium 2012: Marcus, Adam

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:

1. Organize a Library Advisory Committee
2. Develop a mission of vision for the School Library Media Program
3. Meet regularly
1. Plan outreach to politicians
2. Write grants
3. Plan events

                                                              i.      Family Reading Nights

                                                            ii.      Dinner-a-Book-and-a-Movie

                                                          iii.      SeussPrise Party

                                                           iv.      Book-or-Treat Party

                                                             v.      BookStock concerts

4. Develop library policies
3. Communicate often to families, staff, donors, potential donors, and politicians through newsletters, Blog, email, and flyers
4. Develop a relationship with the local public library
5. Invite them all to see and use the space
6. Contact media to get the word out
7. Keep the administration in the know
8. Create a State of the Library document detailing all progress and benefits accrued through the program

 

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

1. Year 1

                                                              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

2. Year 2

                                                              i.      Build collection

                                                            ii.      Involve the community

                                                          iii.      Renovate

3. Year 3

                                                              i.      Renovate

                                                            ii.      Build technology and network

                                                          iii.      Create planning network

                                                           iv.      Establish Curriculum

4. Years 4 and 5

                                                              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