The Whole School Library Learning Commons: An Educator's Guide - Softcover

Sykes, Judith Anne

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1440844208 ISBN 13: 9781440844201

Publisher: Libraries Unlimited, 2016

Synopsis

Introduce your teachers, librarians, and administrators to the roles and responsibilities of educators in advocating a whole school library learning commons using this step-by-step guide for creating shared learning space in your school.

It is no surprise that technology has shifted the way we educate―bearing on how, what, and where we learn. This guide lays the framework for helping turn your school library into a whole school library learning commons (WSLLC)―a space where traditional academics merge with the latest technologies to engage learners in a way never before realized.

Author Judith Anne Sykes contends that since the WSLLC philosophy allows staff and students to co-create knowledge in a shared space, it is more effective than the traditional approach. Sykes addresses the differences between a school library and a WSLLC, provides reasons to champion its creation in your institution, and discusses how to use mentoring as a means to sustain its survival. The book explores the roles and responsibilities of educators in developing WSLLC goals and presents strategies for using typical assessment tools―including standardized tests, report cards, and anecdotal assessments―to help support its philosophy.

About this title

About the Author

Judith Anne Sykes is an educational consultant as well as an advocate for the whole school library learning commons. She formerly served as a teacher librarian, district school library specialist, principal, and school library services manager for the Ministry of Education in Alberta, Canada.

Reviews

This thorough guide offers strategies and resources for developing a vision and implementing a plan for a whole school library learning commons approach. Sykes, herself a former teacher, librarian, and school administrator, as well as a project coordinator for the Canadian Library Association, relies heavily on the work of researcher David Loertscher, who also wrote the foreword. Indeed, Loertscher acknowledges that the book is not for beginners. Rather, it demands familiarity with the concept of a learning commons and functions as more of a planning guide than an introduction to the topic. According to Sykes, creating a school library learning commons involves more than just modifying a physical space; it means adopting a pedagogical strategy across the entire school to build a collaborative, participatory culture of learning. The volume is framed by four concepts: mentoring, accountability, research, and community. The author explains the importance and applications of each idea in turn, then offers suggested resources and activities to reflect on current learning models and involve all members of the school community. Sykes outlines the role of all stakeholders, from teachers to administrators, and there is a clear emphasis on the critical position of the teacher librarian. VERDICT This resource will be most effective for readers who are already familiar with the concept of a school library learning commons and are interested in how to assess, adopt, or adapt the approach.—Lauren Strohecker, McKinley Elementary School, Elkins Park, PA

Edition details

• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1440844208
• ISBN 13: 9781440844201
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176