The Principal's Guide to a Powerful Library Media Program - Softcover

McGhee, Marla W.; Jansen, Barbara A.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1586831933 ISBN 13: 9781586831936

Publisher: Linworth, 2005

Synopsis

Finally―a current tool that library media specialists can use to assist their principals in understanding how an exemplary school library program really works, and how important the library is to student achievement. This book provides media specialists with substantive information to help principals be effective practitioners and understand the influence a successful library media program has on students and teachers. Using their collective thirty years of experience, the authors―a principal and media specialist―draw heavily from their personal insights, experiences and anecdotes, as well as professional literature, related research, journal articles, site visits, and interviews with principals and library media specialists. You will also find information on the overarching philosophy guiding the practice of principals and library media specialists, best practices in the library program, the principal's role in managing the media center, and other pertinent topics.

About this title

About the Author

Marla W. McGhee, PhD, is associate professor, Educational Leadership, Texas Christian University (TCU), Ft. Worth, TX.

Barbara A. Jansen is the chair of 1-12 Instructional Technology and Upper School Librarian at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Austin, TX.

Reviews

Five well-paced chapters provide administrators with a knowledge base of library-related philosophy and research; best practices in collaboration and instructional issues; responsibilities that effective librarians assume; nuts and bolts of hiring, scheduling, budgeting, and facilities; and professional development. Each chapter opens with questions that a principal might ask and includes a concise introduction, specific suggestions for action, and extensive citations, resources, rubrics, and examples. A four-step model for improvement with the acronym GEAR (Gather information, Establish goals, Apply strategies, and Reflect) is included. The appendixes consist of useful guides and forms to use for assessing unit planning, evaluating the search process, integrating research and writing, suggested time allocations, budget, interview questions, checklists, and GEAR worksheets. While administrators are unlikely to seek out this volume, librarians would do well to read it for their own professional development, highlighting and passing along information to their principals with hopes that they become interested enough to continue reading on their own.–Mary R. Hofmann, Rivera Middle School, Merced, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Written from the vantage point of the authors' years of professional experience, this volume is addressed to principals and based on the idea "that principals can make a significant difference in the quality of the library media program." It presents information that can be used by both principals and librarians on the philosophy of instructional leadership, effective practices in integrating library skills into the school curriculum, the principal's role in supporting the library program, and ways to improve the program through professional development and action research. Everything you have ever wanted to say to your principal is here, along with some helpful charts and worksheets for budgeting, interviewing paraprofessionals, creating instructional units, and more. Buy two copies--one for the school library and one for the principal. Dona Helmer
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Linworth
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1586831933
• ISBN 13: 9781586831936
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160