Marji Gibbs – Student Teacher August 16, 2004 – Oct 9, 2004
Salem Community High School, District 600
The following criterion reflects the job description of Media Center Director at SCHS. In red, I have addressed how Marji participated in these performance objectives.
Job Goals: The Media Services Director is responsible for the day-to-day operation
of the library media center. The main goals include:
1. assisting students and faculty with informational needs, orientation and curriculum materials development,
2. maintaining the library as an innovative learning center for the entire school population, and
3. supervising the audiovisual services of the Media Center.
Performance Objectives
I Administrative Skills
1. Provides a set of written policies and procedures for the Media Center.
We reviewed the policies being utilized at this time, and examined all the current practices of the SCHS program.
2. Supervises daily library/audiovisual department operations.
Marji expertly demonstrates knowledge of library operations and is observing the practices and procedures of the audiovisual department. She willingly assists teachers who are having difficulties with the photocopiers, and is being trained to operate the other equipment available to teachers (electric hole punch, spiral binder, laminator, folder, etc.)
3. Prepares the budget and accounting procedures for monitoring the Media Center expenditures.
In order to comply with the expectations of the Administration, Marji has reviewed the purchase order, processing and billing practices of the Media Center. In selecting materials to be purchased, she has demonstrated knowledge of vendors who offer the best prices, and has saved precious book budget money by making wise decisions.
4. Prepares grant proposals pertinent to Media Center applications.
Marji will not be involved in the writing the Per Capita or the Title V grants since her experience at SCHS will be finished prior to the deadline for these funding opportunities, but she has demonstrated an understanding of the grants available to school libraries. She is assisting in the selection of resources that will be purchased if the Media Center is awarded the LSTA Weed and Feed grant that will be announced in late September.
5. Maintains a current knowledge of trends in media technology and surveys reviews of recently published articles in order to make media and equipment purchases relevant to the school’s needs.
She demonstrates an advanced understanding of media technology, and she shares findings that she reads at library web sites. She keeps abreast of current trends and practices by reading information at these sites regularly. In addition, she shares information that she has gathered from classes she has taken, and we discuss how to improve the current program and SCHS. She has offered numerous helpful suggestions.
6. Implements a process for selection and processing of materials.
In planning for the Read for a Lifetime program, Marji independently selected the vendors for her purchases. The books were cataloged according to current SCHS practices.
7. Implements innovative changes in Media Center operations.
Marji has demonstrated expertise by updating and enhancing the Media Center web page at www.salemhigh.com. For my benefit, she has prepared detailed, but easy to use procedures that will insure that I can maintain the site after she leaves SCHS. Her knowledge and skills in preparing the web page were superior.
She has also implemented the Read for a Lifetime challenge for teen readers. This type of program is new to the MC activities and has been highly received by our English teachers and the students. To date, over 75 students have signed up to participate in the challenge.
She is also developing a file for pleasure readers that will list suggested titles or authors in specific genres. This is greatly assist those who ask, “Do you have any books I would enjoy reading?”
She has created faculty handouts that will inform teachers about the online professional periodicals available through our online subscription database. She also created student handouts that will teach searching skills to be used with online research.
8. Conducts needs assessment.
Marji notices areas for improvement. She has inquired about the procedure for determining needs of the collection and program, and demonstrates an understanding of preparing for changes that will improve the Media Center offerings.
9. Maintains the Shawnee Library System On-line bibliographic and circulation system.
Marji demonstrates an understanding of the circulation functions of the Dynix System. She can perform the circulation functions and also place holds on materials belonging to other libraries. Before she could perform cataloging functions, the Shawnee Library System would require that she receive training by their staff. An opportunity to receive that training was not possible during Marji’s eight-week stay at SCHS.
10. Completes written reports accurately and on schedule.
This activity refers to communication with the Board of Education or Administration. There were no required reports during her stay at SCHS. Marji does demonstrate good record keeping skills with her activities, and she would have no difficulty preparing any reports that were requested.
II. Organization
1. Maintains complete and accurate records of library/audiovisual equipment and supplies.
Marji reviewed the library collection inventory procedure, the supply and equipment inventory records as well as the AV equipment repair logs presently maintained by the Media Center. The work involving those records takes place prior to the end of the school year thus preventing her from working directly with them.
2. Maintains appropriate records of Media Center activities.
The Dynix System provides the circulation statistic report. Marji knows where the past reports are filed. She also knows the procedure for generating an overdue books report, and how students are notified of past due items. She is capable of handling all areas of circulation to students and teachers. In addition, she kept accurate records for the instructional units she created, evaluated the lessons for strengths as well as areas needing improvement, and included bibliographies for the topics.
3. Coordinates student use of the Media Center during the school day with school policy and procedures.
Marji knows the procedure for reserving the Media Center for classroom use. When classes are not using the Media Center, study hall students can sign out to spend the hour in the Media Center. Marji takes attendance for those students, maintains appropriate disciplinary methods and oversees their proper use of the computers and materials.
4. Catalogs and classifies print and non-print media materials using the Dewey Decimal System of Classification, GUI-CAT online records, and marc cataloging procedures.
Formal cataloging would require training from Shawnee Library System. Marji does demonstrate knowledge of classifying materials, and has observed me attaching holding records to existing files in the Dynix System or preparing records to be sent to Shawnee for complete marc cataloging. In order to maintain uniform records in the Dynix System, Shawnee Library System requires that all items needing a full marc record be sent to them. We can search the Library of Congress or First Search to locate a marc record that will make Shawnee’s processing of our request easier.
5. Provides general maintenance and minor repair to all audiovisual equipment.
Not applicable - Most preventive maintenance for the AV equipment takes place at the end of the school year; so Marji did not participate in overhead maintenance 101.
6. Builds and maintains a collection of varied media resources and equipment that meet student and teacher needs.
We have discussed the selection policy and procedures that are utilized by our Media Center. Marji has spent time evaluating sections of our collection and determining the strengths and weaknesses. She demonstrates good insight and knowledge of materials selection.
7. Fosters an inviting, attractive, friendly atmosphere in which students and staff can work at productive levels.
Marji keeps the shelving in order to insure efficient use of the collection. She has prepared a display in the hall to promote the Read for a Lifetime program.
She is visible and easily approached for assistance and guidance by students and faculty.
III. Instructional Leadership
1. Assists classroom teachers in obtaining materials that support their curriculum.
Marji has superior skills in selecting appropriate print and nonprint materials. She meets with classroom teachers and collaborates with them during the planning phase of a class project. She then researches our existing collection, seeks additional materials through interlibrary loan, and locates appropriate databases and/or web sites that will support the project. She then consults with the teacher to “fine tune” the activity. The teachers who have utilized her services have favorably commented on the thorough attention she has given to their activities.
On the first day that a class is utilizing the Media Center, Marji introduces the resources available for the project and then demonstrates research techniques that will enable the students to be more successful in their gathering and evaluation of information. By teaching strategies to each class that comes to the Media Center, Marji’s intention is to insure that by their senior year, students will have a better knowledge of research skills and techniques.
Also, a faculty member, who is developing a collection of teen appropriate paperbacks for her classroom, has worked with Marji in the selection process. Marji demonstrates an extensive knowledge of young adult fiction genres and is looked to for guidance in this area.
2. Provides Media Center Orientation for new students and teachers.
Marji participated in the Freshmen Orientation unit. Her part of the presentation focused on the utilization of on-line databases and web sites that support the academic needs of the students. Following a brief discussion with me to answer her concerns regarding the content, she prepared her presentation independently She also helped oversee the two-day hands-on activity phase of the orientation where students worked in teams utilizing the various tools available in the Media Center.
3. Provides individual or small group instruction in the use of Media Center tools and equipment.
Marji assists students and faculty with any need they may have. Her knowledge base is extensive, and she is very helpful. She is also extremely well read, and is asked by numerous students to help them find something good to read. This is an easy task for her.
4. Implements procedures to maintain effective discipline in the Media Center.
Marji keeps a watchful eye on the students in the Media Center and effectively oversees the proper use of the computers. She addresses concerns when she observes them and needs no prompting from me to handle a potential problem.
5. Provides for the design and production of materials using audiovisual equipment unique to the Media Center that typically includes but is not limited to audio tapes, video tapes, posters, transparencies, slides, and displays.
Not applicable. Marji was not expected to complete any AV projects because computers are making many of these requests obsolete. She does have excellent computer skills and can generate power point presentations or online pathfinders that will help with instruction.
IV. Communication
1. Performs assessment to identify the needs and interests of students and faculty to insure the best service possible.
Marji recognizes program areas that need to be addressed. This has been demonstrated in her Read for a Lifetime program. It is a huge success and has many more participants (117) than we anticipated. Because of the vast numbers participating, she is analyzing the operation of the reading program. Although we purchased one copy of each book, many students must obtain copies through interlibrary loan in order to start reading the selections in a timely manner. Marji recommended that we obtain an additional copy of some of the more popular titles. In order to save money, we are accepting donated copies and as well as researching used book vendors to fill the need.
Marji is also aware of the needs of the teachers that she has assisted. She frequently brings in ideas or suggestions for resources or information that she has located and thinks will help them. In sharing her findings, she is building a strong rapport with the faculty.
2. Attends faculty, department head, and committee meetings.
Each Thursday morning, SCHS has a staff meeting called Prime Time from 8:00-8:50 A.M. The focus of the meeting changes weekly but includes activities such as technology training, NCA committee work or department head meetings. Marji attends these meetings and is a willing participant and contributor.
3. Provides professional assistance upon request to the community and surrounding schools.
Marji has demonstrated her willingness to consult with our public librarian. She took the initiative to phone the librarian about her concerns regarding including a link to public library site on our school web page. She received the permission she desired and completed her project.
I am confident that if the need arose for her to provide professional assistance to them, she would be willing and capable.
4. Promotes good relations between school and community through positive handling of Media Center concerns.
Marji has established a good rapport with the students. She is friendly, approachable, kind and supportive.
V. Professional Development
1. Demonstrates a sense of professional responsibility.
Marji is punctual, professionally dressed, and in a positive mood.
2. Builds rapport with faculty, staff and community librarians.
This has been addressed in some of the areas above. Marji is well liked and appreciated by our staff and administration. She is also well known in the library community since she resides in this community and has past experience in a grade school library.
3. Maintains liaison with other types of libraries, other schools, and the community.
There have not been many opportunities to demonstrate this, but she is familiar with the Shawnee Library System and its services, and is known by the libraries and schools in our community.
4. Keeps professionally and educationally informed by
- attending association, faculty, and committee meetings.
- reading professional literature
- participating in workshops and conferences.
- participating in school improvement projects and committees.
The information that Marji shares each morning demonstrates that she spends time reviewing ALA and other sites of authority to glean information appropriate to the high school library program. We have discussed membership in ISLAMA and other professional organizations. This demonstrates her knowledge of organizations that support our profession.