Shelfari+in+the+high+school

Joanne Gongoleski—Final Project LSC597 Draft 1


 * 3. Organization/Information Center Overview **

Coventry High School, located in Coventry, Rhode Island, is home to approximately 1600 students with an average class size of 20 students. The school offers three levels of difficulty within each department—level 1 (accelerated or advanced placement), level 2 (college preparatory), and level 3 (general education designed for students who need to develop basic skills).

Coventry High School’s library is located across from the school’s main office, which makes it a natural focal point of the school. The library offers approximately 15,840 volumes, 16 magazine subscriptions, 7 online subscriptions and 65 eBooks. The library staff consists of one full-time teacher/librarian and one part-time (.5) teacher/librarian. The library is open during regular school hours and after school hours vary and are flexible. The library’s physical space offers areas for collaboration and individual work. The library also houses three computer labs, accessed mostly by teachers’ classes and individual students. There is also an additional alcove designed for class instruction within the library’s space which offers use of a SmartBoard.

Over the 2009-2010 school year, Coventry High School had conducted a self-study in preparation of re-accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), which was granted in November 2010. One area of improvement noted within the report was the development of the library’s mission, vision and goals. The following mission, vision and goals are a work-in-progress and still need approval of the appropriate team members.

__Mission __ Coventry High School Library seeks to foster student achievement, enrich curriculum, support staff development, promote community utilization and nurture lifelong learning through quality library programs, services and print and non-print materials. The library is committed to creating a vibrant, welcoming learning center, accessible to the wider school community, that stays abreast of the latest technology in order to enhance academic and life success.

__Vision __

Coventry High School Library is preparing students for global opportunities world wide.


 * 4A. Description of 2.0 Service **

Coventry High School Library is in the midst of launching its own Shelfari account. Shelfari is “a community-powered encyclopedia for book lovers. Members can “create a virtual bookshelf, discover new books, connect with friends and learn more about your favorite books – all for free” (Shelfari). The purpose of introducing and using this web 2.0 service is three-fold. Firstly, by using a Shelfari account, the librarians will be able to expose students to the vast amounts of books available for students to read. Although the school’s librarians are always willing to provide readers’ advisory time to all students who come to the library, by implementing a web 2.0 service like Shelfari, librarians will be able to reach even more students who are looking for books to read for school assignments and for recreational reading no matter the students’ location. Secondly, by using a Shelfari account, students will be exposed to valuable technological skills, which are vital in today’s world. Thirdly, librarians will be able to foster a relationship with its patrons through the library’s Shelfari account due to its participatory nature. Students and librarians can communicate their thoughts and knowledge through the comment features and online book talk space.


 * 4C. Alignment of service to mission/vision/goals **

Staying true our mission, vision and goals, launching a Shelfari account will:
 * provide students with the opportunity to develop valuable technological skills,
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">encourage and nurture students' love of reading,
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">aid curriculum by tailoring book offerings shown on the web 2.0 service according to specific classroom projects,
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">promote school and outside community utilization by being available to all via web,

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">All students and teachers will be encouraged to create an account and access the library’s account no matter their reading interests or reading level.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">4E. Goals and Outcomes of Service **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Goal #1: Foster a love of reading in high school community members

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Outcome: High school community members will have a familiar and safe online place to access information regarding book selection.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Goal #2: Increase high school community’s knowledge and skills of web 2.0 services

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Outcome: High school community members will be able to apply typical web 2.0 skills to a variety of web 2.0 services. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Perhaps we can add #3: To integrate the library resources that support teaching and learning through collaboration with the various teaching staff. ??? See page 51 of the Neasc report 2010 for Coventry schools.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">5. Staffing **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">For the launch of this service, the library staff—one full-time and one part-time teacher/librarian—will be responsible for the upkeep of the Shelfari account. Each librarian will be responsible for adding titles to the library’s account. By having both librarians adding to the account, the high school community will benefit from the selections offered. Both librians will monitor the comment postings on the page and provide responses when necessary. Both librarians will be responsible for promoting the library’s Shelfari account and how it can be used to support the school’s curriculum. It is expected that the librarians will monitor the comments and enter additional titles to the Shelfari account on a weekly basis. It is estimated that the librarians will devote approximately two hours per week with the upkeep of the Shefari account.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">7. Promotion of Service **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The librarians will promote this web 2.0 service by delivering messages via daily school announcements, posting posters and fliers throughout the school, posting the service on the school and library’s website, and sending updates via Facebook and Twitter.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Unfortunately, Facebook is blocked at our school. We will inform students of this service when they come for orientation and booktalks. Also, many of our avid readers will ask the librarians for recommendations while browsing the fiction section. This is especially true before vacations.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">9/10. Special Issues/Considerations **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The library staff expects to have to educate some students on how to create a Shelfari account and how to navigate the service. At the launch of this service, the library plans to hold several after school help session for students who need guidance with this service. The library will also hold periodic after school sessions to highlight new features that users can access. The library can also provide bits of help or highlight additional features through the library’s webpage, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Also, students and staff will be made aware that they can stop in at anytime to get help when needed.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Works Cited

//Shelfari//. Amazon.com. Web. 1 July 2011. <http://www.shelfari.com/>.

Here's the same thing but in a word document. [|FinalProject597.docx]