Checking Our References!

Two Wolves Evaluation:

A Plan to Improve Reference Services

Introduction

The Two Wolves Library (TWL) supports the Two Wolves Program, which is a school program run within the Prince George Youth Custody Centre (PGYCC). The TWL is a small library with approximately 1600 books. As well, its collection includes about 100 movies stored on optical discs and 50 music albums stored on Compact Disc. The TWL has access to a number of digital services through the District Learning Commons (DLC). Student accessibility of these resources is somewhat limited due to the institutional nature of the program. The TWL is undergoing a period of extensive reorganisation and maintenance, and evaluation of the library’s collection and services is a part of the process in evolving the existing program towards a modern Library Learning Commons (LLC).

Evaluation

Evaluating the Two Wolves library reference collection was a multi-step process. In Reference Skills for the School LIbrarian, Riedling and Houston (2019) outline the selection guidelines for evaluating different reference resources. These guidelines were amalgamated into a rubric in Evaluating a Reference Material (link) (Mack, 2023a). The scope of the rubric was altered so that it examines the reference component as a whole rather than an individual resource. Next, five representative samples were examined individually for accuracy, authority, currency, and accessibility, with the results averaged to give information about the component as a whole (Appendix A). A summary of the results is listed in Table 1 below.

Figure 1: The Two Wolves Library doesn’t have a reference section. Different reference components are shelved in different parts of the library. Shown here is a portion of the collection’s dictionaries and thesauruses (own photo).

Once the quality of each component of the reference section is known, the reference collection as a whole can be evaluated. The Canadian School Libraries Association (CASL) (Asselin, Branch, & Oberg, 2006) sets several standards required for effective libraries, as well as a rubric for evaluating a library program. Standards associated with evaluating the reference collections were combined in a rubric and the reference collection was then evaluated in Table 2.

Table 1:

Evaluation of Reference Materials by component

Reference Component

Summary

Evaluation

Bibliographies

The library contains no print resources of this type.

The library has access to several digital resources, including no cost options available online and resources available through subscription services.

Representative samples:

- Book Review Digest Plus (EBSCO)
- Children’s Core Collection (EBSCO)
- LibGuides Community (online)
- Focussed Education Resources (online)
- Internet Library for Librarians (online)

Average Score

Accuracy: 4
Authority: 3.8
Currency: 4
Scope: 3
Accessibility: 2

Total: 3.4

Notes:

The scope score is leniently judged because of the limited use of this component by students.

The low accessibility score is due to the lack of immediately accessible (print) resources.

Ready-

Reference Tools

The library contains a number of print fact books and almanacs relating to facts, history, science, and politics. There are also several handbooks and style manuals.

The library has access to several no cost digital Directories and Yearbooks found online.

Representative samples:

- The 2022 Guiness Book of Records (print)
- The History Book (print)
- Cite Right (print)
- Find a Postal Code (online)
- The CIA World Factbook (online)

Average Score

Accuracy: 3.8
Authority: 3.6
Currency: 3.6
Scope: 3
Accessibility: 2.6

Total: 3.3

Notes:

The low scope score is due to the lack of fact books for some subjects.

Biographical Sources

The library contains no print resources of this type.

The library has access to digital biography indexes through subscription services EBSCO and GALE Group, as well as no cost options online.

Representative samples:

MasterFile Premier (EBSCO)
Canada Reference Centre (EBSCO)
Biography and Genealogy Master Index (Gale Group)
Biography (online)
Academy of Achievement (online)

Average Score

Accuracy: 3.6
Authority: 3.2
Currency: 4
Scope: 3
Accessibility: 2

Total: 3.2

Notes:

The low score for scope is due to the lack of Canadian content in this component of the collection.

Dictionaries

The library contains a wide selection of print dictionaries and thesaurus. They are from a variety of publishers, and in a variety of formats. There are also a variety of speciality dictionaries, including language dictionaries, thesauruses, literary dictionaries, and science dictionaries.

The library has access to digital dictionaries through subscription services as well as no cost options available online.

Representative samples:

- Student’s Oxford Canadian Dictionary, 2nd Ed (print)
- Webster’s Rhyming Dictionary (print)
- Merriam Webster’s Children’s Dictionary (print)
- Dictionary.com (online)
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionary (online)

Average Score

Accuracy: 4
Authority: 4
Currency: 2.8
Scope: 4
Accessibility: 3.2

Total: 3.6

Notes:

The low score for currency is due to all of the print resources being published more than 5 years ago.

Encyclopedias

There are several subject volume encyclopaedias covering a variety of subjects at a variety of grade levels. There are no general single or multi-volume encyclopaedias.

The library has access to digital encyclopaedias through the subscription service EBSCO, as well as no cost options online.

Representative samples:

- The New York Public Library Science Desk Reference (print)
- Encyclopaedia of the Human Body (print)
- Funk and Wagnalls (EBSCO)
- The Canadian Encyclopedia (online)
- Wikipedia (online)

Average Score

Accuracy: 3.6
Authority: 3.2
Currency: 2.8
Scope: 3
Accessibility: 2.4

Total: 3

Notes:

Both the print resources are older than 15 years.

Geographical Sources

The library contains several print atlases, maps, globes, and travel guides.

The library has access to digital geographical sources through subscription services as well as no cost options available online.

Representative samples:

- The National Geographic Family Reference Atlas of the World (print)
- The Canadian Oxford School Atlas (print)
- Lonely Planet’s The Travel Book (print)
- Geology of British Columbia (print)
- Intelliglobe (interactive globe)

Average Score

Accuracy: 4
Authority: 4
Currency: 2
Scope: 4
Accessibility: 3.2

Total: 3.4

Notes:

All physical resources in this component are older than 5 years.

Indexes, Periodicals, and Databases

The library contains no print resources of this type.

The library has access to digital indexes, periodicals, and databases through EBSCO, Gale, and ProQuest.

Representative samples:

WorldBook Student
Gale Group
EBSCO
Explora
ProQuest

Average Score

Accuracy: 4
Authority: 4
Currency: 4
Scope: 4
Accessibility: 2

Total: 3.6

Notes:

The library has access to some of the most important resources available.

Since all of the resources in this component are online, they are relatively inaccessible to our students.

Overall, the Two Wolves Library’s reference collection is rated as “Acceptable,” although both the Reference Facility Support, and Reference Furniture and Equipment were “Below Average” (Table 2). Both of these categories involve the ease with which users access the reference collection. Looking at the individual components of the reference collection, the indexes, periodicals, and databases, and the dictionary sections were the most highly rated. The encyclopaedia and biographical sections were the most lowly rated. This was mainly due to lower scores in the scope category, where the encyclopaedia and biographical components had fewer resources to support the school’s curriculum. The lowest scores for all components tended to be in the accessibility and currency categories.

The biggest issues with the Two Wolves Library’s reference collection are with its accessibility and currency. The library has access to some high quality digital resources, however it lacks the equipment to retrieve that data. There are no computer workstations in the library and the classroom workstations don’t have internet connectivity. Currently, students must use a teacher’s laptop to access digital resources under direct supervision. For print resources, most materials are older than 5 years old, with several being older than 15.

Table 2:

The Two Library’s Reference Collection Analysed by CASL Standards

Area	Description	CASL Standard
Reference Resources	The average of the score (3.4) for the individual reference section components.	Acceptable
Periodical Indexes	The library has several electronic indexes, but no print index.	Acceptable
Collection Maintenance	Most items in the reference section are in good condition.	Acceptable
Reference Facility Support	The library has limited access to electronic references. Print reference materials are not near the circulation area, and some resources are stored in different areas of the library.	Below Standard
Reference Furniture and Equipment	There is no specialised furniture. The library lacks computer access.	Below standard

Rationale for Change

The Canadian School Libraries Association (CASL) (Asselin, Branch, & Oberg, 2006) writes “Access to information and ideas is essential for students to become critical thinkers, competent problem solvers, and lifelong learners” (p.23). The reference collection is an entry point for knowledge, and so it needs to be of a high standard.

Key components of a successful LLC are currency and accessibility of resources. Up to date resources ensure that the information is of high quality, free of misinformation, free of outdated concepts, and enables learning. Access is another key component of a successful LLC, and this includes providing a variety of print and digital collections, and ensuring that “differentiated, rich, and diverse collections” (Ekdahl & Zubke, 2017) are available to students. If resources aren’t accessible, then they’re not usable by the library’s patrons. Accessibility means that the students should have the technology, equipment, and furniture to access the collection easily, in its entirety, wherever work is being conducted. The reference collection needs to have a designated spot, close to the circulation counter, so that the reference collection can fulfil its function of providing readily accessible information. The constraints on internet and technology use in the centre means that the library should emphasise print resources. Accessibility also means that students are able to find the resources they need. Useful resources will become camouflaged if they are mixed among lower quality materials. Weeding will benefit a collection by improving its “accessibility, appearance, currency, circulation and additional space” (Dubicki, 2008).

The lack of accessibility and currency are negatively affecting student learning by decreasing their information literacy and the quality of their research. Students can’t learn properly use reference materials if they’re taught with reference services that are below standard. The deficiencies of the reference section of the library are illustrated by its use by students. An experience with past student assignments shows that student references lack quality and diversity. These assignments show an over utilisation of singular resources of poor authority like Wikipedia.

Plan

Resolving the issues with Two Wolves Library’s reference services will involve both immediate solutions as well as larger structural changes. Many of the issues with currency and accessibility can be swiftly resolved by purchasing modern print resources. Weeding the collection has started, but will take several more months to complete. The plan to improve the reference section of the Two Wolves Library is integrated with the larger plan to improve the library as a whole through categorisation and reorganising . Transforming a library into a LLC is a process that involves commitment, planning, and executing a long term plan (Ekdahl & Zubke, 2017). This is a multi-year process that has just been implemented, although several steps have already begun and others will occur concurrently.

Figure 2: Weeding the collection has already begun (own photo).

Table 3:

Two Wolves Program Plan to Improve Reference Section

Date Completed	Task	Details
April 2023	Consult	Who: The teacher in the Position Of Special Responsibility (POSR) with the institutional directors and school administration. The Two Wolves POSR needs to consult in order to collaborate on solutions to the library’s shortcomings. Specifically, solutions to the lack of technology, and the resulting lack of access to curricular resources, need to be found.
September 2023	Acquire resources	Who: The POSR The program should acquire resources to immediately address the issues noted in the collection evaluation. This includes purchasing single volume print encyclopaedias and various print fact books to address the issues with the scope and accessibility of the reference collection. This resources include: Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia (Lloyd, 2020) The Science Book (DK, 2014) Also, older print resources need to be replaced. Resources older than 5 years old should be identified during the weeding process and the oldest resources should be immediately replaced with new resources. These include: The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (Revised Edition) (Merriam-Webster, 2022).
September 2023	Create Plan	Who: Written by the POSR with input from the school community An initial plan for the formation of a program Library Learning Commons needs to be completed and presented to the school community.
December 2023	Collection Maintenance	Who: conducted by the humanities teacher and the student librarian under the direction of the POSR The Two Wolves Library is in desperate need of weeding, cataloguing, and reorganising. Weeding needs to occur first, so that time isn’t spent organising parts of the collection that will be removed. This portion of weeding of the library is being conducted systematically section by section. Weeding of the non-fiction section is scheduled to be completed by the end of the summer, with weeding of the intermediate fiction section beginning 15 September 2023. The complete schedule for weeding is located here (link) (Mack, 2023b).
December 2023	Consult with DLC	Who: The POSR with the district head TL Consult with the District Learning Commons to create a plan to organise and catalogue the collection.
March 2024	Create New Annual Budget	Who: created by the POSR Create a new annual budget to address deficiencies. Specifically, request money for: Two library computer workstations. One circulation computer and associated equipment

There are several foreseeable challenges. The primary issue is that cataloging and classification of library resources are tasks overseen by the District Learning Commons within the district. Reorganising the library is therefore entirely dependent on their availability. The timeline to reorganise the library will ultimately rely on the DLC’s schedule. Another issue regards the budget. It’s possible that the Ministry of Education and Childcare won’t authorise the increased expenditures. If that occurs, improving the the reference section will still occur, but at a slower pace and the competing library needs will have to be re-evaluated.

Purchasing up-to-date print references will instantly improve the library collection. More substantial improvements can be tracked by evaluating the collection. Marcia Mardis (2021) suggests several methods of evaluating components of the library collection, including several user-centred methods. User surveys, of both students and teachers, will be conducted at the end of each school year. The references of student assignments will also be examined to see what references are being used and how. These evaluations will be used to update the LLC upgrade plan, which will be available to the entire school community. A summary of these results will also be included with the annual report to the Ministry of Education and Childcare.

With this plan, some of the more immediate issues with the library can be solved promptly. Some of the other issues are larger and relate to larger structural deficits in the Two Wolves Library program and will take more time and effort to address. The process to improve the library has begun, but because the program requires so much maintenance, it can only be solved by restructuring the library as a whole. These issues will be addressed as the library moves towards becoming a fully realised Library Learning Commons. That process is only in the beginning stages, with initial consultations taking place this week with the school community in order to determine how to best proceed. An initial plan for a three year process of action is scheduled to be completed by September 2023.

Appendix A

Completed rubrics: Evaluating Reference Materials (Link).

References

Asselin, M., Branch, J., & Oberg, D., (Eds) (2006). Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for school library programs in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Canadian School Library Association & The Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada. Retrieved March 30, 2023 from https://accessola.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2003-AchievingInfoLiteracy.pdf

Canadian School Libraries (CSL). 2020. Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca

DK (2014). The Science Book: Big Ideas Explained. DK Pub.

Dubicki, E. (2008b). Weeding: facing the fears. Collection Building, 27(4), 132–135. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://doi.org/10.1108/01604950810913689

Lloyd, C. (Ed.). (2020). Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia: What We Know & what We Don’t. Britannica Books.

Mack, D. (2023a). Evaluating a Reference Material. Just this guy learning about libraries. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://blogs.ubc.ca/pgdan/2023/02/09/evaluating-a-reference-material/

Mack, D. (2023b). Two Wolves Library Schedule for Weeding. Just this guy learning about libraries. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://blogs.ubc.ca/pgdan/2023/03/29/two-wolves-library-schedule-for-weeding/

Mardis, M. A. (2021). Collection Program in Schools: Concepts and Practices, 7th Edition. Libraries Unlimited.

Merriam-Webster (Ed.). (2022). The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (Revised Edition). Merriam-Webster.

Riedling, A. M., & Houston, C. (2019). Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Two Wolves Library Schedule for Weeding

Evolving Teachers’ Use of Reference Resources

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Introduction to CBAM

The task of reference services is to connect users of the Library Learning Commons (LLC) with the information they need. One way of doing that is providing the information they seek through a method like the Reference Interview (Riedling and Houston, 2019). However, this is a somewhat hierarchical method. A different method – that involves increasing the information literacy of and collaboration with the users of the LLC, is to evolve their practice. This report will examine the use of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) to evolve the practice of two teachers in this educational program.

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model is a framework to support people in changing their practice. The key for the adoption of innovation is the intended innovator (Oris, n.d.). Often teachers are taught how to perform a task while they still have significant questions and concerns about the process (Loucks-Horsley, 1996). “CBAM is a process providing individuals the opportunity to address their own needs and time frame” (Oris, n.d.) in order to increase the likelihood that a new task or process is adopted. The CBAM process is different from other models like the Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition (SAMR) Model. The SAMR focuses on functional change in the classroom (Technology is Learning, n.d.), but not on the role of the teacher. What’s important about the CBAM model is that it’s not just about providing information and skills about implementing a new technology or process, but instead includes emotional support during implementation. The two teachers involved in this report are Teacher A and Teacher B. These teachers are at two very different levels with regard to the effective use of reference materials.

Supporting Teacher A

Teacher A is a classroom teacher who specialises in the humanities at a senior level. They use basic reference materials that are available in the classroom, such as dictionaries and thesaurus. When further information is needed, such as when students are looking for information to complete projects, Teacher A directs their students to Google searches and Wikipedia. They are aware that there are reference resources available through the LLC website, but while they haven’t made any steps to log in or otherwise access them, they have expressed interest in their use. According to the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, Teacher A is at the second level of use, which is “Orientation” (Huang, n.d.). Individuals at this level of use are still acquiring information about the process and are seeking information to get started on integrating reference resources in the classroom. Emotionally, Teacher A is at the “Awareness” Stage of Concern according to the CBAM model (Loucks-Horsley, 1996). Their concerns mostly involve themselves and thoughts about their ability to teach the use of reference materials.

Teacher A requires direct information and training in order to increase their classroom use of reference resources. I would support them by providing:

Encouragement.
1. I would let this teacher know they are capable of using reference materials; and
2. I would provide assistance to limit frustration.
Teaching.
1. I would ask if they need help using reference resources;
2. I would directly supply information on available services and how they’re used; and
3. I would teach workshops and professional development sessions.
Direction.
1. I would direct this teacher towards reference materials, especially digital reference materials like EBSCOhost and GALE (found here);
2. I would direct this teacher towards resources on using reference materials, such as online tutorials (like these); and
3. I would direct this teacher towards workshops and professional development sessions.
Monitoring.
1. I would monitor this teacher’s progress as they progress towards full use of reference resources (approximately three years).

The District Learning Commons (DLC) E-Resource List hosts digital reference resources such as EBSCOhost and GALE. Link.

Supporting Teacher B

Teacher B is a classroom teacher who specialises in intermediate science. They have become increasingly aware of the reference services available through the library and are increasingly incorporating their use in the classroom. Teacher B teaches basic information literacy as a unit in their courses. They collaborate with the school TLs, and schedule a time for their classes to visit the LLC and receive instruction about library services. The TL shows their students where to access various library resources and what digital resources are available through the District Learning Commons. Teacher B directs students to the reference materials on the LLC webpage when students are involved in research. According to the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, Teacher B is at the fourth level of use, which is “Mechanical” (Huang, n.d.). Individuals at this stage are focused on the immediate use of the library references. Emotionally, Teacher B is at the “Management” stage of Concern according to the CBAM model. Individuals at this stage of concern are often focussed on the task itself, rather than the results and impact of the activity (Loucks-Horsley, 1996).

Teacher B requires consultation and collaboration in order to increase the effectiveness of their use of reference resources. To move past purely mechanical work and towards integration that increases the overall informational literacy of their students I would support them by providing:

Encouragement.
1. I would congratulate this teacher on the progress that they’ve made; and
2. I would reassure them that they can further increase the informational literacy of his students.
Consultation.
1. I would mentor them to see what they’re doing what assistance they still need; and
2. I would direct them to valuable resources and give them suggestions on how to improve their practice.
Collaboration.
1. I would collaborate with this teacher “to infuse information literacy instruction in learning experiences” (CSL, 2020);
2. I work with this teacher, perhaps with co-teaching or co-operative lesson planning, to improve their classroom integration of reference resources; and
3. I would also seek to connect them to colleagues that have further implemented the use of research resources.
Monitoring.
1. I would continue to monitor this teacher’s progress as they progress towards full use of reference resources (approximately one to two years).

Figure 5: A server farm. Digital reference resources, accessible online and stored on servers like the ones pictured above, are increasingly relevant resources for school research (Law, 2005).

Conclusion

Teachers require more than just information in order to integrate new technologies and processes into their practice. The CBAM Model is a method that supports teachers, in both their emotional and intellectual needs, at various stages of their adoption of reference resources. Teacher A requires direct instruction and training in order to begin using Library Learning Centre reference resources in their classroom. However, even teachers that are initially doing well can benefit from assistance as they adapt to new processes. Teacher B also needs support so that their use of reference resources doesn’t remain focused on the mechanics of the process. Frustration and abandonment of innovation can occur at any stage of use within the CBAM model. Therefore, teachers need to be continuously supported as they progress through the process of increasing their reference resource use. With adequate assistance, both of these teachers can progress to the very last stages of use, where their use of reference resources is refined and innovative.

Link to Microsoft Word document version of this report.

References

Canadian School Libraries (CSL). 2020. Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca

Hord, S. M., Rutherford, W. L., Huling, L., & Hall, G. E. (2014). Taking Charge of Change (PDF Ed.). Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://sedl.org/pubs/change22/taking-charge-of-change-2014.pdf

Huang, P.S. (n.d.). Levels of Use. Concerns-Based Adoption Model. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://sites.google.com/site/ch7cbam/home/levels-of-use

Law, S. (2005). Server farm [photograph]. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50642338@N00/78981814) CC BY 2.0.

Loucks-Horsley, S. (1996). Professional Development for Science Education: A Critical and Immediate Challenge. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/731/2015/07/CBAM-explanation.pdf

Oris, A. (n.d.). Intro to CBAM – Concerns-Based Adoption Model. Concerns-Based Adoption Model. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://sites.google.com/site/ch7cbam/home/introduction

Riedling, A. M. & Houston, C. (2019). Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips, 4th Edition. Libraries Unlimited.

SD57 DLC (n.d.). School District 57 District Learning Commons Discovery Learning Portal. https://prin.ent.sirsidynix.net/client/en_US/dlc/?rm=E-RESOURCES+%28N0%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7Ctrue&lang=EN

Technology is Learning. (n.d.). SAMR Model. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model

Theme 2 Blog Post: Reference Services

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Reference Services: Connecting Patrons with Information

“One of the primary functions of a school librarian is to assist students in the use of the library and its collections” (Riedling & Houston, 2019, p. 89). The focus of Theme 1 was information, and ensuring that Library Learning Commons are a source of high quality resources. In Theme 2, the focus is on connecting library patrons with that information. There are many ways in which this can be accomplished however, with the method used depending on the several factors, including the age of the patron, the time (whether the patron is requesting information during or outside of classroom hours, and whether the TL is currently occupied with multiple tasks and responsibilities), setting (whether the patron is alone or part of a group or class, or how information literacy is taught within that school). There is also an ongoing shift in library practice, as school libraries shift towards Library Learning Commons.

The space at Prince George Secondary School, a library transitioning to an LLC. (Own photo)

The Reference Interview

In Reference Skills for the School Librarian, Riedling and Houston state that the fundamental method for determining what students need is through the use of the reference interview (2019, p. 89). Depending on the situation, though, a process like the reference interview can be somewhat problematic. It is effective at connecting patrons with information, however it is a top down process. Patrons are connected to the information that they need, but without learning some of the higher process skills needed for information literacy. It is also inefficient. Many of the initial questions asked during the reference interview “should have done as part of the initial stages in the research process” (Beaudry, n.d.) Also, conducting interviews with many individual students suggests that collaboration/cooperation with the classroom teacher hasn’t occurred. “Whenever it is possible, instruction on information skills and the use of reference materials should involve a collaborative effort by the classroom teacher who is the subject expert, and the teacher-librarian, the information specialist” (Beaudry, n.d.). This was mirrored in the group discussion on the topic. The general consensus was that the reference interview didn’t reflect the reality of their positions as teacher-librarians, and seemed better suited for use in public libraries (Lesson 5 Discussions, n.d.). This is not to suggest that reference interview doesn’t have value, just that other techniques might be better suited to the goals of efficiently and effectively connecting patrons with information.

Instruction and Collaboration

Teacher-Librarians have other techniques which may be more effective in connecting students with the information that they need. “The major learning outcome for the school library program is to develop students who are information literate” (Asselin, Branch & Oberg, 2003/2006). This means that TLs have a responsibility greater than merely providing students with the resources they need, but an obligation to teach them how to find, evaluate and use that material on their own. The BCLTA lists the roles of the teacher-librarian, of which instruction and collaboration might be more suitable ways of matching students to the resources they need (BCTLA, n.d.). Instructing students in the use of one of the various models for information seeking covers some of the initial questions of the reference interview, as does collaboration with the teachers giving research assignments. Students should also be taught what LLC resources exist and how to use them.

Class and small group instruction and collaboration have multiple benefits. It can save time, since some aspects of information seeking can be addressed to groups of students rather than having to be dealt with individually. Instruction teaches students how to access that information rather than merely just have it presented, and as such it increases the students information literacy and allows them to work more independently. Canadian Schools Libraries quantifies the ability of a LLC to foster various literacies in a rubric, with performance ranked from “Exploring” to “Leading into the Future” (2020).

For Canadian School Libraries, teaching Information, Critical, and Digital literacies are fundamental duties for teacher-librarians (CSL, 2020).

Fostering Literacies

The Role of the Teacher-Librarian

Having the role of the teacher-librarian codified is important. Sometimes the the school community is unsure or misinformed what the TL’s responsibilities and roles are. A codified list of responsibilities can assist the school community in knowing the role and importance of the LLC and how teacher-librarians work within it. Having the specific duties and responsibilities of the TL explicitly laid out can help prevent the TLs from being deployed in unsuitable roles, retasked or having their jobs being removed completely. A core component of the TLs responsibility is information, critical, and digital literacy, (CSL, 2020) and that should be reflected in their schedule. Unfortunately, the majority of teachers within our discussion group either have vague or completely missing lists of responsibilities (Lesson 6 Discussions, n.d.).

What is a Teacher-Librarian?

Conclusion

The teacher-librarian is a specialist in information literacy. One of their core responsibilities is connecting their patrons to the information they seek. Rather than just directing these patrons to the resources that they need, however, there are other strategies and methods that can be used to direct students to those resources more efficiently, while also increasing those students’ information literacy. Teaching students a research process model, how to use library resources, and how to critically evaluate resources will make them more independent and competent researchers, while also reducing the workload on the teacher-librarian.

References

Asselin, M., Branch, J., & Oberg, D., (Eds.). (2006). Achieving information literacy: Standards for school library programs in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Canadian School Library Association & The Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada. (Original work published 2003).

BCTLA. (n.d.). What is a Teacher-Librarian. Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://bctladotca.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/what-is-a-teacherlibrarian.pdf

Beaudry, R (n.d.). LIBE 467 Information Services: Module Notes: Lesson 5. Retrieved February 21st, 2023.

Canadian School Libraries (CSL) (2020). Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. Retrieved February 22, 2023, from http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca

Lesson 5 Discussions (n.d.). LIBE 467 Information Services: Discussion forum: Lesson 5. Retrieved February 21st, 2023.

Lesson 6 Discussions (n.d.). LIBE 467 Information Services: Discussion forum: Lesson 6. Retrieved February 21st, 2023.

Riedling, A. M., & Houston, C. (2019). Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Evaluating a Reference Material

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Introduction

Reference sections in Library Learning Commons are an entry point of library users to the full breadth of information available in the space. Reference materials can become outdated relatively quickly however, and regular evaluation is needed to ensure that those materials continue to support the school community.

Evaluating Reference Materials

In Reference Skills for the School Librarian, Riedling and Houston lay out criteria for evaluating and selecting encyclopedias (2019).

These are:

Accuracy;
Authority;
Currency;
Format;
Indexing;
Objectivity; and
Scope .

From these concepts I created a rubric to evaluate encyclopedic resources in my own library (Appendix 1). I used the most important criteria from Riedling and Houston, while also adding the category of “Accessibility,” which evaluates how easily users in each school community can access the resource. Accessibility for a specific resource will vary as each library program is unique. Each library program has their own strengths and constraints, and with differing access to technology. This category allows teacher-librarians to evaluate reference materials in their own unique contexts.

Examples of old reference material in the Two Wolves Library.

My home library doesn’t have an extensive reference section. Most of the print encyclopedias were removed from the collection due to how dated they were. The reference I’m evaluating for this assignment is the digital encyclopedia The Canadian Encyclopedia.

Much of the reference material in the Two Wolves Program is too old to be of use to the school community

The Canadian Encyclopedia

The Canadian Encyclopedia Website

The reference resource I chose to evaluate is The Canadian Encyclopedia. The Canadian Encyclopedia is “a free, bilingual online resource and the only established national encyclopedia of its kind in the world,” offering “the largest collection of authored, accurate and continually updated articles focused on Canada’s history and culture” (Historica Canada, n.d.). It has a purported 19,000 bilingual articles.

Evaluation break-down:

Accuracy: I checked the accuracy of The Canadian Encyclopedia by checking several of its articles against articles from other sources. I chose articles that were slightly contentious in order to check for possible bias. The article on Climate Change was one such example, which compared favourably with other articles, notably the one from Funk and Wagnalls (Climate, 2018). Score 4/4
Authority: The same article on Climate Change was authored by Dr. Debra Davidson, a Professor of Environmental Sociology with a PhD from the University of Wisconsin (Historica Canada, n.d.). Score 4/4
Currency: Articles are added continuously and are upgraded regularly. Score 4/4
Scope: The scope of this encyclopedia is somewhat limited because it relates entirely to Canadian issues, topics and history. It is most suitable for use in Social Studies courses, however Social Studies courses comprised of only 5% of the courses taught in the program in the 2021/22 school year (TWP, 2022). Score 2/4
Accessibility: The Canadian Encyclopedia lost points in this category because of the lack of student accessible internet in the Two Wolves Program generally, and more specifically, the lack of student computers in the library space. Teachers will generally print out articles for the students to use, which means it isn’t “readily accessible by the individual,” or would notify the institutional supervisor that a student needs to use a computer for research and then directly supervise the search, which means that use of the reference “requires support from staff to access.” Score 2/4

Overall, using the rubric I designed, I evaluated The Canadian Encyclopedia as a satisfactory resource, with a score of 16 out of 20. The encyclopedia scored highly in the “Accuracy,” “Authority,” and “Currency” categories, but had lower scores in the “Scope” and “Accessibility” categories. Overall, The Canadian Encyclopedia is a fine resource, however an encyclopedia with a broader scope and more local accessibility would suit the program better.

Upgrading the Reference

A single-volume print encyclopedia would better meet the needs of the Two Wolves Program. Ideally, the resource would also be suited for youth between the ages of 11 to 16 and, following Riedling and Houston’s general selection guidelines for reference material (2019, pg 18), be cost effective. Finding an appropriate single-volume encyclopedia was a little problematic. Some resources mentioned in Reference Skills for the School Librarian are out of print or are too specialised to meet the needs of my program. What resources remain are often suited for children younger than my clientele, or are outdated.

The book I finally decided on is Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia. This book is geared towards a younger audience than I would prefer, but it was published in 2020, which makes it the most current single-volume encyclopedia I could find. A cursory evaluation indicates that it could receive a score of 18, which would class it as “excellent.” Also, the Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia would be complementary to The Canadian Encyclopedia, because the Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia is strong in the “accessibility” and “scope” categories (where The Canadian Encyclopedia is weakest). I will post a link to Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia from my local vendor below (the costs to the school district are lower than the prices shown, $36.89 rather than $40.99).

Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia from Books and Company.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Canadian Encyclopedia is a satisfactory reference resource, however it does have some limitations when used within the Two Wolves Program. Specifically, The Canadian Encyclopedia has issues with “scope” and “accessibility.” The Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia is strong in those categories since it has a much broader scope and would be more readily accessible to users in our program. The Britannica All New Kids’ Encyclopedia would complement The Canadian Encyclopedia and should be considered for immediate inclusion in our collection.

Appendix 1

Evaluation of a Reference Material Rubric

References

Climate. (2018). Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 1.

Historica Canada. (n.d.). The Canadian encyclopedia. The Canadian Encyclopedia | Historica Canada. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.historicacanada.ca/thecanadianencyclopedia

Riedling, A. M., & Houston, C. (2019). Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Two Wolves Program (TWP) (2022). Internal Statistics Report.

Community Analysis: A View of the Two Wolves Program

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Community Analysis:

A View of the Two Wolves Program

Overview

The Two Wolves Program (TWP) is an Education Provincial Resource Program (PRP) housed within the Prince George Youth Custody Centre (PGRCC). It is an inter-ministerial program, with responsibility for funding, supervising, and running the program shared between the BC Ministry of Education and the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). There are two Youth Custody PRPs in the province, with the other being located in Burnaby. The Two Wolves Centre is placed to serve the geographic area of British Columbia outside of the lower mainland, however, youth from the lower mainland are sometimes registered in the Two Wolves Program if there is an operational need (such as a disparity in the number of youth at each location) or if there are issues with peer relations (such as youth being bullied at one location). The facility where the program is housed includes two operational living units, two classrooms, a small library, gymnasium (with a separate weight room), hobbies room, and office. There are two classroom teachers onsite, with an off-site administrator and administration support. It is a small program, and while the number of students can vary by a large amount depending on the number of youth in custody provincially, the maximum capacity of the program is 16 students at any one time (each classroom has a capacity of 8 students).

The Two Wolves Program focuses on Math and English literacy. Many of our students graduate with the British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma Program (BCAGD), and the BCGAD’s only two specific requirements are a Language Arts 12 and Math 11 or 12 (Ministry of Education and Child Care, 2019). Furthermore, the entrance requirements for many trades programs in the province only have English and Math prerequisites. Many of the students are below grade level, and so academic upgrading is a major component of enrolled courses.

Courses Completed in School Year 2021/22 by total of completed courses (PRP report, 2022):

Active Living 12 (23.5%);
Math Upgrading (17.6%);
English Upgrading (5.9%);
Literature Studies 11 (5.9%);
English Studies 12 (5.9%);
Workplace Math 11 (5.9%);
Earth Science 11 (5.9%);
Physical and Health Education 7 (5.9%);
Physical and Health Education 9 (5.9%);
Fitness and Conditioning 12 (5.9%);
Art Studio 11 (5.9%); and
Food Studies 11 (5.9%).

Selected Curriculum

For this assignment, I’ve chosen to focus on English Studies 12. This course was selected because it is one of the core courses taught in the TWC.

The English Studies 12 course units, curricular competencies, and content (Ministry of Education and Child Care, n.d.):

Unit	Curricular Competencies	Content
Grammar Review	Create and Communicate ● Use the conventions of Canadian spelling, grammar, and punctuation proficiently and as appropriate to the context	● Text forms and genres ● Text features and structures ● Elements of style ● Usage and conventions
Analyzing Text	Comprehend and Connect ● Use information for diverse purposes and from a variety of sources ● Evaluate the relevance, accuracy, and reliability of texts ● Understand and appreciate how different forms, formats, structures, and features of texts reflect a variety of purposes, audiences, and messages	● Reading strategies ● Multimodal reading strategies ● Literary elements and devices
Create Written Expression	Create and Communicate ● Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create engaging and meaningful texts for a variety of purposes and audiences	● Metacognitive strategies ● Writing processes ● Elements of style ● Usage and conventions

Writing a Persuasive Essay

Create and Communicate

● Use writing and design processes to plan, develop, and create engaging and meaningful texts for a variety of purposes and audiences

● Express and support an opinion with evidence

● Text features and structures

● Form, function, and genre of texts

● Writing processes

● Citation techniques

Reconciliation

Comprehend and Connect

● tradition in expressing First Peoples perspectives, values, beliefs, and points of view

● Recognize the diversity within and across First Peoples societies as represented in texts

● Reconciliation in Canada

● Narrative structures found in First Peoples texts

Novel Study

Comprehend and Connect

● Read for Enjoyment and to achieve personal goals

● Multimodal reading strategies

Multimodal Expression

Create and Communicate

● Respond to text in personal, creative, and critical ways

● Transform ideas and information to create original texts, using various genres, forms, structures, and styles

● Oral language strategies

● Presentation techniques

Clientele

Students in the Two Wolves Program are those youth who have been sentenced to a custody order in the province. The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) covers youth from the 12 to 18 (Government of Canada, 2021), however the youngest student in the TWP is 13 and the oldest have been in their 20s (if a youth commits a crime before they’re 18, the length of time it takes for the completion of their trial and then the duration of their sentence itself, means that they may still be involved with the YCJA after the age of 18). The size of the program’s catchment area, and the method of admission, defines a highly variable composition of students. The students at the TWC are exclusively male (provincially, female offenders, are solely housed at the Burnaby Youth Custody Centre).

General Characteristics of the Two Wolves Program Student Population (Student Files, n.d.):

Substantial contact with the criminal justice system;
Almost universal abuse of drugs and alcohol;
Worldly, with mature interests;
Come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds;
Below grade level in English and Math literacy;
High incidence of trauma;
Commonly have physical, mental, and behavioural conditions (such Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit HyperActivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, etc); and
Limited contact with school.

The students enrolled in the Two Wolves Program come from across British Columbia. In the school year 2021/22, the students in the program came from (Two Wolves Program Internal Statistics Report, 2022):

The Lower Mainland (43.8%);
The North (18.8%);
The Thompson/Okanagan (18.8%);
The Islands (12.5%); and
The Cariboo/Chilcotin (6.3%).

Figure 1: The students within the program come from a variety of ethnicities. The Two Wolves Program Internal Statistics Report (2021) only tracks Aboriginal (68.8%) and Non-Aboriginal (31.3%) ancestry. The percentage of Aboriginal students in the program is well above the Canadian and provincial averages. The majority of Non-Aboriginal students are white (although around 5% of students are black and 5% are South Asian).

Figure 2: The majority of TWP students guardians are provided by the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). The MCFD guardians for the 2021/22 school year were all social workers, with the youth living in group homes or other ministerial programs. Many of these children had previously been placed in foster homes. This has numerous effects on children, including with their emotional development, socioeconomic status, material resources, and experience (Two Wolves Program Internal Statistics Report, 2022).

Figure 3: The majority of students (56.3%) are enrolled in the program for under 24 days. Some students are enrolled for quite long periods however, with one student in the program being in custody for over two years.

Community Partners

The use of community partners is heavily restricted due to the security and privacy limitations inherent to the program. There are several agencies that work within the centre however:

Healthcare. The youth have sessions with various health professionals. These sessions cover many subjects, and mainly relate to the physical and mental health of the youth. One of the first lessons most students receive is Narcan training (and a Naloxone kit is added to their personal effects). Other lessons include topics on harm reduction, hygiene, and public health, as well as counseling to promote mental health and reduce recidivism. Some of their work can be applied to the “Social and community health” and “Mental well-being” curricular competencies in the Physical and Health Education Curriculums (Ministry of Education and Child Care, n.d.).

Aboriginal Liaison. Aboriginal workers come in multiple times a week. They do work in multiple areas: including cultural activities, such as co-ordinating drumming, smudging and sweat lodges; artistic activities, such as beading and drum making; and counseling. They have been involved with various aspects of the curriculum, including Social Studies, Visual Arts, and English Language Arts.

Youth Supervisors. The youth supervisors are our most prominent community partners. They interact with the program students and teachers daily. They supervise the shops, kitchens, and hobbies room. They also run some of the work experience programs, such as the Barista Program. They are involved in the Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies, Career Education, and Physical and Health Education courses.

Analysis

“By collecting and reflecting on information about the school library’s users community, librarians are able to more precisely align library resources and services with teaching and learning needs” ((M. A. Mardis, 2021). The characteristics of the institution and clientele influence the curriculum, as well as the resources to support it, in several ways.

Characteristic	Considerations for Curriculum
Institutional Constraints on Technology	Emphasis on print, rather than digital resources. ● The lack of access to technology due to the institutional nature of the program, as well as our students’ lack of familiarity with technology, means that print, rather than digital resources, is better suited to the curriculum. ● Students very limited access to the internet during classroom time, and no access beyond that.
Students being below grade level in English and Math literacy and having limited contact with school.	Create a curriculum at an appropriate ability level. ● English Studies 12 replaced both English 12 and Communications 12. It is “designed for all students,” (Ministry of Education and Child Care, n.d.), and its curriculum can be adapted to suit a wide variety of student abilities. Because of the nature of the students in TWC academic background, the English Studies 12 course is closer to the Communications 12 side of the spectrum. Using resources with an appropriate readability level ● The literacy of our students tends to be slightly less than average, and so resources used in the program must be more readable.
Worldly, with mature interests	Select resources with appropriate content ● TWP students tend to have more mature interests. They are not interested in many of the things that other students their age are interested in. The resources used to support the curriculum must have more adult content and themes than most students their age (much of the literacy support materials are intended for adults).
Short Length of Enrollment	Use common resources ● TWP students are often transferred between different educational programs. Where possible, it makes sense to use the same resources as other programs so that disrupting when transferring is minimised. Use discrete units of instruction ● Most students will not stay long enough to complete an entire course. It is easier for other educational programs to continue their education if units are complete.
Large Number of Aboriginal Students	Select resources with relatable content ● The large number of Aboriginal students means that increased inclusion of materials dealing with Aboriginal culture is imperative.
Substantial contact with the criminal justice system and High incidence of trauma	Select resources with appropriate content ● Many of our students idealise gang culture and activities. Some are, or have been, involved in unhealthy relationships (both as victims and perpetrators). This means that selecting a text has to balance relevance to the students’ life experience against something which could prove disruptive in the classroom, is emotionally damaging, or will increase criminality.

Summary

The Two Wolves Program is a unique educational program. There are only a few Provincial Resource Programs in the province, and there are only two Youth Custody education programs in the province. The student demographics of the program are also unique. The institutional nature of the program and the characteristics of our students have several considerations to the program as a whole, and to the English Studies 12 curriculum specifically. Resources for the program must be appropriate, in that they must relate to the TWP student’s life experiences, but without being disruptive. Resources by or about Aboriginal experiences are also appropriate. Resources should be at an appropriate reading level, and print resources usually suit the program more than digital resources.

References

Government of Canada, D. of J. (2021, July 7). The Youth Criminal Justice Act Summary and background. Government of Canada, Department of Justice, Electronic Communications. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/yj-jj/tools-outils/back-hist.html

Mardis, M. A. (2021). Collection Program in Schools: Concepts and Practices, 7th Edition. Libraries Unlimited.

Ministry of Education and Child Care. (2019, October 9). British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma Program – Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/adult-education/graduate-high-school/bc-adult-graduation-diploma-program

Ministry of Education and Child Care (n.d.). B.C. Curriculum. https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/english-language-arts/12/english-studies

PRP Report (2022). Provincial Resource Program 2021-2022 School Year Outcome Reporting Report.

Student Files (n.d.). Two Wolves Program Teacher Student Files.

Internal Statistics Report (2022). Two Wolves Program Annual Internal Statistics Report.

LIBE 467: Theme 1

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Starting Out with Reference Services

This first theme in this course is an introduction to the concept of reference services. It started with a definition of the theory, and then provided basic information about the process. This theme establishes that “librarians are information specialists” (NPR Staff, 2014) and one of the fundamental duties of a TL to develop information literacy in our students.

In teaching students to be more information literate, the course covered the use of Research Problem-Solving Processes and Models. These models provide a framework for “demonstrating, discussing, and practicing research problem-solving strategies” (Reidling and Houston, 2019, pg. 10). More simply, these models provide a system for users gather data and create a finished product. Without this, students often struggle in the initial steps of gathering data, either because they haven’t properly focused on a topic, or because they haven’t properly gathered and evaluated their sources. There are several models, such as Information Search Process (ISP)/Guided Inquiry, Big6/Super3, and Research Process (REACT). These models follow the same basic process, but each is suited for slightly different uses and age/ability levels. I haven’t previously used any of these in my own practice, but I do use the Engineer Design Process in the Remotely Operated Vehicles and Drones 12 course in my program. I begin using the Kuhlthau Information Seeking Model in my own program. It’s the best fit because of the terminology, versatility and complexity.

Flow chart of the Engineering Design Process The specific enginneering design model I use is from Science Buddies https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/engineering-design-process/engineering-design-process-steps. Even though this flowchart is intended for younger students, I still like the format more than the other models I’ve seen (Buddies, 2022).

image of the engineering design process: ask, imagine, plan, create, experiment, improve

NASA also provides resources for educators, including their own version of the Engineer Design Process. https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/best/edp.html(May, 2017)

One of the major tools in the Teacher-Librarian’s role as a reference person are reference materials. If reference materials are to be used, it’s important that they’re of high quality though. The third lesson involved the selection and evaluation of reference materials and one of the most important topics in this lesson was the codification of the criteria used to select resources. Riedling and Houston list the general selection guidelines for reference materials as: “relevant to students, teachers and the community; suitability of subject; reputation and qualifications of the author, artist, publisher, or producer; current or historical significance of the subject or author; relationship to the existing collection; value of the material in relation to cost; library budget; and suitability of format for library collection” (2019, pg. 18). This criteria is important in that it allows reference materials to be evaluated for inclusion in a collection according to basic principles, and these criteria work for libraries of various sizes and compositions. The inclusion of cost and library budget is important since the cost of reference materials are often quite high. The value of having up to date reference materials has to be balanced with its value in relation to the rest of the program. It seems that most Library Learning Commons would struggle to update their resources as often as Riedling and Houston recommend (2019, pg. 18). The Canadian Association of School Libraries sets standards for LLC reference material collections (2003). Unfortunately, from the class discussion, it seems like many school LLCs struggle to meet acceptable or exemplary levels according to their criteria.

Pictured; an inadequate reference section (own photo)

An ongoing issue in teaching information literacy is the use of print and non-print reference formats. This lesson was the most interesting of the four for me, as this is a topic that has come up continuously in my undergraduate and education degree, teaching practice, and now in my post-graduate work. One of the most prominent crowd-sourced non-print references is Wikipedia and “the text of the English Wikipedia is currently equivalent to 3,093.9 volumes of Encyclopædia Britannica” (Wikipedia Contributors, n.d.). Some people are vehement that Wikipedia should never be used in an academic setting, as it contains false information, lacks clear authorship, and is constantly changing. This refusal to use Wikipedia as a resource is interesting to me because of Wikipedia’s utility. Wikipedia is easy and free to access, has an enormous number of articles, and is constantly maintained. Furthermore, students use Wikipedia, and banning its use leads to academic dishonesty and a lack of knowledge in how to use it properly. Our job as Teacher-Librarians is to improve the information literacy skills of our students, and I believe this means teaching them how to use resources like Wikipedia correctly.

The Teacher-Librarian has a primary duty as a link between students and information. Teaching students the process to acquire information has become a fundamental teaching task. This includes teaching students to use models and processes to access and use information, the evaluation of crowd-funded references for a specific task and ensuring that students have access to high quality information by providing suitable reference materials is another task.

References

Beaudry, R. (2023). LIBE 467 Information Services: Discussion forum: Lesson 1. Retrieved February 1st, 2023.

Beaudry, R. (n.d.). LIBE 467 Information Services: Module Notes: Lesson 1. Retrieved February 2st, 2023.

Buddies, S. (2022, May 5). Engineering Design Process. Science Buddies. https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/engineering-design-process/engineering-design-process-steps

Canadian Association for School Libraries. (2003). Achieving Information Literacy. Acessola. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://accessola.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2003-AchievingInfoLiteracy.pdf

May, S. (Ed.). (2017, July 17). Engineering design process. NASA. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/best/edp.html

NPR Staff. (2014, December 28). Before The Internet, Librarians Would “Answer Everything” — And Still Do. NPR. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://www.npr.org/2014/12/28/373268931/before-the-internet-librarians-would-answer-everything-and-still-do

Riedling, A. M., & Houston, C. (2019). Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Wikipedia:Size in volumes – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Size_in_volumes

Hello Teacher-Librarians

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Hi,

I’m Dan Mack, and I am employed with SD 57 in Prince George. I currently work at the Prince George Youth Custody Centre, and it will be my 3rd year there. I previously worked at the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre.

I have a couple of different interests. I love to read (especially science fiction). I also like to play video games, paint and draw, and hike.

I have a small library attached to the program at the custody centre, and it’s been neglected from its inception. I’ve started to improve the space and collection, and every course in the LIBE program teaches me more about how to improve the library.

This blog will be where I summarise what I’ve learnt in the LIBE program.

Section	Date Started	Notes
NE Corner – Top Non-Fiction History Non-Fiction Hobbies	Completed	Almost no material remains from the Non-Fiction History section as most of it was so dated
East Wall – Top References	Begun	A mix of modern and dated resources.
SE Corner – Top Non-Fiction Science	01 April 2023	Extremely dated, some resources from biology may be useful as drawing references
South Wall – Top Poetry	15 April 2023	No specific notes
West Wall – Southmost Bookshelf Junior Fiction	01 May 2023	No specific notes
West Wall – Central Bookshelf Biographies and Autobiographies	15 May 2023	No specific notes
West Wall – Northmost Bookshelf Humour	01 June 2023	This section is very dated
NE Corner -Bottom Intermediate Fiction (Authors A to M)	15 September 2023
East Wall – Bottom Intermediate Fiction (Authors N to Z)	01 October 2023
SE Corner – Bottom Senior Fiction (Authors A to M)	15 October 2023
South Wall – Bottom Senior Fiction (Author N to Z)	01 November 2023

Just This Guy Learning about Libraries

Checking Our References!

Two Wolves Library Schedule for Weeding

Evolving Teachers’ Use of Reference Resources

Theme 2 Blog Post: Reference Services

Reference Services: Connecting Patrons with Information

The Reference Interview

Instruction and Collaboration

The Role of the Teacher-Librarian

Conclusion

References

Evaluating a Reference Material

Community Analysis: A View of the Two Wolves Program

LIBE 467: Theme 1

Starting Out with Reference Services

Hello Teacher-Librarians

Bookmarks