Skip to: Content
Skip to: Section Navigation
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

    
Table 1. Summary of Community, District, and Building Variables for School in the Study Sample

Variable

N

M

SD

Community

Average salary

192

$49,710

6708.00

High school graduation rate

194

84%

7.07

District

Percent of students eligible for NSLP

188

30%

.23

DPPE

196

$3536

585.00

Building

School enrollment

196

592

248.00

Percent of minority student enrollment

196

19%

.27

Pupil-teacher Ratio

196

5:1

.81

 


    
Table 2. Descriptive Summary of Means for Selected SLMP Variables in the Present Study

   

M

SD

Variable
N

No.

Hours

Paid staff  

M

SD

M

SD

Credentialed SLMS

196

.74

.46

25

18.44

Total staff

196

1.88

.81

58

23.87

Staff activities (hours per week)

Teaching students cooperatively

196

4.90

5.36

Providing in-service training

196

1.58

1.96

Identifying materials for teachers

196

3.80

3.17

Performing collection development

196

3.57

3.81

SLMC usage (per week)

Total visits by classes or groups

194

21.00

13.93

Total visits by individuals

196

287.00

242.14

   

SLMC

Elsewhere

Computers  

M

SD

M

SD

Total computers

196

30

40.01

72

72.33

Access to the Internet

196

26

38.44

78

70.72

Access to MeL databases

194

24

38.21

57

69.60

Access to SLMC databases

192

24

51.40

58

78.91

Access to SLMC catalog

190

20

31.00

56

76.23

SLMC collection

Total volumes

193

9878

4633.37

Video materials

191

231

279.05

Periodical subscriptions

194

32

22.46

Annual operating expenditures

Total expenditures

192

8143.15

6001.69

 


    
Table 3. SLMP Variables and MEAP Reading and Science Scores: Positive Correlation

 
Reading
Science
Variable

n1

r1

n2

r2

Total number of paid staff

200

.324

192

.325

 

Credentialed SLMS hours per week

200

.353

192

.289

 

Total paid staff hours per week

200

.333

192

.276

 

Access to library databases on computers in school

162

.268

156

.275

 

Video materials (cassettes and disks)

190

.144

182

.256

 

Total library computers

198

.252

190

.242

 

Total visits to the library by classes or groups

193

.236

185

.242

 

Hours available for flexible scheduling

197

.368

189

.238

Number of credentialed SLMS

200

.344

192

.237

 

Access to state-funded databases on library computers

193

.271

185

.233

 

Access to state-funded databases on computers in school

157

.262

151

.232

 

Access to the Internet on library computers

198

.230

190

.225

 

Access to library databases on library computers

191

.215

183

.222

 

Books of all types

192

.321

184

.219

 

Student access to the library catalog on library computers

189

.270

181

.216

 

Access to the Internet on computers in school

167

.278

161

.211

Note: Reported values of r1 and r2 are significant at the .01 level.

 


    
Table 4. SLMP Variables and MEAP Reading and Science Scores: Negative Correlations

  Reading Science

Variable

n1

r1

n2

r2

Master’s degree in library science staff hours per week

197

-.068

189

-.087

High school diploma only staff hours per week

199

.011

191

-.076

Number of master’s degree in library science staff

197

-.051

189

-.071

Master’s degree in library science and other teacher certification hours per week

198

-.049

190

-.052

Number of master’s degree in library science and other teacher certification

198

-.047

190

-.051

In library use of materials per typical week

187

-.091

181

-.034

Number of high school diploma staff

199

.026

191

-.016

B.A., but no teacher certification staff hours per week

197

-.115

189

-.015

Hours spent weekly meeting with building or district administrators

199

-.052

191

-.008

Hours open during typical summer week

198

-.036

190

.000

 


    
Figure 1 . Clusters and Variables Used in Multiple Regression Analyses

Cluster

Variable

Service hours

Hours available for flexible scheduling

Paid staff

Credentialed SLMS

Total staff

Paid staff hours

Credentialed SLMS hours

Total staff hours

Staff activities (in hours)

Teaching students cooperatively

Providing in-service training

All other library activities plus extra duties

Identifying materials for teachers

School library media center usage

Total visits by classes or groups

Total visits by individuals

Computers in school library media center

Total computers

Access to MeL databases

Access to the Internet

Access to SLMC databases

Student access to SLMC catalog

Computers in school

Access to SLMC databases

Access to MeL databases

Student access to SLMC catalog

Access to the Internet

Total computers

Collection

Video materials

Books of all types

Encyclopedias and reference titles on disk

Expenditures

Total expenditures

 


    
Figure 2. Summary of Discussion Questions and Themes in Qualitative Data

Question

Themes

1. How do you approach science collection development in your school media program?

  • Science collections tend to be old.
  • Science teachers are erratically involved in the collection development process.
  • The selection of science materials is challenging.
  • Video is an important part of science collection development.

2. How is video used with science in your school media program?

  • Student learning styles amendable to video.
  • Competition with classroom collections leads to underuse or hoarding.
  • School library media centers must have enough equipment.

3. What type of professional preparation do you feel best positions you to work with science teachers and students?

  • Undergraduate experiences influence service areas.
  • Graduate coursework did not prepare SLMS for science.
  • Professional development opportunities scarce.
  • Other learning activities have to be sought.

4. How do you feel that the resources in the science classroom affect your ability to be involved with science?

  • Classroom-bound teaching styles hinder school library media center use.
  • School library media center computers and space bring teachers.
  • More collaborative activities would improve relationship.

Resource Guides

Essential Links

AASL's wiki offers resources for school library media specialists.

Join AASL

The only national organization advocating for the needs of school library media specialists.

join

ALA Online Store

ALA Store
Books, posters, graphics, CDs, clothing & more!

Shop!