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School Library Survey Collecting Information from the 2015–2016 Academic Year

This printable version of the CDE Library Evaluation Tool is available for use as a worksheet for your files, for use in training, and before going online. Please note the printed version shows all possible questions, some of which are conditional. The online evaluation tool is located at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/lb and is password protected. Contact Renée Ousley-Swank at 916-319-0449 or ROusleySwank@cde.ca.gov for password information and to schedule a training.

  1. Did you have a dedicated common area in your school designated as the library in the 2015–2016 academic year?



Question #1 (Continued): If your school building did NOT have a designated library facility, was it because:




Question #1 (Continued): If your school had a library facility in the past but no longer does, what were the reasons for the closure of the school library? Please check all that apply:








Library Staffing

For purposes of answering questions referring to staff working in the library, the following applies:

Credentialed Teacher Librarian Individual holds a California teaching credential and a California Teacher Librarian Services Credential or an Emergency Teacher Librarian Services Credential and is paid as a teacher.

Credentialed Teacher, Not Librarian Individual holds a California teaching credential with no library endorsement and is paid as a teacher.

Library Paraprofessional May be called librarian, aide, clerk, technician, assistant, etc., but is NOT paid as a teacher.

District Level

These questions are designed to gain an overall understanding of the library program from a district-wide perspective. You may need assistance from your administrator to complete this section.

  1. How many credentialed teacher librarians were in your district in the 2015–2016 academic year?

Library Staffing

District Level

Question #2 (Continued): Where was the credentialed teacher librarian's main work site? (Select the best answer.)





Specify site library (please specify level [e.g., elementary, middle school, high school]):

Specify other:

If applicable, how many sites did the credentialed teacher librarian oversee (e.g., 10 elementary, 3 middle schools, 5 high schools)? Otherwise, enter "None."

Library Staffing

District Level

  1. What was the title of the district-level person who oversaw the school library program?
  2. We contracted with a neighboring district and/or county office of education for a librarian of record.

    If the above answer is "Yes," please provide the name of the agency you contracted with to serve as the librarian of record:

  3. We had a partnership with our local public library.

    If the above answer is "Yes," please provide a brief description of the partnership (e.g., after school programs, accessing public library databases – online eCard, One Card program – student ID is full public library access card).

Library Staffing

Site Level

These questions and the remainder of the survey (unless noted) focus on the library program at the site level. If you worked at multiple sites, answer the questions as the program ran for the present school you are completing the survey for, and complete a separate survey for each site at which you worked.
  1. Did you have at least one paid credentialed staff working in the school library?
    (Teacher contract and certificated salary schedule)

Library Staffing

Site Level

  1. What certificate did the credentialed staff hold?



Library Staffing

Site Level

  1. Did you have at least one paid classified employee working in the school library?
    (Classified contract and classified salary schedule)

Library Staffing

Site Level

Some districts require their classified library staff to possess an A.A. degree in Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC). For further information, visit LSSC home pageExternal link.
  1. What level of training did the classified library staff possess and/or receive? (Select all that apply.)







Specify where you earned your certificate:

Specify other:

Library Staffing

Site Level

Please enter the total number of weekly hours worked for all paid staff assigned to this single school library. For example, if there were two school/teacher librarians and one worked 40 hours per week and the other worked 20 hours per week, enter 60 for the weekly hours. If there were no hours worked, then mark 0. The Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) hours will be calculated for you.

ProfessionWeekly HoursFTE
10. Credentialed staff
11. Library aide, technician, paraprofessional, or clerk
Totals:

  1. How many different school libraries did the certificated staff serve in 2015–2016?
    (If there were no certificated staff serving this site, then mark 0.)
  2. How many different school libraries did the classified staff serve in 2015–2016?
    (If there were no classified staff serving this site, then mark 0.)
In the following section, some of the questions focus on Access as outlined in the California Model School Library Standards (CA MSLS) – School Library Program Standard B (Access).

Library Access

Library Service Hours in a Typical Week

Report the typical weekly number of hours the school library was staffed and open for use. Report hours the library was open for use during school hours and before and after school hours.

Description Weekly Hours
14. Regular school hours in a typical week (e.g., M–F 8:00 a.m.–2:45 p.m. and were hours during which classes met or students were at lunch, recess, etc.)
15. a) What were your library’s normal open hours of operation (e.g., M,W,F 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. and T, TH 7:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.)?
      b) How many hours total was the school library open per week (e.g., 32 hours)?*
16. Within the hours the library was open, how many hours was the library flexibly scheduled per typical school week?**

*CA MSLS recommend a minimum of 36 hours per week.
**CA MSLS recommend a flexible schedule (at least 20 hours per week).
  1. When was your school library facility typically open for student use? (Select all that apply.)








  2. Which of the following terms best describe the method used to schedule classes in the school library?



  3. Approximately how many school days per school year was the library in your building closed for use as a testing space or other use not related specifically to the library program?




  4. How many times a week did you go to classrooms to work with students and teachers?




Library Access

Library's Physical Space

Description Yes/No Answer
21. a) The library facility had enough space to accommodate one class for instruction.
      b) Plus additional individuals and small groups working independently.
22. There was enough space to accommodate the library collection, furnishings, and equipment.
23. The space was flexible, allowing for different configurations depending upon need.
24. The library had a makerspace.
25. Our library was a learning commons.

Library Access

Library's Virtual Presence

Did the school library have:

Description Answer
26. An automated catalog
27. A library Web site with or without access to online library catalog (school library did not have Web site)
28. Automated library circulation
29. Automated textbook circulation
30. Integrated online information searching that included your library catalog, paid access databases, and open educational resources (school library did not have a Web site/online resources)
31. Wireless Internet access for students
32. Cable/hard-wire Internet access for students
33. A library blog
34. A library wiki
35. Collaboration software (e.g., SharePoint, Google Drive, etc.)
36. A library Twitter account (school library was not permitted to have a Twitter account)
37. A library Facebook page (school library was not permitted to have a Facebook page)

Library Access

Computers/Tablet Devices

CA MSLS recommend the following number of computers in the school library: minimum of one class set of networked computers composed of at least 10 at the elementary school, 15 at the middle school, and 25 at the high school.
  1. How many computers were housed in and available in your school library for direct instruction and/or student use during library programs?
  2. Did your school issue every student a laptop or tablet? (Select all that apply.)



  3. Considering the school district’s filtering software, were students able to access and utilize Web-based productivity/collaboration tools (e.g., wikis, blogs, Google Docs, or similar tools) via the school network?


  4. Did your school library provide eBook readers/portable devices for students to check out?

  5. When were students allowed to bring their own computers/devices to the library? (Select all that apply.)



RESOURCES: School Library Collection

In the following section, some of the questions focus on Resources as outlined in the California Model School Library Standards – School Library Program Standard D (Resources). Resources include print and digital materials (e.g., subscription databases, audiobooks, e-books) that align with the curriculum and are accessible to students with various cognitive or language needs.

Overall Collection

  1. Enter the number of print books in the school library collection at the end of the 2015–2016 academic year. Include reference books in your count, and count each reference volume as one.




















  2. Enter the number of electronic book (eBook) titles purchased for library use during the 2015–2016 academic year.







  3. Enter the number of print subscriptions to magazines and newspapers during the 2015–2016 academic year (count subscriptions, not individual titles or issues).




  4. Did you check out audio materials (CDs, audio books)?

    If the above answer is "Yes," were they for in-house use only?
  5. Did you check out video materials (VHS and DVDs)?

    If the above answer is "Yes," were they for in-house use only?

RESOURCES: School Library Collection

Age of Collection

  1. Enter the average copyright date of the books in the library’s 629 section. Include books in the 629 circulating section, 629 reference section, and 629 digital titles owned by the library.
    • Enter "0" in the box if the library had no books in the 629 Dewey section, and continue with the survey.
    • Count the number of books in all of the 629s (from 629 through 629.999).
    • Next, add up the copyright dates of all the books in the 629s.
    • Divide the sum of the copyright dates by the total number of books in the 629s.
    • Enter whole numbers only. Do not use letters, words, or any form of punctuation.
    • Example: Assuming you had only six books in the 629s and their copyright dates were 1984, 1992, 2001, 2005, and two books from 2011, then: 1984 + 1992 + 2001 + 2005 + 2011 + 2011 = 12,004. Then 12,004 ÷ 6 = 2001 (rounded off to a whole number).
    • Correct entry: 2001.
    Average copyright date of books in Dewey section 629. Round off to a four-digit year.
  2. What was the name of the most recent president who had a whole book on him IN THE LIBRARY COLLECTION?

Licensed Databases

  1. Did your library offer access to any online subscription information databases for students in the 2015–2016 academic year? This question does not apply to databases offered by the local public library, CD-ROM databases, or search engines. Examples of subscription information databases include: EBSCO Ultra, Gale’s In Context, World Book Online, etc.

2015–2016 Budget

  1. How much money was spent in the school library for the purchase of library books during the 2015–2016 academic year? Include both print titles and digital titles (eBooks). Include processing costs if purchased with library books.















2015–2016 Budget

  1. If you spent more than $50,000 on books, enter the amount here.
    PLEASE NOTE: Enter whole numbers only. Do not use letters, words, or any form of punctuation.
    Correct entry: 150000.
    Incorrect entries: "approx. 150,000," "one hundred fifty thousand," "150,000+."

2015–2016 Budget

  1. How much money was spent in the school library for the purchase of library materials other than books during the 2015–2016 academic year? Include periodicals (paper or electronic), technology and media resources, and related equipment. Do not include salaries, conference expenses, routine supplies, maintenance agreements, district purchases of shared electronic databases, etc.










2015–2016 Budget

  1. If you spent more than $25,000 on materials other than books, enter the amount here.
    PLEASE NOTE: Enter whole numbers only. Do not use letters, words, or any form of punctuation.
    Correct entry: 150000.
    Incorrect entries: "approx. 150,000," "one hundred fifty thousand," "150,000+."

2015–2016 Budget

  1. Check one or more of the following funds used to purchase library materials during the 2015–2016 academic year.







  2. Was your library program written into your Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP)?

    If the above answer is "Yes," was the library funding tied to your LCAP?

Curriculum and Instruction

General Programming

This section is designed to gather a basic understanding of the type of library program was offered to your school community. The questions move from broad general program questions to progressively more focused questions on instruction and teaching. The California Model School Library Standards provide the emphasis on instruction and teaching.
  1. Did your school have a library advisory committee?

Curriculum and Instructions

General Programming

Question #57 (Continued)
  1. What was the composition of committee members? (Select all that apply.)




  2. How did the library advisory committee support the library program? (Select all that apply.)




Curriculum and Instruction

General Programming

  1. Did the library staff serve on the school site council?


    If you answered "No," above, did library staff attend meetings of the school site council two or more times per academic year?

  2. Did you have a library policy/procedure manual?

  3. When was the last time library staff job descriptions were updated and approved?

  4. How often did the library staff in your district meet for planning and professional development?




    Who was responsible for organizing and leading these meetings (if there were no meetings, answer N/A)?

Curriculum and Instruction

Basic Services

This section of questions asks about general services and basic instruction that might be performed by any and all library staff regardless of credential and/or title.

DescriptionAnswer
62. Informally instructed students in the use of resources (e.g., care and handling of books, library layout, parts of books, locating books, etc.)
63. Provided teachers with information about new resources
64. Helped students and teachers find and use resources outside school library
65. Provided reading, listening, and viewing guidance for students
66. Helped parents realize importance of lifelong learning
67. Coordinated in-school production of materials
68. Coordinated or disseminated audio/video programming (e.g., video streaming, distance education, cable TV)
69. Coordinated school or library computer networks
70. Provided access to online library catalog and circulation
71. Provided Internet access for students in the library
72. Provided electronic access to a resource sharing network
73. Communicated proactively with principal
74. Managed a schoolwide reading program (e.g., AR, Read 180, Reading Counts)

  1. What types of activities occurred during a typical class visit? (Select all that apply.)



  2. What was the average number of classes who visited the library in a typical week?
  3. A typical class visit lasted:




Curriculum and Instruction

Teaching Approaches

These next questions are intended to gain an accurate picture of what level of services were being provided in your school library program. While the questions' emphases are on a strong library program – the ideal: a team of a teacher librarian + library support staff – we expect to see a range of services provided that correspond to the staffing level and staff expertise.

Report how often you engaged in various teaching activities as defined in the California Model School Library Standards – School Library Program Standard C (teacher librarian responsibilities).

How often did you engage in the following activities?

QuestionAnswer
78. Planned instructional unit with teachers
79. Taught students cooperatively with teachers
80. Facilitated learning activities where students work collaboratively in groups
81. Taught students how to use digital resources
82. Facilitated opportunities for student-led inquiry
83. a) Managed the library, including collection development and supervision of ordering
b) Our collection development included weeding, de-selection, and withdrawals
84. Responsible for cataloging
85. Supervised the work of paraprofessionals, student aides, and volunteers
86. Went into classrooms to provide instruction

  1. Library classes were taught while classroom teachers had planning time.

    If the above answer is "Yes," please explain what types of activities or instruction occurred in the library during teaching planning time:
  2. How did you implement the CA MSLS?



  3. I was called upon to lead and/or provide professional development.

    If the above answer is "Yes," answer the next question.

    I led and provided professional development in the following manner (select all that apply):






Contact Information

Respondent Information

(If your library has a Web site.)

In case we need to clarify any of your answers, please provide the appropriate contact information for the individual responsible for library services in your district. (In some cases this may be the same individual as above.)

Thank you for your time and effort to complete this survey, your answers are invaluable.

In order to complete the submission, you must select the “Next” button, and on the next page select the “Submit” button.


Questions: Renée Ousley-Swank, Education Consultant | ROusleySwank@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0449

California Department of Education
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

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