FACILITIES PLAN MCES MEDIA CENTER FRIT 7132

SPRING 2012 DANIELLE WALDEN

MILL CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PreK-5th grade school Student population of around 650 students There are 86 members of faculty, staff and support personnel MCES has one full time media specialist. They also have a full time tech-liason whos office is located in the media center, as well.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

The media center is centrally located in the school on the main hall. Students in all classrooms have equal access to the media center.

CURRENT MEDIA CENTER LAYOUT

My thoughts:

The current design could use some updating for the 21st century learning that goes on in here. I think the space could be used more effectively especially for whole class learning, as well as the use of technology. The reading area in the corner is not utilized as often due to the SmartBoard. The check in/check out are could be combined to make more space for something else.

CIRCULATION AND OFFICE

This is the checkout desk. It is located straight ahead as you walk through the media center doors on the far wall. The computer interface for the SmartBoard is located here, as well. The Media Specialists office is behind the bank of windows to the left. She can view the entire media center from her office. (Although shes rarely in there!) The check-in desk is located as you walk into the media center to the left of the door.

STORY/WHOLE CLASS TIME

Designated Story Area (This is a great place to have story time, but with the greater use of technology..)

This is where it actually happens! The SmartBoard is used for whole group lessons and the greatest amount of seating space is here, as well.

PLEASE HAVE A SEAT

There are 3 round tables in the media center, each offering 4 chairs a piece. There are also 3 rectangle tables configured into a square U shape that offers 10 seats. The setup is for the whole class area. Ive rarely seen students sitting here. They mostly sit on the floor facing the SmartBoard.

TAKE ME TO YOUR TECHNOLOGY

Computer Area
There is a bank of 8 computers along the left wall of the library in front of the windows going into the storage room. These computers are connected to the printer/scanner that is located behind the checkout desk. There are also 3 computer labs located throughout the school for students to use. Each classroom has student computers (varying amounts) and a laptop for the teacher (controls the SmartBoard)

BOOKS, BOOKS, GLORIOUS BOOKS!

There are 4 Fiction-shelves and the baskets have themes (Dr. Seuss, Dear Dumb Diary, Junie B. Jones, etc)

Nonfiction- lines the walls around the right side of the media center.

Referencelocated next to the story area.

There are around 7,000 books located throughout the media center.

THE RESULTS ARE IN

All students and teachers had nothing but nice things to say about the media center and the staff that works in it. This made my job of survey taking kind of difficult so I went to the front linesthe Media Specialist herself! Even then, her only suggestion was the location of the SmartBoard interface and the computer technology in use. She mentioned that she would like to have Apple TV installed on the projector so that she could use an iPad to control the SmartBoard. She also wanted to change out the computers for iPads and the easel cases and keyboards that go with them.

MY SUGGESTIONS:
Considering the budget crisis that most media centers face these days, I wanted to make changes to bring this media center further into the 21st century without completely breaking the bank. I think that this media center could go a long way in just some rearranging and then updating the technology.

Faux Leather Chairs 4 at $99/each Purchase tables for whole Convertible stools (easy for http://www.walmart.com small children and larger class area ones) 10 at $149/each http://store.colemans.com/c 20 at $40/each http://www.plowhearth.com art/us-gi-stainless-steeltable-folding-p-2373.html

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Apple TV to hook to projector and connect the iPad http://store.apple.com/us/brow se/home/shop_ipod/family/appl e_tv?aid=AIC-WWW-NAUS-K2BUYNOW-APPLETV $99.00

Apple iPad2 http://store.apple.com/us/br owse/home/shop_ipad/fami ly/ipad 8 for computer station and 1 for MS at $399.00/each

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Incase Origami Workstation 9 at $29.95/each http://store.apple.com/us/pro duct/H6353ZM/A?fnode=MjA1 MTEyODY

Apple Wireless Keyboard 9 at $69/each http://store.apple.com/us/pr oduct/MC184LL/B?fnode=M Tc0MjU4OTY

UPDATED MEDIA CENTER LAYOUT

My suggestions:
Combine the check-in and checkout stations to make room for a multimedia checkout station. Moved the fiction shelves around to make a seating area for leisurely reading. Create a larger reference area with more tables to do research. Create larger whole class area that gives students/media specialist more room. Also the worktable is stainless which would provide a better way to clean up if other activities where taking place. Added the use of Apple TV so the media specialist can control the SmartBoard with an iPad instead of using the laptop that was at the very back of the media center. Added a long shelf for new releases on the bank of windows to the right. Added a display shelf for student/school artifacts on the bank of windows to the left. Rearranged the computer stations to accommodate iPads with easel cases and keyboards.

CURRENT MEDIA CENTER POLICIES

Mill Creek Elementary School Media Handbook Mission Statement By recognizing the importance of locating sources of information effectively along with the role technology has in our lives, our school must take an active role in preparing its students to become contributing members of our rapidly changing society. Instructional media and technology should be used when it is an efficient and effective medium in accomplishing the goals of teaching, learning, and accessing information as related to the curriculum. Therefore, it is the objective of the schools media program to implement, enrich, and support the instructional program of the school in these areas. Goals 1. To provide media that will enrich and support curriculum, taking into consideration individual needs and the varied interests, abilities, socio-economic backgrounds, and maturity levels of the students served. 2. To provide media that stimulates growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards. 3. To provide material on opposing sides of controversial issues so that students may develop, under guidance, the practice of critical thinking and of critical analysis of all media. 4. To place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in selecting media of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the media center. 5. To provide for cumulative growth in library skills through instructional planning between teachers and the media specialist. 6. To promote reading as a recreational activity. 7. To provide reading, listening, and viewing guidance, reference and research services, and professional help to teachers and students in locating and using instructional materials and equipment. Purpose The Media Center staff is prepared at all times to assist teachers and students with their instructional needs. The media program makes available, through the media collection, a wide range of materials on varying levels of difficulty with a diversity of appeal compatible with the different needs, interests, and viewpoints of students and teachers. In order to assure that the Media Center will function smoothly, it is necessary to have specific policies and procedures as well as to provide information about the services and materials that are available.

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Media Center Hours The media center is open from 7:15 until 3:15 Monday through Friday. Students who arrive at school early may enter the media center without a pass. However, once the school day begins, students should have teacher permission to return. Scheduling Policy Open scheduling is the library policy in the MCES Media Center. In this OPEN plan, no regular periods for media center visits are permanently assigned. A teacher may sign up, preferably 24 hours in advance, for the periods he/she may want to use the facility. The Library Request form allows space for some explanation of the activity. This allows the media specialist to be better prepared to help students accomplish the teachers intended goal and to have materials gathered. At any time that the entire class is in the media center, the teacher is expected to remain with them for the entire scheduled time. NOTE: See form #3 for a teacher request to gather resources and/or request for instructional support for a project or activity.

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Selection of Materials Selection of print and nonprint materials will be a cooperative process with the library media specialist, teachers, administrators and students taking a part. Suggestions for purchase may be submitted at any time during the school year. Careful consideration will be given to each suggestion before ordering in the areas of most need. NOTE: See form #1 to use for requesting items to be purchased. Weeding Obsolete, out-dated, superseded, incomplete, worn-out, badly damaged, or superfluous materials (whether print, nonprint, or equipment) should be continuously weeded. No one item should be retained just to meet quantitative standards. The purpose of the school media center is to maintain a meaningful, up-to-date collection that will be used. Therefore, individual items will be disposed of when they have outlived their usefulness. Gifts Gifts to the media center collection are encouraged and welcome at any time. However, it will be up to the media specialists discretion to determine the appropriateness of the item to the media collection.

School Media Committee Our school media committee will consist of representative members of the school community. The committee will develop systematic plans for media services; recommend purchasing priorities for quality media and equipment to promote maximum utilization of materials, equipment, and media facilities to support learning; and respond, through established procedures, to formal complaints regarding instructional media at the school level. NOTE: See form #2 for challenge of material to the media collection.

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Classification of Materials in the Media Center Our media center uses the Dewey Decimal system of cataloging materials in the collection. The Dewey Decimal system for non-fiction books is: 000-099 General Topics 100-199 Philosophy and Psychology 200-299 Religion 300-399 Social Sciences 400-499 Language 500-599 Science 600-699 Applied Science and Technology 700-799 Fine Arts and Recreation 800-899 Literature 900-999 Geography and History

In addition to the Dewey Decimal system for non-fiction books, we use the following other designations for other types of books and materials. F Fiction R Reference B Biography P Professional CN Classroom Novels CS Computer Software EQUIP Equipment MATH Math Materials VT Videotape KIT Audiovisual Materials/Games DVD DVD movies and software AR Audio Recordings

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Checking Out Books Students may check out a maximum of two books at one time. Books may be checked out for a period of two weeks and may be renewed once. Students will use their District ID to check out books. After a book has been checked out to a student, the student should place a stamped date due slip in the back pocket of the book. It is the responsibility of each individual student to see that books checked out of the media center are returned in good condition by the due date. Reserving Books If a student finds would like to check out a book that has already been checked out by another student, they may put the book on reserve. This will ensure that when the book is returned, they will have the opportunity to check out the book next. Students will be notified when their reserved book has been returned to the media center through their language arts teacher. Overdue Books Overdue books should be returned as soon as possible so as to allow others to check it out. Students may not check out another book until an overdue book has been returned. Damaged Books Students who return books that have been damaged while in their possession will be charged a damage fee. The media specialist will assess this fee. The fee will be anywhere from $1.00 to the full replacement price of the book, depending upon the extent of the damage.

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Available Equipment The following is a list of the equipment available in the media center: TV/VCR cart Overhead Projectors Tape Recorders 4 Mp3 Players Laminator Paper Cutter Digital Video Camera Ellison Letter Machine 2 Closed-circuit channels 3 Digital Cameras 3 Flip Video Cameras 2 Webcameras LCD Projector

Video Policy It shall be the policy of MCES that videos shown at school have instructional value, be related to the curriculum unit currently being taught, be appropriate in instructional level, and be in compliance with the copyright law as interpreted by the Bulloch County School System. The county policy currently in place for the use of videos in instruction requires principal approval for videos that are not a part of the media center collection. If a teacher would like to use a video that is not a part of the media center collection, the individual must obtain an Agreement for use of Media form from the media specialist or from the Media Handbook. After the teacher has filled out this form, it should be turned in to the principal for final approval. If the video is unknown to principal, media specialist, and/or counselor, the video will be previewed by at least one of those individuals before final approval is given. No video should be shown to students without first completing the form, obtaining principals signature, and filing the form with the media specialist. Any video that is shown that is rated PG-13 requires that you have a parental permission form signed before students may view it. Under no circumstances should students be shown a rated R movie at school. NOTE: See form #4 for Video Rental, form #5 for parental permission for PG-13 movie, and form #6 for Video Policy and Approved Video List

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Online Catalog Destiny, our circulation system, allows us to search our database online to locate materials that are available in the media center. Each workstation in the media center has this capability as well as the computers in your classroom. To access this database you can click on the Library Catalog link on the MCES website or use http://destiny.bulloch.k12.ga.us. The program allows users to see if the needed item is in the media center or if it has been checked out. In addition, students may check their record to see if they owe debts or if they have a book checked out. Copyright Laws The property rights of authors and publishers are protected through the federal copyright law. Furthermore, Bulloch County Board of Education policy directs school employees to comply with the copyright law. The media specialist has the responsibility of explaining the copyright law at individual school sites. NOTE: See Copyright Chart and Copyright PowerPoint presentations

Classroom Computers and Printer Cartridges The media specialist and/or the technology liaison will assist teachers as much as possible with technical concerns and the effective use of software. Specific problems should be reported via work order as soon as they arise. Teachers will be provided with one printer cartridge during the course of a school term. Any additional cartridges will be the responsibility of the teacher.

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Student Displays Teachers are encouraged to display student work in the media center on the short bookcases located in the back of the facility. Please inform the media specialist when you have projects that you would like to display. Classroom Novel Sets Classroom novel sets are housed in the media center by grade. They are located in the back of the facility on the short bookcases in the plastic containers. NOTE: See form #7 for the listing of classroom novel sets by grade. Accelerated Reader Accelerated reader books are shelved along with the rest of the book collection in the media center so students will be able to learn to find books in libraries using the Dewey Decimal system of arranging books. In order to locate books on their reading level quickly, a color code system will be used. Signs are posted in the media center showing this system. In addition, Accelerated reader labels are on each book which tells the reading level of the book and the point value.

OTHER POLICIES THAT SHOULD BE ADDED

This is a fairly comprehensive policy, but there are a few policies or additions to the current policy that should be added:
There should be a policy for overdue books/materials from teachers: When books/materials checked out by school personnel become overdue, library materials will no longer be able to be checked out until the overdue materials are returned. There should be a policy that states what will happen if materials other than books become lost or damaged: In the event that property of the media center becomes lost or damaged, the person that checked it out will be responsible for 30% (or other figure decided by the media committee if the item costs more than $200) of the replacement cost of the item. The replacement cost and the cost to the borrower will be kept on file in the media center.

OTHER POLICIES THAT SHOULD BE ADDED

There should also be an internet use policy, somewhat to this nature: Internet Use of Materials and Information Student access to information via school district computers and computer systems has the potential to support the school district's curricular objectives: to promote innovation, collaboration, and communication; and to prepare students for their roles in a technical society. Such access to information, including access to the Internet, is, therefore, to be encouraged within guidelines that protect students and the rights of others.

The School District shall implement technology protection measures (i.e., an internet filtering mechanism) to block or filter, to the extent practicable, student and adult internet access to visual depictions of that are defined by applicable law as obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors. Additionally, in the discretion of the Superintendent or designee thereof, the technology protection measures may be configured to protect against access to other inappropriate content and/or disabled during use by an adult for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
The Superintendent is hereby directed to implement procedures or guidelines to monitor the online activities of students and educate students about appropriate online behavior. Such instruction shall specifically address interactions with others on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response. In addition, such procedures or guidelines shall address the following: 1. Access by minors to inappropriate content through the internet; 2. The safety and security of minors when using email, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communication; 3. Unauthorized access (e.g., "hacking") and other unlawful activities online; 4. Unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors; and 5. Measures designed to restrict minors' access to materials defined by applicable law as "harmful to minors." Student use of and access to electronic information resources carries no expectation of privacy and constitutes consent to authorized monitoring. The Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee shall establish a district-level Electronic Information Resources Committee. The committee shall be charged with: (1) Recommending policies, procedures, and acceptable-use guidelines insuring the safe, legal, and ethical use of computers and computer systems by students; (2) Recommending to the Superintendent what process shall be used for determining what material and/or categories of material are to be considered to be inappropriate and therefore to be filtered from students; and (3) Recommending how technology protection measures are to be installed and configured. Acceptable Use of Technology Resources The Superintendent is authorized and directed to establish regulations regarding the acceptable use of School District technology resources. Such regulations may authorize limited personal use of School District resources by employees provided that such use does not interfere with the performance of work-related duties, disrupt the workplace, or cause the School District to incur any additional expense.