School Library Assessment and Evaluation Tool

In my training with school librarians last October, a professional development activity organized by Scholastic Philippines, I talked about assessment and evaluation tools for school libraries. The PowerPoint presentation can be viewed in this post: School Library Improvement: Assessment and Evaluation.

Now here is the assessment and evaluation tool I designed using the DepEd School Library Guidelines of 2011.

PPT: School Library Assessment & Evaluation

Scholastic librarians training on assessment and evaluation from Zarah Gagatiga

Setting Up a School Library: Assessment (1 of 2)

I good starting point when setting up a library is to assess the readiness of the school for a school library. Areas to look at would be administrative responsibility, staffing  and manpower, finance and budgeting matters, physical and virtual structures, curricular offering, students and learners profile, community support and linkages.

Some questions that lead to assessment of some of the identified areas are listed below:

a. Administrative Responsibilities

- Are there national standards and guidelines on school libraries that are defined by the government?

- Where does the library fall under the school's organizational chart?

- Who is the librarian reporting to: academic coordinator or school principal?

b.  Library staffing

- Is the school capable of assigning a full time/part time library staff for the library?

- Is the staff knowledegable in keeping documents of library records?

- Is the librarian a trained professional?

- How big is the school population vs. librarian and staff?

c. Building and room that is accessible to all students and teachers

- Is the library space near or central to the school community who will use it?

- Is the library space well lighted and ventilated?

- Is the library space fire, flood and termite resistant?

- Is the library space near a fire exit?

- Is the library space big enough for 2 classes at a time?

- Is the library space near a computer room, comfort room/rest room, emergency exit?

- Is there a technology infrastructure that can be used to begin a virtual or digital service by the library?

d. Support from school leaders, teachers and parents

- How can parents support the library?

- In what way can community members show his/her help in the development of the library?

- Envision how the principal and teachers plan to use the library as a learning center.

e. Assistance from government and other organizations

-Are there programs by the government and civic organizations that can be tapped so that library will further develop?