5.12  How to look at the library 

The Standards, indicators, evidence and grading (2.2) outline the expectations for the library (Standards 5.1.2, 5.2.2, and 5.3.2) and its use by students.  These standards move from

·          input (library resources) to

·          process (use of the library) to

·          output (effectiveness: the student has the skills and habits to continue using libraries effectively as a learning resource) 

In general, assessors should consider all information resources including library books and journals, and also CD-ROMs and Internet resources. 

Visiting assessors can review the library, and information resources from several perspectives: 

1        reviewing documents

2        visiting the library

3        interviewing the staff

4        “sufficient” resources

1        Reviewing documents 

The form Library resources and services (A1.7).  The information on this form provides the basic documentation about library resources.   Below are the items and some questions assessors should consider. 

Review the course syllabuses provided by the faculty to see if students are being given assignments which require them to use library resources.  Consider whether an appropriate range of resources is being used, for example: reference books, classical works in education, modern works in education, books and journals, and Internet resources. 

Review student papers and other written assignments in the documents room to consider these questions.

·          Is the use of library resources reflected in student work? 

·          Are bibliographies written in an appropriate format with all elements present (i.e., author, title, publisher, date, pages). 

·          Are students using footnotes and citations appropriately? 

·          Are students using a balance of sources in their papers (e.g., classical and newer sources, books and journals, printed materials and Internet resources)? 

·          Do students use library resources at all levels of the program, from the first to the fourth year? 

·          Are the library and information skills of fourth year students appropriate for a university graduate?  For a beginning teacher? 

2     Visiting the library 

The visit to the library need take no more than an hour if the time is well organised.  Below are factors to consider. 

Facilities

Location 

·          Is the library conveniently situated for students? 

·          If not within walking distance of the education faculty, is there regular and convenient transportation? 

·          If the distance is significant, pay attention to interviews and other evidence to see if every attempt has been made to help students get to the library. 

Suitability

·          Is the library a place conducive to work and study?

·          Are there sufficient reading areas for students?

·          Is there sufficient lighting?

·          Are the study areas comfortable?

·          Is the reference desk conveniently located?  Do students in general seem to use the reference desk for help?

·          Are photocopying services easily available and working?

·          Are there Internet terminals around the library for students to use?

Library director

Explain to the director the purpose of your visit to the university and to the library and follow up on any questions raised in the Library resources and services (A1.7) form. 

Collection

Books Visit the reference section of the library.  Are there sufficient reference books that a teacher might want:  encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, and the like.

In the book section, visit a general area important to teachers, such as Turkish history for classroom teachers or the science books for science teachers.  Make a general judgement about whether the collection is sufficient in quantity for teacher education students.  Also notice whether the library is continuing to add resources in the area you selected. 

Visit the section of the library which includes books in education.  Examine the general collection.  Do you see sufficient resources for students to be able to complete general assignments on topics such as current issues in education, child development, and classroom management?  Are there enough relatively new books so that students can read a variety of current theories and practices?    

Are there sufficient resources for students to learn about both historical and recent issues in education in Turkey?  Are there sufficient books in the language of instruction?  Check a sample of books to see if they have been borrowed frequently and recently.  Examine the part of the collection relevant to the programs being reviewed.  Ask the same kinds of questions as above about sufficiency and newness and the books in the language of instruction.   Examine a few books to see if they are being used and borrowed. 

Journals Visit the area with current journals.   Are they available for students?  Do you see the journals which were on the Library resources and services list? 

Visit the area with bound journals.  Are older journals (older than a year or two) easily available to students? 

Other  If time permits, you may do the following:

·          Visit the Internet facilities.  Do students have access?

·          Visit the CD-ROM room.  Do students have access?

·          Try the library’s on-line catalog if it is available.

3     Interviewing the staff

Ask faculty staff questions about the library as needed to follow up on questions remaining from examining the documents, visiting the library, and talking with students.   For example, if staff do not appear active in requesting books, ask why.   If student papers do not show appropriate use of library resources, ask faculty how they encourage students through assignments to use the library.

A good general topic is how staff are preparing students to use the resources of the Internet.   Since the Internet contains enormous amounts of material, students can find excellent as well as poor sources.   Ask the staff how they are teaching students to judge sources they find on the Internet.

4      A word about “sufficient” resources

As in other areas of accreditation, reviewing the library calls for judgement.   At what level are resources sufficient?  How many books and journals are enough?

Assessors are advised to keep the purpose of the standard domain in mind when reviewing the library. There are at least two reasons why library and information resources are important in teacher education.

·          Reading widely and being able to find, select, evaluate, and use information resources is a mark of an educated person. 

·          Teachers must have the skills of continuing learners.  In their work, as the world changes, they must have the skills and habits of valuing and being able to find and evaluate information resources.

Keep the goal in mind:  students become skilled users of library and information resources.  The collections and the building are means to this end.  Without access to a suitable library and sufficient library resources, students cannot develop the skills and habits they need.  However, simply having a large library with many books and journals does not guarantee that students will use the library and develop their information skills.  Thus, it is important that teacher education students have the resources, opportunity to practise, and feedback on how well they are developing library and information skills.

It takes time and money to develop a library.  Inflation, increases in the number of books and journals published, the need to buy books and journals in Turkish and other languages, and to fund technology, all place considerable strain on university budgets to fund the library.   Assessors will make some judgment about these questions.

·          Are the books and other resources sufficient for students to develop the information skills which teachers should have?

·          Is the education faculty being treated equitably with other faculties in the university when it comes to library and information resources?

·          Are the education faculty doing their part, such as requesting books, giving assignments that call on students to use the library

·          Do students value the library and information resources?

·          Are students and staff increasing their use of Internet resources?

·          Is the university committed to improving the library overall, including in education?