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Standard 4.1 Managing information resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using
Candidates select, analyze, and evaluate print, nonprint and electronic resources using professional selection tools and evaluation criteria to develop a quality collection designed to meet diverse curricular and personal needs.  Candidates organize the library media facility and its collections – print, nonprint and electronic – according to standard accepted practice.  Candidates support intellectual freedom and privacy of users.  Candidates plan for efficient use of resources and technology to meet diverse user needs.

Artifacts:

• ISTC 615 Collection Development Policy, Article Review
• ISTC 601 Ethics Policy, Facility Design

• Practicum Elementary:  Weeding 

            The Selection Policy artifact from ISTC 615 has fit well with several AASL Standards, and fits well with Standard 4.1 as well.  The policy describes the selection of print and non-print materials but also reviewing the material, deselection, and handling controversial material.  A number of tools and resources are listed to help in the selection and review of materials.  They also list how to go about analyzing a collection and determining the materials needed for that collection.  I also found the book rebinding procedure interesting, as I did not expect it within a selection policy.  I feel this meets the standard, as the BCPS Selection Policy is a professional selection tool that contains “criteria to develop a quality collection.”  I considered this selection policy when conducting my wedding in my elementary placement.  When weeding I also consulted the school’s collection on Titlewave to determine book ages, however I did not weed primarily on book age.  I worked with my mentor and a helper to determine if the books were useful to the curriculum or contained any useful information before removing them.

            An article for ISTC 615 regarding selection was discussed in another standard reflection.  The article discusses ways to incorporate students into the selection of books.  It was ingenious, as the students were educated on selection policy and procedure before being allowed to pick out books for the collection.

            The Ethics Policy conducted in ISTC 601 contains a number of policies, statements, and acts on varying levels (county, state, national) discussing ways intellectual freedom and privacy of students are met.  These documents are ideal for not only protecting students’ freedoms and privacy but also help with the selection of materials both print and non-print, easily meeting part of Standard 4.1.

            Again, the Facility Design project returns in this standard as I feel it is a great example of how to design a facility to meet the needs of students, organize resources, and provide a space to promote learning.  The design my group mates and I created meets all these needs of the students.  There are workspaces for learning, with outlets so students can plug in electronic devices and are away from the computer and instructional areas, reducing distractions.  Information regarding lighting, ventilation, electrical, and so forth are all explained in detail, and include why they should be used in the library.  The layout of the library is color coded to depict the different areas (fiction, non-fiction, computer area, instructional area, etc.) and at first this was done to help anyone viewing the diagram, however I feel this would be a great way to organize a library.  In elementary schools, having color coded carpeted or tiled areas could help students learn the layout of the library a little faster, and help them distinguish between the different areas, especially for those still learning to read.  If not color coding the floors then the signs indicating the areas, perhaps having a border along the top of the shelves to show where one area stops and another begins.