Alex Lawhon

Reflection for Standard 5.3 Personnel, Funding, and Facilities

Candidates apply best practices related to planning, budgeting, and evaluating human, information, and physical
resources. Candidates organize library facilities to enhance the use of information resources and services and to
ensure equitable access to all resources for all users. Candidates develop, implement, and evaluate policies and
procedures that support teaching and learning in school libraries.
Artifact Description
ISTC 601, Budget Presentation:
Developed for the Library Media Administration course, this multimedia presentation, created using
Prezi, was made to be presented to the administration and advocates for funds to purchase resources to be for
the purpose of professional development. Included in the Prezi is the proposal, supporting research for the
requested resources and a budget breakdown.
ISTC 615, Keys to a Successful Selection Policy Presentation:
The Prezi presentation was created on the school library media policies and procedures used in Harford
County Public Schools (HCPS). The presentation includes an evaluation of what Harford County does well and
how HCPS can improve their policies to support the teaching and learning of diverse student populations in the
school library.
ISTC 601, Facility Design Analysis:
During ISTC 601, my class took a trip to visit Magnolia Elementary School’s library media center.
Discussions took place on the environmental design and use of space, equitable accessibility of resources,
accommodations for diverse learners, signage and displays, and the responsibilities of the school librarian in
relation to the facility and the teaching of educational standards. The artifacts provide photo evidence of
considerations that were taken by the current media specialist and an analysis of how the library’s organization
ensured equitable access to all resources for all users.
Relevance
These three artifacts are relevant to AASL standard 5.3. My budget presentation applies this standard by
developing a plan through budgeting and evaluating human, information, and physical resources in the library.
With extensive research and the use of real data, I identified the needs of both students and staff in order to
provide appropriate resources. Fountain Green Elementary School (FGES)’s identified need was to improve
scores on state standardized tests, specifically in the area of English language arts on the research and nonfiction
literacy portions of the test.
This budget presentation demonstrates my ability to advocate to the relevant stakeholders in order to
acquire the necessary resources and services that would support best practices for teaching and learning in the
school. In this case, I petition the administration for resources to be able to lead the classroom teachers in
professional development and provide them with useful materials to use for classroom teaching.
My analysis of the HCPS library media policies and procedures model how I am able to evaluate and
implement policies and procedures that support teaching and learning in school libraries. Many times HCPS
(2016) states that the collection must “assure the provision of materials that ensure proper recognition to all
group and individuals without regard to race, ethnicity, region, religion, gender, language, socioeconomic
status, age, and disabilities” (p. D-25). After completing research on many other collection development
policies and scholarly articles on collection development, I offered insight with my analysis of the strengths and
weaknesses of the policy. I suggested adding direct statements from the American Library Association (ALA)’s
Library Bill of Rights to make the HCPS policy stronger. My proposals exhibit my understanding of the
importance of having a written policy and procedural guide for the library that serves to communicate the
library’s role in making information equally accessible to all users in the learning community.
Finally, I utilized standard 5.3 during the facility design analysis. While considering the layout of the
media center at Magnolia Elementary, the learning standards, safety measures, and accommodations for special
learners were all taken into consideration. This artifact illustrates my ability to comprehend the reality of
developing a library program that supports all learners, both physically and emotionally.
Analysis
My budget Prezi represents my ability to create a plan that advocates for the library program to its
stakeholders. Creating this taught me the importance of continually evaluating the SIP and the school
community’s needs and desires with the school library program in order to be an advocate and a proactive
partner for the academic success of students. This budget did aide in the school’s ability to purchase materials
for teachers to improve best practices in the area of reading, and it taught me the value of being an advocate and
partner with the administration to accomplish higher achievement via direct influence from the library.
For ISTC 615, my presentation on the HCPS policies taught me how to apply this standard in action
when evaluating policies and procedures of school libraries. In the future, the comparison and research of other
policies can be used to develop my own collection policy. I would like to design library guidelines that support
the learning community and the role and mission of the school library. I understand the importance of
upholding library policies and procedures and making changes as necessary each year, and as Harford County
becomes more technologically advanced, I have suggested incorporating technology and digital responsibility
policies into the media policies and procedures.
After reviewing best practices for 21st-century learners in the library, it was found that there were many
factors to consider when providing a safe and comfortable learning environment for all. According to CAST
(2011), you must consider easy technological connectivity, vibrant colors, comfortable flooring and lighting,
flexible shelving, UDL application for equitable access for all patrons, access for at-home resources, alignment
of standards that support the mission of the library, safety measures, evaluation of environmental design
elements like blind spots, a welcoming library atmosphere, compliance of standards for special learners, and
clear signage and displays.
The opportunity to visit and view the media center at Magnolia taught me to see the library and the role
of media specialist as an ever-changing and evolving process. As a new media specialist, I would like to
promote a welcoming learning environment for students. As HCPS initiates one-to-one technology, it may be
helpful to have a “laptop lounge” where students can work comfortably on devices. It was also interesting to see
a Maker Space in action, and I would like to include this in my own media center to encourage inquiry-based
learning through hands-on explorations, similar to the new Common Core initiatives in the area of science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). I know I can support teaching and learning by organizing a
library facility that enhances the use of information resources and services for all users.
 References
CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines
Harford County Public Schools. (2016). School library & media policies and procedures manual. Retrieved
from https://hcps365.sharepoint.com/sites/CurriculumandInstruction/
LibraryMedia/_layouts/15/WopiFrame2.aspx?sourcedoc=%7B41d9669a-3556-444b-8720-
c96d105cda50%7D&action=view&wdparaid=0