Southeast Texas P-16 Council

While the five high school libraries in the Beaumont Independent School District are not yet on the level with digital library leaders as The Library of Congress World Digital Library or the Carnegie Melon University’s Million Book Project, Director of Library Services Rosalind Eyre believes this year’s $497,785 Improving Literacy through School Libraries grant will help place BISD on the right track.

As one of only 50 recipients across America to receive the prestigious grant, BISD is using the funds to “Improve reading achievement by providing students with increased access to up-to-date school library materials, to develop well-equipped and technologically advanced school library media centers and to increase its professionally certified school library media specialists at the high school levels,” Eyre explained. The grant was awarded to BISD by the U.S. Department of Education.

According to Eyre, BISD anticipates purchasing up-to-date media resources, acquiring advanced technology that is integrated into school curricula and facilitating Internet links and other resource-sharing networks. “Information retrieval and critical thinking skills will be enhanced and improved by what we are doing. We are already going beyond the traditional by providing students with opportunities to access school libraries during non-school hours, including weekends and summer vacations,” the District Lead Librarian said.

“One of the first notable changes is at the Taylor Career Center. We have already purchased 33 Kindle book readers that students may check out from the library, readers which have the potential access to thousands of books, magazines and other media. More Kindles will be purchased during this school year, not only for Taylor but for all the high schools, taking reading for book reports, researching for class assignments and studying to a whole new level.

Students will be able to carry their library home in something lighter than a paperback weighing less than nine ounces. They will be able to search for a book, access it and start reading it in 60 seconds,” she said.

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Teachers who collaborate with media specialist to promote learning and increase student achievement are eligible for this year’s Gale/Library Media Connection TEAMS Award. The awards are given every two years.

Three winners will receive: $2,500 (U.S.) cash award; Gale products (approximate value $500 U.S.); a one-year subscription to Library Media Connection; and Educator’s Professional Bookshelf (approximate value $500 U.S.) from Linworth Publishing.

A panel comprised of education industry professionals and Gale staff will evaluate the nomination based on:

• Demonstrated collaboration between media specialists and teachers during a school year. Entrants may select which one of the two school years they would like to submit.
• Effective techniques that positively impact student learning and achievement
• Support received from school leadership
• Ability for others to replicate this best practice

All K-12 public and private schools in the United States and Canada are eligible to enter.

Examples of the types of collaboration that will be considered:

• Using large-print books to improve student reading scores
• Increasing literacy among struggling readers
• Improving information literacy: open Web vs. subscription resources
• Using nonfiction materials in classroom libraries to support reading
• Integrating electronic and print reference resources into classroom learning

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