HIT: Book Quotas

["Kevin T. Clement" <ktclemen@UNCG.EDU>]

I apologize for the length of time it has taken me to get back with a hit;
however, I hadn't originally set out to create a hit so I had to be
creative so as not to offend anyone.  Below is my original request. I have
divided the responses into four categories: SACS, Other Accreditation
standards, Possible explanations, and Various State Requirements.
Hopefully these divisions are self-explanatory.  In the SACS division, I
have decided to list names at end of responses since they were
contradictory in nature and it appears that some are not aware of changes
in accreditation requirements recently made.  Please accept my apologies
for any offenses made.  This has been an eye opening exercise for me in
that I did not realize how many different standards may affect one school
(i.e. district, state, and regional accreditation).  It also reminded me
of the trend leading from quantity to quality as an integrated curriculum
is being endorsed.  I want to thank all of the wonderful people who
responded and helped me make sense of this question.  So book quotas are
not a library urban legend but for some regions or states becoming a thing
of the past while others are just now embracing this concept.

Thank you for your time

Kevin Clement
Graduate student
MLIS Dept.
UNCG
349-H Curry
Greensboro NC 27401
Ktclemen@uncg.edu

I have been just informed by a media specialist of 35 years that in her
district and in her region, there is no specific standard requiring a
certain number of books per student.  Is this the same situation in all
other regions?  Has this been one of those urban myths passed on by
librarians?  I appreciate all responses but supported facts will be of
greatest use to me.  I have read an article written in 1998 that states
that some state accreditation requirements require so many books per
student.  I guess you can understand my confusion. Thanks in advance



SACS

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which governs North
Carolina, requires ten books per student.


Note:  there used to be a 10 books standard with Southern Association, but
in the new guidelines for continuing renewal of SACS, that number is no
longer required.  I am also hearing that SACS is probably becoming less
and less of a factor as state standards become the driving force.


The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS, for short) used to
require 10 books per student.  I haven't seen that in writing lately, and
all my info is at school.  So, here in our area it isn't a myth...I've
actually used it to force my old school to give me funds for books!


The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools still requires 10 books
per student. Regardless of the age, condition, etc. Myself, I would rather
have 5 uptodate books/student, but we have to keep the other 5 to satisfy
this requirement. Makes the library look drab instead of vibrant. Just my
humble opinion - after 22 years in the library.    Faith


Although the district may not have specific standards, we must comply with
the SACS and state standards.


Kevin,  I am writing from home, so I can't give you the specific numbers,
but for accreditation from SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools) there are definitely required numbers of books.  Please don't
quote me on the exact numbers, although I will try to look them up and get
them to you, but I believe it is 12 books per student.  There is a cap on
this which states that schools with more than "X" number of students need
to maintain a collection of "X" size.  This is because there are some huge
schools that could just not maintain collections at a rate of 12 per
student.  Hope this helps a little.
Again, I will try to get back to you with the exact numbers.

Donna Neill
Apollo Elementary, Titusville, FL
donnan1250@aol.com


Janis Hayden
SLMS
Rising Starr Middle School
Fayetteville, GA


Diane Averett/Librarian
Kerr-Vance Academy
Henderson, NC
averett4@gloryroad.net

Judie Davie, Librarian
Hampton Year Round School
2301 Trade St.
Greensboro, NC  27401
jfdavie@uncg.edu

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Madeline L. Buchanan, Library Media Specialist
W. J. Christian School, Birmingham, Alabama  35206
Phone (205) 838-7666 or 838-7673
Fax (205) 838-7622
mlbuchan@wwisp.com
http://members.wwisp.com/~mlbuchan/
http://www.scott.net/~wjc/


Other Accreditation Standards

In Michigan, NCA standards regarding books per student was dropped several
years ago because too many poorer districts complained. Also, the
requirement for certified media specialists was adjusted. Instead, I
believe a "media specialist" has to have 18 hours of approved coursework.
My replacement has a Masters in reading and 1/2 of her credit hours were
approved.
Tami Fox


I am getting the impression that they are not evaluating the effectiveness
of the library program. For NCA, we are evaluating based on our state MEAP
scores and how well we do in assessing our goals. Needless to say, we
media specialists have not been too happy. Before, I could ask for more
money based on meeting NCA goals. You can review the process by visiting
my web site at:
http://members.aol.com/tamifox/home.html

Somewhere, you will find a link to NCA.
Tami


We are basically on our own to set standards here in MI. No one is paying
any attention to our collection. It is a mixed blessing. In my district,
we do not even have a collection policy. I realize that this sounds so
backwards, but this is how it is in the real world, certainly not what I
learned in library school. We do not have a library director, and most
principals are clueless about how our libraries are actually run as long
as the parents are happy. I usually review a section a year, for weeding
and changes. If the curriculum changes, I support that by buying books to
support the new curriculum, although the district doesn't not give us a
budget for these changes. Our budget is very small and we rely on our
parent group and their fundraising efforts. I usually have been on the
budget committee and have to make my case for budget requests, although
they are usually met.
Tami


Tis true.  It goes along with the AASL-AECT standards put together in the
?late 60's or early 70's? that got away from the idea of having so many
books and av per student.  North Central Association Accreditation also
went to objective based standards in the ?80's?  I think some states do
still work with specific numbers as a way to encourage newer books but not
Ks.>

Alice J. Creveling, Libn.SM North H.S.
740l Johnson Dr. Shawnee Msn., Ks 66202
913-993-6917, fax 913-993-7099, nocrevel@smsd.k12.ks.us


Possible Explanations

Kevin,

The confusion may be due to transitions among states and regions from an
input method of counting stuff to determine the quality of a library and
its services to an output method of results (student achievement).  Our
(Colorado) accreditation rules have been drastically revised to reflect
this transition - accreditation is now very general and driven by student
results - student scores on state content standards tests, dropout rates,
graduation rates, etc.  The downside to this transition for school
libraries is that they are nowhere to be found in the new accreditation
rules.  Funding always follows what counts.  So, we will see.  Hope this
explains the confusion, somewhat.

Bobbie Ponis
Coordinator, Library Services
Jefferson County Public Schools
Colorado


Kevin,
The confusion exists among media specialists also.

It is true that accrediting agencies do require a certain number of books
per student for accreditation, but many schools are not accredited below
the high school level.  This is one reason many media specialists are
unaware of the number.  In addition, even if a school district is fully
accredited, sometimes only those directly involved with that accreditation
area are aware of the numbers.

As usual, while many of us support such things, we are not familiar with
all that it entails.

Hope this helps,
Beth Pounds
Librarian
Beasley Middle School
1100 S. 18th Street
Palatka, FL  32177
pounds_b@popmail.firn.edu


My understanding here, having attended recent Information Power workshops,
is that these numbers have gone by the board:  districts would not let
librarians discard if doing so would take them belong the recommended
numbers;  districts would not allow purchasing over these numbers; etc.
Crazy, huh?

I'm in a private school in Western New York and have close to 15 books per
student.  I think that's above average here.

Jill Brown, LMS
Nardin Academy
Buffalo, NY
buflib@yahoo.com


Various State Standards

In Vermont it used to be 20 titles per student in the school library for
State certification.  But the state standards are not being applied the
way they used to (for instance, it used to say every school with 300
students had to have a full time certified librarian, now, in budget
cutting times they are not holding smaller schools to that)

Vermont now has State standards in all of the various curricula.  we have
to align our school (and lesson plan) curricula to these standards. They
also used to have standards for stuff like how many books etc, but nobody
seems to be paying as much attention to them since they are too busy
aligning curriculum

Trish Feld
Crossett Brook Middle School
waterbury Vermont 05676
tfeld@cbms.wdsd.k12.vt.us


In Vermont, the state requires school libraries to purchase 1 (one) new
title per year, per student.

     Bonnie Richardson, LMS
     Sutton, Burke, Newark Elem. Schools
     Sutton, VT 05867


Check out the Missouri State Standards for School Libraries at
<http://www.dese.state.mo.us/divinstr/curriculum/standards/lmcstand.htm>.
This will tell you about the number of books we are to have to meet
standards.  We have to have a minimum number, then figure additional
volumes based on the number of students.  A chart is provided to help us.
We also have "Dewey Sensitive" areas in which books older than twelve
years cannot be counted.

Sherri Pogue
Francis Howell North H. S.


Missouri rates schools according to the quantity and quality of their
collections.  It is tedious to compile but extremely beneficial.  Take a
look at our handbook for library media centers at:
  http://dese.state.mo.us
  Click on programs A to Z and then on library media centers.  You will
need Adobe Acrobat to read the file.

   Beth Wakely, Librarian
   Becky David Elementary
  St. Charles, MO  63303  EWakely@aol.com


In California, the legislature set a standard just this last year. With
the new additional funding that we are getting from the state, we are to
build our library media centers to a standard of 20 books per student.
Needless to say, most schools fall far short of that number at this time.
    This may help.

Bob Laramee
Arvin High School Librarian
Arvin, CA 93203
bookworm@lightspeed.net




In PA the new standard is 25 books per student.

audrey nolte
allentown, pa 18106


I am going to be a new librarian in the fall and have had to work with
these recently!

Texas does have varying standards.  Look at this site for more:

www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/libraries/resources.html

Mary Jean Lowance


According to the Texas Standards and Guidelines(1999) to achieve exemplary
status, a media center needs at least 12,000 items or 20 books per
student.  For recognized status, a media center needs 10,800 items or 18
per pupil.  For acceptable status, a media center needs 9,000 books,
software and electronic resources or 15 items per student.
Hope this helps,
Debra Sewell
Deerwood Elementary Librarian
Kingwood, Texas


I believe Texas has 3 levels of standards, beginning with 10 books per
student, the acceptable level. A fellow librarian informs me that new
school libraries in Texas have 5 years to attain this minimum goal. The
next increments are 15 and 20 which is the exemplary level.

Laurie Thelen <laurie_thelen@hotmail.com>


I can't tell you about districts or other regulations, but in Ohio the
State Department of Education publishes a book as part of the "Minimum
standards leadership series" called Quality Library Services K-12.  In the
Collection Guidelines Appendix E it gives three phases for collection
building.  Phase III suggests that an Elementary school might have 22
books per pupil, and a secondary school might have 25 books per pupil.
(this booklet was done in 1985, by the way)


Connie Welch, Librarian         cwelch@freenet.columbus.oh.us
O.L.P.H. School
Grove City, Oh 43123


I know of no official standards concerning the number of books per student
in New Jersey, although I was in one school where the library had to be
called the "book storage room" or some such name because (I thought) of
the size of the room, which was the size of a classroom.  When they moved
the library to a larger area, we were able to call it the library media
center.

---
Mary Ellen Hamalainen
Elementary Library Media Specialist
Bloomfield NJ <hamalainen@earthlink.net>


In Idaho, different accreditation standards exist and schools may choose
which accreditation standard they wish to follow. In the Northwest
Association of Schools and Colleges, Standard IV- Library Media Program,
the following requirements are made:

Middle Level and High Schools with enrollment less than 200 only:
   Minimum of 2500 volumes, exclusive of government documents and
textbooks. (Up to 50% variance allowed for supplementing nonfiction
collection with equiv. volumes using elec. access and/or microfiche.

Middle Level and High Schools with Enrollment over 200 only:
    Minimum of 10 volumes per student up to 12,500 volumes, exclusive
of government documents and textbooks. (variance up to 50% allowed
    for schools supplementing nonfiction coll. with equiv. volumes using
elec. access and/or microfiche.

Elem., K-12, Special Purpose Schools only:
    Minimum of 15 books per child, or 3000 books, whichever is greater,
except in schools under 100 students, then 15 books per child is the
standard. (Up to 50% variance allowed for schools supplementing nonfiction
collection with equiv. volumes using elec. access and/or microfiche.

The source for this information was taken from the Idaho School
Librarian's Information Manual, printed in 1998 by the Idaho Department of
Education, Boise, Idaho.

Hope this helps.

Jewell Dean
Media Specialist
Aberdeen High School Library
Aberdeen, Idaho 83210
ahslibrary@hotmail.com

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