Hi Sheila:
We have Library Advisory Board in each of our MS and HS Libraries. In the High
School, it functions like a school club that students sign up for during a club
fair event. In addition, I invite certain faculty and staff who frequent the
Library to join the board so it represents our school community. The total size
of the Board is ~35 but we typically have 25 at each meeting.
We meet 4x/year and I provide a catered lunch from a local restaurant for our
long-lunch meeting (50 mins). Two students volunteer to facilitate each
meeting and I meet with them in advance to select the menu and plan the agenda.
Topics are generated at the first meeting of the year and I often add timely
agenda items if I’m considering a policy or facilities change that I want Board
input on.
Some examples of library initiatives, changes or issues that the Board has
discussed recently include:
-designating quiet study rooms
-determining food and drink policy
-offering tea/cocoa/hot cider for checking out a book
-judging the Bookplate Design, Creative Writing, Bookmark Design & Poetry
Contests & determining Film Festival winners
-deciding to “genrefy” our fiction collection
-initiating a student book review program
-writing the monthly library newsletter
-approving the addition of a zen garden on the patio & an art installation on
the front of the library
-designing a school-wide library survey
-adding additional technology to the library
-reviewing library equity and inclusion audit results and determining
collection development priorities
This has been an invaluable way for our library to get community input and
buy-in on decisions that matter to our patrons. I can’t think of a decision
that the Board has made that I haven’t supported myself. A recent out-growth
of this activity has been the Student Librarian Assistant Program (SLAP) in
which students, often Board Members, volunteer to work in the Library during a
break or free-period every week working a projects of their choosing.
Feel free to contact me if you’d like further details-good luck with developing
an Advisory Group at your school!
Jim Sternberg
Library Director
The Athenian School
2100 Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd.
Danville, Ca 94506
925-362-7233
jsternberg@xxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:jsternberg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: baisl-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:baisl-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf ;
Of Ms. Sheila Perlite
Sent: Friday, February 19, 2016 11:12 AM
To: baisl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: Ms. Christina Wenger <cwenger@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [baisl] Student Advisory Groups
Greetings librarians,
I would love to find out more about your Student Advisory Groups. I remember
hearing several of you mention them at the last BAISL meeting, and our Library
Director has asked me to gather information that will help us form our own
advisory group.
We are interested in any input you can give, especially regarding pitfalls that
you have overcome, as well as successes. The following information would be
helpful, as well:
* Selection process: Are students hand-picked, elected, or do you ask for
volunteers?
* Size of group: Do you limit students to one per grade? balance male/female?
Any other limitations on size?
* Focus of group: Does the group serve primarily as a Reader's Advisory, or do
they represent the students on a variety of issues involving the library?
* How often do you meet?
Thank you in advance for your help. It was wonderful to meet so many of you at
the BAISL meeting!
Best,
Sheila
--
Sheila Perlite
Library Technology Coordinator
St. Ignatius College Preparatory
2001 - 37th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94116
415-731-7500 x262
sperlite@xxxxxxxxxx<mailto:sperlite@xxxxxxxxxx>
www.siprep.org<http://www.siprep.org>
