Media Services

Management Contents

Goals and Objectives

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Goals and Objectives

The library media staff will develop goals and objectives based on program assessment that will address:

Communication and service to patrons
Access for all patrons
Curriculum support and development based on the Grade Level Expectations
Balance of collection
Budget
Physical facilities
Design and production of instructional materials
Library media staff development

Systematic evaluation and planning must be used to develop short and long range goals and objectives. Long-range goals address a period of time between two and five years. Short-range goals address a single school year.

Having established the goals for the center, objectives of each goal are identified. Objectives are the steps necessary to accomplish the goal. These objectives are then prioritized with an anticipated completion date.

Budgeting

The library media specialist develops a budget based on policy, research, and carefully formulated plans for achieving stated goals and objectives which support the school’s instructional plans. Short-term and long-term budget goals are specified. This proposed budget indicates the funds needed to carry out a definite program of instruction for a fiscal period. The proposed budget request is submitted to the building level administrator in the early spring. See also Budget Sample

Bookkeeping

A simple bookkeeping system is established to reflect encumbrances and actual expenditures of funds from all sources. The following financial data should be included::

Books
Periodicals and Newspapers
AV materials
Equipment
Supplies
Software
Maintenance services
Other codes with media center function.

Funding Sources:

Internal Accounts--Any monies collected by the individual school media center which do not come from the district or federal budgets, i.e., copy machine charges, library fines, gifts, and lost or damaged book payments shall be deposited in the school’s internal accounts in accordance with FILE DIB of the OCPS Policies – Rules Bylaws, 02/27/96. (See monies collected form sample) Purchases from internal funds shall not exceed the resources of the purchasing account. All purchases from internal funds shall receive advance written authorization of the principal or designee. School specific procedures for internal accounts are available from the school bookkeeper
Fundraising Each fund raising activity shall be conducted in accordance with OCPS Policies – Rules Bylaws, 02/27/96, FILE JJE and all monies deposited in internal accounts per FILE DIB.
PTA
Monies donated to purchase materials.
Instructional Materials Funds--Monies from the Instructional Materials Allocation may be designated by the school principal to be used for the purchase of instructional materials, including library and reference books, video tapes/DVD’s, periodicals, software, on-line services, and for the repair and renovation of textbooks and library materials. Section 230.22(2), Florida Statutes
Special Government Funds: The Project and Grant Manager at the district Finance Office has the responsibility for planning and overseeing the expenditures of any federal or state funds that may be appropriated.
Federal funds are appropriated some years and not others; therefore, the media specialist must stay abreast of the news through professional organizations and news releases to insure that he/she secures any available monies for his/her school.
State Funds--Categorical funding for school library media centers is usually provided by the state. These categorical funds are for support of library media centers. The general eligibility guidelines for Instructional Materials Funds apply. Consumable supplies are not eligible for purchase, nor are library furniture, general classroom furniture, and equipment.
Other Grants Other grant monies allocated from written projects for the purchase of school library media materials. For OCPS Grant Services: http://intranet.ocps.net/programservices/grant_services/HOME%20PAGE/homepage.htm

Scheduling

The library media center provides an open and flexible schedule in each school. This open flexible scheduling permits access by individuals and small groups at the time of need or interest and provides opportunities for teachers to schedule groups of students (classes) to the library media center for specific purposes.
It is recommended that the library media center be open to students and teachers a minimum of 30 minutes before school and 30 minutes after school and be appropriately staffed.
The library media center opens during the first week of school and remains open until the last week of student attendance. Students have access to materials throughout the entire school year.
Circulation of materials to students may be closed no more than ten school days prior to the last day of student attendance. The principal makes the necessary arrangements to provide for the completion of the annual inventory report, purchase orders and other end of year responsibilities.

Circulation

Library media collections are maintained for the use of the students and school personnel. Materials may be checked out to other individuals or schools in the Orange County Public Schools at the discretion of the library media specialist.
Library books circulate for a period of time determined by the library media specialist. AV software such as: videos, DVDs, CDs, etc. and AV hardware such as equipment, shall be circulated. Collections of materials are available for circulation to classrooms for a reasonable length of time to meet specific needs.
Staff and students have maximum accessibility to all library materials. Flexible circulation is necessary to meet specialized needs and interests such as circulation of reference materials or classroom collections. Circulation procedures for each type of library material are determined within each school.

Fines

Policies – Rules – Bylaws, The School Board of Orange County, Orlando, Florida, FILE DID, 1996, requires the principal or person in charge of a school “to be responsible for taking necessary measures to properly safeguard property under his control against loss, damage or undue depreciation.” This property custodian is further responsible for making periodic inventories of other items including “library books”.
Fines are kept at a minimum level so as to encourage student use of the library media center.
Library fines are not charged for weekends or school holidays. The total fines do not exceed the cost of the book.
The transfer of student’s records shall not be delayed or denied for failure to pay any fine or fee assessed by the school.
Amount of fines, if imposed, and procedures for assessment, are determined at the school level.
Students and staff are held liable for any loss, destruction, unnecessary damage or failure to return library materials and are required to pay for such loss, destruction or damage. All reasonable efforts shall be made to collect damaged or lost library media materials.
Procedures for assigning responsibility and collecting payments for lost damaged or destroyed library media materials are determined at each school. Procedures include number of notices to be given prior to charging for lost item and parent notification.
All payments must be receipted and given to the school bookkeeper.
Money collected for books is reported on the annual report.

Reports

Monthly Reports

A monthly report provides data for Southern Association reports and documentation of activities, circulation and utilization of the library media center. (see Elementary Monthly Report and Secondary Monthly Report)
A monthly report should be submitted to the principal. Keep duplicates of all reports.
Attendance includes all students who use the library media center. Use sign in sheets, class attendance and/or passes. Do not include non-library related attendance, i.e., school pictures, meetings.
For classes using the media center, indicate the subjects and/or type of activity of class.
List and/or explain special programs or unique activities conducted or coordinated by the media center.

Annual Reports

An Annual Report is a compilation of all statistics and programs for the monthly reports and includes budgetary information, maintenance of effort and program evaluation.
Expenditures – Amount actually spent for library media materials during the fiscal year.
School funds – amount spent from the school’s budget allocated by the principal.
Other sources – expenditures from internal accounts (monies earned by the school, i.e., Book Fair), monies from PTA, flexibility (portion of textbook funds), grants.
Government funds – allocations given to schools from the state legislature or the federal government.

Material Inventory

Keep a record of the number of items added each year by classification.
An item is considered lost at the end of the second year it is missing.
Items that have been weeded are counted and removed at inventory time.

Physical Facilities

Access and Arrangement

Establish and maintain an orderly scheme of furniture and space for user needs and convenience.
Utilize furniture and space to accommodate individuals, small group and large group activities simultaneously.
Designate areas for study, browsing, viewing, listening and computer use. Use appropriate positive signs for orderly traffic flow.
Create and retain an attractive, friendly atmosphere, free of unnecessary clutter.

Security

Library media specialists help ensure that library media facilities and resources are protected as much as possible from theft and vandalism.

Prevention of loss or damage
Secure all windows and doors after hours.
Use established procedures for check out, pickup and delivery of equipment within the school.
Prevent loss of resources during the school day through surveillance by staff and/or mechanical means. (i.e. Checkpoint Security Systems)

Property Receipt Form

This form is used when equipment is discarded, loaned off campus, or sent to surplus.
This form must be signed and approved by an administrator. (See sample Prop 4 form)

Procedures for reporting loss or damage

Notify building level administrator.
Complete and return a Loss and Damage Report.

Site maintained by:
Ginger Carter & Ramona Guth
Updated August 10, 2007