Library Development

New York State Library

NYSED / OCE / NYSL / DLD / School Library Systems Program

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School Library Systems Program

Overview and Highlights | Program Information | Library Media Specialist Certification | Guidelines | Report Cards | Contacts Fact sheets: School Library System Membership [68k] | The New York State Library in Partnership with School Library Media Centers [89k] SED School Library Services resources

Empire State Information Fluency Continuum: Benchmark Skills for Grades K - 12 Assessments / Common Core Alignment Developed by the New York City School Library System (.PDF only; ); letter from the State Librarian NYCC "Informational Brief: Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement; October 2011" (.PDF only; 287k) | Executive Summary (.PDF only; 90k) Education Law Center. New PA Study Shows Full-time School Librarian Boosts Student Achievement.

Program Overview

This state-aided program creates and funds 41 School Library Systems (SLS) based in the Big 5 Cities and the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), which serve multiple districts in an area. Main functions of the program are outlined in Commissioner's Regulations 90.18.

Program Highlights

Established in 1984, the School Library Systems program provides a formalized network for public and nonpublic school library media centers across the State and provides for the development of a standardized automated catalog which enhances interlibrary loan of resources among the participating schools. The systems also provide services to their members such as consulting, continuing education and professional development, cooperative collection development plans, services addressing special client needs, database searches of professional research and literature, and connections to other types of libraries and library systems across the State and beyond. School Library Systems transact over 500,000 interlibrary loans each year. The number of school library media center holdings converted into standardized format and entered into a database (Union Catalog) for electronic access by School Library System students and teachers is 28.3 million. School Library Systems sponsor staff development workshops for 50,000 participants each year.

Program Information

• The New York State Library in Partnership with School Library Media Centers (also in .PDF format)
• New York State's School Library Systems brochure (also available as a printable brochure in .PDF)
• School Library System Coordinator/Director Appointment Procedures
• Overview of Council and Communication Coordinator Responsibilities
• Plans of Service
• BOCES library services/media service descriptors (CO-SER)
• BOCES library automation service descriptors (CO-SER)
• Textbook, Software and Library Materials Information
• Commissioner's Regulations:
  • §90.18 School library systems
  • §91.1 School libraries
  • §91.2 Employment of school library media specialist
• Education Law; Article 5 — University of the State of New York:
  • §282 Establishment of school library systems
  • §283 Functions of school library systems
  • §284 State aid for school library systems

  School Library System Directors' Orientation at the New York State Library

Library Media Specialist Certification All teacher certification in New York State has been updated and changed to meet new Part 80 Regulations of the Commissioner as of February 2004. Library Media Specialist (all grades) is the new, and only, title for school library media specialists obtaining certificates after February 2004. The Office of Teaching Initiatives issues certificates certifying that an individual has met degree, coursework, assessment, and experience requirements. Certificates are issued in many titles preK-12 in three major categories: classroom teaching, administrative and supervisory, and school service (e.g., school counselor, psychologist, social worker). Library Media Specialist is in the classroom-teaching category. Obtaining an Initial Certificate Because individuals are educated throughout the country and enter teaching through various paths, there are two ways to obtain an Initial teaching certificate in NYS. Each method requires candidates to acquire the same level of knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Both methods of obtaining a certificate require three assessments, including a LMS content test, and child abuse and violence workshops. See Library Media Specialist Certification Requirements; from the Office of Teaching Initiatives, State Education Department

Guidelines and Fact Sheets

• Fiscal Guidelines for School Library Systems, Revised June 2007
  • Guidelines for Expenditures of School Library System Categorical Aid for Automation
• Merger and Cross-Contracting Guidelines for School Library Systems
• School Library System Cooperative Collection Development Plan Fact Sheet

Report Cards

• 2011 Report Cards
• 2010 Report Cards
• 2009 Report Cards
• 2008 Report Cards

Contacts

• Systems Liaisons at State Education Department State Aid Program Funding Contacts School Library System Web Sites
• School Library Services page, from SED's Office of Prekindergarten through Grade 12 Education (P-12)

Last Updated: February 6, 2013 -- asm; for questions or comments contact Cassandra Artale