The difference between a jogger and a runner is an entry blank." - Dr. George Sheehan

Frankly, when I embarked on this inquiry project, I wasn’t really sure what the difference was between a virtual school library and a database collection. Wikipedia's entry didn't offer much enlightenment only defining virtual schools as “an institution that teaches courses entirely or primarily through online methods”. Wikipedia did, however, provide a link to a list of virtual schools. Canada has five; with four in Ontario and the Abbotsford Virtual School in nearby Abbotsford, BC. I visited the school's website to learn more about the organization of a virtual school and try to find out what their library was like without success, so I emailed some questions to their vice-principal, Mary Strobe. She reported that they have no centralized virtual school library but do have plans to set one up in the future. Meanwhile coursework and necessary online resources are made available on a course-by-course basis. Strobe writes that they have “just signed a district-wide licensing agreement with EBSCO Host and access to that service will be our first step in providing school-wide access to library and research resources.” So now I know that you can have a virtual school without a virtual school library.

Still searching for virtual school libraries, I came across a research proposal by Jane Scharankov which explained that the webpage presence of school libraries may be defined as virtual school libraries. This brief proposal included a list of evaluation criteria to use in examining school library websites - a beginning reference point for my investigations. In my search for other criterion sheets I found What Should Be on a School Library Web Page By Donna Baumbach, Sally Brewer, and Matt Renfroe. This article was manna from heaven! It included an introduction, an explanation on what essential elements are needed in an effective school library web page such as:

• Online catalogs for not only your school library but also other libraries your students might use
• Reference resources and assistance
• Curriculum connections
• Literacy connections
• General information about your library

This article included a checklist page for general information, links, announcements and miscellaneous items plus references and a list of useful web sites for planning and maintaining School Library web pages. Practical planning tools, design tips, use of blogs, and a link to Kathy Schrock’s useful guide Separating the Wheat from the Chaff: How to Tell the Good Web Sites from the Bad were all included.

Armed with this new knowledge and criterion about virtual school libraries it was time to explore and evaluate a number of BC secondary school libraries. Sadly most fell short of the mark. In Surrey, I discovered that large Queen Elizabeth Secondary’s library web page could only be accessed from inside the school and that Earl Marriott Secondary shows only the library staff's names with databases available only from inside the school. Vancouver’s large John Oliver Secondary sports a long list of resources under sorted under headings like: Biography, Community Resources, Atlases and Maps, News Index, Encyclopedias. Unfortunately none of these are hyper-linked so it isn’t clear how a student is supposed to connect to them. Burnaby’s Alpha Secondary has an extensive list of subject links on its webpage and has catalogue access. It does not offer much in the way of support to students. Several of the topic bars are not constructed and the parent page about literacy contains a spelling error. Oops! I would say that the best (no pun intended) BC school library website I examined was at Dr. Charles Best Secondary. Teacher librarian Judith Comfort has done an amazing job (does she sleep?) of gathering resources to help students such as her Authority tool guide, Citation Machine link and links to teacher assignments (no more “I left it in my locker!”).

Next I found an amazing link to a webquest/slideshow created by Joyce Valenza called Open the Door, Let ‘Em In: Virtual School Libraries. For years I have been thinking about creating a library web presence and once I moved to a secondary school library I realized an even greater need for such an online presence. I have been collecting ideas, website links and firing them into a file waiting for the day when I would be technologically adept enough to created and maintain a website. It has been on my major “to do list” for some time now. I went through Valenza’s slideshow (220 frames long) which deals with all the various elements which could be featured in a virtual school library. I began to see that it was just as well that I hadn’t started on my project because Valenza brought a whole different flavour to the approach of creating a school virtual library site. She emphasized the involvement of the students and encouraged tapping into the 2.0 tools of the Read/Write web. Two of her comments which extended my critical thinking about this issue of virtual library development were:

“Students who collaborate and participate in building spaces, both physical and virtual, are likely to be more comfortable living in them” (Slide 13)
“How do libraries and librarians remain relevant to learners who work independently?" (Slide 23)

I know that this week's task was to explore virtual school libraries to see the potential of using Web 2.0 tools, and I can now really appreciate the relevancy of this after viewing Valenza’s slideshow. I am now quite excited about the prospect of creating a webpage presence for my own secondary school library. I am hoping that in our next course in January there may be an opportunity to design something practical like this to incorporate all our learning and exploring. I can see the importance of involving students in a “if they help you build it, they will come” approach in order to maximize its effectiveness. The library, with its virtual presence, provides many extended opportunities to enhance and promote student learning.
Valenza’s slideshow was am amazing collection of examples – a best of the best – taken from virtual school libraries across Canada and the US (and Charles Best is included several times). Teacher librarians had included an impressive array of tools in a one-stop-shopping style, readily available on their web pages for student use. It was clear to see that the library web page may be used to support curriculum, subject research, recreational reading and staff needs and may also be developed into a teaching tool with the addition of video tutorials and links to manuals and guides. Long after the lights have been turned off and the teacher librarian has left for the day, the students are able to continue using the library resources, through data base access, connections to the OPAC and a myriad of helpful tools available to help them complete their assignments.


Some inspiring ideas taken from Valenza’s collection of school library websites: Our Library’s Del.icio.us, pie graphs of circulation stats, policies on plagiarism, notetaking forms, guides for report and essay writing, Pathfinders for library research assignments, schedules, calendars, Pageflakes or iGoogle mainframes, database links, eBooks, audiobooks, online encyclopedias, reference, video tutorials, music, free open source and web-based apps, citation tools with examples, orientation videos, online research help guides and various ways of “using technology to promote books – not replace them”. Valenza’s site also showcases opportunities for additional student collaboration such as reading blogs, placing holds for resources, polls, suggestions for purchase/wish lists, student book reviews either in written, video or podcast form, celebrating student work (pottery was showcased with photos), displaying Lounge Lizard of the Week (students who frequent the library), showcasing student activities, research projects, clubs, social responsibility and other related library activities. I have bookmarked Valenza’s slideshow and will definitely be revisiting it as well as the Baumbach article when I am ready to begin seriously designing my own website. I hope to one day live up to Valenza’s closing remarks about the service teacher librarians should provide: “Be accused of aggressive helpfulness.”

I decided to return to the Dr. Charles Best School Library website to check it for examples of student input or collaboration. In the section called “Read”, I couldn’t find any student-generated input into this library webpage. There is an invitation to write reviews but no student examples were posted. The blog listings are also simply connections to author maintained blogs and the “Send us a note” link did not work. Exploring ways to make this virtual library site more student-centered would be a suggestion for future development.

In No Librarians Left Behind: Preparing for Next-Generation Libraries Stephen Abram writes of the many virtual opportunities for libraries of the future. Collaborative Digital Reference Services such as live-chat homework help, web-based Q & As, virtual reference desk and book-related tools such as eBook management systems which can be integrated with OPACs or Cliff’s Notes which may be purchased by schools and delivered by email. Steve believes that “the gauntlet has been thrown down for librarianship.” He encourages us to "use the technology, use our professional skills, learn from others, and we will be so stupendously successful that the world will beat a path to our (virtual) door!”

P.S. I'd like to mention that this week I challenged myself to create my blog by taking notes directly on the computer and forgoing paper and pen. The entire process felt a bit strange but but soon I was feeling more comfortable with the process. I have also checked all links to ensure they work - something I assumed would happen in past entries but was not always so. There's my oops!