Designing, implementing & evaluating training for school librarians in rural China:A case study

James Henri

Peter Warning

Jacqueline Shek

Angel Leung

IASLUniversity of Hong Kong

HKTLA IASL

Content

• Background to the training

• Training program

• Context of training within the project

• Progress & discussion

IASL 2009 2

Background to the training

IASL 2009 3

Yunnan云南

Jiangsu江苏

Zhejiang浙江

Anhui安徽

Kansu甘肃

In 2006 the CY-SFF began a program in

rural China to encourage a culture of

reading

Background to the training

• Program model included

development of collections,

reading facilities & leadership

• It soon became evident that

standard library knowledge & procedures did

not exist at the project sites

IASL 2009 4

Implications

Lack of knowledge of how to:

• Effectively manage library

operations

• Choose suitable reading

materials

• Introduce engaging reading activities

• Liaise with teachers to promote reading

• etc

IASL 2009 5

Initial training

• SLs in Yunnan requested training in 2007

• Logistics for the training were arranged by

the local education authority (LEA)

• >50 participants

• Participants included: SLs, LEA officials,

principals, deputy principals & language

teachers

IASL 2009 6

Initial training

• It was the first formal library training any

had received - Some travelled for >12

hours to attend

• All-day training

• Foci of training were: defining the role of

the school librarian, demonstrating the

importance of reading for children, & how

the librarian can encourage a whole-

school approach to reading

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Feedback/results from the training

• Feedback from training plus

recognition of limiting effect of

low skill base led to

development of a formal

training program endorsed by

CY-SFF

• Participants wanted to learn library

‘survival skills’

• Training occurs in a 3 phase sequence

IASL 2009 8

Training: Phase 1Survival skills

1st training session focused on:

1.Demystifying libraries & library work, eg:

• Role of SL

• Rudimentary library organisation

• Planning and introducing rudimentary

reading activities

• Rudimentary book repair

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Training: Phase 1Survival skills

2. Opening up access to the

library, eg:

• Creating a welcoming

library

• Library cleanliness and housekeeping

• Designing engaging displays

• Developing suitable lending policies

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Training: Phase 2Reading promotion & activities

• Strategies to encourage

borrowing

• Book reading – parents,

teachers & students

• Storytelling techniques

• Organising literature circles

• Organising drama activities eg, puppetry

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Training: Phase 2Reading promotion & activities

• Activities to encourage

student authors

• Organising special library

& book events, eg ISLM

• Collection development

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Training: Phase 3Reading in the curriculum

• Showing link between

reading & academic

achievement

• Educating teachers about

the library

• Introducing fiction into the curriculum

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Training: Phase 3Reading in the curriculum

• Introducing concept of

resource-based learning

• Collection development (2)

• Discussion of model libraries

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Context of training within the project

Training continuumIASL 2009 15

Other schools

Model libraries

Feedback

CY-SFF

Customized

training

Standard

training

In-residence

training

Feedback

Model

libraries

Other

schools

Ch

en

Ye

t-Se

nF

am

ily

Fo

un

da

tion

Library support continuum

Support &

collaboration

IASL 2009 16

Improve Collaborate

Support other schools

Improve

Improve

Support MLs

Support other schools

CY-SFF

MLs

Identify MLs Feedback

Other schools

Model

libraries

Ch

en

Ye

t-Se

n

Fa

mily

Fo

un

da

tion

Schools

Library support continuum

Self sufficiency &

collaboration

IASL 2009 17

Support other schools Improve Collaborate

Support other schools

Improve

Improve

MLs

Feedback

CY-SFF

Feedback

Progress

The full cycle of training has not been

completed, Even so, positive outcomes have

been observed in the following areas:

• Library tangibles

• Collections

• Policies

• Reading activities

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Library tangibles

• Beautification of the library

• Shift to better location, eg

larger room

• Recognition of values of

cleanliness & tidiness

• Introduction of display shelves

• Introduction of comment boards etc

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Collections

• Awareness of qualities of

engaging books

• Weeding of unattractive titles

• Experimentation with

classroom collections

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Policies

• Expanded access to library

• More liberal lending

policies

• Introduction of student

librarians

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Reading activities

• Increased collaboration between SL &

teachers

• More appealing reading activities

• Scheduled classes in the library

• Read-aloud activities & reading

• Summer break reading activities

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Conclusion

• Progress has been slow but steady.

• The value of the training program has

been enhanced through the regular

contact with participants including

attendance at the Foundation annual

conference.

• A future plan is to create the possibility of

Chinese speaking in-residence trainers

from outside China.

IASL 2009 23

The presenters would like to acknowledge

contributions to the project by:

• The Chen family & CY-SFF Board

• Karen Ip & Jenny Hui

• Hela Law & Judy Zhu

• The librarians, administrators, principals,

teachers, parents, students etc who have

cooperated in the project

IASL 2009 24

Acknowledgements