Assignment

ASSIGNMENT 04
Material Order

Purpose

THE PURPOSE of this assignment is to (1) select print and nonprint sources using professional selection tools and selection criteria at the elementary, middle, or high school level that meets the diverse curricular and personal needs of students and (2) use previous instructor feedback (if needed) to revise your selection criteria.

NOTE: This assignment meets the following ALA/AASL/CAEP School Librarian Preparation Standards (2019). Save and revise all assignments to use in the SLM 550 Portfolio course.

ALA/AASL Components

4.2 Information Resources. Candidates use evaluation criteria and selection tools to develop, curate, organize, and manage a collection designed to meet the diverse curricular and personal needs of the learning community. Candidates evaluate and select information resources in a variety of formats.
4.3 Evidence-Based Decision Making. Candidates make effective use of data and information to assess how practice and policy impact groups and individuals in their diverse learning communities.

Resources

Template for Book and Nonprint Orders.
Megan Frable, Spring 2023 Order for High School, using different instructions.
Your selection sources from Assignment 2.
Your selection criteria from Assignment 2.
Hoover Library H.W. Wilson databases.
Hoover Library databases for professional selection sources.
Follett’s Titlewave and/or Mackin (Remember—they are book jobbers NOT selection sources). Adjust the settings so that you’re selecting titles that have 3 positive reviews.
AASL Best Digital Tools for Teaching & Learning, most recent year.
ALSC Notable Children's Digital Media, most recent year.
Audio File Magazine.
Odyssey Award Audiobooks.
YALSA Audio Books.

Background

Ordering materials is an extremely important activity, but in the real world, many school librarians may spend only a few hours right before the order is due. They’re busy teaching, and after all, there’s only so much time. But even so, not devoting time to selecting materials is wrong. What you purchase affects the foundation of your entire library program.

This assignment provides you the time to use your preferred jobber, either Titlewave or Mackin. This means you’ll continue to learn about your preferred selection sources, noting similarities and differences. This is time well spent.

This order demonstrates that you (a) use current and retrospective professional selection sources to purchase new materials, (b) use selection criteria, (c) meet the needs of diverse learners, (d) support all students’ personal needs and interests, and (e) support the curriculum. This order also demonstrates that you help learners think, create, share, and grow, according to AASL’s National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries.

This specific point—support all students’ personal needs and interests—needs to be said another way. You had better select books that will be hugely popular with your students. The books must have charming covers. If you’re selecting books for the curriculum, but no one is checking them out, you’ve wasted the small amount of funding you have. Your goal is to buy books that are so well loved that the books fall apart. For this assignment, buy books that your students will love.

Keep your list until January of the following year so that you can then compare what you ordered to the notable lists selected by ALA committees and professional selection journals. This may help provide further evidence for meeting the above ALA/AASL standards in SLM 550 Portfolio. And of course, keep this list so that you can purchase the titles for your own library.

You’re also revising your selection criteria for both books and nonprint materials, if needed from Assignment 2.

Finally, make certain that self-censorship does not crop into your selections.

Your Task

1. Complete a template table for each item. (See Resources above.)
Use the professional selection sources mentioned above and the ones we have studied in class.
Part 1. Select 15 books that will be engaging and frequently used.
1. Select titles by using either Titlewave or Mackin.
2. Select titles that have been published this year. Exception: (1) If class is taken in the spring, some titles may be from the immediately preceding year. (2) Or, if you found diverse titles that your collection needs, these titles may be up to two years.
3. Adjust settings to find books that have at least 3 positive reviews. Note: There is no need to formally cite the wording from the review journals using MLA rules as the origin of the wording is clear. If you choose a nonfiction book with just two reviews, explain your rationale.
4. Select a variety of subjects, reading levels, and diversities that are sure to be popular! Select titles that will improve the sections you analyzed in Assignment 3. Select titles that meet topics in your curriculum chart from Assignment 1.
Part 2. Select 4 nonprint, audio, media, apps, or tools that will engage all learners in finding, evaluating, creating, and communicating in a digital environment. One review is usually enough. Aim for recently published items, say within the last 3 years. For example, it’s fine to select titles from the current list of AASL Best Digital Tools for Teaching & Learning.

You may include digital books or audio books but seek newly published titles. One review may be all you can find but avoid these common mistakes: (a) don't use the print review for an audio book. You need information on quality of narration; and (b) if you select a graphic novel as an eBook, get the review that verifies that images are clearly seen.
Remember! Add a row to the table template called Promotion. Explain how you plan to promote these nonprint titles.

Keep the two parts separate.
1. Alphabetize each part by title.
2. Again, see template for orders. Include (1) book image, (2) bibliographic information, (Lexile scores are optional.), (3) brief (partial) summary of the book copied directly from publisher, jobber, or a review. (Approximately 35 words per review is plenty.), (4) a rationale of 3 bulleted reasons of why you selected the item that verifies it will engage learners. This documents that you are using selection criteria, that you know your users, and the curriculum. (5) Copy and paste 3 succinct quotes from 3 positive reviews. Use copied text that demonstrates the uniqueness of the selection source. (6) Include dates of the reviews, (7) whether the titles received a star, (8) reviewers’ names, and (9) recommended age levels for the books assigned by the review sources.
Compare your order to the orders of 2 class members who were selecting for the same level, if possible. What differences did you notice? Why? Seek deeper reflection beyond mentioning that the school populations are different. If that is your point, then go into detail about that.
Reflection. Explain: (1) process for evaluating and selecting materials in a variety of formats, (2) preference for selection journals, publishers, and why, (3) differences in selecting for fiction, nonfiction, and nonbooks, (4) difficulties encountered, (5) lessons learned, (6) how has the list been shared with a practicing librarian (or teachers), and, most importantly: (7) how you plan to showcase the new materials, and (8) how this order impacts groups and individuals in your specific school.

Note: you may use most of this reflection in your final learning log.

REVISION OF SELECTION CRITERIA (Instructions from Assignment 2)

Include your own professional selection criteria for (1) books and (2) nonprint. Your criteria must support all learners, be succinct, easy to remember, and while based on your district, should be written without jargon. Revise, if needed, using instructor feedback from graded Assignment 2.

Upon Completion

NOTE: This assignment is due EARLY. It is due on Thursday at midnight of the last week of Module 4.

	Material Order Rubric
	Exemplary	Proficient	Developing	Unsatisfactory
15 Print Titles	9-10 Points Outstanding, highly recommended or starred selections appropriate for the age, interests, and diverse background of students and meets curriculum needs or user interests; Meets criteria: (1) 15 items published within the current year (if class is taught in fall; if class is taught in spring, some titles may be from previous year), (2) items reflect variety, diversity, curriculum, interest of learners, (3) age appropriate, attractive covers and books will be popular; (4) outstanding use of professional selection sources. (4) Order is alphabetized by title, and (5) All components of the Table Template for Orders have been correctly completed.	6.5-7 Points Meets 80% of the exemplary criteria.	6 Points Meets 70% of the exemplary criteria.	0-5.5 Points Meets 60% or less of the exemplary criteria.
Print ALA/AASL 4.2 Information Resources	1 Point Candidate (1) integrates evaluation criteria and (2) uses selection tools relevant to data and information resources in support of instructional design (3) that meets the diverse curricular, professional, and personal needs of the learning community.	.8 Points Meets 80% of the exemplary criteria.	.7 Points Meets 70% of the exemplary criteria.	0 Points Meets 60% or less of the exemplary criteria. Candidate does not use selection tools to develop, curate, organize, and manage a collection designed to meet the diverse curricular and personal needs of the learning community.
4 Nonprint, Audio, Media, Apps, or Digital Tools	4.5-5 Points Outstanding, highly recommended media appropriate for the age, subjects taught, interests, and background of students; Meets criteria: (1) found on the current best of the year lists, (2) will meet a variety of real needs of the school, (3) order is alphabetized by title, and (4) all components of the Table Template for Orders have been correctly completed, including promotion of nonbook titles.	4 Points Meets 80% of the exemplary criteria.	3 Points Meets 70% of the exemplary criteria.	0-2.5 Points Meets 60% or less of the exemplary criteria. Candidate does not use selection tools to develop, curate, organize, and manage a collection designed to meet the diverse curricular and personal needs of the learning community.
4 Nonprint, Audio, Media, Apps, or Digital Tools ALA/AASL 4.2 Information Resources	1 Point Candidate (1) integrates evaluation criteria and (2) uses selection tools relevant to data and information resources in support of instructional design (3) that meets the diverse curricular, professional, and personal needs of the learning community.	.8 Points Meets 80% of the exemplary criteria.	.7 Points Meets 70% of the exemplary criteria.	0 Points Meets 60% or less of the exemplary criteria. Candidate does not use selection tools to develop, curate, organize, and manage a collection designed to meet the diverse curricular and personal needs of the learning community.
Comparison	2 Points Candidate compares order to 2 class members who selected the same level and notes differences in orders; Reflection notes at least (1) three differences, (2) explaining why there are differences, and (3) shows significant analysis that will lead to personal improvement in ordering.	1.5 Points Meets 80% of the exemplary criteria.	1 Point Meets 70% of the exemplary criteria.	0 Points Meets 60% or less of the exemplary criteria.
Reflection	9-10 Points Reflection is well-written and characterized by a depth of perceptive synthesis and analysis; Explains: (1) process for evaluating and selecting materials in a variety of formats, (2) preference for selection sources, publishers, and why, (3) differences in selecting for fiction, nonfiction, and nonbooks, (4) difficulties encountered, (5) lessons learned, (6) how has the list been shared with a practicing librarian (or teachers), (7) how you plan to showcase the new materials, and (8) how this order impacts groups and individuals in your specific school. (9) 0-2 minor errors.	6.5-7 Points Meets 80% of the exemplary criteria.	5.5-6 Points Meets 70% of the exemplary criteria.	0-5 Points Meets 60% or less of the exemplary criteria.
ALA/AASL 4.3 Evidence-Based Decision Making	1 Point Candidate (1) collects, assesses, and applies data and information (2) to transform practice and policies in school libraries to positively impact groups and individuals in their (3) diverse learning communities.	.8 Points Meets 80% of the exemplary criteria.	.7 Points Meets 70% of the exemplary criteria.	0 Points Meets 60% or less of the exemplary criteria.
REVISION OF SELECTION CRITERIA
Selection Criteria ALA/AASL 4.2 Information Resources	2 Points If needed, personal selection criteria for books and also for nonprint has been revised using instructor feedback from Assignment 2: (1) Polished, professional, succinct; appropriate for specific level of elementary, middle, or high school age students; (2) Candidate uses and cites the district school library official selection criteria (or ALA’s Toolkit for Selection Criteria) to create easy to remember, brief yet, comprehensive selection criteria for all library materials, both print and digital to (3) supports pleasure reading; (4) meets the diverse curricular, professional, and personal needs of the learning community.	1 Point Meets 80% of exemplary criteria.	.5 Points Meets 70% of exemplary criteria.	0 Points Meets 60% or less of the exemplary criteria. Candidate does not use evaluation criteria and selection tools to develop, curate, organize, and manage a collection designed to meet the diverse curricular and personal needs of the learning community.