School library media specialists should be checking the mail next week for a
brochure sent out to school principals and MASL members.  Dr. Ross J. Todd,
author of the April 2003 SLJ article "Irrefutable Evidence: How to prove you
boost student achievement"
has been invited to Maine to introduce a process called evidence-based
practice as a way for library media specialists to systematically document
how their learning-centered activities and collaborative teaching
initiatives boost student-learning outcomes.Dr. Todd is from The Center for
International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL)
http://cissl.scils.rutgers.edu <http://cissl.scils.rutgers.edu>  which was
established in the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies
at Rutgers "for leading researchers and professionals to work together to
create school libraries that spark learning in information age school around
the world...where the synergies of school libraries, inquiry learning,
literacies and information technology spark ideas, research, innovation and
scholarship."

Making Them A Class Act: School Libraries and Evidence-Based Practice is
designed to have school library media specialists attend a training session
in Augusta on November 3rd, leave with a template for a collaborative
project, receive support by email and phone over the next few months, and
then return with their collaborating teacher for a follow-up session on
March 4th. The two-session program is $120 for MASL members and $160 for
non-members, including morning coffee and lunch. The fee for the
collaborating teacher has been set at only $40 in order to promote their
collaborative participation at the March session. Remember, the annual Maine
Libraries Conference will not be held until October 2004 this year, so for
Maine school library media specialists this program can be THE staff
development for this year's budget.



It's exciting that we will be working with Dr. Todd and the resources of
CISSL which will give us a researcher's perspective on the work we do in
Maine school libraries.  This evidence-based approach will provide
self-designed strategies that show the relationship between your students'
Learning Results and your school library program, part of the increased
emphasis for accountability and scientifically-based research in No Child
Left Behind. Don't miss this opportunity to show on a local level the impact
that you have on student learning.



For more information and registration materials check www.MASLibraries.org
<http://www.MASLibraries.org>  or contact me at 1-800-322-8899.







Sylvia K. Norton

Library, Information, and Technology Services
Maine Department of Education/Maine State Library
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
207-287-5620
1-800-322-8899

Mailing Address:
Maine State Library
64 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333