How it Aligns

The CAMP and Passport assignments that I compiled in the progression of this degree align perfectly with evidence based decision making. Because of these documents, over the past almost 3 years I have driven my library in a new and I think better direction. These assignments not only have helped to guide our collection in a much more diverse direction, but they helped with new tools that would be utilized for other projects in the library.

Student Impact

Diversity in the library was one of the platforms that I used to garner the librarian job from my principal. I knew that our demographics were changing and that in order for students to feel like they are part of the school community, they need to see themselves reflected back at them in multiple ways. Teachers can incorporate diverse individuals and perspectives into their lessons and I in the library can make sure that their are books available to be the "mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors" that Dr. Bishop spoke of in her ground breaking article. I truly think that of all the things that I will take from this program, this is one of the most significant. I've seen first hand how a student will come alive when they see themselves in a book, or when they read a book that gives them a different perspective and they stop and they want to talk about it. Our libraries must be diverse and we must do a better job of making sure every student in our school has an opportunity to see themselves inside a text.

I will never forget this blurb I read in an article on collection development while working through the CAMP assignment; "You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint, right? You need to have a plan. You need to know what materials you need in what quantities. You need to know the budget required to build this house. If you built a house with no plan at $1,000 at a time, you might end up putting floors before the roof or putting up the trim before the walls are finished. You may purchase materials that aren’t useful in a year or two or totally forget something all together! A blueprint is a guide that helps you plan and keep your end goal in mind, much like a collection development plan does for a school library." (Abercrombie, 2018) Collection age and demographics are ever changing. Evaluating the contents of the library is more important than ever to make sure you are meeting the needs of your patrons. Meeting the needs of the patrons may mean adjusting our collection. Having a plan to do just that is what makes the CAMP assignment so important. It taught us how to examine all those pieces and how to plan for the important decisions you will need to make regarding the adjustments that are needed to make your collection the most diverse, current and relevant collection you can.