The Greenbrier Middle School Media Center facility plan summarizes the current state of the media center and proposes improvements based on surveys of students and teachers. Key points include: the media center serves 550 students with 12,720 books and limited computers; surveys found needs for more comfortable seating, computers, and a teacher collaboration space; and the proposed improvements include additional seating, 30 laptops on a mobile cart, a mural, and modifying policies to allow after-hours access.

1. Greenbrier Middle School Media Center Media Facility Plan Presented by : Delta Casey FRIT 7132 Spring 2011

2. GMS Vision The faculty and staff of Greenbrier Middle School is committed to providing a safe and dynamic learning environment which fosters student success and passion for life-long learning.

3. Columbia County Media Mission “The purpose of the library media center is to support the philosophy, goals, and instructional programs of the Columbia County Schools. It is a service agency and a resource center and should be an integral part of the instructional program” (CCBOE media policy manual, p2). “The library media specialist is responsible for the design and delivery of an effective media program. This program should emphasize a planning philosophy that stresses the specific needs of the school curriculum and the students. The media program should be changing and evolving in response to societal, economic, and technological demands on education” (CCBOE media policy manual, p.4).

4. School/ Media Center Data ● Greenbrier Middle School is located on the northern side of Columbia County ● The school opened in August 2000 and is adjacent to Greenbrier Elementary School and Greenbrier High School ● Greenbrier Middle serves grades 6th thru 8th and consists of 80, 266 square feet out of which, the Media Center encompasses 10,176 square feet ● GMS consists of approximately 550 students and 40 certified personnel ● The majority of the student population come from average to above-average income homes ●GMS serves a special education population made up of five percent of the total student body: of which, less than one percent have physical disabilities

5. GMS Media Center Profile ●The Media Center is staffed by one full time media specialist and one full time media clerk ● The Media Center has approximately 12,720 books ●The average monthly circulation is 2,220

6. Media Center Location ● The Media Center is in the middle of the building on the main hall located across from the lunchroom ● The Media Center is easily accessible to all classrooms

7. View from Main Hall

8. Current Facility Floor Plan

9. Media Specialist Office and Circulation Desk ● The MS office and circulation desk are located at the entrance of the facility. ● MS office has two walls with windows which allows views of the MC within the room ● Media Clerk has 180 degree view of MC

10. Entering the Media Center

13. Media Specialist’s Office

16. Large Group Instruction Area

18. AV Room ● AV room contains the laminator and a poster maker machine

21. Fiction/Nonfiction Non-fiction Fiction

22. Facility Use ● Book Check-in/ Check-out ● Streaming Video Equipment ● Computers ● Student Project Research ● School and Faculty Meetings ● Special Programs

23. Special Programs Book Fairs GMS hosts two book fairs annually. One fair is held in September and the other is held in March. Each fair begins with a special preview day for teachers where faculty can reserve titles. This year’s spring theme was a “Carnival of Books”.

24. Visiting Authors/ Illustrators The GMS Media Center has hosted numerous authors over the last decade. Students are permitted to purchase signed copies of books sold by the visiting authors. Recent authors include: Joey Korn, author of Abe’s Story Michael White, illustrator of The Library Dragon Chad Evans, magician and storyteller Student Programs The GMS Media Center provides students with special reading programs that promote reading for enjoyment. These programs include: Mother-Daughter Book Club Poetry Cafe

26. Needs work space and location for teacher collaboration

27. Needs additional computers in MC for research

28. Needs added color on walls inside of media center

31. Media Center Improvements Problem: Teachers indicate the media center needs a separate computer that is used only for searching the card catalog. Solution: Designate two computers for card catalog searches only. Relocate the two computers close to the comfortable seating area at the entrance of the media center.

32. Media Center Improvements ● Problem: Limited comfortable seating The students indicate they want more soft seating to use when pleasure reading ●Suggestions for Improvement: Purchase additional comfortable seating that is age appropriate

34. Media Center Improvements ●Problem: Teachers indicate they have no centralized location to collaborate ● Suggestions for Improvement: Modify conference room to serve as a teacher collaboration/ data room stocked with teacher supplies

36. MediaCenterImprovements ●Problem: Both teachers and students indicate the MC lacks enough computers for an entire class to conduct research ●Suggestions for improvement: Purchase laptop station with 30 laptops

38. MediaCenterImprovements ●Problem: Teachers indicate the interior of media center is plain and lacks creativity ●Suggestions for improvement: Hire local artist Cole Phail to paint a mural similar to other murals in the building Master Productions

40. Tom Sawyer

41. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Campfire Classics Graphic Novels - [set/series] (#Y141XX7) FollettBound Glued Set/Series Complete set of 25 Titles: $377.10

43. Solution: Convert emergency exterior door to allow students to exit media center after 3:00 PM

44. Current Media Center Policy Key: Black print Columbia County Board of Education policy Red print Greenbrier Middle School interpretation policy In my opinion, Columbia County has a solid media center policy manual. Accessibility ● Media Center available for student and teacher use throughout each instructional day of school. Media Center closings for conducting inventory are strictly prohibited. ● Columbia County Schools Media Center Hours of Operation are 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM for students and 7:00 AM– 3:30 PM for teachers and staff Students requested greater access to the facility. The GMS media center should revise the hours 7:00 AM -4:00 PM. ● Media Centers will operate with flexible scheduling to serve the learning needs of the students and staff. This policy needs to be updated. The elementary school media centers use a fixed schedule, effective August 2010.

46. GMS Students and staff are free to use the media center during operation hours. Teachers are required to schedule large group sessions in advance. A calendar is located at the circulation desk in the media center. I would eliminate the use of hard copy calendar and use the GMS Outlook calendar on the school server.

47. A one week notice is required if the session involves the use of the LCD projector or assistance from the media specialist. I would change to forty eight hours notice since the projector is readily available.

49. Current District Policy Employee Computer/Internet Use ● The BOE expects all employees to learn to use email and telecommunication tools and apply in appropriate ways in the performance of their positions. This policy should be updated to include that all faculty and staff will be required to sign a statement indicating all computer use will be for professional use only, as we are required to sign every August. Source: Columbia County Schools Media Manual