Choosing Reference Resources

 

I was reading the dictionary. 

I thought it was a poem about everything.

Steven Wright

What would be 5 reference tools that our library should have for staff and students?

    Earlier this year I went through our reference section and discarded several old, graffiti covered student dictionaries. I removed duplicate copies of outdated science books, and resources with significantly damaged covers. In reference to MUSTIE from CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries, I actually removed mouldy, water damaged books. All of the materials were old enough that the spine labels had faded and were unreadable, so I printed new ones and inspected each book more closely. The newest book in the reference section is from 2017, a student dictionary, and the rest are from 2000-2016. It is safe to say that it is time to bring our school reference section to the 21st Century.

    What are the 5 reference tools that my school library learning commons should have for staff and students? The first four are standard resources…

    1. Encyclopedias

    2. Atlases

    3. Dictionaries

    4. Thesauri

    As for the 5th tool? Handbooks, manuals, directories, almanacs, and biographies are among some of the valid suggestions for important reference books.

1. Encyclopedias

  

    Our World Book Encyclopedia set is from 2007, a far cry from being current, but I am not going to spend our entire budget on a new print set. We do have access to current World Book Encyclopedias in a digital form. Recently, I set up a computer for students to access the library catalogue. I have shown students in grades 4-7 how to access the Digital Focused Resources, including the World Book Encyclopedia editions. I made a sign with instructions on how to access the digital resources and put it next to the computer as a reminder to students. We have a subscription to World Book Early Learning (K-Gr. 2), World Book Kids (Gr. 3-6), World Book Students (Gr. 5-9), World Book Advanced (Gr. 6-9), and World Book Discover (Gr. 5-9, leveled text).

    On the KnowBC site there are several reference books, including two of my favourite books, which we also have in print in our library. The Encyclopedia of British Columbia by Daniel Francis, and Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest by By Andy Lamb and Bernard P. Hanby. Another reference book that looks really interesting is The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Placenames by Andrew Scott.

    The Smithsonian and Britannica both have 2023 published general encyclopedias that are really great. They would make a great addition to the library reference section as well. They both use large, well organized images, with age appropriate text on a variety of curricular related topics. 

2. Atlases

    We have several world atlases but they are all outdated. I have been sourcing atlases but have yet to find a hard cover bound one that is age appropriate, current, and affordable. I looked online but it is difficult to tell if the book is suitable until I physically see it. I have been to several book stores however their collections are limited. There have been some great soft cover ones which I will likely purchase but I've seen nothing of the ‘coffee table’ style books that we would expect in a library. I will keep looking. In the meantime, I set out all of our atlases on display. It has been getting a lot of attention and use.

3. Dictionaries

    

    We have an assortment of new looking dictionaries that have been meeting the needs of students. What we were lacking were picture dictionaries in other languages. We have many new students from other countries that are learning English. I also have had students request books on ‘how to learn another language.’ I am so excited to add a new plethora of picture dictionaries. We now have French, German, Japanese, Arabic, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, English, Spanish, and Thai. Each of the books has online audio that can be accessed from a device in the Collins Dictionary  On the Collins site, there is also a quizlet link and games specified to learning the language of each of the books. 

    February 21 is Speak Your Mother Tongue Day. I am setting up a display featuring all our books that feature languages: dual language picture books, picture dictionaries, sign language books, books in braille, and books with Indigenous languages… I am looking forward to it. 

4. Thesauri

    We have a student thesaurus in good condition and a college edition which is not as user friendly but could be helpful to teachers or older intermediate students. There is also an online Merriam Webster thesauri, and the Collins Thesaurus has many options as well. Just the other day, while I was in Kidsbooks, I saw Absurd Words by Tara Lazar. It is another great book added to my 'consideration list' for our library. It would be a fun addition to our reference section. 

5. Yearbooks, and almanacs

 

   There are many options to choose from but because yearbooks and almanacs are popular among our students, I have decided that I will put the current, new yearbooks, and almanacs in the reference section until the next one is published the following year. Once the new edition is processed in the library, the previous year book can be moved to the shelf for circulation. For example this year’s Guinness Book World Records 2024, Scholastic World Records 2024, and the Sports Illustrated Almanac 2024 can be shelved or on display in the reference section. It should draw attention to the reference section and create some social opportunities for students to share the books in the library.

       The general non-fiction reference material that is shelved for circulation gets well used. In her blog, Renovated Learning, Diana Rendina dismantled her reference section and shelved the books. She has seen an increase in use. I am not going to do this with all the reference books but will likely move some books over that are older, and would be of interest to students and teachers. For example there are a few space, and earth science books that could be better utilized if they were circulated.

     The reference section in the library has been under-utilized so far this year. Sections that I have promoted have gone up in use, which shows that my role in connecting students to these resources is important. In the Resource Based Learning Slideshare, from Partito State University, they use the term ‘creating a learning culture.’ It is a great way to view my role as a teacher-librarian.

The National Archives of Boston reminds us of the Guidelines to a Successful Reference Interview. The five main areas to the reference interview are 1. Approachability, 2. Interest, 3. Listening/Inquiring, 4. Searching, and 5. Follow Up.  I am making an effort to follow the guidelines, especially in following up with students and teachers to see if the resources have met their needs. 

    In the meantime, “It is teacher librarians’ responsibility to use whatever constitutes their collection as effectively as possible.” (Richard Beaudry, UBC 467 Course, 2024). I have lots of resources to work with (even if they are outdated) and look forward to continuing to build a 'culture of learning' in our Library Learning Commons.

Works Cited

American Library Association. National Archives of Boston. Guidelines of the Successful Reference Interview. Accessed February 18, 2024. 

Beaudry, Richard. University of British Columbia. Course 467 Information Services, 2024.

Partido State University. Resource Based Learning, December 13, 2012.

Rendina, Diana. Renovated Learning, Three Reasons to Rethink Your Reference Section, February 14, 2014. 

Wright, Steven. (Brainy Quotes.ca),  "I was reading the dictionary. I thought it was a poem about everything." Accessed February 18, 2024.

Webliography

3 Reasons to Rethink Your Reference Section - Renovated Learning

reference-interviews.pdf (archives.gov) national archives at Boston

Reference resources | Services to Schools (natlib.govt.nz)

Evaluation of a Reference Work: Countries Around the World

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”

– Jawaharial Nehru

    A significant resource that needs exploration and purchasing at our school is non-fiction informational books about countries. There are four classes that require their students to use an inquiry process to learn about a country of their choice. "Teachers who use the inquiry-based approach view every learning opportunity as a place for student engagement in inquiry."(BCTLA,2022).  The process of selecting a country, unpacking the requirements of the report, collecting information, assessing the information, writing, editing and presenting takes about four months. 

    Assessing the accuracy of information is an important and timely process for students. “Today’s students learn in a dynamic world where information changes and expands as fast as technological innovation. Information that grows exponentially and comes in multiple formats is presented without prior expert editing for truth or reliability, often without logical organization and frequently with a very short ‘shelf life.’” (BCTLA, 2022). Embedding the assessment of resources into the inquiry process is new for many grade 6 students. It can be an added frustration for students to discover that their online or print source is inaccurate, outdated, or irrelevant. During the inquiry process, students have found the need to check multiple sources for current data on population, or accurate names of specific government leaders. In our ever changing global climate having current print resources is a helpful starting point in inquiry.

   The grade 6 teachers developed the Country Assignment as a Language Arts Inquiry Assignment. Students are required to write in a persuasive tone so that readers would like to visit their country of choice while providing information about population, culture, sports, wildlife, geographic features, climate, and destination sites. One of the Grade 6 Language Arts Big Ideas is, “Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world.” (BC Ministry of Education, 2022). Students need to use multiple print and digital sources for information. They are required to make a full sized tri-fold display board showcasing their report, images, and bibliography. They will also be presenting orally to parents and peers.

  

    

    One of the relevant Grade 6 Communication Core Competencies from Building Student Success is Acquiring and Presenting Information, "Students communicate by receiving and presenting information. They inquire into topics of interest and topics related to their studies. They acquire information from a variety of sources, including people, print materials, and media; this may involve listening, viewing, or reading, and requires understanding of how to interpret information. They present information for many purposes and audiences, and their presentations often feature media and technology."

   

  It is required that students use at least two print resources from which to gather notes. Our library has a selection of books about a variety of countries but they are outdated. There is also a disproportionate number of books on a few countries. For example, in our library there are many titles on France, but none on Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland, all of which were chosen for reports this year.

    Last year a number of books about countries were purchased from the Blastoff! Exploring Countries series. This is the publication that was also recommended by other teacher-librarians. In general, the books are suitable but were published between 2010 and 2015. At approximately $25 a book, it seems like a lot of money to spend on an outdated source. After searching the public library resources with students, we found that the most suitable books were travel guides. They were the most current, informative print books available. I met with teachers giving the assignment and suggested that I look into purchasing some travel guide books for the library. They agreed that building a collection of ‘country’ guide books would be helpful to students. While allowing the students to choose their country gives them creative freedom, it also creates a challenge. There are currently 195 recognized countries in the world. It is unrealistic to have a book on every country before students choose. There are some general trends over the years for country choice, and some obvious gaps from this year. It is these gaps that I am exploring resources for to fill the immediate need. 

    Using the 'selection criteria for reference material' in Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada (Asselin, 2006), Reference Skills for the School Librarian (Reidling, 2019), and from Focused Education (Focused Ed, 2022), I designed a rubric to help evaluate reference resources and its usefulness in our school program. I tried to make the rubric comprehensive but flexible enough to be used to evaluate any resource material. 

    After looking through travel guides at both the library and book stores, I concluded that the most suitable books for our school needs were the DK Eyewitness books, and Insight Guides. Both of these resources were recently updated, had a larger font for ease of reading, many large images, detailed maps, in-depth information on history and culture as well as access to online material. The Lonely Planet books had fewer images, and dedicated large sections of the books to specific costs of accommodation and food.

    The DK Eyewitness books range in price from $ 27. 33- $35. 99 CA at Indigo Books which had the best prices and widest selection of Countries. Depending on the country, the newest edition of books were published in 2022, or 2023.  Over 40 different country Guide books are available, not including features on major cities, which have their own guide book. Indigo offers a school discount. Ordering from DK directly converted prices into pounds and required shipping from the United Kingdom adding significantly to the cost.  I completed the Selection Criteria Rubric using the DK Eyewitness Australia book.

    The country books that have been requested for priority this year are Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Brazil, and Norway. To purchase guide books for 5 countries is: $114.25, and minus the school discount of $17.14, totals $97.25 plus tax, is $104.06. With a collection plan in mind, each year the school library budget could set aside approximately $100 each year to continue building the country travel guide resources in the library. 

       The DK Eyewitness books contain the information needed by students to contribute to their reports. The travel guides have a table of contents, an index, and colour coded chapters to different parts of the featured country. The books have detailed maps, graphics, and beautiful photography making them more visual than other guide books. The guide books recommend online sites to provide more information about specific features in the books. In particular, it listed an authentic Indigenous website to direct readers to learn more about Australia's Indigenous Peoples. I feel the DK Eyewitness books would be a suitable print resource for students to use in combination with online sources to collect information for their reports.

    In addition to the travel guides, two other resources that are suitable and will added to the library collection are The Lonely Planet Kids: The Travel Book (Lonely Planet, 2022) for $27. 91, and The Lonely Planet Kids: Amazing World Atlas (By Alexa Ward, 2020) for $27.56. Both books are visual, with useful information and designed with appeal to all ages. There is a limited amount of information on each country but both books provide an excellent starting point for further inquiry. 

    As I become more experienced in assessing resource materials, I suspect I will simplify the Selection Criteria rubric to make the form more streamlined, and allowing space to assess a few resources on one rubric. It has become apparent to me through this assignment that I really need to browse the print copy of the book myself, rather than rely on reviews. In knowing my students, I can already guess which ones are going to be excited when these resources are ready for circulation.

References and Works Cited

Asselin, M., et al. Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada. The Canadian School Library Association, 2006.

British Columbia, Ministry of Education (n.d.). Core competencies. Victoria, BC: Ministry of Education. https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies

Dorling, Kindersley, DK Eyewitness Australia, London, United Kingdom, 2022.

Ekdahl, M., M. Farquharson, J. Robinson, L. Turner. (2022). The Points of Inquiry: A Framework for In- formation Literacy and the 21st Century Learner.: Revised ed. Vancouver, BC: British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association. (Original Work published 2010)

Focused Education Resources: Learning Resource Selection Model, Focused Education, Nov. 2022, focusedresources.ca/en/k12.

Lonely Planet, The Travel Book 2 2nd Ed.: 2nd Edition: A Journey Through Every Country in the World, New York, 2022.

Riedling, A. M., & Houston, C. Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips. 4th ed., Libraries Unlimited, 2019.

Ward, Alexa. 22nd ed., Lonely Planet Amazing World Atlas 22nd ed., Lonely Planet, New York, 2020.