AASL Standards for Initial Preparation of School Library Media Specialists:
Standard 3: Information and Knowledge: Candidates model and promote ethical, equitable access to and use of physical, digital,and virtual collections of resources. Candidates demonstrate knowledge of a variety of information sources and services that support the needs of the diverse learning community. Candidates demonstrate the use of a variety of research strategies to generate knowledge to improve practice.
3.2 Access to information Candidates support flexible, open access for library services. Candidates demonstrate their ability to develop solutions for addressing physical, social and intellectual barriers to equitable access to resources and services. Candidates facilitate access to information in print, non-print, and digital formats. Candidates model and communicate the legal and ethical codes of the profession.
Artifact Descriptions: ISTC 651 - Information Literacy and Access - Emerging technologies presentation. This assignment allowed me to glimpse the variety of resources available to the librarian seeking to make information accessible to the learners whose physical impairments make it difficult to use the resources of the library. ISTC 653 Organization of Knowledge - Pathfinder. This bookmark and the accompanying link facilitate access to information about the countries in Africa in a variety of formats.
Relevance: ISTC 651 - Information Literacy and Access - Emerging technologies presentation. The LMS considers lowering barriers for students with physical or intellectual issues by investing in resources to address the needs of students to allow access to print and digital formats. Allowing access to students who would otherwise have difficulty is one way that the LMS meets AASL standard 3.2, access to information. ISTC 653 Organization of Knowledge - Pathfinder. Students in grade 7 were preparing to research an African country that they have selected. As they searched for information, in a variety of formats, they needed support to discover available resources for copyright-free images and primary source material from the Library of Congress. The pathfinder served to help students find credible resources that were copyright free. Developing a resource such as these enables the LMS to communicate ethical use and facilitate access to valid information sources. The LMS meets the AASL standard 3.2 for access to information when enabling access to a variety of formats and encouraging ethical use of photographs and other digital media.
Analysis/Reflection: Students with physical, social, or intellectual barriers can be served with resources made available by the LMS. The autistic child may need board books instead of paper texts. The hearing impaired child or the second language learner may need close captioning in classroom instruction. Students with physical disabilities will need space accommodations. Technologies are available for these cases and described in the presentation artifact for ISTC 651 Information Literacy and Access. The LMS focuses on developing solutions to enable access. In many cases it is the learning disabled student that needs access to materials. Where possible, a webpage with easy to reach webpages can be created to enable students to easily reach links to the public library catalog, the in-school OPAC, and digital photographs that are copyright-free. The pathfinder benefits all students, giving a starting point to locate resources on a topic.