1. New Hampshire
School Library Media Association
State of New Hampshire’s School Libraries
In 2009, I sent out a survey to our school libraries through our list-serv asking librarians about
budget and staffing changes. The collected data needs to be taken three years in a row in order to
show a trend, but the first report was not pleasant. Please note that in our state the certification
for a school librarian is “library media specialist”. Fortunately our State Office of Educational
Technology headed by Dr. Cathy Higgins has also been collecting and disseminating data on the
state of our school libraries. Her data is in a report available online and the graphics are included
below, along with some narratives regarding the State of New Hampshire’s School Libraries.
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

2. You can see that information literacy is taught heavily in elementary school, but is less structured
in the middle schools and high schools. Individual school districts have developed k-12
curricula based on AASL and ISTE standards, but there is not currently a statewide curriculum
for media literacy. It should also be noted that we do have several schools operating in New
Hampshire without the benefit of a library media specialist. “According to our employment
records in Credentialing there are 187 schools (elementary, middle or high school) out of 480 or
so that do not have someone employed as a Library Media Specialist or a Library Media
Supervisor.” – Board of Credentials. A further breakdown shows that Number of credentials by
level: Elementary – 149 Middle – 22 High School – 15.” Numbers are from the Bureau of
Credentialing, January 2009. Yet the standards for school personnel clearly call for each school
to have the services of a library media specialist, see Standard (Ed 306.15) in the additional
supporting materials at the end of this report.
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

3. Open positions may be due to budget cuts and less sources of revenue for school districts.
Recently NHSLMA has been approached by our state library about “certification courses” for
paraprofessionals that are taking care of libraries without proper training. Our organization
would like to make sure that all students are getting the resources they need for a good education
but we are concerned that some schools are choosing to use paraprofessionals instead of hiring
qualified librarians. For NHSLMA, training these paraprofessionals puts our members between
the proverbial “rock and a hard place.”
High schools report the heaviest use by non-instructional users, which follows the trend of more
flexible scheduling for librarians in the high school setting. Flexible scheduling seems to work
best at upper levels, though elementary librarians report difficulty finding enough time for
cataloging, collection development, inventory management and collaboration with teaching staff.
In addition there seems to be a trend to staff elementary libraries with support staff and having
one librarian handle the teaching needs for multiple schools in a district. We have worked hard
in our state to get our schools to see the value of teaching media literacy, developing curriculum
and integrating state standards into our coursework. The concept of a school librarian being a
teacher is not new in New Hampshire, but there is little mention of libraries or librarianship in
our teacher education programs. Our organization is working on changing this through our
connections with the teacher and administrator education programs in New Hampshire’s
colleges.
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

4. Note the trend of paraprofessionals providing library services. A paraprofessional is by
definition not a library media specialist. Administrative rules set out by the department of
education describe the Library Media Specialist (Ed 507.21) state that schools must provide the
services of a Certified Library Media Specialist (Ed 306.15) and must provide instructional
resources that are cataloged using AARC2 rules (Ed 306.08). See additional supporting
materials at the end of this report.
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

5. Internet and computer access is good, though bandwidth and infrastructure issues continue to be
reported through the list-serv and the Tech Leader Cohort program. Many school technology
leaders and librarians report restricted access to the internet due to filtering and restrictive
policies regarding social networking, instant messaging, mp3 players and chat. Technology
education regarding social responsibility (safety, cyber bullying and protocol) is on the rise, but
policy is not keeping up with technology tools.
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

6. This report shows the average copyright year for non-fiction books. Aged books in a collection
can be partially attributed to several factors, lack of sufficient budget for materials,
paraprofessionals being put in charge of libraries not realizing the need for updated information
and over-extended librarians not having the time for proper collection maintenance.
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

7. Budgets for e-books were minimal at the time of this data collection, as librarians and teachers
are still working out how best to use these resources. Elementary and middle schools in New
Hampshire get a lot of their collection development funds through book fairs. Funding for high
school libraries is dependent on the community, grant writing and donations.
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

8. Works Cited
New Hampshire Department of Education, New Hampshire School Library Media Association.
New Hampshire Public School Library Survey 2007 Statewide Report in Brief. Concord, NH, 4
April 2010 .
New Hampshire School Library Media Association. List-serv. Concord, 06 April 2010.
Online Professional Education Network. Tech Leader Cohort Online: Session Dates: 2/1/09 to
3/1/10. 4 April 2010 <http://opennh.net/course/view.php?id=101>.
State of New Hampshire, Bureau of Credentialing. New Hampshire School Library Data.
Concord, NH, 06 April 2010.
State of New Hampshire, General Court. CHAPTER Ed 300 ADMINISTRATION OF
MINIMUM STANDARDS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 1 July 2005. 06 April 2010
<http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/state_agencies/ed300.html>.
—. CHAPTER Ed 500 CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FOR EDUCATIONAL
PERSONNEL. 24 July 2003. 4 April 2010
<http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/state_agencies/ed500.html>.
Additional Supporting Materials
Ed 306.08 Instructional Resources.
(a) The local school board shall require that each school:
(1) Provides a developmentally appropriate collection of instructional resources,
including online and print materials, equipment, and instructional technologies, that
shall be current, comprehensive, and necessary to support the curriculum as well as
the instructional needs of the total school population;
(2) Provides that instructional resources are, as appropriate:
a. Catalogued and classified according to practices accepted by the American
Library Association as specified in the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules,
Second Edition (AACR2), 2002 edition;
b. Organized to make them accessible to students and staff;
c. Managed through circulation policies and procedures that are designed to
maximize the use of the resources; and
d. Utilize community resources;
(3) Provides instructional resources to all students and staff from designated space(s)
in each school, including:
a. Ready access to instructional resources, including those available online or
through interlibrary loan;
b. Instruction in:
1. Accessing information efficiently and effectively;
2. Evaluating information critically and competently;
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

9. 3. Using information accurately and creatively;
4. Pursuing information related to personal interests;
5. Appreciating literature and other creative expressions of information;
6. Striving for excellence in information-seeking and knowledge
generation;
7. Recognizing the importance of information to a democratic society;
8. Practicing ethical behavior in regard to information and information
technology; and
9. Participating effectively in groups to pursue and generate information;
and
c. Activities to promote the development of reading, viewing, and listening
skills; and
(4) Implements a written plan for the ongoing development, organization,
acquisition, maintenance, replacement, and updating of instructional resources
necessary to support the needs of the user population and the curriculum.
(b) At a minimum, the plan implemented under (a)(4) above shall:
(1) Provide an analysis and assessment of the present instructional resources based on:
a. The needs of the user population and the curriculum;
b. Accessibility of instructional resources to all students and staff;
c. Strengths and weaknesses of the present instructional resources; and
d. Resources available within the district, the local community, and beyond;
(2) Reflect developing instructional technologies; and
(3) Establish priorities, criteria, timelines, and procedures for the selection,
acquisition, maintenance, and replacement of instructional resources which shall
include but not be limited to:
a. Online materials,
b. Print materials,
c. Equipment, and
d. Instructional technologies.
Source. #2055, eff 6-16-82; ss by #2714, eff 5-16-84; ss by #2787, eff 7-31-84; ss by #4851, eff
6-25-90; ss by #5546, eff 7-1-93; ss by #6366, eff 10-30-96, EXPIRED: 10-30-04
New. #8206, INTERIM, eff 11-18-04, EXPIRED: 5-17-05
New. #8354, eff 7-1-05
Ed 306.15 Provision of Staff and Staff Qualifications.
(a) To carry out the educational program established by these rules and local school board
policy, the local school board shall require that each school provides:
(1) The services of a certified principal, a certified library media specialist and a
certified guidance counselor(s);
(2) For the hiring and training of teachers certified under Ed 500;
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

10. (3) In each elementary school, the services of a reading specialist and library media
specialist to facilitate the delivery of the language arts and reading program
established in Ed 306.37(a);
(4) In each middle and high school, a library media specialist to support the
instructional resources program and facility requirements of Ed 306.08; and
(5) Teachers, including art, music, health, and physical education teachers, in
accordance with class size requirements in Ed 306.17.
(b) The local school board shall require that in carrying out the guidance plan established
by Ed 306.13:
(1) The counseling load in each elementary school shall not exceed the equivalent of
one full-time guidance counselor per 500 students served; and
(2) The counseling load in each middle school and each high school shall not exceed
the equivalent of one full time guidance counselor per 300 students served.
(c) The local school board shall require that each school with an enrollment of 500 or
more students provides the services of an associate principal or 2 or more persons with
administrative certification under Ed 506 who together act as a full-time equivalent to carry out
administrative duties assigned by the superintendent in accordance with local school board
policy.
(d) The local school board may provide for each school the services of additional staff to
facilitate the use of the instructional resources described in Ed 306.08 and the technological
resources needed to facilitate the information and communication technologies program
described in Ed 306.42.
(e) Pursuant to RSA 189:24 and in accordance with Ed 500 and Ed 600, the local
school board shall require that each professional staff member is certified for assignment by the
department.
(f) In accordance with Ed 509, the local school board shall require that each professional
staff member shall improve the content knowledge and teaching skills through participation in a
local professional development plan.
Source. #5546, eff 7-1-93; ss by #6366, eff 10-30-96, EXPIRED: 10-30-04
New. #8206, INTERIM, eff 11-18-04, EXPIRED: 5-17-05
New. #8354, eff 7-1-05
Ed 507.21 Library Media Specialist. The following requirements shall apply to the certification
of a library media specialist in grades K-12:
(a) To be certified as a library media specialist, the candidate shall have a bachelor’s
degree.
(b) A candidate for certification as a library media specialist shall have the following
skills, competencies, and knowledge through a combination of academic and supervised practical
experiences in the following areas:
(1) In the area of administration, the ability to:
a. Collaborate with other educators to create a mission statement and develop
long-range program goals;
b. Develop and implement policies and procedures to acquire, process, organize,
disseminate, maintain and continually assess collections of information
resources, essential equipment, and latest technologies;
c. Train, supervise, and evaluate support staff, volunteers, and student helpers;
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

11. d. Implement effective strategies and techniques to systematically perform
library management operations, including, but not limited to:
1. Budgeting;
2. Staffing;
3. Scheduling; and
4. Managing and maintaining resources;
e. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the library media program;
f. Set program goals for a library media program consistent with school-wide
objectives;
g. Design, manage, and maintain the library media facility to support the
collaborative and independent work of all learners;
h. Participate in local, state, and national education and technology initiatives, to
ensure integration of current research findings and best practices into the library
media program;
i. Promote the library media center as an essential link to the larger learning
community;
j. Align the library media program with national library information literacy
standards;
k. Provide staff development opportunities to acquaint teachers with the use of
new resources; and
l. Offer strategies for the inclusion of new resources into curriculum planning
and classroom instruction;
(2) In the area of ethical, legal, and responsible use of information, the ability to:
a. Develop policies consistent with:
1. School, district, state, and national standards;
2. Relevant laws and legislation;
3. Privacy rights;
4. Equity of access; and
5. Tenets of intellectual freedom;
b. Design and implement student learning activities which address ethical issues
in the use of information;
c. Model and promote compliance with copyright laws and fair use guidelines;
and
d. Model and promote the highest standard of ethics and integrity in the use of
information resources;
(3) In the area of collection development, the ability to:
a. Create and implement a collection development policy that demonstrates
knowledge of principles related to selection, acquisition, organization,
evaluation, and reconsideration of library resources;
b. Select current, relevant, and balanced resources for the diverse needs of the
school community that support the curriculum and provide leisure reading
materials;
c. Implement standard procedures for classifying, cataloging, and processing that
facilitate resource sharing; and
d. Employ existing and emerging technologies to access, evaluate, and
disseminate information including, but not limited to:
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association

12. 1. The Internet; and
2. Electronic databases;
(4) In the area of teaching and learning, the ability to:
a. Promote literacy and the use and integration of information systems to enrich
the curriculum and enhance learning;
b. Design effective instruction by applying knowledge of:
1. Literature;
2. Information; and
3. The learner;
c. Model and teach information problem-solving;
d. Collaborate with educators to plan, implement, and assess units of study that
integrate multimedia, research, and information literacy into classroom
instruction;
e. Assist learners in choosing, evaluating, and utilizing the most appropriate
information resource to enhance:
1. Decision-making;
2. Problem-solving;
3. Research;
4. Communication; and
5. Productivity;
f. Create an environment that fosters and supports individual and collaborative
inquiry, appropriately employing group management strategies;
g. Demonstrate a working understanding of the design, production, and use of
educational technology tools; and
h. Collaborate with teachers and principals to assess student learning of content
and information literacy goals; and
(5) In the area of literature, the ability to:
a. Encourage and engage students in reading, viewing, and listening for
understanding and enjoyment;
b. Use knowledge of literature to guide and encourage students to read a variety
of fiction and non-fiction resources for personal and informational needs;
c. Introduce students to a range of genres in both print and digital formats by
creating events, activities, and displays that encourage reading;
d. Promote quality literature and authors reflecting a variety of cultures and
themes;
e. Model the appreciation and enjoyment of literature; and
f. Collaborate with teachers to expand the effective uses of literature in the
curriculum.
Source. #6349, eff 10-5-96; ss by #7925, eff 7-24-03
Andrea Ange
Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, New Hampshire School Library Media Association