About NBSLS
Teaching, Learning, Sharing and
Networking
Established in 1985, NBSLS serves as the hub for school library
services throughout Nassau County. NBSLS provides an arena for the
sharing ideas and information and for the creation of a vision for school
library programs. NBSLS provides access to the holdings of member
school libraries; interlibrary loan of books, periodicals, and puppets;
and commercial information databases through cooperative purchasing.
Inquiry-based learning, the use of new technologies, curriculum
developments, and New York Learning Standards are part of the NBSLS staff
development program.
[History] [Liaison Structure] [Funding]
[Services] [NBSLS
Today]
NBSLS History
In 1984 Joseph Shubert, New York State Librarian, convinced the New York
State Legislature to authorize the establishment of forty-six school library
systems. School library systems became the third partner in a statewide network
of library systems with public library systems and academic and special library
systems. This statewide network would foster the sharing of resources and
information to benefit all residents of New York State. Nassau County was ready
to begin.
In the late 1970's Nassau BOCES administrator Anne Fitzpatrick convened a
group of school library media specialists selected by local superintendents to
meet periodically to discuss common concerns. Nassau County Area Council (NCAC)
was formed.
For the next several years NCAC met regularly at Nassau BOCES. Committees of
school library media specialists developed bibliographies, discussed the need
for Interlibrary loan and under the aegis of BOCES participated in several grant
projects. Dr. Amy McComb, library director at Baldwin UFSD led the group and
Nassau BOCES administrator Dr. Albert Inserra provided the necessary support.
Nava Krieger, Nassau BOCES, and members of NCAC wrote the required plan of
service and on April 25, 1985, an application for the establishment of the
Nassau BOCES School Library System (NBSLS) was signed by Amy McComb of NCAC and Dr.
John Murphy, representing Nassau BOCES. Forty-seven school districts and private
school administrators signed statements of support.
An Advisory Council of NCAC members was formed to bridge the transition to
the proposed Nassau BOCES School Library System. (Today several members of that
original group are still serving NBSLS in various capacities).
Vivian Doremus and Arlene Soifer, Nassau BOCES administrators and Madeline
Hendrix representing NCAC conducted interviews for a director. In September 1985
with Carol Kroll as NBSLS director, the Nassau BOCES School Library System officially
came into being.
At first, only thirty-seven of the fifty-six Nassau County school districts
joined the System. Wherever possible the NCAC representatives became the liaison
to NBSLS. A unique situation developed for the first year of NBSLS' existence;
NCAC and NBSLS functioned side by side. Madeline Hendrix from Sewanhaka Central
High School District was elected the first Chair of the NBSLS Advisory Council
and Sheila Salmon, Uniondale Free School District served as Chair of NCAC. At
the end of that year NCAC voted to merge with NBSLS, since its members needs were
being met by the new organization. All 56 school districts now belong to NBSLS.
Liaison Structure
Each district superintendent designated a school library media specialist to
serve as liaison to NBSLS. Then, as now, liaisons attended four full day meetings
each school year and bring back pertinent information to their districts. At
these meetings mornings were devoted to a pertinent topic. Outstanding speakers
provided stimulation and insight into the role of the school library media
specialist, current educational practices, library legislation and NBSLS
responsibilities. Liaisons were required to join one of the NBSLS committees to
address identified needs and issues. In the afternoon these committees met and
addressed issues such as automation, intersystem cooperation and interlibrary
loan, reading guidance, public relations, coordinated collection development and
library service to special students.
Today, a liaison group, one library media specialist from each member
district, meets four times a year. Liaisons report district needs to NBSLS so
that workshops, courses, resources and services can best strengthen library
media programs. Speakers from across the country present the best thinking in a
wide range of educational areas to inspire and influence instruction delivered
to Nassau county students.
Staff Development
Keeping school library media specialists informed about new technologies,
curriculum developments, and research skills instruction became increasingly
significant. To determine priorities and focus for the coming year, a summer
planning session was held annually at Caumsett State Park. The past year's
activities were reviewed and Evaluated and an assessment of needs developed.
This practice continues.
Perhaps two of the most significant programs created during summer meetings
were the development of Cluster groups for peer support and the creation of an
NBSLS newsletter. With Queens College Professor Ken Tewel as consultant,
facilitators were trained in leadership skills. The facilitators then
volunteered to lead elementary, middle and high school Clusters and share their
ideas and concerns with colleagues throughout Nassau County. For this initiative
NBSLS received the AASL ABC CLIO Leadership Development Award in 1988. This
program continues today.
Sharing of Resources – Interlibrary Loan
A committee of NBSLS members developed an Interlibrary Loan Manual with
procedures for resource sharing. Although reluctant to share at first, member
library media specialists soon realized the benefits to students and teachers
when books and periodicals from more than 300 school libraries became available
to them. A special committee of "quilters" (NBSLS library media
specialists) joined together and created a colorful storybook quilt picturing
characters from beloved children's books. This charming wall hanging is
available for loan.
Automation
In February 1990, NBSLS received approval for a two-year pilot Library Automation
Services Project. A committee of thirty district computer specialists and school
library media specialists chose the Mandarin library automation system. Seven
school library media centers' shelf lists were converted to machine readable
records and catalog databases created; hardware and software were purchased and
installed during the 1991-92 school year. Today more than 120 schools from 35
school districts have automated collections.
Public Relations
Inaugurated in 1987, the ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR award is presented annually
at a joint Administrator/School Library Media Specialists Breakfast. Dr. Glenn
Grube, superintendent of Valley Stream Central High School District (CHSD) was
the first recipient in this continuing initiative.
Intersystem Cooperation and Partnerships
Since 1990, the Nassau Library System (NLS), NBSLS and the Nassau County Library
Association join together to sponsor an all day, all county celebration of
children's literature, THE CHILD AND THE BOOK. Caroline Ward of NLS spearheaded
the program. Standing room only crowds of public and school librarians listened
to outstanding authors and illustrators of children's books and then met in
small groups to discuss a variety of titles.
In 1994, Hofstra University in partnership with NBSLS gave Internet access to
NBSLS member libraries by providing 15,000 Internet passwords. Scores of school
library media specialists, administrators and teachers were trained at Hofstra
to use the Internet. In 1995, Dr. Karen Chapman, Assistant Superintendent for
Business, Hewlett-Woodmere UFSD conceived of the idea of an Internet training
lab at the NBSLS offices in Greenvale. Installation was completed later that
year.
Legislation
NBSLS recognized the need to inform legislators of the importance of school
library media programs. Members visited legislators in the local offices,
attended the annual Legislative Breakfasts in Nassau County, traveled to Albany
on "Lobby Day", and served on NYLA's Legislative Committee.
Assemblyman Ed Sullivan, chair of the Assembly sub-committee on Libraries spoke
at an NBSLS Liaison meeting. Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli received an NBSLS award for
his support of school libraries.
Communication
One of the great strengths of NBSLS continues to be the high level of
communication available to members through its newsletters NET NEWS and now
Link-up. These publications, begun in 1985, keep library media specialists,
administrators, BOCES personnel, legislators, and the statewide library
community informed of news, relEvant activities and upcoming events.
Advisory Council
The NBSLS is guided by an Advisory Council as required by the Commissioner's
Regulations of New York State. Selection of Council members is detailed in the
NBSLS By-Laws. The 2001-2002 Chairperson is Sheila LaLima, library media
specialist, Wantagh High School, Wantagh UFSD.
NBSLS Size
NBSLS is the second largest school library system in New York State, in terms of
school districts served. We serve library media specialists who in turn support
the information needs of 202,320 pupils in 56 school districts and private
schools. Our land area is 292 square miles in Nassau County.
NBSLS Funding (FY2002)
Funding is part of a New York State Legislative initiative. State aid is
allocated by a formula that provides a base grant and takes into account the
number of member school districts, the number of pupils served, the square
mileage of the system service area and also includes a categorical grant for
automation. Non-public schools that meet membership criteria may also join a
system. Funding for NBSLS for the 2002-2003 year is $236,683.
NBSLS Services
Access:
NBSLS provides schools access to the library holdings of member schools and to
libraries of all types across the State through:
- Development of an electronic database of the holdings in school libraries.
- Interloan of books and periodicals throughout Nassau County, New York
State and beyond.
Content:
NBSLS provides commercial information databases through the cooperative purchase
of full text resources including:
- Accessible Archives
- AccuNet/AP PhotoArchive
- The AMICO Library
- Bigchalk's bcLibrary
- Britannica Online
- C.E.R.F.
- CountryWatch
- EBSCO
- Electric Library
- Gale Resource Centers
- Grolier
- The Grove Dictionary of Art
- Lexis-Nexis
- Newsbank
- Newsday
- The New York Times
- Proquest
- SIRS Databases
- Wilson's Biography Plus
- World's Best Poetry/Story Finder
- World Book Online
A professional library and puppet collections are available.
Training:
NBSLS brings together a community of school library media specialists through:
- Professional development after-school bi-monthly cluster group meetings.
- Workshops, courses and other training sessions to upgrade library media
programs.
- Workshops for new library media specialists.
- Internet training courses.
- Courses to use the Mandarin online catalog and circulation system
effectively.
The NBSLS staff is available to consult with district library media
specialists and administrators to help redesign library facilities; establish
online catalog and circulation systems; integrate information skills into the
school curriculum; and interpret the role of the library media center within the
State Education Department and American Library Association guidelines.
Education law requires each school library system to operate according to a
Plan of Service approved by the Commissioner of Education. All NBSLS members are
invited each summer to attend a planning meeting to Evaluate NBSLS services and
plan for the upcoming year.
NBSLS Today
Fifteen years since its inception, NBSLS is at the hub of library services in
Nassau County. NBSLS is positioned as one of five significant strands in
the BOCES department of Curriculum, Instruction and Technology and is recognized
as a national leader in library services. NBSLS provides a vision and
direction for the integration of library services into the instructional program
of its 355 member schools from 56 school districts and 35 private schools.
Guided by both an Advisory Council and Commissioner Regulations 90.18, the goals
and expected outcomes of the school library system are contained in a Plan of
Service. During the 2000-2001 school year services include:
- A member plan, Library Media Services Assessment Rubric to be completed by
library media specialists in collaboration with their building
principal. This self assessment tool will be used by the district to
set goals to upgrade services to students, by the district to align policy
with goals and by NBSLS to establish workshops, programs and courses that
support the district needs. An eleven minute video produced by NBSLS called
"The School Library…Where Learning Meets the Future",
demonstrates quality library services in an elementary, middle and high
school setting. All NBSLS member districts received a free copy. Copies are
on sale from the American Library Association at 1-800-545-2433 press 7.
- A web based Union Catalog of 450,000 unique titles.
- More than 1500 resources in a professional collection.
- A delivery system for the loan of resources within Nassau County and
beyond.
- Professional development courses, workshops, and programs designed to
provide media specialists with the skills they need to align inquiry
learning with the New York State Learning standards, integrate the use of
technology into the instructional program and upgrade library services.
- Professional training and support for new library media specialists.
- A library automation service that provides ongoing training and support
for the hardware and online catalog and circulation software in 37 district
libraries.
- Aggregation of 21 online electronic information databases including
negotiations with vendors for preferred pricing and training for database
use.
- Countywide cluster groups where members share ideas and concerns.
- A newsletter Linkup distributed to member schools and throughout New York
State.
- An NBSLS web site with links and information that provides members with
information needed in their professional capacity.
- A strong national, statewide and county voice that advocates for improved
library services for all students.
- Consultation and support to districts in all areas of library and
information services.
For more information, contact:
Eva Efron, Director
Phone: 516-608-6630
e-mail: eefron@mail.nasboces.org
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