Lynn Wilcox

Community Analysis
SLM 506
30 October 2016

School Collection Analysis: Williamsport Elementary School

The Community

Brief Description of Williamsport

Williamsport is a small town community with significant historical roots due to the geographical location
along the C & O Canal and the Potomac River. Williamsport is located along the I-81 and I-70 corridor and
borders West Virginia.
In recent years, the town has been marked by tragedy. Nick Adenhart, a major league baseball player and
Williamsport High School star athlete was killed by a drunk driver on April 8, 2009. Three years later, two
Williamsport High star athletes were killed on their way home from the senior prom. It is small town with an
immense amount of community pride and resiliency. The Williamsport community has a small rate of criminal
activity and the parents are moderately involved with school activities. The town strongly supports the athletic
department at the high school level. The town does not have a police department.

Socioeconomic status

 The estimated household income is $46,253 compared to the Maryland average of $72,483. 80.3% of
residents have a high school diploma. 8.2% have a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 2.0% have a
graduate or professional degree. The unemployment rate is 2.2%.
 The median cost for a home is $161,011. The median gross rent is $848 per month. 19.2% of residents
over the age of 15 have never been married. 43.1% of residents are married, 2.4% are separated, 14.8%
are widowed, and 20.5% are divorced.

Cultural background

 The Caucasian population is 94.9%. 2.5 % of residents are African-American. 1.1% of residents are
Hispanic. 1.0% are two or more races. The Asian population is 0.3% and 0.1% of residents are American
Indian. There are also eight churches serving the community.

Languages

 The community speaks primarily English.

Student mobility

 According to the Maryland State report card, the school mobility rate is 12.6%.

Homes with computer access

 The school principal estimates that approximately 75% of the students have access to a home computer.
95% of students have access to a smart phone device with data usage.

Access to public library service

 The Washington County Free Library Williamsport branch is within walking distance of the school
campus. The main branch of the Washington County Free Library is 7.5 miles from the Williamsport
school campus.

The School
Williamsport Elementary is a school which specializes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The
school offers Magnet programs for students in Grades 2-5.

Demographics in the past five years

 According to the Maryland State report card, the Williamsport Elementary School population has been
fairly steady at 550 students.

Number of students and teachers

 There are 35 teachers including the Encore, GATE, Special Education and Magnet teachers. The student
population is 555 students with a large number of students in the 3rd Grade. Most of the grade levels
have three or four classrooms. The 3rd Grade has 6 homerooms. Approximately 50% of students receive
free or reduced lunches. The attendance rate for the building is approximately 95%.

Mission statement of school

 The mission statement is not present on the school website, the Magnet programs page or on the school
improvement page. The school lists the vision statement as “building a community that inspires curiosity,
creativity and achievement” on the School Improvement Plan.

Cultural backgrounds of the school community

 The majority of students in the Williamsport community are Caucasian. There were a total of 14 Asian
students, 23 African American, 19 Hispanic and 33 students from two or more races. There are a total of
4 students receiving ELL services. 3 of the students speak primarily Spanish and 1 student speaks Russian
in the home.

Trends in test scores

 In 2015, the students at Williamsport Elementary School had less than 5% of students meeting the
requirements for the PARCC assessment. In 2016, 10.5% of students met the PARCC assessment
requirements.

Academic achievement scores

 Student achievement in reading is monitored closely at Williamsport Elementary School. In the fall 2016,
159/332=48% of 2nd – 5th grade magnet students met or exceeded the county fall Lexile target. Only
30% of students in Kindergarten had met stanine 4 in the Concepts of Print assessment.

Subject areas where students are doing poorly

 According to the lead teacher, the students overall need the greatest amount of support in reading.
Reading is one of the goals outlined in the School Improvement plan.

Special school programs

 The school offers a magnet program. Good News club, Cross Country, Green School, Chorus, Band and
Orchestra are other options for students.

Access to the media center

  Student visit the library media center one time every four days. The schedule is fixed. Due to the
availability of the librarian, students do not have access to the library before and after school.

Primary users and non-users of the library

 The entire school population with the exception of Pre-K visits and utilizes the school library. There are
also several teachers which utilize the curriculum to help supplement the Essential Framework for WCPS.

Recreational information needs

 Students in the school enjoy non-fiction materials. In particular, the students enjoy reading books about
sports, graphic novels, drawing, The Guinness Book of World Records, and The World Book Almanac.
The male students typically enjoy reading Star Wars, Percy Jackson, 39 Clues and Lego books. The female
students request Dork Diaries, Baby Mouse and realistic fiction books. Both males and females read The
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series and the Elephant and Piggie books. Rick Riordan, Doreen Cronin, RJ
Polaccio, and Mo Williems are the favorite authors of students.

Personal information needs

 Students enjoy reading books about strategies for Minecraft. The students also enjoy reading books about
animals and different weather conditions. When different classes are studying Maryland or the Civil
War, the students frequently search and circulate books in the 800 section.

Parental involvement

 The PTA is small with only 5 members. The PTA assists with the book fair, manages membership drives
and supports staff by providing minimal reimbursement for classroom resources. The school has few
volunteers which are very reliable.

The Current Library Collection

The information gathered for the library collection is provided by the Destiny management system.

 Mission statement for the library

No mission statement has been drafted at this time.
 The size of the collection
There are currently 13,410 items in the collection.
 Condition of the collection
The collection is data with 2002 as being the average date of publication for the materials. The library
was heavily weeded and rearranged over the summer to help students easily find and locate materials.
 Currency of the collection
The collection is primarily composed of print materials. There are 888 e-books in the collection in
addition to the materials available through the ILL. There are no DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, books on tape or
playaways. There are approximately six subscriptions to magazines but magazine purchases are not
encouraged by the WCPS supervisor.
 Collection goals
The goal of the librarian is to increase the print collection by 25% in the next 3 years. The students have
access to a variety of digital materials using applications including Storia and Epic. In addition, the
librarian would like to offer other materials such as playaways and DVDs to increase the multimedia
offerings.
 Library purchasing
The library media purchasing process for WCPS is calculated based upon student enrollment figures and
a standard amount per student. Elementary school libraries are allocated $8.00 per student. The
Williamsport Elementary School library was given an allocation of $4,440.00.

Personal Analysis of Information

 In the Developing Collections to Empower Student Learners text, Sue Kimmel states “Development is a

very deliberate process. Every item is carefully selected to fill an identified need” (13). As I gathered and

interpreted data about my school community, I realized the complexity of developing a collection to represent the

needs of a community. My participation in the collection development course has shown the importance of the

librarian to meet the needs of the patrons and the community. Kimmel mentions in the text, “Paying attention to

what patrons ask for and search for, and listening in on conversations about reading tastes and interests provide

the school librarian with leads” (30). When considering my long term library goals, I know that if I want to

increase the library use then I must consider the values and standards of the community and all stakeholders. I

need to carefully listen to the conversations in the lunchroom with teachers. The chatter among students during

book exchange is also important to help select sources to best fit the needs of my school community. If I am

careful and meditated with my selection, the patrons and all community stakeholders will perceive the library as a

significant resource for learning.

The diversity of the collection is an important component to study when reviewing my collection. While

my analysis indicated that most of my students are Caucasian and primarily speak English, I believe my data

indicates the need for some books that promote Hispanic heritage and traditions. In addition, I have a few students

with Asian backgrounds and I should consider books that would appeal to these students. The small minority

population increases the importance of giving students experiences with texts from diverse backgrounds and

perspectives. The former librarian selected and added books to the collection that were featured on the Black Eyed

Susan list. The Black Eyed Susan books are typically diverse and notable titles. I would like to establish a goal to

continue to promote and add Black Eyed Susan books to my collection.

Williamsport Elementary School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics has a population

of students that enjoy creativity and the design process. The Magnet students must demonstrate creativity and

critical thinking upon admission into the program. New additions to the collection should be resources that

supplement the additions to the school Makerspace. The Makerspace recently added a 3D printer, Legos, K’nex

bridge materials, craft supplies, duct tape, and electric circuit kits. The books in the Makerspace interest areas are

not currently in the collection but should be considered. Materials to be added to the collection include books

about using Legos, electricity, the Internet, crafts, and 3D printing. The students who are not in the Magnet

program have also communicated the desire and interest regarding the Makerspace. I believe the Makerspace, the

Makerspace materials and the books to supplement the Makerspace are critical components to help support the

curriculum and boost student achievement.

 There are other materials imperative to the development of the collection. I would expect to see books

about holidays and traditions. The community is composed mostly of students with Christian beliefs. In my

interview with the principal, I was told that there were only two students that are Jehovah Witness. The students

request and select books from seasonal library displays. In addition, the community is supportive of local athletes

and sports. The collection currently circulates books about sports, sports figures and professional teams. The

collection should continue to support the student interest. My curriculum chart also indicates the importance of

selecting materials about animals since animal needs are studied in the curriculum and circulated frequently

among student patrons. The percentage of below level readers also supports the student interest and preference of

graphic novels. The students enjoy the novels because the material is complex and the content is explained using

pictures and other text features. Graphic novels allow students to learn especially students who are engaged

when text is visually appealing.

The average age of materials in the current collection is approximately 14 years according to the Destiny

database circulation system. Therefore, the collection needs to have materials added featuring topics relevant to

the 21st Century learner. The former librarian selected materials to meet student need and also a wide array of

audiences. When I accepted the position, I worked extensively with the head librarian in my district. My mentor

noted that the former librarian selected materials to meet a diverse population. There were some materials which

appealed to the student audience but not all the needs especially with the Magnet students. The materials were not

easily accessible and were not available in a large quantity to support the large student population. Since the

school focus includes technological advancement, I believe a goal for the library is to expand the variety of

materials circulated including tapes, Blu-Ray discs, and playaways.

As I begin to select materials for my students, I have been informally surveying the types of materials that

students wish to have on the shelves. I have reviewed the lists of materials that students have put requested to

hold. Since the library must have materials to cater to all learners, I would like to add playaways as an alternative

to print materials. The digital collection is small in comparison to the print collection and I believe extending the

e-book offerings are important due to the implementation of 1:1 tablets in Grades 3, 4 and 5. In the future, I

would like to expand upon the multimedia library offerings to allow students access to materials necessary for

learners in the 21st Century.

The collection analysis has proven to be a useful document as I begin to search and purchase materials

for my collection. The goals that I have for the program are large in scope but obtainable. I am looking forward to

the future and transforming the current library into a library designed to meet the diverse needs of the students
and the entire student population. As technology continues to advance, the library needs to continue to analyze

and adjust practices to promote student achievement.

WORKS CITED

Destiny. Follett School Solutions, Inc. 2002-2016. 30 Oct. 2016.

Home page. Web. 29 Oct. 2016. < http://www.city-data.com/city/Williamsport-Maryland.html>

Kerby, Mona. Collection Development for the School Library Media Program. American Association of School
Librarians, 2006.

Kimmel, Sue. Developing Collections to Empower Learners. American Association of School Librarians, 2014.

Mardis, Marcia. The Collection Program in Schools. Libraries Unlimited, 2016.

Palmer, Jana. Personal interview. 29 Oct. 2016.

“Washington County – Williamsport Elementary.” 2016 Maryland State Report Card. Maryland State
Department of Education. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.