Study Guide

Field 041: School Library Media Specialist
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Competency 0001
Understand the role of the library media program and its relationship to the total school program and to information resources and services beyond the school.

The most important role of the library media program in supporting the school curriculum is to:

  1. provide opportunities for students to access, use, and evaluate information in all subject areas.
  2. keep teachers informed of students' proficiency levels with regard to information literacy skills.
  3. oversee students' work in the library media center to allow teachers more time for instructional planning.
  4. create displays that encourage students' independent exploration of various instructional topics.
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to understand the role of the library media program and its relationship to the total school program. The primary goal of the school is to promote student learning. A library media program that works with teachers to interweave information literacy skills into subject-area instruction helps students develop cognitive strategies for locating, analyzing, creating, and communicating information and apply these strategies in relevant educational contexts. This integrated approach provides students with tools to support their achievement of subject-area learning goals.
Competency 0002
Understand the roles and responsibilities of the school library media specialist and strategies for ongoing professional growth and development.

The most effective way for a school library media specialist to gain current, research-based knowledge about resources and strategies that are effective in promoting students' information literacy skills is to:

  1. visit vendor Web sites to learn about new products and technologies for libraries.
  2. subscribe to and regularly read journals for library professionals.
  3. form a mentoring relationship with an experienced library media specialist.
  4. attend district-level meetings for library media specialists.
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of various strategies for maintaining current research-based knowledge about information resources and technologies. To develop and maintain expertise in the diverse and ever-changing field of information literacy, the library media specialist must engage in constant learning. This requires reading the current literature of the field. Journals that are written specifically for library professionals contain information such as summaries of research studies, articles written by librarians, strategies for integrating theory and practice, and reviews and descriptions of new resources and technologies.
Competency 0003
Understand strategies for communicating and collaborating with members of the school community to promote information literacy.

Which of the following steps should a library media specialist take first when conducting a reference interview with a student?

  1. explain to the student the locations and purposes of various information resources
  2. evaluate the student's proficiency in using different types and formats of information resources
  3. ask questions to determine the nature and quantity of information the student requires
  4. formulate a research question to guide the student's information search
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for eliciting information from library users regarding their needs and interests. One of the primary roles of the school library media specialist is to assist students in the use of the library and its collection. One strategy for fulfilling this role is the reference interview. The reference interview is a conversation between the school library media specialist and a student for the purpose of clarifying a student's information needs. Asking questions to clearly define the nature, quantity, level, and format of information needed is essential in guiding the student to the resources in the collection that will be most helpful and relevant.
Competency 0004
Understand basic principles of child development, curriculum development, and instructional design and how to apply this understanding to provide appropriate information resources and services for diverse groups of students.

Which of the following strategies is the most appropriate and effective way for an elementary school library media specialist to support kindergarten students' emergent reading skills?

  1. providing students with instruction on techniques for identifying easy readers in the library media collection
  2. gathering a special collection of picture books for students to browse when they come to the library media center
  3. having each student color a page of pictures associated with one letter of the alphabet and compiling the pictures into a book for the class
  4. reading aloud to students from Big Books that include alliterative or rhyming texts and pointing to each word as it is spoken
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of methods for providing resources and services that are responsive to the characteristics, abilities, and needs of diverse groups of students. Emergent readers are just beginning to understand print and its relationship to our sound system and the words we speak. By using Big Books, the library media specialist can engage a group of students in shared "reading" to help reinforce this understanding. Word patterns, rhymes, and alliteration provide language regularities that make text easier for emergent readers to decode.
Competency 0005
Understand strategies for creating a student-centered library environment that promotes the habit of lifelong learning and facilitates intellectual and physical access for all students to information, literature, and ideas.

Which of the following strategies would be most effective for creating a student-friendly environment in the school library media center?

  1. showcasing student work and achievements in the library media center throughout the school year
  2. giving certificates or other rewards to students who make frequent use of the library media center
  3. creating a library assistant program that allows students to volunteer to work in the library media center
  4. providing a suggestion box to invite students to make comments about the library media center
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to identify strategies for creating a positive, inviting, and accessible library environment. When students see their own work displayed in the library media center, they are more likely to feel a sense of community and belonging with regard to the library media center. Displaying students' work also conveys to students that they are a priority in the library media center.
Competency 0006
Understand the types, characteristics, and uses of various information and technological resources; the types and characteristics of literature for children and young adults; and strategies for promoting literacy.

A general almanac would be the most helpful information source for answering which of the following questions?

  1. What is the origin of the word curfew?
  2. What is the population of the Czech Republic?
  3. What literary awards has J. K. Rowling won?
  4. Where is the country of Oman located on a map?
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to recognize types, characteristics, and uses of various information resources. A general almanac is an annual publication that provides useful data and statistics related to topics such as governments, demographics, geography, and economics. The data and statistics in a general almanac are most often presented in the form of charts and tables.
Competency 0007
Understand information literacy skills and methods and materials for facilitating the development of these skills.

As a middle school class begins work on an independent research project, the library media specialist has students list what they already know about their topics and what they want to learn about their topics. This activity is likely to be particularly effective in helping students:

  1. learn how to organize information about their topics logically.
  2. identify the types of resources they should consult.
  3. develop a focus for the information-gathering process.
  4. consider their topics from multiple perspectives.
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of various strategies for formulating research questions. A central concept of the national information literacy standards for students is efficient and effective use of information. Students will be able to gather relevant and useful information for a particular need most effectively if they develop one or more guiding questions based on what they want to know about the topic. The approach described teaches students a process for forming such questions that is applicable to all content areas as well as personal inquiry.
Competency 0008
Understand principles and procedures of collection development and the management and organization of information, materials, equipment, and technological resources in the library media program.

When selecting new fiction titles to add to the library media collection, the key advantage of using professional selection tools is that they:

  1. are helpful in locating materials that can be purchased at a discount.
  2. flag materials that contain potentially controversial content.
  3. recommend materials according to a uniform set of criteria.
  4. provide authoritative information about and reviews of available materials.
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to identify systems, resources, and technologies for effectively managing the library media collection. Many new materials and resources become available every year. Professional selection tools are available in both print and online formats and contain annotations, reviews, and commentary useful in evaluating materials for the school library media collection. Professionals in the school library media field provide much of this information. Use of such tools helps the library media specialist locate reliable information about new materials in a quick and efficient manner.
Competency 0009
Understand principles, policies, and procedures related to the management of human, financial, and physical resources of the library media program.

Which of the following steps should a library media specialist take first when planning a budget for the library media center?

  1. determine how much money is available for the current fiscal year
  2. consider possible sources of funding for enhancing the budget
  3. review purchase orders from the previous school year
  4. make appointments with several vendors to preview materials
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of the budgeting process. Allocating funds to different components of the library media program can be a challenging task. To manage the library media program in a cost-effective manner, the library media specialist must first be aware of how much money he or she has to spend. In this way, the library media specialist can plan strategies, such as grant proposals or fund-raising activities, for meeting specific needs (e.g., new reference materials, periodical subscriptions) that may exceed the regular budget allowance.
Competency 0010
Understand methods for engaging in comprehensive and collaborative planning, assessment, and evaluation of the library media program.

I would like to see more books about _________________________________________________.

The most helpful resource in the library media center is ________________________________________.

When I'm reading for fun, I look for books that _________________________________________________.

A high school library media specialist asks students and staff to complete the questionnaire shown above at the end of each school year. The primary benefit of this practice is most likely that it:

  1. assists the library media specialist in identifying materials for deselection from the library media collection.
  2. provides the library media specialist with insight into users' information and recreation needs.
  3. enhances the library media specialist's ability to conduct an objective evaluation of the library media program.
  4. helps the library media specialist decide which materials to highlight through displays or booktalks.
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to identify methods for determining the information and recreation needs of members of the learning community. Collaboration with members of the learning community is an essential step in providing a library media collection that is responsive to the information and recreation needs of students, staff, and others. This collaboration can be achieved through a variety of methods, including various types of surveys. The survey in this item has open-ended responses, allowing students and staff to be as specific as they wish and providing the library media specialist with helpful data for determining whether current resources and services are what the learning community most needs.