Poster #4 - Evidence of School Library Effects: Empirical Findings Challenge Long-Held Professional Beliefs

• In Event: 43.081 - MTCC Poster Session Nine
  In Poster Session: 43.081-1 - Contemporary Issues in Educational Evaluation 2

Abstract

School library (SL) research has focused excessively on positive results from poorly designed
and executed studies. While SL practitioners believe there is a preponderance of evidence
showing the positive effects of school librarians on student achievement, the reality is
drastically different. This study uses a statewide school building dataset and multiple models
to investigate the effects of three different measures of school librarian presence on different
measures of student achievement, while controlling for a wide range of student/school
demographics, climate and prior academic achievement. The lack of significant SL effects
from the statistical models in this study call into question much of prior research findings and
emphasizes the need for more rigorous research designs and analyses.

Authors

• Michael S Radlick, Learning Technology Visions, LLC

• Joette Stefl-Mabry, University at Albany - SUNY