J. Elizabeth Mills

Early Literacy in Library Storytimes: A Study of Measures of Effectiveness

Across the nation, librarians work with caregivers and children to encourage engagement in their early literacy programs. However, these early literacy programs that libraries provide have been left mostly undocumented by research, especially through quantitative methods. Valuable Initiatives in Early Learning that Work Successfully (VIEWS2) was designed to test new ways to measure the effectiveness of these early literacy programs for young children (birth to kindergarten), leveraging a mixed methods, quasi-experimental design. Using two innovative tools, researchers collected data at 120 public library storytimes in the first year of research, observing approximately 1,440 children ranging from birth to 60 months of age. Analysis of year-one data showed a correlation between the early literacy content of the storytime program and children’s outcomes in terms of early literacy behaviors. These findings demonstrate that young children who attend public library storytimes are responding to the early literacy content in the storytime programs.

Communities of Practice and Connected Learning: Breaking Down Walls through the Use of Information and Communication Technologies

Valuable Initiatives in Early Learning that Work Successfully (Project VIEWS2), is an Institution for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Research Grant with the objective of providing evidence-based methods for planning and evaluating the outcomes of public library early literacy programs. This study, unusual within Library and Information Science (LIS) research, consisted of a two-year experimental design with an online intervention. Forty libraries throughout the U.S. State of Washington were randomly assigned in the two- condition study: control (20) and treatment (20). The focus of this poster is to look at how the design of an intervention, administered during Year Two of the study broke down walls among the experimental librarians through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). The existence of an ongoing community of practice across geographic boundaries will be verified by post-intervention surveys and in-depth phone interviews.

Early Literacy in Library Storytimes, Part 2: A Quasi-Experimental Study and Intervention with Children’s Storytime Providers

Within the peer-reviewed literature, there is a shortage of experimental and quasi-experimental studies examining libraries’ impact on children’s early literacy development. Therefore, Project VIEWS2 (Valuable Initiatives in Early Learning That Work Successfully 2) used a quasi-experimental design to understand whether an intervention to train public library storytime providers in early literacy principles makes a difference in children’s early literacy skills. In the experimental group, comparisons of preintervention and postintervention data showed statistically significant increases in the early literacy behaviors of the providers and attendees in the experimental group. There were no significant changes in the early literacy behaviors of control group providers and their attendees. A purposeful focus on early literacy principles makes a difference in storytime programs and in early literacy behaviors when children attend storytime. This article examines the design and delivery of the intervention, its effects on the study population, and its implications for practice.

Learning by design: creating knowledge through library storytime production

Librarianship has not traditionally been considered a design practice. However, childrens librarians plan, deliver, and reflect on storytimes in implicit ways that seem to align with design principles. Drawing on empirical data from the VIEWS2 study, this poster explores the premise that design principles implicitly inform the creation of these library programs for young children. Comparing models of storytime production and models of design reveals that key design principles—especially iteration and reflection—are present throughout storytime production. The reciprocal and influential nature of these design concepts combined with the model of storytime production lead to a new model of storytime design, with implications for library research, practice, and pedagogy as well as models of design.

The Last Word: A Celebration of Storytimes

Our new book, Supercharged Storytimes: An Early Literacy Planning and Assessment Guide , translates the research findings of Project VIEWS21 into easy-to-follow tips and explanations on how to enhance storytimes and contribute to the early learning development of the children who attend. Enjoy this excerpt and celebrate the magic and fun of storytimes.

Connecting collections and cultures by creating a community of children's librarians around early literacy storytimes

Communities of practice are important tools for professional development, encouraging peer-to-peer learning and knowledge creation. This study, which is part of a three-year Institute for Museum and Library Services National Leadership Research Grant, examined childrens librarians’ perceptions of a community of practice they created during an extended online, interactive training program. The librarians shared both positive and negative perceptions of the community that was created during the training. Through the interviews it became apparent that while creating a community of practice the librarians made connections between their collections and shared their library cultures.

Breaking Down Barriers: Transforming Libraries into Learning Labs

This poster will introduce a key educational collaborative project in libraries and museums between the U.S. MacArthur Foundation, the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the Urban Libraries Council, the Association of Science-Technology Centers, the Chicago Public Library, and the Digital Youth Network. Using this project, the authors will share how research on how the use of technology by digital youth has influenced practice in this collaborative venture; demonstrate how the basic research has led to a broad-based understanding of connected learning that breaks down barriers for youth in a networked world; validate the presence of information-provision persons in library learning labs; and explore what this means from a university perspective for the education of 21st century librarians working with youth.