AASL Standard 1:

Use of Information and Ideas

School library media candidates encourage reading and lifelong learning by stimulating interests and fostering competencies in the effective use of ideas and information. They apply a variety of strategies to ensure access to resources and information in a variety of formats to all members of the learning community. Candidates promote efficient and ethical information seeking behavior as part of the school library media program and its services.

Standard 1 is what most people think of when it comes to the main purpose of a library or media center. It encompasses "Efficient and ethical information seeking behavior, literacy and reading, access, and a stimulating learning environment." The UGA program taught those skills in many different assignments. The foundation for the whole program was built upon the Program Development and Evaluation Plan. The PDEP was the most intense project emotionally and time wise that I worked on during this program. It made me realize that the media program and it's goals are so connected with the community, both inside the school walls and outside of them. The PDEP helped to construct my philosophy, vision, and goals based upon providing students and teachers the resources they need to be successful lifelong learners. It allowed me to articulate how I would provide the optimum access to those resources, and most importantly, how I would evaluate that program over time to ensure the media program is continually improving and meeting the needs of the community.

The Order was also a key assignment in reinforcing Standard 1. Through this assignment, I learned that access is not only a physical attribute. It also means to provide materials that are reflective of the community using those resources. Because our order focused on a signifigant population, we made our selctions based on the interests of that community so that they may find materials that were intellectually stimulating, of educational value, or entertaining.

The I Search assignment supported the objectives of Standard 1 as well. I believe that project reinforced the importance of efficient and ethical information seeking behavior and access to information. I found the use of the Double Draft Entry the perfect tool in encouraging students to look at the information they find more critically and to use that information in an appropriate manner.  I believe when students are encouraged to stop and reflect on the information they have gathered, they will use that information more effectively.