Kim_LIS725_Grant proposal

Statement of need

Langston Hughes High School has over 500 students of whom 65% have seen a drop of

at least 10 points in their reading scores. Of those students, another 40% are in danger of failing

at least one of their classes. In an effort to improve students’ reading habits and their scores, the

Langston Hughes High School Media Center is seeking an alternative to traditional texts in order

to engage students.

Impact

The Langston Hughes High School Media Center (LHHSMC) will purchase five Barnes

and Noble Nooks and add them to the circulating collection. By implementing e-readers into the

library program, students will have the opportunity to engage with alternative forms of

information transmission. By gaining familiarity with the e-readers, students will become more

comfortable with digital tools.

Program design

The purpose of this program is to meet the Illinois State Standards, 1.B.4c and 1.B.5d,

“Read age-appropriate material with fluency and accuracy”. Circulation data will be evaluated in

order to assess the success of the e-reader program. Students who check out the

e-readers will be given satisfaction surveys in order to identify their feelings regarding this

technology.

Other objectives include:

Improve circulation of materials.

Provide reading materials that match student interest.

Supplement existing curriculum.

Management Plan

Activities

Submit grant proposal June 8, 2011

Expected grant notification August, 2011

Obtain e-readers and e-texts August, 2011

Publicity September, 2011

Begin circulation September, 2011

Assess circulation data Weekly

Kim_LIS725_Grant proposal

Personnel

Mr. Jonathon Smith, Head Librarian, holds a Masters Degree in Library and Information

Science from Dominican University in River Forest, IL. Mr. Smith has over ten years of

experience as a media specialist. He will be overseeing the e-reader program and acting as a

liaison between the library and the school/students.

Ms. Lydia Graham, the Technology Librarian, holds a Masters Degree in Library and

Information Science from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Ms. Graham has three

years of experience as a media specialist. She will be responsible for troubleshooting the devices,

recording the circulation data, and serving as the direct liaison between the library and the

vendor.

Promotion

The library staff will promote e-readers during their book talks and describe the variety of

titles available. Student-led announcements will be made daily for two months with a press

release in the local paper. Parents will be notified via newsletter and during Back to School

Night when they visit the media center. E-reader cutouts will also be displayed prominently in

the media center’s display cases in the hallway where student traffic is the heaviest. Students

who use the Nooks will also be asked to be interviewed on video about their experience. These

videos will be played during announcements and will also be available for viewing on the media

center’s website and other social network sites.

Sustainability

In the event of a successful program, the LHHSMC will set aside 15% of its annual

budget to be used solely for the purchase of e-texts. It will also set up a “wish list” on the site for

donors to contribute to the collection. The PTA has also agreed to contribute by purchasing a

new e-reader or ten new e-books every other year until there are twenty e-readers or the e-texts

equal the number of printed texts.

Kim_LIS725_Grant proposal

Press release

Langston Hughes High School is one of the first high schools in the area to implement an

e-reader program into its curriculum. According to the Head Librarian, Mr. Smith, the purpose of

this program is to “expose students to alternate modes of accessing text in order to improve their

reading comprehension and reading habits. We want our students to develop the skills to become

lifelong readers.” The e-readers are expected to supplement the current curriculum by allowing

students to experiment with different types of technology. The Nooks and e-books are being

circulated with generous support from the GSLIS Education Foundation-Helping Hand Grant.

Project budget

The project will cost just under $1000. We are requesting $808.25.

Item Cost Number Total cost

Nook $139 5 $695

25 Favorite Novels $0.99 1 $0.99

100 Classic Short

Stories

$2.99 1 $2.99

50 Classic

Mythologies

$2.99 1 $2.99

The Hunger Games $9.99 1 $9.99

Catching Fire $9.99 1 $9.99

Mockingjay $9.99 1 $9.99

Romiette and Julio $5.99 1 $5.99

Tears of a Tiger $5.99 1 $5.99

If I Was Your Girl $6.40 1 $6.40

Autobiography of my

Dead Brother

$6.99 1 $6.99

Scorpions $6.99 1 $6.99

The Contender $6.99 1 $6.99

Whale Talk $9.99 1 $9.99

The Last Summer of

the Death Warriors

$9.99 1 $9.99

You Don’t Even

Know Me

$9.99 1 $9.99

Bronx Masquerade $6.99 1 $6.99

Total cost 808.25

Kim_LIS725_Grant proposal

Local contributions

Contributor Contribution Number Cost Total cost

PTA Nook 1 $139 $139

Barnes and

Noble

Store gift

card

1 $50 $50

Total cost $189

Total cost of the program: $997.25