Critical incidents of library media services in an urban, multicampus school district

Purpose of the study. The purpose of this study was to investigate effective and ineffective incidents of library media service functions as perceived by faculty members in an urban, multi-campus school district.;Procedure. Data for this study were compiled using the Critical Incident Technique. Observers were classroom teachers selected at random from forty-seven campuses of an urban, multi-campus school district. To gather data, telephone interviews were conducted. Usable responses were collected from 201 faculty members from elementary, middle, and high schools. The response rate was calculated at 67.45 percent.;Findings. Results of this investigation indicated that circulation service was perceived by faculty as the most effective function of the school library media program. Although equipment service was reported to be effective, the same service was also identified as being ineffective. Another service that was determined to be ineffective concerned audiovisual materials.;Faculty members placed importance upon efficient modes of acquiring and returning library materials and equipment. The respondents never referred to services involving the library media specialist's expertise in curriculum development, instructional design, and leadership.;Conclusion. The services involving circulation and equipment, which are functions that were determined by teachers to be effective, are basic technical functions that can be delivered by aides and student assistants. Faculty members were apparently unaware of the higher cognitive level competencies of professional library media personnel in curriculum, instructional design, and leadership. Based upon the omission of data referring to those services, inservice sessions on the untapped, available services of library media specialists and the mission and goals of the library media center should be provided to teachers and administrators. Library media specialists should strive to alter the belief systems of administrators and teachers regarding the library media program in order to communicate a need for change that would be compatible with professional qualifications.