Peace Library System Services to Schools

Review the list of all our school member libraries.

Peace Library System offers services to schools on a contractual basis. Schools may enter into an agreement with Peace Library System to provide levels of service that meet the needs of their school jurisdiction.

Two service packages are presently offered to accommodate the needs of different schools and school divisions: the Seed Package and the Core Package. [The Seed Package is a prerequisite for purchasing the Core Packages]. Services other than those included in the Seed and Core packages can be purchased separately on a fee-for-service basis. GST is chargeable on all goods and services provided by Peace Library System. All packages are priced on a cost-recovery basis and are regularly reviewed

NOTE: Please call Peace Library System at (780-539-4656) for detailed information and pricing on school services.

The Seed Package

The Seed Package provides for the ordering, cataloguing, processing, and delivery of library materials in a cost-effective manner. Bulk purchasing allows Peace Library System to receive large discounts, thus increasing the purchase power of the dollar. Discounts range from 30 to 45 percent. The components of the Seed Package are outlined below:

1. Ordering and Receiving
   Libraries select the items they wish to order based on their curriculum requirements and send the orders to Peace Library System via fax, email, or mail. The order clerk chooses the appropriate vendor and sends the order. Vendors are chosen based upon price and availability of item. Peace Library System tracks the orders, receives the materials, deals with items that arrive damaged or incorrectly, and pays the invoice out of the allotment funds. (ie. funds in the school’s ordering account).
2. Cataloguing and Processing
   Once the item is received, it is catalogued and processed to a “shelf-ready” condition and delivered. Peace Library System has sophisticated tools which enable the efficient cataloguing and processing of material. A librarian without these tools would spend thirty to sixty minutes preparing an item for use. This is time that could be spent on other worthwhile activities.
3. Delivery
   Once the item is “shelf-ready”, Peace Library System’s Courier delivers the item to the school or school division office.

The Core Package

The Core Package provides general consulting services by a professional librarian with an Alberta Teaching Certificate. The Consultant visits each school library with the Core Package once a year and is available weekdays to assist with issues that may arise and answer questions via mail, email, or toll free telephone. Additional visits may be scheduled based on the needs of the library and Consultant availability. Orientation training sessions are provided for all new school librarians.
 

1. Services provided by the Consultants include assistance in the following areas:
   
   1. Library management and operations. For example, the Consultant will provide training and guidelines for weeding. Large scale weeding projects will be undertaken on a user-pay basis.
   2. Programming assistance. For example, suggestions for School Library Day activities.
   3. General automation assistance (for libraries using Polaris or newly automating)
   4. Collection Development guidelines
   5. Short bibliographies on subject areas will be prepared upon request.
   6. Information concerning System services and relevant legislation pertaining to School Libraries is provided to Administrators and Trustees as required.
   7. A quarterly newsletter containing information of interest to School Libraries is produced.
2. The Calgary Board of Education Recommended Resources are sent to the School Libraries quarterly to assist with Collection Development.

USER PAY SERVICES

[services which may not be covered in the three packages]

1. Circulating Blocks
   Custom blocks of fiction or non-fiction books on specific subjects Christmas Blocks
2. Rural Libraries Conference
   Annual two-day workshop featuring sessions for school and public libraries relating to library operation and management.
3. Newsletter [Free with the Core Package]
   Quarterly publication keeps librarians abreast of library news around the Peace Region and provides insights into the management and operation of school and public libraries.
4. Author Readings
   Author tours featuring Canadian/Alberta authors are coordinated by Peace Library System in the spring and fall. Schools may contact Peace Library System to request an author visit.
5. Cataloguing for a Fee
   Items that are not paid for through the school allotment funds may be catalogued by Peace Library System on a fee per item basis. 
   The Seed Package includes the cataloguing and processing of library materials purchased through the Peace Library System and paid for through the school allotment funds. However, for materials purchased and paid for independently by a school library, Peace Library System offers cataloguing and processing on a per item fee. A range of cataloguing products are available from card and label sets to MARC Records.
6. Automation Services
   A basic level of automation consulting is provided with the Core package for schools using Polaris or wishing to automate their library. However, once a school moves into the automation project stage, more specialized automation consultative services are required and will be provided through a separately negotiated agreement and fee.
7. Large Scale Consulting Projects
   Under the Core package, Consultants perform general consulting activities. Projects that are more in depth fall outside these parameters as they involve a greater time commitment to bring about completion. Agreements to provide consultative assistance for larger projects may be negotiated depending on consultant availability.

Activities which fall under the parameters of large scale consulting projects include:

1. Workshops / In-service Events
   Professional development presentations on such topics pertaining to school libraries such as School Collection Development, teaching students to use the library, and media awareness.
2. Collection Evaluations
   Assess the quantity and quality of library materials within specific areas of the school library. Materials will be assessed on their ability to meet the requirements of the curriculum.
3. Weeding
   Involves the discarding of outdated, worn, and little used books in order to keep the collection relevant to the needs of the curriculum. Under the Core package, librarians will be provided with training on how to weed and given a set of guidelines for weeding. Extensive weeding projects performed by the Consultant are conducted on a user-pay basis.
4. Development of Bibliographies
   The development of short bibliographies is covered in the Core package. The development of extensive bibliographies designed to update a collection may be undertaken on a user-pay basis upon request.
   1. Development of New School Library Collections
      Selection of items that will support the instructional, research and recreational reading needs of the students
   2. Space Planning
      Use professional resources to provide guidance in planning the physical layout of the library as new libraries are built or existing libraries are renovated.