Nancy Huling, Reference and Research Services
October 11 marked the beginning of a new cooperative venture between the University and the Seattle Public Schools, a vision resulting from meetings between UW President Richard McCormick and Seattle Public Schools Superintendent John Stanford as they assumed their new positions in 1995. Although several entities on campus have long worked closely with the K-12 community, President McCormick articulated the need for the UW to become more broadly involved.
The University hosted a series of workshops on October 11, a designated state teachers in-service training day. The theme of the event was "Education for the 21st Century: Instructional Technology and Service Learning." The workshops proposed to foster long-term collaboration between the UW and the Seattle Public Schools in meeting the challenges of preparing our students for creative, responsible lives as citizens.
Of the over 40 sessions, nine were offered by UW librarians. Under the auspices of the UWired program, several of these sessions have become a part of ongoing in-service training around the state. Kristine Tardiff, Curriculum Materials and Children's Literature, participated in the Seattle Public Schools Winter Institute on January 26. On March 21, Tardiff, Janet Schnall, Health Sciences Libraries and Information Center; Helene Williams, Reference and Research Services; and Anne Zald, Reference and Research Services offered their sessions in Wenatchee.
UW librarians have long worked with K-12 educators through a variety of formal and informal mechanisms. The Libraries regularly receives inquiries from teachers requesting instruction or tours; in a one-month period this year, Suzzallo Reference received calls from nine teachers who brought in a total of 350 students.
Although staffing does not make it possible to offer orientation and instruction directly to individual K-12 classes, librarians often meet with teachers and librarians to provide an overview of the system, resources, and online environment in preparation for class visits. Unique collections, such as the Pacific Northwest Collection, Maps, Government Publications, Manuscripts and Archives, and Science libraries, attract a number of classes studying Northwest history, preparing for History Day projects, working on science projects or inventions, or participating in debate or the Model United Nations. During the recent NEH-funded "The Frontier in American Culture" travelling exhibit, six high school classes heard an introduction to the exhibit by Special Collections staff and enjoyed a tour of the Suzzallo and Allen Libraries. A two-hour teacher workshop was also presented in connection with the exhibit.
The University offers a number of institutes for K-12 teachers and students during the summer in which librarians play an active role. Janet Schnall teaches several sections of the Making Connections Institute, an NIH/NIMH sponsored program aimed at 5th through 12th grade health and science educators. Other health sciences programs in which Schnall and HSLIC librarian Lisa Oberg are involved include UDOC, a six-week summer program for underrepresented high school students who are interested in medicine; RAP (Research Apprentice Program), a six-week program that helps prepare underrepresented high school students for careers in health care or scientific research; and Science for Success, aimed at 11th and 12th grade students. Helene Williams works with teachers enrolled in the Puget Sound Writing Program. Recently, several librarians have been involved in sessions for teachers offered through the Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies Center, Center for West European Studies, and Canadian Studies.
Information literacy skills are critical to citizens now and in the future. As the need to educate teachers and students in the information seeking and evaluation processes grows, librarians expect to be increasingly involved with K-12 educators, developing partnerships with school librarians and teachers.