Welcome to the Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System Website

Roger Podell, Director

September, 2008 Welcome Back to School!  

Upcoming Events:

September 17, 2008 Council Meeting, Babylon HS

September 23, 2008 Liaison Meeting, Harborfields HS

November 4, 2008 Professional Development Day at Sawmill IS in Commack

November 12, 2008 Liaison Meeting, location tba

November 21, 2008 Council Meeting, Babylon HS

December 12, 2008 11th Annual SLS Conference, Huntington Hilton

                                   Keynote Speaker: Brian Heinz

March 9, 2009 Liaison Meeting, location tba

March 17, 2009 Council Meeting, Babylon HS

May 13, 2009 Liaison Meeting, location tba

May 21, 2009 Council Meeting, Babylon HS

Recent News:

The School Library System was pleased to be able to provide and deliver World Book's Elementary Package (95 volumes) for all of our districts for the 2007-2008 school year.

We are also providing Booksinprint.com and Teachingbooks.net to all of our member libraries free of charge.

Library automation projects are currently underway for Huntington, Babylon, and Lindenhurst.

Western Suffolk BOCES recently joined the SLSA Online Database Consortium to provide the most cost efficient pricing to our members.

 

Our Services:

The Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System serves over 95,000 students in 133 school libraries in Long Island, New York.

We provide the following services:

  • Automation
  • Interlibrary Loan
  • Professional Development
  • Online Databases

School Library Systems were authorized by the NY State Legislature in 1984. Today there are 42 SLS serving almost 5,000 school libraries and three million students.  The main goals of School Library Systems are:

  • Improving quality of information available to students
  • Providing maximum access to online databases 
  • Creating strong library programs that develop reading skills 

Click on our "Links" page for:

  • Free Database Trials
  • Booksinprint.com
  • NOVEL Databases
  • Union Catalog
  • Virtual Reference Collection
  • Related Wesites

Scroll down this page for:

 

Our Annual Conferences

NOVEL Databases

Mission Statement

Bylaws

Member Plan

Contact Information

 

Annual Conferences:                                                      

Each year the School Library System holds a professional development conference for school library media specialists. Over 100 librarians attend each year for a full day of workshops, networking, vendor exhibits, and the opportunity to hear nationally known keynote speakers, including:

 

2007 David Adler

2006 Gordon Korman

2005 Todd Strasser                                 

2004 Johanna Hurwitz  Guest Speaker: Janet Welch, State  Librarian    

2003 Doug Johnson                             

[NOVEL]NOVELNY is provided by the New York State Library. NOVEL is an online virtual library connecting New Yorkers to 21st century information via local libraries statewide. NOVEL is currently supported with temporary federal Library Services and Technology Act funds. New Century Libraries is an important statewide funding initiative currently before the Legislature that proposes permanent state funding for NOVEL.  NOVEL databases are available on our "Links" page.

Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System

Mission Statement

 

The Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System is a consortium of member school library media centers whose mission is to promote access to information and ideas, coordinate resource sharing, and facilitate library growth and development.  The goal of enhancing instruction and promoting lifelong learning will be achieved through cooperation and collaboration among system members by supporting the efforts of the educational community at large.

Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System
By-laws

Adopted March 14, 2006

ARTICLE I. NAME

Section 1. This organization shall be called the Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System.
Section 2. The area to be served by this system shall encompass the districts within the boundaries of Western Suffolk BOCES.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

The purpose of the Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System shall be to provide leadership, support, instruction, and technical assistance in coordination of library services to all member school library media centers.

ARTICLE III. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System shall be organized to include the following: general membership, liaisons between each school district and the Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System, council members, council officers, and a system coordinator.

ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Eligibility
All schools, public and nonpublic, within the Western Suffolk BOCES supervisory district meeting the requirements as outlined in the Commissioner of Education's Regulations 90.18(f) shall be eligible for membership.

Section 2. Requirements
A. To become a member of the Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System, the school district shall agree to conform to the appropriate Commissioner of Education's regulations and also submit the required letter of intent [Appendix A] to the School Library System.
B. Should a school or school district wish to withdraw from the system, the withdrawing member shall immediately return to the system all materials purchased and distributed to the participant by the system.

ARTICLE V. SYSTEM COUNCIL

Section 1. Function
The primary functions of the Council shall be to: (a) develop the plan of service, (b) advise and support the Coordinator in the administration of the system, (c) assist the Coordinator in the development of an annual budget, and (d) approve the budget before it is submitted to the BOCES Superintendent.
Section 2. Composition
The Council members are appointed by the BOCES Board. They shall be composed of public and non-public school library media specialists from all levels of library media service, teachers, school district administrators, LILRC, SCLS, business, community, and the Coordinator. (The Coordinator shall be a non-voting member of the Council.) At all times, the school media specialists shall constitute a majority of the Council.
Section 3. Officers
The officers of the Council shall be a chairperson, vice chairperson, and recording secretary.
Section 4. Terms of Office
The members of the Council shall serve a term of three years without compensation, with one third of the representatives being selected each year. Members may serve for more than one term.

ARTICLE VI. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1. System Council Officers
Prior to the last Council meeting of the school year, the Council chairperson shall appoint a three-member nominating committee to nominate a Council chairperson, a vice-chairperson or a Council secretary. The nominating committee shall present their candidate to the Council at the last Council meeting of the school year. Additional nominations may be accepted from the floor.
Section 1A. Elections
If no additional nominations are received, the chairperson shall direct the secretary to cast one ballot for the nominees. If additional nominations are received, the chairperson shall conduct an election. The successful candidates must receive a majority of the votes cast.
Section 1B. Terms
Officers of the Council shall serve a three-year term, and may be reelected once, which may necessitate extending the individual's term on the Council.

ARTICLE VII. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. Duties of the Chairperson
The chairperson shall preside at all Council meetings, assist the Coordinator in formulating the agenda for Council and Liaison meetings, perform such administrative duties as are necessary and proper to the conduct of the affairs of the Council, appoint committees as required, assist the Coordinator in formulating the budget. In the event that the office of vice-chairperson becomes vacant, the chairperson shall appoint a vice-chairperson to complete the unexpired term.
Section 2. Duties of the Vice-Chairperson
The vice-chairperson shall assist the chairperson as necessary to fulfill designated duties. The vice-chairperson shall also represent the chairperson at all system functions when the chairperson is unable to attend.
Section 3. Duties of the Secretary
The secretary will record the minutes of all Council meetings and will transmit them in a timely fashion to the system office for distribution to all Council members.
Section 4. Duties of the Past Council Chairperson
The past council chairperson shall serve in an advisory capacity to the officers of the Council, and shall assist, as requested, in maintaining the workings of the system.

ARTICLE VIII. DUTIES OF LIAISONS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS

Section 1. It is the duty of a Liaison to disseminate all system information distributed at meetings or transmitted in any other way to district member librarians in a timely fashion. All participating members are entitled to all services provided by the system. It is the responsibility of the Liaison to be certain that all members in the district are apprised of all such offerings with adequate time to enroll or attend any functions that they choose for professional or personal development purposes.
Section 2. It is the duty of Council members to represent not only their district, but also the educational level or business they embody in order to ensure that the system provides the best service possible to the participating members. If a situation arises where there may be a conflict of interest between their district needs and the system needs, the Council members are responsible for excusing themselves from those deliberations.

ARTICLE IX. MEETINGS

Section 1. Council Meetings
There shall be four (4) regularly scheduled meetings of the system Council each school year. Council meetings shall be held prior to liaison meetings, except in the case of the approval of the budget, which shall be scheduled after the liaisons have reviewed it. Special meetings may be called if necessary. A quorum shall consist of a simple majority.
Council members are expected to attend all meetings. The chairperson and Coordinator may review the status of any Council member whose attendance rate falls below 75%. If a Council member's status is found to be lacking and his/her contribution to the function of the Council is in question, the Council shall determine whether to recommend to the BOCES Board replacement of the Council member.
Section 2. Liaison Meetings
There shall be four (4) regularly scheduled meetings of the system liaisons each school year. Special meetings may be called if necessary. A secretary shall be appointed by the Coordinator.
Liaisons are expected to attend all liaison meetings. The Council may review the status of any liaison member whose attendance rate falls below 75%. If the Liaison is not disseminating system information within their school district, the Council shall determine whether to recommend to the district superintendent the replacement of that liaison member.

ARTICLE X. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Membership
Committee membership shall be established at the first liaison meeting of the school year, although membership is not limited to liaisons. A Council member shall serve as an ex officio member of each committee.
Section 2. Numbers of Committees.
The committees for the following year shall be determined at the last Council meeting of the prior school year. Ad Hoc committees may be formed as required.

ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS

Section 1. An amendment to the bylaws may be proposed by any system member, and submitted to the system office at least seven (7) days prior to the Council meeting at which time amendment will be considered. Such amendment must be approved by a majority of the system Council.

ARTICLE XII. SAVINGS CLAUSE

In all respects, the operation of the Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System shall conform to the appropriate regulations of the Commissioner of the New York State Education Department.

Member Plan

TARGET INDICATORS

UNSATISFACTORY

IN PROGRESS

             BASIC

       PROFICIENT

      EXEMPLARY

 

Professional Staff

 

 

No professional library staff.

Teacher assigned to the library part of the day____

LMS assigned to the library part of the day____

Teacher assigned to the library all day_____

Assigned _____ hours.

Certified Library Media Specialist in the library full-time.

Certified LMS in the library media center full-time. Additional professional staff as needed.

More than one certified LMS in the LMC full-time. Number of certified LMSs depends on the needs of the Library Media program and the number of students and teachers in the school.

 

0

8

69

28

13

 

Support Staff

 

No library support staff.

Clerks/aids/paras assigned to the library less than half-time or occasionally to assist the LMS.

Support staff assigned to the library half-time or more, but less than full-time to assist the LMS.

Support staff assigned to the library full-time to assist the LMS.

One or more support staff assigned to the library to assist the LMS(s). Number of support staff depends on the needs of the LMSs, students and teachers in the school.

 

11

9

46

30

22

 

Facility

 

NO SCHOOL LIBRARY.

Do not complete the rest of this form.

Library space traditionally arranged with large tables for whole class instruction only. No space for additional student library use during class visits.

LMC is barrier-free and provides space for whole class, and minimal space and furniture for small group and individual use. Furniture appropriate for the population served.

Flexible LMC facility and furniture for whole class, small groups, and individual use. At least 2 classes can work in LMC at the same time.

Flexible LMC facility and furniture for multiple groups of students which can be scheduled at the same time. May include multifunctional rooms, video studios and electronic access workstations.

 

0

28

44

36

10

 

 

Collection

 

 

A room full of books, not organized for use.

Contact info: Roger Podell 631-595-6834 or rpodell@wsboces.org.

Our address: 31 Lee Ave., Wheatley Heights, NY 11798