Library Standards

Below are the standards for the 21st century library. For more information, check out these resources:

I. Inquire: Build new knowledge by inquiring, thinking critically, identifying problems, and developing strategies for solving problems.

A. Think: Learners display curiosity and initiative by:

1. Formulating questions about a personal interest or a curricular topic.

2. Recalling prior and background knowledge as context for new meaning

B. Create: Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes:

1. Using evidence to investigate questions

2. Devising and implementing a plan to fill knowledge gaps

3. Generating products that illustrate learning

C. Share: Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes:

1. Interacting with content presented by others.

2. Providing constructive feedback.

3. Acting on feedback to improve.

4. Sharing products with an authentic audience.

D. Grow: Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by:

1. Continually seeking knowledge.

2. Engaging in sustained inquiry.

3. Enacting new understanding through real-world connections.

4. Using reflection to guide informed decisions.

II. Include: Demonstrate an Understanding of and commitment to inclusiveness and respect for diversity in the learning community.

A. Think: Learners contribute a balanced perspective when participating in a learning community by:

1. Articulating an awareness of the contributions of a range of learners.

2. Adopting a discerning stance toward points of view and opinions expressed in information resources and learning products.

3. Describing their understanding of cultural relevancy and placement within the global learning community.

B. Create: Learners Adjust their awareness of the global learning community by:

1. Interacting with learners who reflect a range of perspectives.

2. Evaluating a variety of perspectives during learning activities.

3. Representing diverse perspectives during learning activities.

C. Share: Learners exhibit empathy with and tolerance for diverse ideas by:

1. Engaging in informed conversation and active debate.

2. Contributing to discussions in which multiple viewpoints on a topic are expressed.

D. Grow: Learners demonstrate empathy and equity in knowledge building within the global learning community by:

1. Seeking interactions with a range of learners.

2. Demonstrating interest in other perspectives during learning activities.

3. Reflecting on their own place within the global learning community.

III. Collaborate: Work effectively with others to broaden perspectives and work toward common goals.

A. Think: Learners identify collaboration opportunities by:

1. Demonstrating their desire to broaden and deepen understandings.

2. Developing new understandings through engagement in a learning group.

3. Deciding to solve problems informed by group interaction.

B. Create: Learners participate in personal, social, and intellectual networks by:

1. Using a variety of communication tools and resources.

2. Establishing connections with other learners to build on their own prior knowledge and create new knowledge.

C. Share: Learners work productively with others to solve problems by:

1. Soliciting and responding to feedback from others.

2. Involving diverse perspectives in their own inquiry processes.

D. Grow: Learners actively participate with others in learning situations by:

1. Actively contributing to group discussions.

2. Recognizing learning as a social responsibility.

IV. Curate: Make meaning for oneself and others by collecting, organizing, and sharing resources of personal relevance.

A. Think: Learners act on an information need by:

1. Determining the need to gather information.

2. Identifying possible sources of information.

3. Making critical choices about information sources to use.

B. Create: Learners gather information appropriate to the task by:

1. Seeking a variety of sources.

2. Collecting information representing diverse perspectives.

3. Systematically questioning and assessing the validity and accuracy of information.

4. Organizing information by priority, topic, or other systematic scheme.

C. Share: Learners exchange information resources within and beyond their learning community by:

1. Accessing and evaluating collaboratively constructed information sites.

2. Contributing to collaboratively constructed information sites by ethically using and reproducing others’ work.

3. Joining with others to compare and contrast information derived from collaboratively constructed information sites.

D. Grow: Learners select and organize information for a variety of audiences by:

1. Performing ongoing analysis of and reflection on the quality, usefulness, and accuracy of curated resources.

2. Integrating and depicting in a conceptual knowledge network their understanding gained from resources.

3. Openly communicating curation processes for others to use, interpret, and validate.

V. Explore: Discover and innovate in a growth mindset developed through experience and reflection.

A. Think: Learners develop and satisfy personal curiosity by:

1. Reading widely and deeply in multiple formats and write and create for a variety of purposes.

2. Reflecting and questioning assumptions and possible misconceptions.

3. Engaging in inquiry-based processes for personal growth.

B. Create: Learners construct new knowledge by:

1. Problem solving through cycles of design, implementation, and reflection.

2. Persisting through self-directed pursuits by tinkering and making.

C. Share: Learners engage with the learning community by:

1. Expressing curiosity about a topic of personal interest or curricular relevance.

2. Co-Constructing innovative means of investigation.

3. Collaboratively identifying innovative solutions to a challenge or problem.

D. Grow: Learners develop through experience and reflection by:

1. Iteratively responding to challenges.

2. Recognizing capabilities and skills that can be developed, improved, and expanded.

3. Open-mindedly accepting feedback for positive and constructive growth.

VI. Engage: Demonstrate safe, legal, and ethical creating and sharing of knowledge products independently while engaging in a community of practice and an interconnected world.

A. Think: Learners follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information by:

1. Responsibly applying information, technology, and media to learning.

2. Understanding the ethical use of information, technology, and media.

3. Evaluating information for accuracy, validity, social and cultural context, and appropriateness for need.

B. Create: Learners use valid information and reasoned conclusions to make ethical decisions in the creation of knowledge by:

1. Ethically using and reproducing others’ work.

2. Acknowledging authorship and demonstrating respect for the intellectual property of others.

3. Including elements in personal-knowledge products that allow others to credit content appropriately.

C. Share: Learners responsibly, ethically,and legally share new information with a global community by:

1. Sharing information resources in accordance with modification, reuse,and remix policies.

2. Disseminating new knowledge through means appropriate for the intended audience.

D. Grow: Learners engage with information to extend personal learning by:

1. Personalizing their use of information and information technologies.

2. Reflecting on the process of ethical generation of knowledge.

3. Inspiring others to engage in safe, responsible, ethical, and legal information behaviors.