Ruth Small, Director of the Center for Digital Literacy at Syracuse University, is leading a two-year study of the impact of New York State's school libraries on student achievement and motivation. Data collection has recently been completed and preliminary findings are available.
New York State Impact Study:
Progress and Preliminary Findings Report
Center for Digital Literacy
Updated: February 2008
Download our preliminary report
The Impact of New York's School Libraries on Student Achievement and Motivation
Presentation at
American Educational Research Association (AERA)
2008 Annual Meeting
March 24 - March 28
New York, New York
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Download the paper
AERA Website
The Impact of New York State's School Libraries and Librarians:
A Sneak Peek at Findings
Educator's Spotlight Digest
March 21, 2008
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Educators' Spotlight Digest website
Syracuse Researchers Link Higher Test Scores with Certified Library Media Specialists in Schools
New York Library Association (NYLA) Winter Bulletin
Winter 2008
Preliminary findings of research conducted by Professor Ruth Small and graduate students in the Center for Digital Literacy (CDL) show a statistically significant increase- with an almost 10 point difference- in the English Language Arts test scores among fourth-grade students whose schools had certified library media specialists over students in schools without certified library media specialists.
S.U. Study: Librarians Help Test Scores
WSYR-TV-Syracuse
February 18, 2008
News story and video
Study: Higher Test Scores Linked to Certified Media Specialists
School Library Journal
February 11, 2008
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New study reaffirms link between school librarians, academic achievement
American Library Association
February 22, 2008
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New York State's School Libraries and Library Media Specialists: An Impact Study
Education Week
March 5, 2008
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Funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), this research will help the education community better understand the role of the school library media specialist and provide information on ways in which school library programs, resources and services might be developed and improved to effectively support student learning and motivation.
This study is being conducted with the cooperation of the School Library System Association of New York.