It is clear from the findings that there are some highly effective school libraries in Delaware—school libraries that are strongly integrated into the learning fabric of the school and which contribute to student learning outcomes. These school libraries have a common set of characteristics:
a state-certified, full time, library media specialist in the building
the availability of para-professional staff who undertake routine administrative tasks and free the library media specialist to undertake instructional initiatives and reading literacy initiatives
a library program that is based on flexible scheduling so that library media specialists and classroom teachers can engage in collaborative planning and delivery of information literacy instruction
an active instructional program of information literacy integrated into curriculum content, and targeted towards learning curriculum content and skills
a school library that meets resource recommendations of 15-20 books per child
the provision of professional development on information literacy and technology literacies to the teaching faculty
a budget allocation of $12-$15 per student per year to ensure currency and vitality of the information base
a strong networked information technology infrastructure that facilitates access to and use of information resources in an and out of school
