Week 6: Curriculum Mapping

Everett, J. (2003). Curriculum mapping and collection mapping: Otherwise
known as "The Camel with Two Humps." In B.K. Stripling & S. Hughes-Hassel (Eds.)
Curriculum Connections through the Library (pp. 119-137). Westport, Conn: Libraries
Unlimited.

"The beauty of having a collection map is the ability to to know very quickly if the current collection of materials supports the school's curriculum." (Everett, 2003, p. 131).

Whether or not a school actually has a viable curriculum map, a collection map is an idea that I had never before thought of and one that I will most certainly implement once I begin work as a media specialist. Everett describes a collection map as a document that speaks to the curriculum map and ensures that the materials in the media center match up with the activities and units of study in the classroom. Even in a school that does not have a comprehensive and up-to-date curriculum map, the state standards can still be used to guide the construction of a collection map though.

A collection map will ensure that the media center's resources are optimized - that they align with what is happening (or supposed to happen) in the classroom, and that they are specifically targeted to meet the academic needs of the students.

The collection map construction process requires that the media specialist engage with the teaching staff, seeing what is studied and what is not. This means that it fosters school-wide collaboration. Additionally, once a collection map is created, the staff know what materials the library has that speak directly to their classroom activities, thereby further fostering collaboration while at the same time improving library use.

Finally, a collection map makes the weeding process more simple. Media specialists will have a more clear sense of what materials are needed in the collection and will also have a clear document that justifies the removal of certain items from the collection. A collection map removes much of the mystery and guess work from the media specialists' work.