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Library Standard Operating Procedure (SOP ) Project Report

Report prepared by Dhanya TA

JoyofReading signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions , Society, (TSWREIS) Gurukulam Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions, Society (TTWREIS) on May 25th 2023, to collaborate on the Library Standard Operating Procedure Project. The objective of the project is to implement the detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) for libraries present in TSWREIS & TTWREIS schools in a phased manner. Both parties collaborated on this project to enable the librarians and principals to establish a defined role of librarian, follow necessary library management best practices, systematically inculcate the reading habit in students by systematizing the library hour and measure outcomes of the library hour and librarian initiatives.

singing of Memorandum of Understanding with TSWREIS , TTWREIS
(from left to right: Chandrakanth Reddy, Ronald Rose, Harini Raghavan, Yusuf bee Nema, George Varkey)

Joy of Reading (JoR) developed a comprehensive Library Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) document. This manual covers the complete setup of a library, detailing the necessary steps, the librarian’s role, book arrangement by reading levels, techniques for conducting reading level assessments, essential records to maintain, conducting library hours, and metrics to measure outcomes.

Pilot Program Details

The primary focus of the SOP project is to measure the effectiveness of the library setup by tracking the activities conducted by librarians and improvements in reading levels. As a first step of this process, training was conducted for all the 25 schools at the beginning of the academic year.

Library SOP Experiential Training

Joy of Reading conducted the Library Standard Operating Procedure Experiential Training for 20 schools of TSWREIS and 5 schools of TTWREIS Gurukulam on June 9th, 2023. The training was for the whole day for librarians and half a day for principals. The librarians went through the concepts of performing Reading Level Assessment, Interactive Read Aloud and practiced them during the workshop in teams. During the after noon session the Library Activity planner was discussed in detail

The library activity planner has been created to assist schools in conducting library hours effectively. It presents ideas and suggestions for activities for librarians to enhance children’s reading skills in an engaging and enjoyable way. It includes detailed weekly, monthly, and yearly plans, recommendations for movies and online read-aloud videos, questions to stimulate discussion after reading, and various book suggestions.

  • Training session
  • Training session
  • The trainers and the trainees
  • Reading level assessment practice excercise

Books donated by Sakku Group and JoR as a part of the library SOP project

Joy of Reading did not stop with just sharing the knowledge but also was instrumental in providing the schools with right resources to conduct the library hour effectively . JoR distributed 6185 English books and 3500 Telugu books (Telugu books sponsored by Sakku Group ) of all levels to the twenty five schools as part of the Library SOP project.


Dr Sadhana Pendurthi from Sakku Group handing over the books to Smt. Sarada Kambhambati

– VENKATA DHARMA POULTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED  (Sakku Eggs)  sponsored 140 books per school for 20 schools of TSWREIS and 5 schools of TTWREIS Gurukulam as part of their Corporate Sponsorship program partnering with Joy of Reading on June 9th, 2023. A total of 3500 Telugu story & information books across all levels were donated. Dr Sadhana Pendurthi , Director Sakku Group handed over the books to Smt. Sarada Kambhambati, Joint Secretary TSWREIS

Here are some instances of books donated to schools

135 English books and 140 Telugu books were donated from Joy of reading to TSWRS Parvathgiri

201 English books, and 140 Telugu books were donated as a part of the library SOP project to TSWRS Boath

365 English books and 135 Telugu books were donated as a part of the library SOP project to TSWRS Nandimedaram

JoR donated several books in Telugu and English as a part of the library SOP project to TSWRS/ JC (B) Shaikpet

JoR donated 222 English books and 140 Telugu books as a part of the library SOP project to TSWREIS Tekulapalli

During the year

The project spanned the entire 2023 academic year, measuring outcomes for library and librarian initiatives. JoR collected monthly data on library activities, such as the number of books read per class, read-aloud sessions, and online read-aloud video viewings. At the end of the year, reading level assessments were conducted to evaluate progress.

The JoR team also held monthly meetings with the schools, engaging with the librarians to understand their progress and collecting metrics periodically. Additionally, twice during the academic year, the JoR team conducted one-on-one sessions with both the librarian and the principal to discuss progress and provide ongoing mentorship throughout the year.

This structured program significantly boosted librarian morale, as they felt proud of their achievements and were pleased with the children’s excitement and eagerness to attend library sessions. Librarians gained clarity in their roles, and the main goal of improving reading levels was successfully met. The SOP also served as a guide for schools without dedicated librarians, ensuring effective and engaging library hours were conducted.

Outcomes

  • Librarian Empowerment: 100% of librarians reported improved clarity in their roles.
  • Increased Reading Interest: Over 90% of librarians observed increased enthusiasm for library activities.
  • Data-Driven Improvement: Schools implemented systematic data collection to track library activities.
  • Measurable Reading Gains: All schools that conducted reading level assessments (RLA) showed improvements.
    • 69% of TSWREIS schools saw at least 70% of students improve by one or more reading levels.
    • A correlation was observed between increased library hours (3+ per week) and improved reading levels.
  • Character Building: Books fostered positive character development in students.
  • Engaging Activities: Creative activities like skits, pop up story book making, quiz and poster-making boosted reading motivation.

Next Steps

  • Integrate library planning into the beginning of the school year for both principals and librarians.
  • Streamline data collection monthly for easier recording and reporting.
  • Scale the program to include more schools (100+) for next academic year.

Stakeholder Feedback

Overall, stakeholders praised the SOP’s impact on:

  • Student Reading Interest:
    • Students look forward to library period.
    • JOR (Joy of Reading) books and videos were particularly engaging for students.
  • Reading Levels:
    • Several schools noted significant improvement in reading levels, with some achieving 100% reading proficiency in specific grades.
    • The RLA (Reading Level Assessment) tool was seen as valuable for measuring progress.
  • Library Management:
    • The SOP provided clear guidelines and a framework for efficient library organization and activity planning.
    • JOR-donated books were considered high-quality and well-suited for different reading levels

Unique Adoptions

  • Addagudur plans to distribute books for summer reading with a showcase upon return.
  • Chevella celebrates reading improvements with lunch with the principal and student-led activities.
  • Imampet Suryapet implemented the program effectively using the SOP document despite missing training.

The overall success of the Library SOP project highlights its potential for expansion and its significant impact on fostering a love of reading among students.


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THE MADINAGUDA PROJECT

END TO END LIBRARY SET UP

Report Author: Dhanya TA, High school student, Chennai

During the beginning of the year 2023, Joy of Reading (JoR), India was approached by the Telangana Social Impact Group (T-Sig) in Jan 2023, to draft a budget proposal for establishing a comprehensive physical library in a government school given a space. CASPIAN foundation as part of their CSR Efforts liked the proposal of sponsoring a library. Subsequently, Caspian Foundation got in touch with Harini from JoR India, and wanted to check out a few previous projects undertaken by JoR. Ms. Mohini, Sr. Manager from CASPIAN checked out the library at Telangana State Welfare Residential Schools in Narsingi,  and was impressed at the beautiful and simple setup that motivated children to attend the library. The company decided to sponsor an end to end physical library setup.

MPUPS school at Madinaguda was selected after thorough scouting. The principal, Mr Syed Yousuf, was brimming with enthusiasm and was eagerly awaiting the establishment of a library for his children and extended full support and cooperation. With approximately 400 students ranging from grades 1 to 8, the upper primary school possessed a spacious room ideal for a library. Funding was secured in mid-March 2023, and the JoR team diligently started the work targeting  to complete the library before the onset of summer vacation in April 2024.

The room required refurbishment, including repairing broken windows, painting, and thorough cleaning. Several volunteers contributed to the effort in transforming the given space to a beautiful room. A high school student Mrinalini helped with the design of the wall art, and another volunteer by the name of Apurva helped with designing the layout of the interior. The walls were painted with simple beautiful art work to make it into an appealing room for the children to spend time. Colourful furniture and furnishings were procured to create an inviting environment.

(before and after photos of the end to end library)

Books across various levels, both in English and Telugu languages were procured. A total of 700 books across the GROW BY levels as well as Information books and Encyclopaedia’s (including 8 educational charts) were provided. The books were sorted and labelled according to the GROW BY Levelling system of Hippocampus Foundation and were arranged neatly in shelves

On April 24th a grand inauguration of the library was set up coinciding with the last day of the school. The grand opening saw the presence of many respected individuals, including the District Educational Officer Sri P. SUSEENDRA RAO, Ms. Archana Suresh, Director of CSR, Telangana Social Impact Group, Sri Prasad and Smt Shilpa founders  of the Caspian Foundation, the Mandal Education Officer, amongst others. Joy of Reading team with its volunteers conducted a grand opening ceremony inviting everyone from the school, volunteers and their families and the parents of children.

JoR India Meeting with Caspian, T-Sig and Madinaguda school teachers on inaugural day
– explaining the goals for the year

During the Academic Year

Summer vacation ended and the new academic year started in June. JoR did not stop with just creating the library, but worked towards supporting the school to conduct the library hours. As a  first step, JoR conducted the ‘Inculcating Joyful Reading ‘ training at the school for all the teachers. Due to the absence of a dedicated librarian,  the Joy of Reading team helped with the initial library hours. At this time Smruthi Giri, who interned with JoR along with the JoR India volunteers helped with conducting Interactive Read aloud sessions and  reading level assessments for students in grades 4 to 7 during the months of June and July. In order to support the library, CASPIAN foundation agreed to fund a dedicated librarian for the school. Ms.Vani Gajibanda was hired as the librarian and commenced duties in August 2023.

Librarian Vani Gajibanda joined the school starting Aug 7th, 2023 and underwent the Inculcating Joyful Reading training program . Neha, Program Manager, JoR India mentored her throughout the year. Vani’s duties included:

  1. Maintaining the library
  2. Maintaining Registers
  3. Conducting the structured library hour
  4. Conducting library activities and Interactive read aloud sessions
  5. Coordinating volunteer activities. 

What is Interactive Read Aloud: It is a read aloud session for similar levelled children which involves interaction with children by getting their inputs with respect to understanding the story, prediction of the story, discussing on why certain things occur. This helps with developing critical thinking, understanding how to read a book and comprehend, along with the improvement of reading skills.

Library periods were incorporated into the school’s daily schedule, with one hour dedicated to library activities for each class. JoR volunteers , volunteered once a week and conducted Interactive Read Aloud sessions and helped  struggling readers. Ms.Jenny Snehalatha devised a curriculum, focusing on phonetics and tailored approaches to improve reading proficiency. Since children’s reading abilities can differ irrespective of their grade level, this curriculum aims to enhance their reading skills by providing diverse learning opportunities and nurturing their creativity.

  • Jenny teaching the phonetic curriculum
  • Harini doing interactive read aloud session
  • Going over the library rules

With a six-day school week and 6 library hours a week, JoR volunteers and the librarian collaborated to ensure comprehensive coverage. The JoR team taught reading concepts formally during their volunteer hour. The librarian reinforced by repeating the reading concepts present in the curriculum again for two classes. The rest of the three classes for the week was allocated for structured library hour. Various activities were employed to enhance English fluency and reading skills amongst the students.

JoR volunteers Jenny, Sailaja, Shiney, Jyothsna doing reading level assessment.

A structured library hour involves the children taking books according to their reading level, doing focussed reading for a designated period of time and doing a small post reading activity once they finish reading their book. The librarian helps by going around and answering questions from the children.

A few employees from CASPIAN visited the school to volunteer conducting reading sessions with the children now and then.

One of the JoR’s goal was to engage the corporate community to contribute their time and interact with children. The goal was to help with the mentorship of the children through the interaction with professionals. JoR encouraged the employees of CASPIAN to come volunteer @ the Madinaguda school whenever they had time. The idea was to create an impact in shaping the lives of children in the long run over a few years of time .

The Madinaguda Transformation

Are you curious to know the outcome with all of these efforts? Then read on. Two reading level assessments were conducted – one at the beginning and one towards the end of academic year to understand the progress.

Understanding the levels : The levels are Green, Red, Orange, White, Blue, Yellow known as GROW BY leveling system from Hippocampus Foundation. Green is the lowest level (a picture book with 1 or two sentences per page) and Yellow is the highest level (novels). A student who is unable to read sentences, words or alphabets is called a struggling reader/beginner.

The graphs depict the distribution of classes along the x-axis, with the corresponding percentage of students at each level represented on the y-axis.

Reading Level Assessment 1

O

OBSERVATIONS

  1. The first reading level assessment took place in July/Aug 2023
  2. In the first assessment 50%+ of children in every class were struggling readers.
  3. The rest of the children were only in the Green or Red level for the most part in all classes.

Reading Level Assessment 2


OBSERVATIONS

  • The second assessment of reading proficiency took place in March 2024.
  • Significant Reduction in struggling readers across all classes was seen.
  • And few children had also moved up levels to Orange, White and Blue.

Reading level improvement


UNDERSTANDING THE LEGEND
(*) -2 (blue bar), -1 (brown bar) : Indicates a decrease in level. This means that data wasn’t taken right at the start. Ignore this .
(*) 0 (Yellow bar) : indicates no change in level
(*) 1,2, 3, 4  (Green and up) : Indicates the number of levels the children moved up respectively by 1,2,3,4 levels

OBSERVATIONS

1)  4th – 59% went up a level or more. Struggling readers reduced from  47% to 27%
2) 5th – 38% went up a level or more. Struggling readers reduced from 67% to 18%
3) 6th – 73% went up a level or more. Struggling readers reduced from 63% to 6%
4) 7th – 74% went up a level or more. Struggling readers reduced from 87% to 23%

When we first began volunteering for Madinaguda School it was disheartening to see that many of the children didn’t even know to recognise alphabets. We started our sessions every week with Phonetics laying strong foundation for their reading abilities. Over the course of 6-8 months their improvement was remarkable,we witnessed their progress from struggling with alphabets to reading simple words and gaining confidence in their reading abilities. The joy of reading is evident in their smiles and enthusiasm during our sessions. As volunteers we are proud to have played a part in nurturing their love for learning and it has been a truly rewarding experience for all of us. Shiney Babu Padamadan , Volunteer JoR India

When the journey began, some students faced challenges in alphabet recognition and word reading. The remarkable decrease in struggling readers across all classes can be attributed to the implementation of various strategies including reading level assessments, structured library sessions, a basic English curriculum, and personalized assistance for struggling readers. Notably, 6th and 7th graders demonstrated accelerated progress, with a higher percentage advancing by at least one reading level. This underscores the effectiveness of systematic reading initiatives and tailored support for struggling readers.

Here are the detailed reports for the Madinaguda school project

  1. August 2023 report
  2. SEpt Oct Nov 2023 Report
  3. Dec 2023, Jan & Feb 2024 Report

Madinaguda anniversary event:

In commemoration of the triumphant impact of the comprehensive library program in instilling a love for reading among the young learners, the Madinaguda anniversary event unfolded with grandeur. The occasion was adorned with an array of enriching activities, including captivating story narrations, creative story writing sessions, and an engaging general knowledge quiz centered around the literary treasures the students had delved into throughout the year.

What truly marked the event was the transformative impact it had on the children. Those who once shied away from public speaking now eagerly took to the stage, pouring their hearts out in a captivating skit performed entirely in English. Despite grappling with occasional mistakes, their earnest efforts shone through, resulting in a spellbinding performance. The sheer zest and fervor with which they participated left the JoR team awestruck and brimming with pride. Witnessing the students radiant performances and wholehearted involvement filled everyone with an overwhelming sense of elation and contentment.

  • Story narration
  • GK Quiz
  • Skit

Anniversary event and prize distribution at madinaguda

  • The team that did it all

Finally the heartwarming words from Sailaja Nistala a long time JoR volunteer, sums up every volunteer’s feeling

The most unforgettable and endearing experience has been to see kids who could hardly pronounce syllables, actually reading out aloud a story within one year….that’s what’s sums up my experience of working with kids studying in Madinaguda school.
I am very proud of the work that we as JoR accomplished in one year. My confidence enhances with the appreciation of the friend and relatives, whenever they are shown the video of kids reading in Library. It reminds me of the impact that can be brought by a couple of volunteers working with passion and empathy! There is a lot that need to be done.
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep” – Robert Frost