Annual Activities Report
2003-2004
The Instructional Resources Unit (IRU) continued to build local capacity to improve teaching and learning, focusing on six major activities:
- Selection, acquisition and cataloguing of learning resources, provision of print and electronic access to IRU collections, as well as reference and information assistance. The IRU provided library services in support of K-S4 curriculum implementation, the Special Education Review, the Aboriginal Education Strategy, diversity and equity education, educational research and professional learning to address K-S4 educators' needs, such as best practices, school improvement, research based decision-making and school library development. With more than 9,100 active registered clients, staff fielded over 23,400 queries, catalogued over 8,400 new items, and circulated over 129,000 resources. The IRU acquired over 500 video, DVD and other non-print titles including resources recommended for Physics, Geography and Ukrainian studies duplication rights for the upcoming year of CBC News in Review and additional copies of the first 500 recommended titles for Social Studies Grades K-8.
- Acquisition, cataloguing and dissemination of resources identified through the Western Canadian Protocol and Manitoba Reviews of learning resources.
- Development
and dissemination of print and electronic publications, including
print and electronic bibliographies, catalogues of new resources
and of professional learning documents. New and revised bibliographies
included: Inclusive
Schools 2004, (
165 kb) and School
Bus Safety 2004 ( 98 kb).
- Application of leading-edge information technologies both for services and collections, creating a virtual library accessible to all Manitoba K-S4 educators and Department staff to support current awareness, including electronic bibliographies and acquisitions lists as well as provision of an OPAC and Virtual Education Information Service.
- Clients and visitors were actively visiting and using IRU's electronic resources, including 3,133,624 hits/visits on the web site including 286,147 searches performed and documents viewed. Online Public Access Catalogue served over 1,274,708 users.
- Provision of copyright clearance through the Schools/CanCopy Pan-Canadian Agreement 1999-2004, as well as copyright information assistance and workshops. Development through the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, a framework for a national digital copyright policy, which was recommended to the federal government for the revision of copyright law. Negotiations with Access Copyright for a new Copyright License Agreement continued.
- Provision of efficient and effective delivery for new School Program Division documents and other education literature, to specified groups and individuals in schools and Board offices via monthly bulk mailings. Over 1,000,000 items were distributed through bulk mail services.
- Provision of library instruction and promotion of services through displays for the education communities.
- Provision of multicultural library services and resources in the areas of Diversity and Equity Education, Spanish Language, Human Rights Education, English as a Second Language, and Black History.
