What should the evaluation of the school library media program primarily focus on?

The evaluation of a school library media program primarily focusing on the degree to which educational objectives are achieved is essential because it is fundamentally linked to the overall mission of educational institutions: to enhance student learning and achievement. A well-designed library media program should support curricular goals and help students develop critical thinking, information literacy, and research skills. By assessing how effectively the program meets these educational objectives, educators and administrators can determine the program's impact on student outcomes and make informed decisions about resource allocation, program development, and improvement strategies.

While factors such as cooperative planning, circulation statistics, and the variety of services offered are important in contributing to the overall effectiveness of a library media program, they do not directly measure the program's ability to foster educational growth in students. Cooperative planning might indicate collaboration but does not alone assess educational success. Similarly, student circulation statistics provide information about usage but not necessarily about learning outcomes. The number and types of services offered can reflect the program's offerings, but again, without evidence of educational objective achievement, this information lacks the depth needed to evaluate true program effectiveness. Thus, focusing on the degree to which educational objectives are achieved provides a clearer picture of the program's educational value.