Library+and+Librarian+Information

Contributions: Lisa BrackenSquires Stacy Lambert Tamra Snell



Background Information: · Age: 38 · Ethnicity: Caucasian · Education: Bachelor’s of Science in Information Science with a focus in Reading and English · Master’s in Library Science · Additional certification: Talented and Gifted education and ESL · Experience in Education: classroom teacher 1995-2005 (grades first, third and fourth) · Librarian 2005-2010 · Personal interests: reading and learning for personal growth, exercise and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, gourmet cooking, music appreciation, computer technology
 * Austin Elementary School **
 * Librarian Kate Frost **

** Philosophy of the Library Program **

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The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has revised their mission statement many times over the course of five decades. Currently the expansion of the school librarians’ role reflects what is needed to help learners develop skills to be successful in the twenty-first century. The AASL (2009) identifies five roles that the school library media specialist fulfills. It is the belief of this teacher librarian that all these roles operate concurrently within an effective and successful school library program. Some roles may be more prominent than others, but all are necessary for the operation and achievement of the library's purpose and objectives. The ways in which school librarians can empower students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information, include: 1.) Collaborating with teachers and students, 2.) Instructing them in using, evaluating and producing information, 3.) Providing access to materials in all formats, 4.) Providing students and staff with resources that reflect current and anticipated educational needs and technology, and 5.) Providing leadership in the school community while advocating for a strong school library program (American Association of School Librarians 2009). This mission statement goes well beyond the educational role of the school librarian of decades ago. It is important for the school librarian to be knowledgeable of the school goals and curriculum standards in order to affect learning outcomes for students and to collaborate with teachers. Today, school library programs and the goals of the school are linked not only to the success of the library but also to the success of the students that the school community serves. To that end, the librarian is a key figure in the school community.


 * Educational Philosophy of the School Librarian **

* **Librarian as Teacher** My role as an educator is to encourage children to investigate learning opportunities and strive to do their best. A librarian is fully aware of the expected learning outcomes of students. I keep clear goals in mind and plan a variety of educational learning experiences that help students to become independent readers and writers. I believe it is my responsibility to guide students toward becoming independent workers and critical thinkers. My role as a teacher librarian is to advocate for literacy instruction in all content areas and to provide students with the skills necessary to succeed in any endeavor. A s a teacher, I understand the demands placed on classroom teachers to get students to pass standardized tests. This can be a daunting task, and I will use my training and experience to work with campus faculty to increase student achievement and to motivate students to become lifelong learners.

** *Librarian as Instructional Partner ** The AASL predicts that the librarian as an instructional partner will soon become the dominant role of the school librarian (2009). School librarians can and should work to build collaborative relationships with classroom and specialist teachers for the good of the school community, and for the benefit of increasing student achievement T his means that my primary purpose is to collaborate with classroom teachers to design lessons and assignments that will not only address state learning standards, but also 21st-century learning skills for students. The school librarian encourages social and collaborative partnerships among students, teachers and other staff. Collaborative teaching experiences between classroom teachers and the librarian are beneficial to student achievement because the teacher and school librarian can work together to ensure that information searches and curriculum content areas are related. Many children learn better if there is a meaningful connection between what they learn in the classroom and what they want to find out in the real world. If students know how to effectively find and access the information they seek, and ethically use that information, then they are more likely to make positive connections and valuable contributions to the learning process. I n this capacity, I work with classroom teachers and students from the beginning of an assignment to its end, including assessing student work where it involves information literacy skills.

** *Librarian as Information Specialist ** Most people agree that we are in an Information Age. Our current generation of students is being called "The Millenials" (Considine, et. al., 2009). Today's learners are inundated with information from multiple sources, including the media and Internet. As an information specialist, it is a librarian's responsibility to ensure that students become discriminating users of information. In this era of technological advances, students, teachers and parents all benefit from a school library program that helps them use and evaluate the information they find. I strive to stay abreast of new technologies and means of communicating via technology in order to better assist teachers and students in utilizing these means to their advantage. It is also my duty to instruct students in the proper use of information and to respect intellectual property, regardless of the format.

** *Librarian as Program Administrator **



As the administrator of the library facility, the teacher librarian has a responsibility to see that learning extends beyond the classroom and spills into or from the library media center. To this end, it is the librarian's obligation to see that all stakeholders have access to the library and all resources available to meet their needs. The school librarian ensures that students, teachers, and the wider school community have access to information in all formats made available by the school. To meet the learning and recreational needs of students, it is necessary for school librarian to provide a well-developed collection of both print and non-print materials in a variety of formats. The program administrator oversees the schedule, budget, and physical and virtual space of the library (AASL 2009). In addition, the teacher librarian works to effectively manage and utilize qualified and competent library personnel and parent volunteers in service to the school library in order to keep up with the daily demands of a busy learning center.

** *Librarian as Leader ** The librarian acts as a leader in professional development by initiating classroom-library collaboration and by staying current with the newest technologies. I believe that collaborating with teachers and working with students on classroom projects related to the curriculum is important to further advance student achievement and to develop advocacy for the library. Teachers who view the librarian as a collegial partner by helping students meet learning standards and increase achievement are more likely to invest time and energy into helping develop a viable and effective library program. Satisfied teachers can help provide evidence and support with regard to program effectiveness. L ibrarians must also ensure that students are acquiring 21st-century learning skills throughout the campus and they should assist classroom teachers in this process. Assistance comes in the form of professional growth and development during in-service and through collaboration. In this role, librarians must also participate in staff development and become affiliated with organizations and programs that further their own knowledge. This includes reading professional literature and attending professional development opportunities and events.


 * Works Cited **

American Association of School Librarians. (2009). // Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs. // Chicago: American Library Association. Print.

Considine, D., Horton, J., & Moorman, G. (2009, March). Teaching and Reading the Millenial Generation Through Media Literacy. // Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52 //(6), 471-481. Retrieved October 31, 2010, from Academic Search Complete.