The School Librarian in California Secondary Schools: One Head, Four Hats.

The School Librarianin California Secondary

Schools:One Head, Four Hats

Information Specialist Library Program Administrator

Instructional

Partner

Co-teaches to increase information literacy

collaborates with

core teachers to improve reading comprehension

shares in curricular, instructional, professional development schoolwide

helps develop plans to integrate ICT into

curriculum & instruction Plans, evaluates, executes library media

programs/services Creates library collection supporting

school curriculum/state standards Manages library information resources Creates inviting, accessible, efficient

library environment

Teacher Provides instruction in:

organization of print and digital resources;

relevant characteristics of print materials;

critical evaluation of print and media content;

productive, effi cient use of: catalogue software;

print materials; digital resources

Provides information-

seeking services for

learning community

California Professional

Standards for School

Librarians

The Middle School

Librarian’s 4 Hats

Why so many hats?

•Strong school libraries raise test scores

dramatically, in more ways than one…

It is crucial that California schools have complete library staffing.

Unfortunately,

• Less than a quarter of California school libraries have library media specialists at

all, part or full time, compared to three-quarters of school libraries nationwide.

• The U.S. average librarian/student ratio is 1 librarian for every 870 students.

California’s ratio is 1 librarian for every 4,531 students.

Your school librarian makes

teachers more productive and

raises test scores.

These results are regardless of race or family income.

When you use your librarian’s information specialist and educator skills to support

your own work, scores go up.

Other library conditions that directly affect student scores:

Library Collections and Student Scores

Scores and technological access

Yes, but what does the school librarian actually do?

As a Teacher,the librarian

Delivers instruction in:

organization of print and digital resources;

critical evaluation of print and media content;

productive, efficient use of:

the library materials catalog;

print materials; digital resources.

As an

instructional partner,

the librarian

• Collaborates with teachers to increase information

literacy (the skills needed to find, critically

analyze, and effectively use print and media content);

• Works with teachers to improve reading comprehension and fluency.

As a library administrat

or and

information specialist,

the librarian

•Creates an inviting, accessible, efficient library environment;

•shares in curricular, instructional, professional development school-wide;

•helps develop plans to integrate ICT into curriculum & instruction;

•Plans, evaluates, executes library media programs/services;

•Creates library collections supporting school

curriculum/state standards;

•Provides information-seeking services to school and

community;

•Manages library information resources.

Things have

Changed.

Perceptions of School Librarians

Because so many schools lack appropriate library materials and staff, our idea of the library may be 40 years old:

a book warehouse run by a quiet woman who may be well-read in juvenile literature, who gives book-talks, read-alouds, and can match students with books.

From Hair buns to HeadsetsIn California schools we have a literacy crisis magnified by meteoric expansion of resource formats and sheer quantities of information (not to mention high-stakes testing).

Library staff does much more than check out books.

Today’s school library staff…

Read, analyze,

& acquire from a booming,

multi-lingual, cross-cultural

market of juvenile

materials;

Teach students, teachers, and parents

how to use complicated, changing

digital resources efficiently and

accurately

(often in communities with few home

computers or media savvy);

Find digital resources that in effect remove the library’s walls by creating access to international sources;

Push the library into the classroom by providing carts with custom-picked collections for classroom projects;

Teach side-by-side with teachers to smoothly integrate media literacy into academic work;

& increase literacy levels while fostering love of reading through skillful matching of students with books, interesting displays, inviting atmosphere, and engaging book talks in person and digitally.

Your librarian also:• Makes replacement I.D.

cards;• Handles LCD, VCR

checkout;• Distributes, orders

overhead bulbs;• Orders equipment repair

for classroom overheads and VCRs and all other library equipment.

• Creates and updates• the library’s website.

School librarians are

teachers, information

professionals, and

administrators.

References:

Illinois School Library Media Association. (2005). Powerful Libraries Make Powerful Learners: The Illinois Study. Retrieved December 1, 2005 from http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com/illinoisstudy/TheStudy.pdf

California School Library Association. (2004). Standards and Guidelines for Strong School Libraries. Sacramento; CSLA.