Role of the School Library Media Specialist

1. Role of the School Library Media Specialist Elizabeth Thornton

2. Introduction • There are many roles of the Library Media Specialist that some people do not recognize today. These misconceptions believe that the Media Specialist is limited to circulating books, and assisting students within the Media Center. It is so much more than this. This Presentation will allow one to view the Media Specialist of the 21st Century, and their daily activities. The Media Specialist works hard to have a successful media program while working with students, teachers, administrators, and other school staff to help the students achieve.

3. How can a school library succeed? The Media Specialist works hard to have a successful media program while working with students, teachers, administrators, and other school staff to help the students achieve. “ What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it thinks about education.” -Harold Howe former U.S. Commissioner of Education

4. There are 4 Roles of the Media Specialist stated in Information Power: Building Partners for Learning, and they include: • Teacher • Instructional Partner • Information Specialist • Program Administer

5. Teacher • As a teacher a media specialist must be able to teach students how to “access, evaluate, and use information from multiple sources in order to learn, to think, and to create and apply new knowledge” • This requires a specific program at each grade level. Therefore, leading every grade level to higher test scores and achievement • The librarian must be an effective educator and curricular leader • The media specialist must maintain up-to-date knowledge and competence on a wide range of educational topics including information literacy, teaching, and learning

6. Teacher Continued • I plan to teach all of my students how to access, evaluate, and use various information from many sources • I will work with all Grade Levels, and modify instruction to their specific needs • I plan to collaborate with teachers to assist their specific students • My goal is to strive to provide up to date knowledge on many topics be attending literacy and teaching workshops whenever possible

7. Instructional Partner It all begins with Collaboration …. • When the media specialist collaborates with teachers to insure the bond between students information needs, curricular content, learning outcomes, and having a variety of materials available it is found that tests scores are higher. Also, when the library is aligned with the curriculum frameworks the media specialist is able to get more students involved in the media center; which leads to success in student achievement. • Translates curricular needs into library media program goals and objectives. • The librarian must build collaborative partnerships throughout the learning community. • The media specialists must be a leader in the development of policies and practices that support information literacy as well as learning across the curriculum. This involves working closely with committees and individual teachers to develop effective learning environments of students.

8. Instructional Partner Continued • I plan to interpret curricular needs into library media program goals and objectives • I will build collaborative partnerships throughout the learning community • My goal is to be a leader in the expansion of policies and practices that support information literacy as well as learning across the curriculum • I will involves work closely with several committees and individual teachers to develop effective learning environments of students

9. Information Specialist • As an Information Specialist you have to stay up to date with the ever-changing role of information resources and how they can be used • As you stay up to date with resources then you are able to bring awareness of the information to teachers and support staff • The more people that are aware of the resources that are available the more they are used. They will then have a more positive difference in student achievement from the media center • The librarian must be an expert in locating, evaluating, and synthesizing information

10. Information Specialist Continued • I plan to stay up to date with the ever-changing role of information resources and how they can be used • I will make sure to advise teachers of any changing information to teachers and support staff • My goal is to be an expert in locating, assessing, and combining information

11. Program Administer • Being a program administer means that as a media specialist you are an advocate for the media program overall and works to continually improve the media program’s general day to day success • So, having a specific program set up for students in elementary and middle/ Jr. high school levels, the average test scores are higher. • The librarian must oversee all activities connected with the library media program including budgeting, staffing, instructional, collection development, facilities, and promotion

12. Program Administrator Continued • I will be a supporter for the media program overall and work to repeatedly improve the media program’s universal success • My goal is to oversee all activities associated with the library media program including budgeting, staffing, instructional, collection development, facilities, and promotion

13. Top 10 Reasons theMedia Center is Successful #6 The Media Center will be aligned with state curriculum framework to produce student achievement #7 Media Specialist and teachers will collaborate and work on information literacy skills # 8 Will develop ways for teachers to use new technology in the classroom by having trainings on equipment #9 Will stay up to date with the ever-changing resources #10 Will continually improve the media program’s general day to day success! #1 Ensuring that there is a high book count per student #2 Having the Media Center doors open more hours (before and after school) #3 More money per student spending for school library materials #4 Fulltime Media Specialists are KEY! #5 Media Assistants makes a positive difference in test scores

14. Conclusion • I plan to incorporate Teacher, Instructional Partner, Information Specialist, and Program Administer as the Media Specialist on a daily basis within my Media Center • My goal is to be the best Media Specialist possible, and make a difference in the lives of our future generations

15. References • American Association of School Librarians (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. Chicago: American Library Association. • Baughman, James. (2002). School Libraries and MCAS Scores. (Preliminary Edition). A paper presented at a Symposium Sponsored by the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College, Boston, MA. Retrieved March 10, 2009 from http://web.simmons.edu/~baughman/mcas-school-libraries/Baughman%20Paper.pdf • Lance, Keith Curry, Marcia J. Rodney, and Christine Hamilton-Pennell. (2000). How School Librarians Help Kids Achieve Standards: The Second Colorado Study. Spring, TX: Hi Willow Research and Publishing. Retrieved March 10, 2009 from http://www.lrs.org/documents/lmcstudies/CO/execsumm.pdf • Lance, Keith Curry, Marcia J. Rodney, and Christine Hamilton-Pennell. (2005). Powerful Libraries Make Powerful Learners: The Illinois Study. Canton, IL: Illinois School Library Media Association. Retrieved March 10, 2009 from http://www.islma.org/pdf/ILStudy2.pdf