Blog #2: What Should I Be Doing with my Li.....brarian Job?

     The role of a teacher librarian is an extremely hot topic in my school district right now. Because our district currently does not have a clearly defined teacher librarian job description nor a description of roles, duties, and responsibilities, each teacher librarian is adapting the role to best suit his or her abilities and interests within the district. Some teacher librarians are focused on implementing tech as a means for creating and researching, while others are focused on helping students learn basic reading and writing skills through teaching phonics, phonological awareness, etc. Some teacher librarians (like me!) have nine hours a week of reading intervention in their schedules, and also spend hours conducting assessments.

    While it's lovely that teacher librarians have the liberty to do what they want in order to best service their particular students, it's creating havoc among administers who feel that their visions should be followed. It is a question I have pondered quietly since stepping into the teacher librarian role two years ago - "What the heck should I be doing?"

    Reidling (2013) believes that a big part of a teacher librarian's job is to support students' quests for knowledge. This can be achieved by using reference interviews, "a conversation between the school library media specialist and the student, for the purpose of clarifying the student's needs and aiding in meeting those needs" (p.99). She suggests talking with a student one on one in a friendly and nonthreatening way, in a quiet and well-organized space. After determining the information, the student is seeking, whether it be through use of a ready reference interview or a research project interview, students can then be led to appropriate resources. While this all makes sense, it currently is a non-existent part of my job. 

    Collaboration is another important aspect of a teacher librarian's job. According to the Canadian School Libraries (2016), a Teacher Librarian can support five specific standards, including collaboration, as described here.  Teacher Librarians could work with classroom teachers on setting up resources and the processes that students will follow. I always wonder, though, about the when part of this. Could classroom teachers be released somehow for collaboration or is it expected to always take place before or after school? If this is the case - all the teachers at my school would say "no" to setting this up. Not because they aren't wonderful, hardworking, and engaged teachers (because they are!), but because they are tremendously busy and are already leaving around 5pm as is, just getting ready for the next day. 

    A third essential part of being a teacher librarian is managing and knowing the collection. Weeding, ordering new books and resources, creating displays, organizing school wide events, curating book lists for teachers, etc. as well as maintaining the cleanliness and integrity of the space itself takes time. Making decisions as to where resources should go (including the reference section), also takes an abundance of time. Knowing the collection well is important too, so that a teacher librarian can promote it within the schools and be able to match students to books, and questions to answers. Burns (2018) so aptly states, "school librarians aren't gatekeepers. They give kids the keys and teach them how to use the gate."

    My school principal recently told me that a teacher librarian should have zero time in the schedule for managing the collection, and that it all should happen before or after school. At times it can feel difficult to advocate for the importance of this portion of a teacher librarian's time because it can appear as if a teacher librarian is doing "nothing," especially when in a work climate of more, more, more.  

    Overall, I feel conflicted about what my role is now and what my role could or should be. So many students in my school struggle with basic reading and writing skills, and it makes sense that I use my time and efforts to help them acquire the basics so that they can have the option of engaging in the inquiry process. Literacy is a passion of mine and a huge interest, so for me I feel like it is a good fit. But I also understand that not all teacher librarians want to do what I am doing. It makes me wonder; should teacher librarians decide how they spend their time? Is it a principal's decision? Or a district one?

    Below are two pie charts, comparing what I currently do and what I could be doing, according to the readings.

    Moving forward, my plan is to continue to think deeply about this topic. I want to really consider the needs of our students and the needs of our teachers and consider how best I can support them at this time. I also plan to deeply consider our school and district goals as well, and to reflect on which ones I am currently supporting, and how I can support the other ones more. Of course, knowing that goals and needs change, what I discover at this time will likely change next year or the year after! I think following this mindset of thinking, though, is the key to being an effective teacher librarian.

Works Cited

Burns, T. (2018). The Difference a School Librarian Can Make, According to One 

        Dad. Brightly. https://www.readbrightly.com/difference-school-librarians-can-make/

Canadian Library Association (2014). Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School 
        Library Learning Commons in Canada. http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-    

        content/uploads/2016/09/llsop.pdf

Links to an external site.

Reidling, A. (2013). Reference Skills for the School Library Media Specialist: Tools and 

        Tips. Linworth.