New Liberian Tips: Redefining the Space & Professional

Dear New Teacher Librarian,

Congratulations on your transition to a teacher-librarian position. Although this may be an overwhelming change, it is also a truly exciting learning opportunity. I want to start off by extending my gratitude to you for reaching out to me. As you know, I am familiar with the library you find yourself in and had worked there at the beginning of my career as a teacher librarian. As you adjust to your new role, I am sure it will feel overwhelming at first. However, I would like to remind you that the best learning happens slowly, and it is important as teachers for us to remember to be forgiving to ourselves as we continue to learn and grow as professionals. As you stated in your message: the teachers at Elmgrove Elementary are very nice and they will undoubtedly support you through this transition. You might want to consider surveying the teachers and discovering what their current needs are. Teachers might need support with teaching an inquiry unit, using technology, or developing research skills. Finding out this information can help you to plan and program for their needs. The international Federation of Library Associations and Institutions summarizes that “the key roles of a professional school librarian are: instruction, management, leadership and collaboration and community engagement” (27). I understand that may seem like an overwhelming number of responsibilities, and just like you, I felt unsure of where exactly to begin. But I want to reassure you that “you will not be doing everything everyday” (Weisburg and Toor, 9). Getting help can sometimes be the first step, parents and even older students are usually a great support to help keep the library organized throughout the week.

When I first began my job I remember feeling very similar to you. A piece of literature that really helped me through my transition was New on the Job: A School Librarian's Guide to Success by Ruth Toor and Hilda K. Weisburg. A great starting point is the first chapter entitled “Philosophy,” where Toor and Weisburg remind us that “you do not want to launch your new position by plunging into its myriad details without something to anchor you and provide a framework for what you are about to do” (2). While figuring out a vision, mission and philosophy for the library, you will want to gather information on what has already been put into place. A great way to gather further information is to become an active part of the school community by joining committees. Committees will be able to give you further insight on key school initiatives and focuses. They will also allow you to build a strong presence within the school as a leader. Another vital part of transitioning into your new role as a teacher librarian will be to create meaningful connections. Your goal will be to maintain positive connections with your staff, students and administrators, but also with the wider teacher-librarian community who will be a useful support in the long term. With this in mind, remember to try and approach each situation with a positive attitude. There may be day where you find yourself overrun with “busy” work (cataloguing weeding, ordering), but we must remember that this is not always our priority. Some days you will feel stretched thin, and these are the days where we must reaffirm our mission statement and remember our goals. Overall, we must look at the needs of our community and do our best to meet their needs and make ourselves available to both teachers and students. Sometimes this may look like completely dropping our original day plan. In the role of a teacher librarian, flexibility is vital and relationships are truly the key to our job.

Similarly to how the educational system has begun to change, we have found the need to restructure and reform our modern day libraries to take on a different role. Traditionally, a library was a place to take out books and read, and oftentimes, being quiet was enforced. Our modern day libraries hope for discourse, inquiry and discovery. Thus one of our primary goals should be to create a welcoming space for everyone in the school; this includes students, teachers and parents. To help promote literacy and connection throughout the school some librarians open their library doors before and after school. This has allowed families and community patrons to utilize the library outside of school time. Afterschool clubs and programs can also be run out of the library. Therefore, the library can serve multiple purposes for different groups of people.

In our modern age, information and access to information has changed drastically. With almost every answer quickly and easily available at their fingertips, it would not be a far stretch to state that students are not finding value in libraries and their information as much as they used to. I even find myself doing a quick Google search on the daily. So the question is how do libraries continue to survive and thrive? Douglas A. Johnson states that “libraries and librarians will evolve and survive despite the increasing use of the internet to fulfill needs those libraries and librarians previously met” (7). So, while some people may think with an increased use of the internet that the value of teacher librarians decreases, the opposite is true. Teacher Librarians have first and foremost always been “information experts”. ”Helping today’s students select the right search tool, build effective search strategies, and determine the relevance of found information is a primary job of the librarian” (Johnson, 8). We need to be able to help our students to “take the time to analyze the quality of the information despite their desire for rapid response and reluctance to reflect” (Johnson, 8). Due to these changes our library spaces have undergone physical changes as well. One of these changes has created a space called the Library Learning Commons. The BC Teacher-Librarian Association states “the library learning commons strives to empower students to be inquiring citizens and lifelong learners” (3). The overall goal of “the library learning commons is to provide a safe and welcoming space. It values and enforces inclusiveness and equitable access to both physical and virtual resources” (BC Teacher-Librarians' Association, 3). As you work on creating the library space to match your philosophy you may find that the flexibility, collaboration and access to technology that a library learning commons provides is the next step for your practice.

            Overall the role of a teacher librarian requires us to wear many hats. We are a teacher to our colleagues who may need help with technology or are learning to implement a new resource in their classroom. Also, we are teachers of literacy, media and reading skills. Some teacher librarians help to promote reading on a school-based level by leading or collaborating on literature circles. A teacher librarian is also in charge of purchasing books for the collection, while weeding older material and cataloguing new material. Moreover, as information experts we teach students how to find appropriate answers to their questions and help with inquiry projects. Daily we try to answer question to the best of our ability and will go above and beyond to find answers when we don’t have them. A good teacher librarian is continually learning, chancing and evolving at their job. As the needs of your community change so do you. I will end with a cautionary note. “You can easily get so caught up in trying to get everything done that the library takes over your life. Set deadlines for how late you will stay and how many days you will do so—and abide by them. Family, friends, and outside interests are vital. You will be a better SL if your job is not your life" (Weisburg and Toor, 11).

                                                                                                                      Sincerely, 

                                            Olivera Zmukic

 

Reference:

BC Teacher-Librarians' Association. (2017). From School Library to Learning Commons: A Pro-Active Model for Educational Change.

Douglas A. Johnson. The Indispensable Librarian: Surviving and Thriving in School Libraries in the Information Age, 2nd Edition : Surviving and Thriving in School Libraries in the Information Age, Second Edition. Vol. Second edition, Linworth, 2013. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=658603&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Harvey, Carl A., II. “What Should a Teacher Expect a School Library Media Specialist to Be?” Library Media Connection, vol. 23, no. 5, Feb. 2005, p. 23. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lls&AN=502948932&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (2015). IFLA School Library Guidelines. 2nd revised edition, pg. 27-29.

Hilda K. Weisburg, and Ruth Toor. New on the Job : A School Librarian’s Guide to Success. Vol. 2nd ed, ALA Editions, 2015. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=877393&site=ehost-live&scope=site.