THE ROLE OF THE LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST The Role of the Library Media Specialist created by Rob Case THE ROLE OF THE LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST Created by Rob Case

FEELING LOST? Hi there. I couldn’t help but notice that you look a little lost. Can I help you find something? Oh, so you’re a new teacher. Pleasure to meet you. My name is Rob Case and I am the media specialist here. May I show you around? Great! Let’s start with your classroom…

MY CLASSROOM? What’s that? This isn’t your classroom? Of course it is! This is my classroom as well as your classroom. As a matter of fact, this classroom belongs to the entire school… You still look lost. If you have a minute, I will be glad to explain…

THE MEDIA PROGRAM According to the media specialist's bible, Information Power, the overall mission of the media program is ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. How can this mission be accomplished you ask? It can be accomplished by first providing intellectual and physical access to materials in all formats; secondly by providing instruction to foster competence and stimulate interest in reading, viewing, and using information and ideas; and lastly by working with other educators to design learning strategies to meet the needs of individual students. Who is responsible for facilitating this mission you ask? Well that answer is a little more simple…you and I together.

Roles of the Media Specialist: Teacher Instructional Partner Information Specialist Program Administrator As a media specialist, I am required to wear many different hats throughout my day to day routine. As my primary roles I am required to serve as teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and program administrator. Regardless of which hat I have on though, my primary function is to help facilitate academic achievement among the student body and ensure that they are wearing a tasseled hat on graduation day.

TEACHER Roles as Teacher: Get to know media center patrons Find & use resources that suit them Nurture Information Literacy skills Develop curricular information technology learning experiences As teacher, I work together with students and patrons of the media center to investigate educational and informational needs. Additionally, I locate, evaluate, and utilize both print and online resources that will meet those needs. Further, I demonstrate understanding of the information the resources provide and be able to relate that information to all patrons of the media center. Most importantly, I effectively instruct and nurture patron’s information literacy skills so that they are able to access, evaluate, and use information from multiple sources in order to learn, think, create and apply new knowledge. As a curricular leader and full participant on the instructional team, I strive to work diligently with teachers, administrators, and other staff to expand their knowledge on information issues as well as provide them with specific opportunities to develop their information literacy skills, including the use of information technology.

INSTRUCTIONAL PARTNER Roles as Instructional Partner: Collaborate with teachers Suggest media to support standard Foster communication skills Develop standard based student learning tasks and assessments As instructional partner, I collaborate with teachers to link student information needs with curricular standards in order to provide a wide variety of print, non-print, and online supporting resources. Additionally, I work with the entire school community in developing policies, practices, and curriculum that guide students to develop the full range of information and communication abilities. Most importantly, I work closely with individual teachers in an effort to design student learning tasks and assessments that incorporate their information and communication abilities required to meet subject matter standards.

INFORMATION SPECIALIST Roles as Information Specialist: Provide information access Evaluate & select quality materials Create information center of school Instruct and model how to ethically obtain quality information online As information specialist, I provide knowledge and guidance toward evaluating and acquiring information resources in all formats. Using a collaborative relationships with teachers, administrators, and students I model strategies for locating, accessing, and evaluating information within and beyond the media center. Working in an technologically advanced environment, I both instruct and model how to ethically obtain quality information available in sophisticated electronic resources as well as in more traditional tools.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR Roles as Program Administrator: Remain open on a flexible schedule Media Center Instructional Program Advocate for the Media Program Manage all activities of the media center to ensure overall quality As program administrator, I insist that the library media center remain open both before and after school to encourage student participation. Additionally, I operate the media center on a flexible schedule so that teachers can schedule to bring their entire class or just send a couple of students without concern. I work collaboratively with members of the learning community to define the policies of the library media program as well as guide and direct all activities related to it. Understanding the importance the effective use of information has toward students academic achievement success, I must advocate for the library media program and provide the knowledge, vision, and leadership to guide it innovatively and vigorously into the twenty-first century. In order to plan, execute, and evaluate the media program to ensure quality on a day-to-day basis, I need to remain proficient in the management of staff, budgets, equipment, and facilities.

Attend department meetings Assist with technology issues ADDITIONAL ROLES Attend department meetings Assist with technology issues Provide in-service training Facilitate after school tutoring Volunteer the media center for teacher social gatherings As I mentioned earlier, I am required to wear many different hats simply as part of my job description. However, there are many roles that I take on simply to lend assistance to the school as a whole in an effort to be a team player. In order to better serve the curriculum needs of the school, I attend department meetings so that I can stay abreast of any curriculum changes or hurdles they may be facing. I enjoy working with technology and I consider myself a patient person, so I am frequently and gladly the first line of defense for most teachers with regard to technology issues. As a matter of fact, I try to hold face-to-face in-service or self guided online trainings for teachers any time a new technology is introduced by the school system. In an effort to improve student achievement, I open up the media center to host an after school tutorial program known as Learning Links. Lastly, on a more social note, I allow teachers to host social functions such as birthdays, awards ceremonies, retirement receptions, etc. in the media center. I have found the more comfortable teachers are with me and the media center, the more likely the are to approach me for assistance.

CONCLUSION In conclusion, I hope that my presentation has helped to unlock the doors to the media center and the school as a whole. I know from experience that the first year of teaching is a difficult one. So…if there is anything I can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to come visit me in the media center.