Library Media Specialist

JOB SUMMARY:

The library media specialist is a professional educator with specialized training who implements the mission statement and directs the library media services. The library media specialist is an integral part of the school staff as he/she provides leadership as a resource consultant and media specialist in the instructional program.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Additional duties may be assigned.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leader

As a leader the school library media specialist creates an environment where collaboration and creative problem solving thrive. The school library media specialist is an excellent communicator who instills enthusiasm in others by making them feel that they are important members of a team. Strong leaders foster an environment of creativity, innovation, and openness to new ideas, welcoming and encouraging input from others to create consensus. They anticipate future obstacles and continually retool to meet challenges. The school library media specialist demonstrates his or her role as a visible and active leader within the school community, an advocate for the school library program (SLP), and a professional member of the school library community by:

• serving on decision making teams in the school
• taking an active role in school improvement and accreditation activities
• benchmarking the SLP to school, state, and national program standards
• sharing expertise by presenting at professional learning community (PLC) meetings, faculty meetings, and parent meetings
• creating an environment that is conducive to active and participatory learning, resource-based instructional practices, and collaboration with teaching staff
• sharing with the learning community collaboratively developed and up-to-date district policies concerning such issues as materials selection, circulation, reconsideration of materials, copyright, privacy, and acceptable use
• encouraging the use of instructional technology to engage students and to improve learning, providing 24/7 access to digital information resources for the entire learning community
• collecting and analyzing data to improve instruction and to demonstrate correlations between the SLP and student achievement
• remaining current in professional practices and developments, information technologies, and educational research applicable to school library programs
• advocating for school library programs and the guiding principles of the school library profession; the school librarian is an active, accessible, and informed proponent of the school library profession by:
  • advocating, communicating, and promoting opportunities to improve the profession
  • maintaining frequent and timely communication to stakeholders through the school and library website, parent newsletter, e-mail, and other formats
  • using local, state, national, and international school library data and research to engage support
  • demonstrating a commitment to maintaining intellectual freedom and promoting the ethical use of information

Instructional Partner

As an instructional partner the school librarian works with teachers and other educators to build and strengthen connections between student information and research needs, curricular content, learning outcomes, and information resources. The school librarian demonstrates his or her role as an essential and equal partner in the instructional process by:

• collaborating with teachers and students to design and teach engaging inquiry and learning experiences and assessments that incorporate multiple literacies and foster critical thinking
• participating in the implementation of collaboratively planned learning experiences by providing group and individual instruction, assessing student progress, and evaluating activities
• joining with teachers and others to plan and implement meaningful experiences that will promote a love of reading and lifelong learning
• providing and planning professional development opportunities within the school and district for and with all staff, including other school library media specialists

Information Specialist

As information specialist, the school library media specialist provides leadership and expertise in the selection, acquisition, evaluation, and organization of information resources and technologies in all formats, as well as expertise in the ethical use of information. The school library media specialist ensures equitable access and responsible use of information by:

• in accordance with district policy, developing and maintaining a collection of resources appropriate to the curriculum, the learners, and the teaching styles and instructional strategies used within the school community
• cooperating and networking with other libraries, librarians, and agencies to provide access to resources outside the school
• modeling effective strategies for developing multiple literacies
• evaluating, promoting, and using existing and emerging technologies to support teaching and learning, supplement school resources, connect the school with the global learning community, communicate with students and teachers, and provide 24/7 access to library services
• understanding copyright, fair use, and licensing of intellectual property, and assisting users with their understanding and observance of the same
• organizing the collection for maximum and effective use

Teacher

As a teacher, the school library media specialist empowers students to become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information. The school library media specialist supports students’ success by guiding them in:

• reading for understanding, for exposure to diversity of viewpoints and genres, and for pleasure
• using information for defined and self-defined purposes
• building on prior knowledge and constructing new knowledge
• embracing the world of information and all its formats
• working with peers in successful collaboration for learning
• constructively assessing their own learning and the work of their peers
• becoming their own best critics

Program Administrator

As program administrator, the school library media specialist works collaboratively with members of the learning community to define the policies of the school library program, and to guide and direct all activities related to it. The school librarian maximizes the efficiency and effectiveness of the school library program by:

• using strategic planning for the continuous improvement of the program
• ensuring that school library program goals and objectives are aligned with school and district long-range strategic plans
• using effective management principles, including the supervision of resources and facilities, in developing and implementing program goals and objectives
• using evidence of practice, particularly in terms of learning outcomes, to support program goals and planning
• generating evidence in practice that demonstrates efficacy and relevance of the school library instructional program
• conducting ongoing action research and evaluation that creates data that is used to inform continuous program improvement
• Participate in the development and implementation of the district’s library program This includes; preparing, justifying, and administering the school library program budget to support specific program goals
• establishing processes and procedures for selection, acquisition, circulation, resource sharing, etc. that assure appropriate resources are available when needed
• creating and maintaining in the school library a teaching and learning environment that is inviting, safe, flexible, and conducive to student learning
• selecting and using effective technological applications for management purposes
• arranging for flexible scheduling of the school libraries to provide student accessibility to staff and resources at point of need

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Principal and Director of Instructional Technology

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Must hold a valid Missouri Teaching Certificate and a certification in Library Media.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must regularly sit, talk, listen, and respond. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use repetitive wrist, hand and/or finger movement; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk. The employee will regularly stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, precise hand-eye coordination and the ability to identify and distinguish colors. Occasionally, the employee may lift up to 50 pounds, such as, to lift files, papers, and equipment. The foregoing is not an exclusive list and the employee may be required to exceed the minimum physical demand specifications should the safety and security of students and staff be compromised.

The above physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job duties.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential duties of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually at a moderate to loud level with frequent interruptions. The employee continuously interacts with students, staff and the public. Travel may be necessary to various District buildings and/or other sites. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job duties.

The information contained in job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees may be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job related duties as requested, subject to all applicable state and federal laws.