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I have served in the same school and with the same LMS for eighteen years. At the beginning of my tenure, our LMS had a flexible schedule. She left out a schedule book and invited teachers to sign up for 'library time'.  When she was not hosting a class for this time, she scheduled herself for various Resource Based Learning (RBL) projects with all teachers in grade two through four. I collaborated with her on those RBL projects for years. Teachers were encouraged to select a topic and then work with the LMS to identify print, multi-media, and internet resources. The LMS took the lead in finding the resources but input was sought from teachers as well. Then, together we would co-teach and guide students through the research process as well as completing a final product. Final products were often differentiated based on how the student wanted to display their understandings.

Based on these experiences, I perceive our LMS as an information expert. She has a very sound knowledge of print, multi-media, and internet resources and knows how to use them.  I also know she has the skills to be an excellent instructor. I know she needs to keep the library fresh by ordering new and current resources. I also appreciate the challenge of keeping tabs on all resources that have been checked out and ensuring they get returned or are paid for if lost. She manages a cadre of parents that offer support in the daily management of book circulation and the lending of print material.  I also understand that she has a full teaching load often having less planning time than classroom teachers. Her curriculum consists of teaching research skills using print and technology resources. She is required to document measurable student growth for all classes for the teacher evaluation plan.

If I were in her role, and had a similar fixed schedule, I would turn to technology to better connect with teachers and to increase collaboration. Offering professional development on the use of and utilizing Google apps, other apps, blogging, videos, screen capture software. I would also try to convert the space to reflect the learning commons concept to better meet the needs of the 21st century learner. Finally, I would adopt a strategy similar to Michelle Luhtala's in creating Maker Stations. As a result, I would hope that my role as LMS would invite interest, collaboration, and respect from teachers, administrators, and parents.

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School Library Media Specialist Perception of Practice 

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School Library Media Specialist Perception of Practice 

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According to McCracken (2001) despite research that shows the positive impact of the library media specialist (LMS) in urban and suburban and affluent and impoverished communities, teachers, administrators, and even LMS themselves share misconceptions about their role. In the 1980s and into the 1990s the shared perception among teachers, administrators, and LMS was that their role was primarily information specialists, as well as serving to manage a school library, select materials, and provide reference materials to students. The majority of librarians considered their instructional role as important but fewer than 10% indicated they actually practiced that role. Based on the research study, there were many barriers to the LMS realizing their role as instructional leader. One barrier was lack of time as their role was too multifaceted, they worked in more than one school, and lacked clerical support. A second barrier was lack of resources such as materials, computers, and other technologies. A third barrier to the LMS taking a more active instructional role was identified as teachers and administrators lack of support, interest, and/or misperception of the LMS skill set. Finally, fixed scheduling where library is a 'drop-off special' prevented LMS from being more active in collaborating with and supporting teachers. A more flexible schedule resulted in increased collaboration and more time for instruction. That said, the LMS willingness to expand their role by accepting and embracing technology did result in increased respect afforded by teachers and administrators.

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Luhtala's library shelving in 2016 which made space for Maker Stations

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Luhtala's library shelving in 2016 which made space for Maker Stations

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A student working with a green screen in Luhtala's library.

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Below is a link to an introduction to this Padlet and references used for this Padlet.

Introduction:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9k7AG3bBx4ySUJzVGpKR1RqamM/view?usp=sharing

References:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GqFenpBUU-LABLPvOVRP5MWgTr5aUVV4E6K_1LHHTvo/edit?usp=sharing

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Role of Library Media Specialist in the 21st Century

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Role of Library Media Specialist in the 21st Century

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According to Work (2014) the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) focused on developing a curriculum that prepared students to be college and career ready. With the CCSS emphasis on inquiry and research skills, library media specialist were uniquely aligned to deliver high quality education and/or collaboate with classroom teachers in utilizing a diverse array of resources and integrating technology resources. At this point, many considered this to be a significant shift in the role library media specialists served.

Maker Stations:

According to Schwartz (2016) there is excitement, not widespread understanding, in using maker spaces to increase students engagement and learning. Schwartz documented Michelle Luhtala, a high school library media specialist in New Canaan, CT. Luhtala cleared out roughly 7000 books to make space for  maker stations as well as sofas, comfortable seating, quiet study corrals, and a few collaborative workrooms. At the outset, she did not fill her stations with materials she thought students might want. Instead she waited for students to ask for materials. She kept track of requests on a spreadsheet which includes legos, craft supplies, recyclables, butcher paper, various writing tools, and most recently a 3D printer. She noticed that students slowly came to rely on the space to work on projects assigned by teachers. She also found that teachers felt more comfortable assigning creative projects knowing that students have access to the library's maker space. She also found that students were self-directed in their own learning as well as taken ownership of the space by demonstrating responsibility for keeping the maker spaces organized and clean.

Learning Commons:

According to Edutopia.org (2015)  information in the 21st century can be easily accessed online and/or through various technologies so libraries are adapting by creating what is known as learning commons. Learning commons strive to enable learners to be more self directed in connecting and constructing knowledge in new and exciting ways. The change might be characterized by thinking of a library being transformed into a cafe. A cafe seems more suitable for like minded students and teachers to collaborate and share. These leaning commons might be outfitted with computers, various print material, and offer comfy seating arranged to promote collaboration in addition to the traditional quiet spaces that have been the hallmark of libraries for centuries. ,

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According to Jill (2012), one of the oldest libraries in the world was in ancient Egypt and built around 300 BCE. According to Dp.La, In the early 18th century, Benjamin Franklin in was meeting with other "thinkers" to discuss philosophy, morality, and politics called the Junto. The Junto members paid a membership fee which was used to order books from England.  Members were consistently borrowing and lending books. The idea spread and lending libraries spread throughout America.

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According to education.stateuniversity.com, In 1835 New York state acknowledged the value of school libraries and began funding them. By 1876, nineteen states allocated funding for public school libraries. The school librarian's primary function was to collect, organize, and lend out books. Also in 1876, the American Library Association (ALA) was founded which became a voice for all librarians. Formal training of school librarians did not happen until after the turn of the 20th century.

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Role of School Librarian in the 1980s and 1990s.

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Role of School Librarian in the 1980s and 1990s.

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According to Loertscher and Woolls (1997), school libraries and formally trained and certified librarians were commonplace by the 1990s. In fact, according to ALA.org in 1985 there was established a national observance of school libraries called School Library Media Month. In addition to the school librarian's role of promoting literacy as related to collecting, organizing, and lending books, they took on the role as leaders of research defined as "Information Literacy". School libraries at this time had a diverse collection of resources that included reference and non-fiction books, magazines, newspapers, multimedia, and computers with internet access. There were many different philosophies and practices whose popularity differed based on a host of variables that librarians utilized to guide students in the research process. The most common elements of the many research models explored included questioning and planning, gathering and analyzing information, synthesizing, communicating findings, and evaluating. By the 1990s, Information literacy included the concept of "media literacy" as students were interacting more and more with the internet as a source of information. According to Fitzgerald (1997) students needed new skills to successfully navigate and utilize internet resources. Among her findings were nine skills:
1. Adopt critical consciousness for all internet interaction
2. Establish prior knowledge through wide browsing, searching, and reading.
3. Distinguish between fact and opinion.
4. Evaluate arguments.
5. Compare and contrast related pieces of information from different sites, sources and search engines.
6. Evaluate the reliability of online sources.
7. Identify and detect bias.
8. Learn to interpret the conventions of the internet.
9. Examine assumptions. Again, according to Loertscher and Woolls (1997) resources in research based learning became so abundant that critical thinking, habits of mind, research methodology, and assessment of student learning characterized the work library media specialists did heading into the 21st century.