The Teacher Librarian (TL) as teacher provides the foundation for teaching and learning in the area of literacy, interdisciplinary content, both print and digital, for curricular and personal inquiry. The TL collaborates with educators, students, and the school community by facilitating learning in the school library, classrooms, and supports other locations including learning commons space and virtual learning spaces such as Google Classroom and Seesaw. The Teacher Librarian is an instructor, responsible for teaching students and providing professional development for colleagues in a range of literacy competencies including the print, digital, information, textual, and visual literacies in both the traditional and blended learning settings. The TL motivates and “sustains a community of readers” (ISLPS, 2019, p.3), as well as develops lifelong learners through instructional design and implementation that considers both the affective and cognitive domains (Weisberg & Toor, 2015).

The Teacher Librarian as Teacher Leader demonstrates the common goals and shared student success outcomes intertwined with the library program in three ways: through public relations, marketing, and advocacy.  As noted in Weisburg & Toor (2015), public relations develops an awareness among all stakeholders--teachers, principals, and parents--of the scope of the teacher librarian leader’s role and “what is happening in the library” (Why You Need It section, paras. 1-3).  Information presented as a snapshot illustrates the impact an endorsed teacher librarian has on student achievement (LRS, 2013).  This is critical PR apprising others of how well the school library is performing, and the correlation between strong school library programs and student achievement.  As evidenced in Weisburg and Toor (2015), a TL implements an intentional library marketing strategy to increase “their desire for the service” (Marketing section, para. 3) as evidence the TL and library program are fundamental to the success of teaching and learning (Todaro, 2006).  Finally, in the crucial process of advocacy, the Teacher Librarian builds collaborative partnerships in the professional learning community and “becomes a valuable instructional leader and partner focused on engagement and deep authentic learning” (AASL, 2018, p. 71).

The Teacher Librarian (TL) as instructional partner collaborates with teachers, administrators, and community members to design, implement, and assess the effectiveness of the teaching and learning of the national Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Hawaii Core Standards for Social Studies.  Building strong partnerships is fundamental for the effective collaboration leading to increased student engagement and achievement (Weisberg & Toor, 2015). Additionally, the TL formally collaborates with teachers “to embrace new skills, knowledge, and standards in the profession as they relate to teaching, learning, technology, and innovation (ISLPS, 2019, p. 7). Finally, the Teacher Librarian, in partnership with teachers and leadership, analyzes assessment data “to guide progress and communicate with students, parents and education stakeholders” (ISTE, 2021).

As Information Specialist, the Teacher Librarian engages students and educators by responsibly guiding the use of technologies to enhance teaching, learning, and communication, constructing student and staff informational research efficacy, and modeling ethical copyright and fair use laws for the school learning community (AASL, 2018, pps. 14-15). As noted in the ISLPS (2019), the Teacher Librarian “leads, networks, and communicates the effective, research-based integration of technology to enhance learning across curriculum” (p. 6). This includes the policies and laws for the print and digital resources available to the school community.  Additionally, as noted in ISLPS (2019) the TL supports informational research through ethical use of  information using a “wide variety of resources and technology” (p. 4). Finally, Weisburg and Toor (2015, Copyright & Plagiarism section, para. 1) clearly state that “Ethical behavior in the use of information must be taught." The TL as Information Specialist is responsible for this instruction with teacher collaboration and guidance from federal, state, and local requirements.  

The Teacher Librarian as Program Administrator upholds three ethics principles in all library activities: intellectual freedom in the right to read, confidentiality and privacy, as well as copyright and attribution of sources ethics. As outlined in the Library Bill of Rights, Intellectual freedom importances include providing information resources, interest-based resources, and enlightenment without excluding materials “because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation” (ALA, 2019, para. 2). Equitable access to these physical and digital resources and services means students have free and independent inquiry (ALA, 2014). Furthermore, because all individuals retain the right to confidentiality and privacy in their library use, Teacher Librarians safeguard the privacy of student users because it is "essential to the exercise of free speech, free thought, and free association” (ALA, 2019, para. 2). Additionally, the Teacher Librarian is ethically responsible for the four criteria of fair use: Purpose, Nature, Effect, and Amount. Weisburg & Toor (2015, Fair Use section, paras. 5-10) describe the importance of raising awareness and providing education to teachers and students to uphold copyright law and avoid plagiarism. Finally, Teacher Librarians manage the library budget and staff (AASL, 2018, p. 15).