Sharing Space and Resources

A library in a campus of schools provides a shared academic space for the campus community. The library space becomes a common ground for student exploration, collaboration, and personal and academic learning. The library also provides resources such as books, technology, gathering spaces, games, databases, and other research materials that are available to all on campus, including teachers, students, and staff.

While there are multiple schools in a campus, there is only one library. Although not the only shared campus space, the library is a uniquely shared academic space. The librarian serves as a vital curricular and instructional link among teachers throughout the campus, integrating the teaching of essential information literacy and research skills into the curriculum across all the schools.

This handbook describes and addresses some of the exciting opportunities and challenges that come with working in a campus library. It is meant to be used in conjunction with the New York City School Library System’s Handbook for School Librarians and associated LibGuide. Together, these interactive documents provide a space for learning and communicating about campus library life.

What is a campus?

A campus is a building that houses multiple NYCDOE schools; this arrangement is co-location. Some campuses may house both district and charter schools. The schools on a campus each have their own academic mission and vision, administrations, budgets, classes, bell schedules, teachers, and students.

Co-located schools share resources within the building such as the cafeteria, art and music rooms, labs, gym, safety staff, custodial staff, and the library.

When schools work together, campus co-location provides opportunities to meet a greater range of student needs that small schools can address individually. Co-location enriches individual schools through shared resources of experience, expertise and creativity. The schools might join together for sports teams, a campus newspaper, clubs, school dances, campus‐wide celebrations, and classes with specialized teachers.

There are also unique challenges that co-located schools face; a campus is one building that serves a diverse population of students using a range of educational strategies. Multiple communities have to exist under one roof.

It takes effort and good will for co-located schools to exist harmoniously and productively in a manner that benefits everyone in the building. The campus librarian must develop constructive relationships with all the principals on the campus to ensure that the library benefits the students, staff and parents of the each school’s community and of the campus community as a whole.

Many campus schools designate a campus manager who helps bridge the various needs and interests of all schools in the building. This person is usually a crucial contact for the campus librarian; building a constructive relationship with yours and keeping lines of communication open. In other co-located schools one principal is designated as the principal responsible for the library.

In any event, throughout this guide, you’ll be reminded that campuses contain many schools but just one library and most often, just one librarian. This makes the library an important academic hub for the community. Campus librarianship is a unique role, and campus librarians have a lot to teach the school library community.

Personnel Issues: To Whom Do I Report?

As a campus librarian, although you “work for” all the schools on the campus, you are part of ONE school’s Galaxy Table of Organization (TO), and that school’s principal is most likely your assigned supervisor to whom you report. This school is also your homebase for your human resource needs and manages your payroll concerns. All matters regarding payroll, therefore, should be referred to that school’s payroll secretary, even while the library schedule may be negotiated and approved by the campuses’ Building Council.

Most likely the principal of the school on whose table of organization you appear will conduct your annual evaluation. Day-to-day supervision of the campus librarian may be delegated to an Assistant Principal (AP). Remember, the campus is not a large high school but several small schools; a small school AP wears many hats that include more than supervising the teachers of one subject. In addition to reviewing your performance, an AP can also be a good contact for day to day concerns and questions. In other campuses, the school responsible for supervising the library may change from year to year based on the Building Council’s decision, and therefore the person designated for direct supervision may change from year to year.

On most campuses, the campus manager is the point person for matters that concern all the building’s schools. The campus manager is responsible for both library scheduling and materials budget and also for ensuring you receive the state funding allocated to school libraries. If your campus manager holds regular all-campus meetings, attempt to secure an invitation, and/or get minutes or an update from someone in attendance. Often these meetings are an important source of information about campus logistics and scheduling.

A Word about Community

A challenge that campus librarians often note is that in being part of every school, you are a part of no one school in particular. This can make building community with colleagues on your campus difficult. Whose holiday party should I join if I am invited to multiple gatherings? Which collective fund for communal gifts should I give to? Which professional development workshop do I attend on Chancellor’s Day? Which Open School night must I attend? These are just a few of the questions that arise.

BEST PRACTICE: Be transparent. Remind your colleagues that there’s only one of you, but multiple schools on a campus and that you can’t afford to go to every holiday party, happy hour, or baby shower. One strategy is to attend a different holiday party each year, and give to a different gift fund each year. Or, give a very small amount to each school’s fund.

These are personal choices, but be aware that they can be interpreted not only socially but also in the context of workplace politics. Being part of your campus teacher and department communities will support your work and make your campus a pleasant place for you to be. The key issue is knowing about and attending critical department and curriculum meetings. As part of maintaining these professional relationships, maintaining open communication about how you will handle social events and community giving will help you create strong bonds with all your schools without any guilt and without going broke.

Tips about Managing Campus Library Life

The Campus Librarian Network is a support and professional development group for campus librarians; programming and contact information is available on their website. We asked participating librarians for their best tips on doing this work. Here are some frequently mentioned pieces of advice:

• The library is a community hub. Emphasize this point often, as it can justify funding and resources you need.
• Do what you can with what you have. Sometimes you may not have all the resources you need. Remind yourself that you’re doing your best under the circumstances.
• You need to woo people into the library. Promote the library constantly to bring in students, teachers, and the campus community.
• Create boundaries. You can’t serve on every committee or attend every holiday party. It’s ok to say no. Remind colleagues and yourself that you work for all the schools on campus. Self care is important!
• Get out of the library and meet people when you can. Building relationships will help you gain access to classes and bring the community into the space.
• Play to your strengths. Bring your passions to your work and it will show. If you love YA, start a book club, create displays, or review books. If you love manga, start a manga club. Sharing your interests will help students and teachers share with you!
• Relationships are key. Build strong professional relationships with everyone on campus, but especially those with whom you collaborate regularly: your campus manager, supervising principal, and teachers who understand the library. From these relationships, more will grow.
• Wrangle your email! You have many email addresses. Use email forwarding or a system that works for you to keep it all under control. Create distribution lists for each school and the campus administrative team.
• Use a digital calendar. Many schools are now using Google Suite for Education or similar to create shared calendars. Campus librarians can benefit from calendars to manage their own precious time, and to schedule events with their schools. Calendars also make great evidence for annual reports to show how essential the library is to the campus. Be consistent in using only the Library Calendar to schedule events and remind teachers and administrators they must check availability before scheduling any class, event, or meeting.

Resources and links

• NYC School Librarian Guidebook
• New York City School Library System Homepage
• Campus Librarian Network

Go to the next section: Campus Library Mission and Vision