Campus Librarian's Handbook
Vision Building: Working with Administrators and School Leaders
We’ve said it before… a campus has many schools but just one library. As the librarian on campus, part of your role is helping building leaders understand the purpose and vision of the library, as well as bringing their priorities into the library’s mission. This work is sometimes referred to as “managing up.” In the case of campus libraries, we refer to it as “vision building,” which emphasizes the collaborative and fluid relationship that is ideal between school administrators, teachers, and librarians. Here are a few ways to vision build.
Lead Out Loud
Help build understanding of what a school library is, and what it can do.
Are you building a new campus library? Or are you working with principals who have never been in a building with a working library before? Help them understand how great libraries can be for teachers, students, and campus communities! Invite them to visit a campus colleague’s library, share articles or past newsletters you’ve written, highlight student work that comes out of library collaborations, or point them toward current resources from the New York City School Library System LibGuide to help transform them into library allies.
Engage with principals regularly
Whether it’s through emails, face-to-face meetings, or quick conversations in the halls, engage with your principals. You will learn their priorities, needs, and hopes for their schools in general. Find out what’s important to them and see how the library can fit into their goals. They will do the same for you in turn.
Find your library allies
Are there principals or administrators who are passionate about libraries, literacy, technology, or who share one of your own interests? Engage these folks! Collaborate on a project, or simply keep them aware of what you are up to, and your library allies will help you in your mission and serve as advocates.
Advocate for your library
Help principals understand the value of libraries through collaborations, sharing the space, and sharing information with them about how libraries improve student outcomes as well as campus communities. Check out the Communications section of this document for specific ideas and examples.
Build a strong relationship with your campus manager
Campus managers are often the campus librarian’s point person on campus for everything from getting printer paper to scheduling issues. Make sure your campus manager is a library ally, and understands how a dynamic library positively impacts all schools on campus.
BEST PRACTICE: Consider including your campus manager and particularly supportive principals as part of your Campus Library Advisory Community (discussed in the next part of this guide).