Roles of the Teacher Librarian

Teacher librarians are building leaders because they host and promote school events, lead with the adoption of new technologies, and are champions of intellectual freedom and free access to information. Teacher librarians organize and host events, workshops, and programs that benefit the school, such as reading clubs, seminars, and cultural events. These activities demonstrate leadership in community building, while also demonstrating their collaboration with teachers by tying into the curriculum being taught in classrooms. Librarians often lead their buildings in the adoption and integration of new technologies, sharing new tech ideas and strategies with both students and teachers. Librarians are champions of intellectual freedom and free access to information. They lead efforts to protect patron’s rights to read, view, and access information without censorship. Teacher librarians collaborate with other teachers and provide guidance and research in helping to shape curriculum and work with others to support educational goals of school districts. Teacher librarians also may develop and lead professional-development opportunities with educators and administrators “that articulate the positive impact of the school library’s resources, services, and programming” (American Association of School Librarians, 2017, p. 90).

Librarians act as instructional partners by working with teachers and administrators to align library resources and services with curriculum. Teacher librarians collaborate with other teachers and provide guidance and research in helping to shape curricula and work with others to support educational goals of school districts. Librarians work to identify materials and help integrate them into lessons and courses. Also being information specialists, librarians are experts in information literacy, and we teach students how to find, evaluate, and use information in various forms. Teacher librarians can support educators in teaching digital literacy skills, including how to use software, navigate online databases, and critically access online information for accuracy and reliability. 

Teacher librarians are information specialists because they help patrons collect and organize their information, share resources, and help patrons collect information in efficient and effective ways (American Association of School Librarians, 2017). They create and manage the school’s library collection, selecting resources that align with the curriculum and meet the diverse needs of interests and students. Teacher librarians also promote the responsible and ethical use of information in the digital age. They educate students about digital citizenship, copyright laws, plagiarism prevention, and online safety. Teacher librarians must also teach the importance of analyzing and evaluating information, helping to promote critical thinking by helping patrons discern fact from opinion and making informed decisions.

Teacher librarians often take on the role of teachers by helping to instill a passion of reading in students, teach information literacy, and teach digital citizenship literacy (Iowa Department of Education, 2019). Teacher librarians teach students how to effectively find, evaluate, and use information.  Librarians also take on the role of educating students important information literacy skills such as copyright and citation information, internet and digital safety, digital citizenship, and media and technology integration. Teacher librarians teach media classes that support the educational goals of the buildings by providing instruction, resources, and guidance that enhance the learning experiences of students.