For Administrators

Traditional School Library Services

Traditionally, school librarians kept care of a large collection of materials and were in charge of selecting, organizing, circulating, and maintaining.

At the elementary level, they often had scheduled classes where they met each class once a week and promoted reading and taught library research skills.

At the secondary level, librarians often invited teachers to bring classes doing research projects to the library for instruction on how to use library resources in their projects.

Many librarians also provided a place where students could come individually for study, circulation of materials, and use of various equipment such as photocopiers and other audiovisual devices.

Traditionally, the librarian promoted the love of reading and provided instruction on using library materials and databases.

Additionally, librarians have been helpful to individual students, small groups, promoted reading initiatives, provided help to teachers in locating resources, and made the library facility comfortable and welcoming to various meetings and school activities.

Such traditional services were often difficult to assess and did not fit evaluation practices for classroom teachers or other professional personnel in the school.

Transition to a Library Learning Commons Concept

Many school libraries are transitioning to a library learning commons where learners not only consume the knowledge in the resources, but also create knowledge. In this concept, the library becomes a very busy workshop of adults and students as individuals, small groups, and large groups may be using a makerspace, doing projects, conducting research, silent reading and studying, creating multimedia, and enjoying the environment in a busy active noisy space that is also filled with quite areas. There might be conference rooms used for projects, larger spaces for full-class projects and flexible furniture that moves to accommodate needs.

There is also a major Virtual Learning Commons that has replaced the library website where collaborative learning, projects, resources, and programs are available 24/7/365. The adult staff includes a professional Teacher Librarian, Instructional Technology Coach, Curriculum Director Reading Specialist, or other professional staff member who has responsibility across the school and would fit their program into the learning commons environment. Appropriate support staff would help keep the entire place operational throughout the school day. The learning commons might also operate after school hours for students and can serve as a professional development center and meeting place for parents.

More information about the library learning commons is available here.

Templates for creating a Virtual Learning Commons:

• Elementary school
• Middle school
• High school

Helpful short courses are available for the physical learning commons and makerspaces here.

Impact of the Library Learning Commons on Teaching and Learning

The single most important and measurable trait of the library learning commons program is the existence and track record of partnered learning experiences by Classroom Teachers and Teacher Librarians or other professional LLC staff. A joint learning experience means that the two adults plan, teach, and assess a learning experience from beginning to end. Such a pairing brings not only the expertise and creativity of two adult mentors, but it also takes advantage of the rich information and multimedia resources of the LLC and a high tech environment.

The current research project that your teachers and Teacher Librarian have been invited to participate in, looks closely at the percentage of students who meet or exceed both adults expectations during that learning experience as measured by normal assessment practices. Here is how you as an administrator can help:

• Help teachers and Teacher Librarians find time to plan, execute, and assess a learning experience.
• Participate in one or more of these learning experiences every month of the school year - work right along with the students when you can to get a flavor of what is happening.
• Discuss the success and challenges of these types of learning experiences with the adult team and perhaps conduct a professional development experience for other teachers willing to try this strategy.
• Ask the Teacher Librarian to archive every one of these learning experiences taught during the school year as a part of an annual evaluation or conference about the library learning commons program. Who is teaming up with the Teacher Librarian? Who is not? Is there a pattern of success across the experiences? What could be done to improve this kind of partnership in the school?
• Do a focus group with the students as a part of The Big Think activity after the learning experience is over.
• If you have a school improvement agenda, ask the Teacher Librarian to promote learning experiences that would fall within your agenda. Examples might include STEM, personalized learning, critical thinking, etc.