Reflection
When I began the journey to achieving my Master of Library of Science, I made a Professional Development Plan. Reflecting over the statements and goals that I set forth, I see now that there are things that I may have omitted or need a little more detail. In my original plan, I was focusing on helping students by collaborating with teachers and updating the school collections to make it compliant with the guidelines set forth by the AASL. These are still goals that I have, but I have also seen that there are more things that I need to focus on in the library such as digital citizenship and helping students find their just right books to get them to love reading. I have also learned that collaborating with teachers is very important and key, but also, I need to make sure that I am taking to help teachers to learn as well. There are many different tools that we have librarians have access to and having professional development classes for the teachers would be very helpful to share some of the things that we have access to, that they may not know about. My original plan was a good one and I still have the big goals in mind, but maybe switching some of my short-term goals to long term goals would be helpful in making sure I can achieve what I set out to do.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective and successful librarians possess traits that set them apart from the rest. They have a passion for reading and learning and teaching others how to do the same. Throughout the master’s program there have been many new aspects of librarianship that I have learned. From the very beginning the program has been teaching me the foundations of what I need to know to be a successful librarian. Through the courses I have learned how to manage the library and its collection. I have learned that a collection is not just the print books in the library but the digital features as well as others. Instruction on how to collaborate with other teachers has been a great source of knowledge. Another point I have learned is that research skills is of vital importance when teaching students. We must teach them how to find information and that there is good and bad information and how to determine the difference. I have learned about diversity in the library and that the students’ rights are very important, and we are their advocates. I now possess knowledge of how to accommodate differently abled individuals who come into the library and making the library accessible. One of the biggest take aways from when I first started the program was learning that literacy is not just knowing how to read, but being able to take information in any form, understand it and then reproduce it. There are so many things that I have learned throughout this coursework, I can’t list them all, but they are equally as important. This course has taught me how to be not only a great librarian but how to be a great teacher.
Future
Over the next five years, I plan to increase the number of library programs we have at the school. I think having some books talks, books clubs, or even extra read loud times would promote recreational reading and would like to see more of that throughout the school. I would really like to promote times that not only the student could come back to the library but families as well. Currently the school that I am working at does not have a library page and I would like to make a page that is interactive and the students can use it when they are not at school. I think this would be especially important over holiday breaks or even e-learning days. I would like to really focus on collaboration with teachers and staff at the school. I am a new face here and I want to build relationships with the teachers to enhance the students’ learning. Being a school librarian is not an easy career, it takes a lot of time and planning, but the return on the investment is the greatest gift. Seeing students, you teach grow from learning to read to learning how to understand how to be literate in all aspects is the end goal. I am excited to start this journey.