School Librarianship is an enriching and exciting field that helps to shape and mold students into lifelong learners. The school librarian's job is multifaceted, as they fulfill many different but essential roles. Some of the many roles include being a teacher, a collaborator, a leader, and an advocate.
One of the most important goals of the school librarian is to promote and facilitate students' academic achievement and foster literacy. "The school librarian creates a rich reading environment and culture within school libraries and school communities to nurture learners' journeys in finding their passion for reading and lifelong learning." (AASL, 2019 p. 2). Additionally, through information literacy instruction, school librarians help teach students how to find relevant information and then apply what they have found. Information literacy helps students sharpen their critical thinking abilities. A school librarian must also be a collaborator who works alongside other teachers and with administration. Just a few of the many collaborative tasks the school librarian undertakes are helping teachers create projects, providing alternate reading materials for students, and aiding in content alignment with the current curriculum. As the head of the library, the librarian maintains the library's atmosphere and makes it a space where students want to come and learn without barriers. The students need to be made to feel comfortable and safe. As a librarian, one must recognize the importance of community and parental support and work actively to attain it.
It is not enough to fulfill all these roles; the librarian must always be aware of the students’ needs and help to set them up for success. We must also adhere to the code of ethics and core values set forth by the American Library Association. This means we must always keep the students’ best interests at heart and put any personal feelings or beliefs aside to create a diverse library collection. We must advocate for students when they cannot advocate for themselves and be their voice when issues may arise. We also make sure every student has access to all materials so that no one child is left out. Letting students have the freedom to access and research material that piques their interest and not impeding access because materials may not align with our own personal belief systems is crucial to the development of the student. We are advocates for our students and their intellectual freedom. We must also respect and protect the privacy of our students and protect their rights.
All these ingredients work together collectively to help the librarian make the library an excellent learning space for all students. I am excited to be on this journey to become a librarian and help to inspire students to become lifelong learners.
References:
American Association of School Librarians. (2019). [Position Statements]. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/statements