Leadership, Advocacy, and Professional Responsibility

How It Aligns With the Standard: 

Leadership, collaboration, and advocacy are essential parts of school librarianship because librarians work across the entire school community to support teaching and learning. By engaging in ongoing professional learning and partnering with educators, librarians help strengthen instruction, expand access to resources, and ensure the library responds to the changing needs of students and teachers. Ethical practice and advocacy are equally important, as librarians promote equitable access to information and uphold the professional values that ensure all learners are supported and included.

For LIS 653, I created an advocacy plan to secure additional funding to expand a middle school library's collection of diverse and Spanish-language materials, so it would better reflect the student population. The plan included advocating with school leaders and the PTA, focusing on fundraising and grants, and collaborating with teachers to promote new materials through displays, book talks, and classroom connections. The goal was to increase student engagement, support multilingual learners, and create a library collection that would allow all students to feel represented and welcomed (5.2, 5.3, 5.4). 

For LIS 693, I led a professional development session for kindergarten teachers that focused on promoting inquiry-based learning. Planning and leading this session allowed me to contribute to professional learning within the school and support instructors as they explored ways to incorporate inquiry into their instruction (5.1). I advocated for inquiry-based learning and for the role of the school librarian as an instructional partner who supports student engagement and deeper learning (5.2). By working with school leadership and classroom teachers to organize and deliver the session, I also practiced collaboration and leadership that supported the instructional goals of the school (5.3).

For LIS 635, I designed a professional development workshop for upper elementary and middle school teachers focused on helping students move beyond Google to find credible research sources. The session introduced age-appropriate databases and curated online resources, highlighting how the school library can support classroom instruction in research and information literacy (5.1, 5.2, 5.3). Ethical research practices were integrated throughout the workshop, including how to evaluate source credibility and cite sources appropriately (5.4).

For LIS 693, I developed and implemented a display project focused on increasing the visibility of diverse biographies in the media center. I created rotating displays aligned with heritage months and promoted them through the school’s morning announcements. This project demonstrates advocacy for diverse representation by intentionally highlighting voices that reflect a range of identities and experiences (5.3). I also collaborated with teachers and school staff to encourage student engagement with the displays and connect them to classroom learning (5.2). This experience reinforced my understanding that visibility plays a critical role in access. When materials are intentionally highlighted, students are more likely to discover, engage with, and benefit from them.

What I Learned:

Through these projects, I learned that leadership and advocacy are essential parts of the school librarian’s role. Effective advocacy involves clearly communicating how the library supports student learning by sharing evidence such as circulation data, program participation, and instructional collaboration (Holland, 2015). I also learned that building relationships with teachers, administrators, and the community strengthens the visibility and impact of the library program and helps ensure that resources continue to meet the needs of the learning community (ALA, 2024).

This work also helped me understand that advocacy is most effective when it is ongoing and embedded in daily practice, rather than something that happens only during times of need. Consistently sharing successes, highlighting student engagement, and making the library’s impact visible helps build long-term support and trust within the school community.

Leading professional development helped me see how librarians contribute directly to instructional improvement. Collaborating with teachers to design learning experiences and support inquiry-based instruction reflects best practice and demonstrates how coteaching strengthens student learning (Loertscher, 2014). These experiences reinforced that school librarians serve as instructional partners, leaders, and advocates who work with others to improve access to information, strengthen literacy skills, and support meaningful learning opportunities for all students.

These experiences also strengthened my confidence in taking on leadership roles and contributing to both the school and the professional community.

Impact on Students and Connection to Best Practice:

Advocacy, collaboration, and professional learning directly benefit students by strengthening instruction and expanding access to high-quality resources. Research-based practice emphasizes that librarians play an important role in working with teachers to design instruction, support inquiry, and help students develop information literacy skills (Loertscher, 2014). When librarians collaborate with educators and share expertise in research strategies, digital tools, and resource selection, students gain stronger support for critical thinking and independent learning.

Advocacy efforts also help ensure that library programs remain responsive to student needs. Sharing evidence of student engagement, highlighting instructional partnerships, and communicating the value of diverse and inclusive collections helps decision-makers understand how libraries support student success (Holland, 2015). Professional guidance emphasizes that librarians must actively promote equitable access to resources and learning opportunities so that all students feel represented and supported (ALA, 2024). Together, leadership, collaboration, and advocacy strengthen the role of the school library as an essential part of the learning community.

When library programs are well-supported and aligned with school goals, students benefit from greater access to resources, more meaningful learning opportunities, and a stronger sense of belonging within the school environment.

These experiences have inspired me take an active leadership role in building partnerships, supporting instruction, and advocating for a library program that meets the needs of all students. I will continue to share the impact of the library through data and collaboration, while working closely with teachers and school leaders to create learning experiences that are engaging, inclusive, and aligned with school goals.

References:

American Library Association. (2024, April). Infographic [PDF]. https://www.ala.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/AASL_infographic.pdf