Vision for School Library Media Coordinators
The demands of providing a 21st century education dictate new roles for School Library Media Coordinators. School Library Media Coordinators are called on to have a larger role in their schools and school communities. School leadership is distributed among the staff and administration in order to bring consensus, common understandings, and shared ownership of the vision and purpose of the school. School Library Media Coordinators are valued for their leadership abilities throughout the school as well as in the media center.
School Library Media Coordinators help make the content engaging and meaningful to students’ lives as they support teachers and facilitate the integration of curriculum and related projects across disciplines. In the school and the media center, School Library Media Coordinators facilitate instruction, encouraging all students to use 21st century skills to discover how to learn, innovate, collaborate, and communicate their ideas. They serve as facilitators of information skills development through the provision of professional development, coaching, mentoring, and co-teaching activities. Their work includes supporting the development of authentic and structured assessment strategies to assure that students demonstrate understanding of the content taught and ability to apply the skills they have learned. School Library Media Coordinators demonstrate the value of lifelong learning and instill a love of reading and learning in the students with whom they come into contact.
Standard 1: School Library Media Coordinators demonstrate leadership.
School Library Media Coordinators lead in the school library media center and media program to support student success.
School Library Media Coordinators lead in their schools.
School Library Media Coordinators advocate for effective media programs.
School Library Media Coordinators demonstrate high ethical standards.
Standard 2. School library media coordinators build a learning environment that meets the instructional needs of a diverse population of students.
School Library Media Coordinators establish a learning environment that facilitates access to resources and addresses the learning needs of all members of the school community.
School Library Media Coordinators provide appropriate resources, services, and instruction for learners at all stages of development.
Standard 3. School library media coordinators implement a comprehensive 21st century library media program.
School Library Media Coordinators develop a library collection that supports 21st century teaching and learning.
School Library Media Coordinators serve, promote and facilitate inquiry-based instruction and the effective use of information and technology.
Standard 4: School library media coordinators demonstrate knowledge of learners and learning and promote effective instructional practices.
School Library Media Coordinators use effective pedagogy to infuse content-area curricula with 21st century skills.
School Library Media Coordinators know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty.
School Library Media Coordinators promote reading as a foundational skill for learning.
Standard 5: School Library Media Coordinators reflect on their practice.
School Library Media Coordinators analyze student learning.
School Library Media Coordinators link professional growth to their professional goals.
School Library Media Coordinators function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment.
*North Carolina School Library Media Coordinators Standards
What Do School Library Media Coordinators Do?
School library media coordinators lead in the school library media center and media program to support student success; SLMC’s…
provide leadership for the school library media program
share responsibility for the progress of all students to ensure that they graduate from high school
are globally competitive for work and postsecondary education and are prepared for life in the 21st century
collaboratively create, align, and implement a program informed by state and national guidelines and research-based best practices.
transform the library media center into a 21st Century learning environment (both virtual and physical) and a shared space for knowledge construction, collaboration and inquiry-based learning
assist teachers with similar transformations.
coordinate the activities and training of library media support personnel including volunteers
School library media coordinators lead in their schools; SLMC’s….
work collaboratively with school personnel to create a professional learning community
analyze data to develop goals and strategies in the school improvement plan that enhance student learning
provide input in determining the school budget and in the selection and provision of professional development that meets the needs of the students, the staff, and their own professional growth
participate in the hiring process and collaborate with their colleagues to support teachers in the improvement of the effectiveness of their departments or grade levels
establish positive working relationships and communicate with other educators to identify and select resources for curriculum support
partner with teachers to design instruction that seamlessly integrates 21st Century skills, information fluency, and digital literacy across the curriculum
School library media coordinators advocate for effective media programs; SLMC’s…
are proactive in communicating the vision, requirements and impact of an effective 21st Century library media program to key stakeholders using relevant research, evidence of student learning, and other outcomes
advocate for information fluency, inquiry-based learning, curriculum fidelity, creativity, planning, innovation and reading for enjoyment and lifelong learning to ensure that all students have access to proper learning resources and are prepared for the future
School library media coordinators demonstrate high ethical standards; SLMC’s…
demonstrate ethical principles including honesty, integrity, fair treatment, and respect for others
uphold the Code of Ethics for North Carolina Educators (effective June 1, 1997) and the Standards for Professional Conduct adopted April 1, 1998
School library media coordinators establish a learning environment that facilitates access to resources and addresses the learning needs of all members of the school community; SLMC’s….
create a welcoming and accessible physical space that facilitates active learning, promotes participation and collaboration and teamwork, and provides flexibility to accommodate multiple learning styles, 21st Century skills, and reading enjoyment
incorporate a global view and multiculturalism in library services, programming, and collection development to meet the personal interests and learning needs of a diverse student population
develop and implement strategies to remove barriers to open and equitable access to the library media center and its resources
School library media coordinators provide appropriate resources, services, and instruction for learners at all stages of developments; SLMC’s….
model and promote the seamless integration of content, pedagogy, and technology to meet diverse student needs
incorporate universal design to facilitate equitable access to information and resources for learning
encourage the cultivation of creativity, reading interests, and critical thinking across multiple years of students’ school careers
School library media coordinators develop a library collection that supports 21st Century teaching and learning; SLMC’s…
develop an appropriate and high quality library media collection that facilitates 21st Century teaching and learning
use collection mapping and other collection analysis tools to ensure that the collection is dynamic, learner-centered, supports the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, and meets the unique needs of the school and its learners
School library media coordinators serve, promote and facilitate inquiry-based instruction and the effective use of information and technology; SLMC’s…
make their skills and expertise as well as the learning space and resources of the library media center flexibly available and easily accessible to all members of the school community
help learners become discerning and effective users of information and ideas, and they promote the seamless integration of curriculum, pedagogy and technology to meet curricular goals
encourage teachers and students to apply an inquiry-based approach to learning and actively support instructional practices that promote creativity and critical thinking
School library media coordinators use effective pedagogy to infuse content-area curricula with 21st Century skills; SLMC’s…
integrate 21st Century skills in instructional design, delivery, and assessment to meet curriculum objectives and produce positive learning outcomes for students
promote best instructional practices and curriculum fidelity through collaboration and support to educators
model and facilitate access to current information and technology tools and participatory and social learning
School library media coordinators know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty; SLMC’s…
model, promote, and support other educators in the effective use of information resources, best practices in research, multiple literacies, digital safety, and the ethical use of information and technology resources
collaboratively develop and utilize research-based pedagogical strategies to make the curriculum rigorous and relevant for all students and provide a balanced curriculum that enhances literacy skills
apply the content standards for students developed by their professional organizations. School library media coordinators collaboratively design, use, and communicate innovative outcome measures to identify evidence of student learning using 21st Century skills across all curriculum areas
School library media coordinators promote reading as a foundational skill for learning; SLMC’s…
champion reading for information, pleasure and lifelong learning
build relationships with students to discover reading interests and assist in finding engaging and appropriate materials to encourage a love of reading
partner with teachers in identifying the reading interests and needs of students and recommending appropriate resources
School library media coordinators analyze student learning; SLMC’s…
use formative and summative assessments to collect data about student learning in the library media center and its impact on student achievement
use multiple sources and types of data to improve their professional practice
School library media coordinators link professional growth to their professional goals; SLMC’s…
actively seek ongoing professional development to improve their practice and the effectiveness of the library media program
School library media coordinators function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment; SLMC’s…
adapt to a rapidly changing information and technology environment
thrive in an increasingly digital information landscape and continuously adapt their professional practice based on research and student data to support school goals