Adding value: Principals’ perceptions of the role of the teacher-librarian

This paper reports on a study into principals’ perceptions of the role of the teacher-librarian. Nine principals in Australia were interviewed about the role of the teacher-librarian and library in their school. The findings indicated a range of ways in which the teacher-librarian adds value to the school, including in their role as teacher, providing the principal with a broad perspective on the workings of the school, providing advice and ideas, and providing leadership in the use of information and communications technology (ICT) at the school. It also identified a number of personal qualities valued by principals.

SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNANCE AND KNOWLEDGE-FIT IN DECISION RIGHTS: HOW DISTRICTS RECRUIT AND HIRE SCHOOL LIBRARIANS

This study examines the organizational structures and decision-making processes used by school districts to recruit and hire school librarians. For students to acquire the information and technology literacy education they need, school libraries must be staffed with qualified individuals who can fulfill the librarian’s role as leader, teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and program administrator. Principals are typically given decision rights for hiring staff, including school librarians. Research shows that principals have limited knowledge of the skills and abilities of the school librarian or the specific needs and functions of the library program. Research also indicates that those with specific knowledge of school library programs, namely school district library supervisors, are only consulted on recruiting and hiring about half the time. School districts entrust library supervisors with responsibilities such as professional development of school librarians only after they are hired. This study uses a theoretical lens from research on IT governance, which focuses on the use of knowledge-fit in applying decision rights in an organization. This framework is appropriate because of its incorporation of a specialist with a specific knowledge set in determining the placement of input and decision rights in the decision-making processes. The method used in this research was a multiple-case study design using five school districts as cases, varying by the involvement of the supervisors and other individuals in the hiring process. The data collected from each school district were interviews about the district’s recruiting and hiring practices with principals, an individual in HR, library supervisors, and recently hired school librarians. Data analysis was conducted through iterative coding from themes in the research questions, with continuous adjustments as new themes developed. Results from the study indicate that governance framework is applicable to evaluating the decision-making processes used in recruiting and hiring school librarians. However, a district’s use of governance did not consistently use knowledge-fit in the determination of input and decision rights. In the hiring process, governance was more likely to be based on placing decision rights at a certain level of the district hierarchy rather than the location of specific knowledge, most often resulting in site-based governance for decision rights at the school-building level. The governance of the recruiting process was most affected by the shortage or surplus of candidates available to the district to fill positions. Districts struggling with a shortage of candidates typically placed governance for the decision-making process on recruiting at the district level, giving the library supervisor more opportunity for input and collaboration with human resources. In districts that use site-based governance and that place all input and decision rights at the building level, some principals use their autonomy to eliminate the school library position in the allotment phase or hire librarians that, while certified through testing, do not have the same level of expertise as those who achieve certification through LIS programs. The principals in districts who use site-based governance for decision rights but call on the library supervisor for advisement stated how valuable they found the supervisor’s expertise in evaluating candidates for hire. In no district was a principal or school required to involve the library supervisor in the hiring of school librarians. With a better understanding of the tasks involved, the effect of district governance on decision-making, and the use of knowledge to assign input and decision rights, it is possible to look at how all of these factors affect the outcome in the quality of the hire. A next step is to look at the hiring process that school librarians went through and connect those with the measurable outcomes of hiring: school librarian success, retention, and attrition; the quality of school library program services, outreach, and involvement in a school; and the perceptions of the success of the school librarian and the library program as seen from students, teachers, administrators, parents, and other community stakeholders.

Porque ler não chega… da biblioteca escolar à sala de aula: um percurso de leitura e escrita

Projeto de Intervenção apresentado à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para a obtenção de grau de Mestre em Didática da Língua Portuguesa no 1º e 2º CEB

Apropriação das tecnologias de informação e comunicação em bibliotecas escolares em busca de um espaço dinâmico

Pós-graduação em Ciência da Informação - FFC

Agente mediador da circulação de saberes pedagógicos: o bibliotecário da Escola Normal Paulista

Pós-graduação em Educação - FFC

Alunos, professores e bibliotecários: uma rede a ser construída

The article examines, initially, data from research on reading for teachers and school libraries in the Western Paulista completed in 2009. Then addresses the structural problems which prevent the effective functioning of libraries, including the disregard for the role of the school librarian, despite recent legal devices, important but ambiguous. Subsequently, it proposes reconfiguration of the library concept and its organization with the incorporation of the computer room, now it apart and greater structural and financial contribution. Finally, the writer believes it would be necessary to review, beyond the concept of the library, the teaching of the act of reading to understand it as a cultural act to be appropriated by the younger generations within the schools and their renewed libraries with the indispensable librarian.

Animar a hora do conto na sala de aula e na biblioteca: o professor e a promoção da leitura

O tema surgiu pela necessidade de saber mais sobre o trabalho do professor bibliotecário, função bastante recente, e compreender aquilo que poderá ser o seu desempenho enquanto animador de leitura. Por outro lado, quisemos verificar se, o espaço da biblioteca escolar estava se constitui num espaço onde se desenvolve adequadamente e consolida hábitos de leitura, não só através do professor bibliotecário mas da parceria deste com outros professores, para que haja interacção necessária no sentido de melhor desenvolver a aprendizagem dos alunos, durante o processo educativo das crianças. Sendo estas algumas das nossas maiores preocupações, um dos aspectos que quisemos conhecer foram as estratégias de dinamização da Hora do Conto desenvolvidas por estes professores. Outro ponto importante, consiste em verificar se a animação da leitura é conduzida para que os alunos se sintam motivados a ouvir uma história, bem como com a preocupação de fazer com que os alunos aprendam a gostar de ler e produzir sentido a partir do que lêem. Assim, apontamos para aspectos importantes acerca da função exercida pelo professor bibliotecário e o professor titular de turma, ora questionando, ora indicando acerca do desempenho, ora tentando compreender o perfil de cada um deles, visto que ocupam lugares simbólicos distintos. Possivelmente, a animação da Hora do Conto, ainda, se constitui como um desafio para os professores de maneira geral e, em especial, para o professor bibliotecário. v Então, consideramos de suma importância a observação da dinamização da Hora do Conto, pois, que é na acção que se pode produzir significados para novas abordagens teóricas. Desta forma, o nosso trabalho consistiu principalmente em tentar perceber como o professor bibliotecário e o professor titular de turma animam o momento da Hora do Conto, isto é, que “alma” emprestam às histórias neste momento que é de formação de leitores. Além disso, consideramos importante observar se os alunos apreciam positivamente a Hora do Conto e se ficam satisfeitos com a dinamização aí realizada, bem como com a leitura proporcionada tanto no contexto de sala de aula como de biblioteca. As nossas bases metodológicas foram sustentadas através de entrevistas, questionários e observação. Para tal, seguimos orientações de autores como, Bardin, Campenhoudt e Quivy, entre outros. Apoiamo-nos teoricamente em alguns dos principais autores contemporâneos que tratam do assunto como Bogdan e Biklen. Finalmente, norteados por alguns autores que se destacam nos estudos acerca da leitura e da pedagogia da leitura, tentamos analisar o que para nós é de fundamental importância, naquilo que se refere à Animação da Hora do Conto, ou seja, como agem o professor titular e o professor bibliotecário quando se propõe a formar leitores, e que formação possuem para dinamizarem a Hora do Conto de forma eficaz, sensível e significativa.

Estudio de Usuarios Biblioteca del Colegio La Salle

Resumen de la práctica realizada por las alumnas: Damaris Aguilar, Marita Fallas y Gaby Rodríguez en el curso: El lector y sus necesidad informativas impartido por la Prof. Gilda Chacón R.En el Capítulo I. se enfatizó el quehacer del bibliotecario escolar en relación con el programa de enseñanza de la Institución.El Capítulo II analiza la planta física de la biblioteca, su material bibliográfico y equipo en relación con las condiciones que ésta posee para desarrollar una buena labor bibliotecaria.Por considerar de importancia el estudio de usuarios realizados, los Capítulos III y IV lo mismo que las recomendaciones finales se transcribirán en forma textual.

El rol de la biblioteca escolar: centro de recursos en el ambiente educacional actual

El principio 7 de la Declaración de los Derechos del Niño (Asamblea General de la ONU, 1959) declara en parte: "el niño tiene el derecho de recibir educación la cual será gratuita y obligatoria... Se le dará una educación que promueva su cultura general y lo capacita sobre una base de oportunidad equitativa para desarrollar sus habilidades su juicio individual y su sentido de responsabilidad moral y social, y para llegar a ser un miembro útil de la sociedad". Yo les expongo a Uds. que la biblioteca escolar centro de recursos es el instrumento general esencial para cumplir este derecho del niño.Dentro del alcance comprehensivo de materiales y la adquisición objetiva de sus materiales, la biblioteca escolar complementa y apoya todos los aspectos del programa educacional.Las bibliotecas escolares centros de recursos tal como se están desarrollándose hoy en día alrededor del mundo, están convirtiéndose en centros de un reto excitante. Son un reto para el maestro bibliotecario o especialista en centros de recursos o cualquier denominación que se use para identificar al bibliotecario escolar. Ellos retan la ingenuidad y creatividad de uno, las aptitudes gerenciales, financieras, la comprensión educativa y conciencia comunitaria, aceptación tecnológica y facilidad de utilización del mismo. Pero, más que todo, ellos retan nuestra habilidad para proveer servicios para estudiantes y maestros con tantas clases de medios como podamos traer nuestros programas.

The getting of wisdom : reflections of a teaching librarian

The shift in focus from teaching to learning in higher education can be paralleled in the shift from bibliographic instruction to information literacy. This move has resulted in a change of role from librarians as service providers to educators. This paper argues that in order to facilitate students' 'getting of wisdom', librarians who design and deliver information literacy programs should see themselves as teachers rather than trainers. It compares the role of the school teacher-librarian with that of the academic teaching librarian. The implications of a dominant training paradigm result in the reduction of information literacy to lower order surface learning. Support for teaching librarians is crucial in changing roles and self-image.

Valuing the impact of the teacher librarian from an evidence base

Evidence-based practice as it applies to the Library and Information (LIS) sector and in particular teacher librarians is the focus of this research investigation. The context for this research is Australian school libraries and teacher librarians. This is a research in progress and the report here will include some very early findings and lessons learned from the initial pilot study. The contributions of this research will be in developing a framework for the library and information sector with a particular application for teacher librarians. Providing meaningful evidence of work practices that demonstrate contributions to the schools goals and mission statements in conjunction with contributions to student academic, social and cultural achievements are crucial for the future of the teacher librarian.

Librarian 2.0 : it’s all in the attitude!

In 2006 Stephen Abram stated that we must “become librarian 2.0 now”. But what is librarian 2.0? This pa- per will present the results of a project that identified the skills, knowledge and attributes required by the successful librarian in the web 2.0 world (and be- yond!). Eighty-one Australian librarians participated in a series of 14 focus groups. Eight themes emerged: technology, communication, team work, user focus, business savvy, evidence based practice, learning, and personal traits.

School libraries, teacher-librarians and their contribution to student literacy development in Gold Coast schools

This is the first research focusing on Gold Coast school libraries and teacher- librarians. It presents a detailed picture of library provision and staffing at a representative group of 27 government and non-government schools at the Gold Coast. It shows links between employment of a teacher-librarian and higher NAPLAN reading and writing scores. And it presents the principals’ generally positive views about teacher-librarians’ contribution to reading and literacy at their schools. The findings respond in part to the recent government inquiry’s call (House of Representatives, 2011) for research about the current staffing of school libraries in Australia, and the influence of school libraries and teacher-librarians on students’ literacy and learning outcomes. While the study has focused on a relatively small group of school libraries, it has produced a range of significant outcomes: • An extensive review of international and Australian research showing impacts of school libraries and teacher-librarians on students’ literacy and learning outcomes • Findings consistent with international research showing: - An inverse relationship between lower student to EFT library staff ratio and higher school NAPLAN scores for reading and writing - Schools that employ a teacher-librarian tend to achieve school NAPLAN scores for respective year levels that are higher than the national mean It is anticipated that the study’s findings will be of interest to education authorities, school leadership teams, teacher-librarians, teachers and researchers. The findings provide evidence to: • inform policy development and strategic planning for school libraries that respond to the literacy development needs of 21st century learners • inform school-based management of school libraries • inform curriculum development and teacher-librarian practice • support further collaborative research on a State or national level • enhance conceptual understandings about relationship(s) between school libraries, teacher-librarians and literacy/information literacy development • support advocacy about school libraries, teacher-librarians and their contribution to literacy development and student learning in Australian schools SLAQ President Toni Leigh comments: “It is heartening to see findings which validate the critical role teacher-librarians play in student literacy development and the positive correlation of higher NAPLAN scores and schools with a qualified teacher-librarian. Also encouraging is the high percentage of school principals who recognise the necessity of a well resourced school library and the positive influence of these libraries on student literacy”. This research arises from a research partnership between School Library Association of Queensland (SLAQ) and Children and Youth Research Centre, QUT. Lead researcher: Dr Hilary Hughes, Children and Youth Research Centre, QUT Research assistants: Dr Hossein Bozorgian, Dr Cherie Allan, Dr Michelle Dicinoski, QUT SLAQ Research Reference Group: Toni Leigh, Marj Osborne, Sally Fraser, Chris Kahl and Helen Reynolds Reference: House of Representatives. (2011). School libraries and teacher librarians in 21st century Australia. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representatives_Committees?url=ee/schoollibraries/report.htm