School Library

StaffingMitchell Berman

LIS 773Spring 2015

The success of any school library program, no matter how well designed, ultimately depends on the quality and number of the personnel responsible for managing the instructional program in addition to the library’s physical and virtual resources. A well-educated library degreed professional staff, supported by technical and clerical staff, is crucial to build effective school library programs.

AASL Position Statement

http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/statements/staffing

FOUR BASIC STAFFING

REQUIREMENTS FROM AASL

The library program is serviced by one or more well-educated library degreed professionals working full-time in the school library.

Requirement 1

In addition to library degreed professionals, highly trained technical and clerical support staff is necessary for all library programs at all grade levels. Each school must employ at least one full-time technical assistant or clerk for each school librarian.

Requirement 2

More than one library degreed professional is required in many schools. The specific number of additional professional staff is determined by the schools instructional programs, services, facilities, size, and number of students and teachers.

Requirement 3

All school systems must employ a district library director to provide leadership and direction to the overall library program. The district director is a member of the administrative staff and serves on committees that address broader educational issues and determine the criteria and policies for the district’s curriculum and instructional programs.

Requirement 4

Real Life Scenarios

No MLIS, Associates in Computer Information Systems from College of Lake County

Title is Library Media Assistant Duties include story times,

collection buying/weeding, checking in and out books to students

Oversees enrichment reading groups

On a 5 day rotation with students District librarian is professional

librarian-Req. 4

Hope Reidel- Raymond Ellis Elementary, Round Lake, IL

Holds an endorsement-Library Information Specialist-from Chicago State University

Her official title is Teacher Librarian Her school is on a 7 day rotation, so

she sees all the students in the school (over 1,000)

Only Librarian in building Provides instruction, facilitates early

literacy with story times and activities to younger grades, implements technology in her lessons with older students

Requirements 1and 4 apply here

Caryn Mikkelsen-Volta Elementary School (Chicago Public Schools)

Holds a MLIS from Dominican University along with proper Library Information Specialist Certification

Is the Library Media Specialist No Aides in her library She provides instruction and

builds the collection, as well as handles all clerical duties

When out of the library, the library is closed

Requirement 1

Kathryn Wawer-Carl Sandburg Middle School-Mundelein, IL

Picture Courtesy of Kathryn Wawer

Holds a MLIS from the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign

Is one of 2 MLIS certified persons in the library

Staff of four helps assist the two librarians at LFHS

Laura is also a tech support coach for the school, but also assists with bibliographies, instruction, and other library duties

Requirements 1, 2, 3

Laura Grigg- Lake Forest High School-Lake Forest, IL

A Staffing Situation

Lorna Code is a Library Media Specialist at Kaneland High School in District 302, outside DeKalb, IL.

Her district decided to cut the last remaining certified elementary librarian.

Lorna posted on the ISLMA listserv her situation and asked for help.

Lorna decided to read an open letter at a school board meeting stating facts why it is important for the school board not to cut the position.

One of her main arguments was that research is one of the main components of common core and cutting librarians who are trained to teach research skills hinders a student’s skillset and doesn’t prepare them for future.

She had also written on the ISLMA thread asking other ISLMA members how many certified librarians are in each of their districts.

She presented facts about the nearby districts near her school and how many certified staff they had-which further supported the importance of having certified school librarians in the district.

Her district eventually decided to eliminate the elementary position, but Lorna will continue to advocate for the school library.

In the end…

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslisues/advocacy/AASL_infographic.pdf

AASL Position Statement and Requirements about Staffing. Retrieved on February 10, 2015 from: http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/statements/staffing

Code, L. (2015, March 23). Email Interview. Grigg, L. (2014). Personal Interview. Mikkelsen, C. (2015, February 13). Personal Interview. Reidel, H. (2015, February 17). Personal Interview. School Library Infographic from AASL. Retrieved on March 11, 2015

from: http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslisues/advocacy/AASL_infographic.pdf

Wawer, K. (2015, January 29). Personal Interview.

References