Would you qualify?

Secondary School Librarian Job Posting

SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS

• A Secondary Education degree from a recognized university with a major in Library Science and/or the equivalent training and experience in a secondary school library
• Knowledge of applicable literacy training to support school goals including digital citizenship, online safety and productivity applications.
• Support and foster a collaborative environment that enables cooperative learning activities and project based learning
• Ability to perform duties of information specialist, teacher and instructional consultant in learning resources and strategies for information location with particular reference to the use of online applications and data retrieval, information technology, evaluation, and usage. 
• Ability to build, organize and supervise a Library Resource Centre program and staff in order to effectively meet the needs and goals of the school and the Resource Centre. 
• Knowledge and understanding of the application of relevant computer technologies to teaching and learning.
• Ability to maintain a sophisticated and ongoing web presence (for example: a Twitter account, web page, a blog, a wiki, social bookmarking, Facebook)
• Able to demonstrate how to use and leverage educational media for use with/by students and teachers.
• Able to use the practical and conceptual tools of information technology and to adapt to emerging technologies.
• Can articulate the leadership role teacher-librarians take within their school and district.

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS, ATTRIBUTES and EXPERIENCE

• Strong commitment to excellence in teaching and demonstrated teaching ability.
• Comprehensive understanding of curriculum coupled with the ability to interpret curriculum appropriately to accommodate individual differences.
• Ability to design and implement a variety of assessment practices to measure and monitor student progress effectively.
• Ability to organize for instruction to maximize student potential.
• Confidence and proficiency in using instructional organizers, concepts, and strategies that actively engage all students in learning.
• Knowledge and ability to structure and organize instructional strategies to enhance academic learning time.
• Practical knowledge of district initiatives in reading so that reading skills and strategies can be taught explicitly across the curriculum to insure reading success.
• Strategies to identify learning difficulties early, understand obstacles to learning, and implement effective intervention to maximize academic success.
• Knowledge and understanding of the application of relevant computer technologies to teaching and learning.
• Excellent written and oral communication.
• Evidence of personal initiative and strong work ethic.
• Demonstrated successful and creative classroom experience.
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility and responsiveness to the needs and demands of the profession.
• Willingness to be involved in professional development, with an ongoing commitment to learn and implement new methodologies and strategies.
• Ability to work collaboratively with students, parents, and staff to enhance the school as a learning community.

This job posting (the sender OKing its unattributed publication) caught my attention a couple days ago. The items in bold both delighted and frightened me a little. But mostly delighted. These are the attibutes that will keep a teacher-librarian relevant in today's schools.

Here is the reaction the author from others with whom she shared it:

 I have received much comment and interesting feedback from colleagues who say that there is no one who can do all this.  I disagree,  and feel that the important issue here is that the bar has been raised.

The bar had indeed been raised. Are schools of library science sharing this sort of information with candidates for the profession?

Oh, I found only two attributes missing from the list: ability to walk on water and to turn water into wine.

What would you add to the list - as a teacher, administrator or parent who wants a teacher-librarian that truly supports the mission of the school?

http://www.vagabondish.com/



Comments

[J.F. Sanborn]

Hello Doug. I will graduate from Florida State University in December. I am doing my School Library internship right now and I work full-time at our Main Public Library in the Children's Department.

Jaime :)

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks, Jamie.

Doug

[defensive driving indiana]

thanks for the share and others can also know from this post.

[Sarah Gardner]

You've all made some great points and comments about the job description for school librarian. In reading the description I feel that I've gained the knowledge in my Master's of Science in Library and Information Studies program at Florida State University to accomplish most of the tasks. However, after the first one and a half weeks of interning at an elementary school in Maryland, I've discovered that the school media specialist would benefit from added paid staffing support. Even with superior time-management skills, the school media person needs recognition and help to fulfill the requirements of the job.

I realize that schools have limited funding, but besides the listed duties, there are always unlisted duties, such as: before and after school parking lot safety as buses/vehicular traffic and students arrive/depart; lunch room monitoring duties; and hall monitoring, etc.

While the tasks listed in the job description (look good on paper) seem easy enough to do with some preparation, the time needed to accomplish said tasks doesn't leave much time for life in general. School media personnel are also called upon to have compassion to meet the needs of the students, teachers, staff, parents and the surrounding community at their schools. To avoid burn-out/stress, school media personnel and others need time to prepare for in-school duties, collaboration, policy review, technology updates; and they also need time outside of the school environment to relax, eat, and sleep.

Sleep-deprivation doesn't bode well for enhancing creativity in the education arena.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Sarah,

Welcome to the world of education! Practice and philosophy don't always align.

My (unasked for) suggestion is to have your principal and building leadership team help you prioritize your tasks. What would they like to see you do first for their benefit and the benefit of kids. And yes, you will not be good for anyone without a healthy work/life balance.

Good luck in your new job!

Doug

[Sarah Gardner]

Doug,

The principal and assistant principal are great! They drop by to chat and discuss tasks all the time. I am an intern, and the school media specialist that I am working with has everything scheduled down to 15 minute increments, and she has an assistant. She's incredible and very flexible! She has to be. I accompanied her to a Professional Development seminar on our third meeting day. It was awesome to network with so many school media personnel in our county!

With that being said, some school librarians are not so lucky! And you are right it is a matter of prioritization (and flexibility), time management, and support. As long as the school staff works together, we may all be able to leap tall buildings and get the job done.