School Librarianship
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School Librarianship
Today's school librarian works with both students and teachers to facilitate access to information in a wide variety of formats, instruct students and teachers how to acquire, evaluate and use information and the technology needed in this process, and introduces children and young adults to literature and other resources to broaden their horizons. As a collaborator, change agent, and leader, the school librarian develops, promotes and implements a program that will help prepare students to be effective users of ideas and information, a lifelong skill[2].
Perhaps the most noticeable change is the name: a variation to "school librarian" is the updated term "school media specialist," likely attributable to the technological needs for the job.
A school media specialist is the manager of an elementary, middle or high school library. This position includes being the supervisor of staff, budget director, purchaser, cataloger, and many times the repairer and archivist. A school media specialist is a teacher of library and research skills and a collaborator. He/She works with the teaching staff to improve lessons, thus enabling the school to reach the learning standards required by the state. A school media specialist is up to date with the latest technology. This can include database knowledge, Internet skills, teaching Word or PowerPoint as well as instructing staff and students in their uses. A school media specialist promotes the school media center as a necessary part of the school. Salaries differ among schools according to district, number of graduate or inservice credits and experience.[3]
Salaries
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, librarians working at elementary and secondary schools earned median annual wages of $54,650 as of May 2008[4].
School librarians are generally on a similar salary schedule as teachers. Salaries go up with years of experience and amount of education in most cases. When transferring from district to district, a school librarian may be given credit for some, but possibly not all years of prior experience based on the teacher contract in the district. Occasionally school librarians will have a slightly extended contract to finish administrative tasks outside of the school year, but this is not common[5].
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics - Librarian PDF
- ALA Learning About the Job
- Suite 101 - School Librarianship
External Links
- American Association of School Librarians Website
- Requirements for School Librarians in all 50 States
