Published on Sep 27, 2012
This video was produced by the New Jersey Association of School Librarians with funding provided by its advocacy partnership with LibraryLinkNJ.
Alliance for Excellent Education: LEADING IN AND BEYOND THE LIBRARY (2014) https://all4ed.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/BeyondTheLibrary.pdf
The Link to Student Achievement
from: http://www.theschoollibrarylink.com
“We must understand the fundamental contributions school libraries make to learning outcomes. First, when school librarians collaborate with classroom teachers to enrich curriculum content, they help create more authentic learning experiences. Second, school library collections inform, educate, entertain, and enrich students at all levels...When students are able to...explore information that is meaningful to them, they not only learn faster, but their literacy skills grow rapidly; they learn how to learn.”
--C. Beth Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., Chairman,
U.S. National Commission on
Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS).
Excerpted from a letter to President George W. Bush,
February 13, 2006, introducing School Libraries Work!
Published by Scholastic Library Publishing, School Libraries Work! contains summaries of the studies done in the U.S. that looked at if and how school libraries affect student achievement. An abundance of evidence shows that when library media specialists work with teachers to support learning opportunities with books and technology, students learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized tests than peers in schools without good school libraries.
To read the essential resource, visit www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/s/slw3_2008.pdf
This video was produced by the New Jersey Association of School Librarians with funding provided by its advocacy partnership with LibraryLinkNJ.
Alliance for Excellent Education: LEADING IN AND BEYOND THE LIBRARY (2014) https://all4ed.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/BeyondTheLibrary.pdf
The Link to Student Achievement
from: http://www.theschoollibrarylink.com
“We must understand the fundamental contributions school libraries make to learning outcomes. First, when school librarians collaborate with classroom teachers to enrich curriculum content, they help create more authentic learning experiences. Second, school library collections inform, educate, entertain, and enrich students at all levels...When students are able to...explore information that is meaningful to them, they not only learn faster, but their literacy skills grow rapidly; they learn how to learn.”
--C. Beth Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., Chairman,
U.S. National Commission on
Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS).
Excerpted from a letter to President George W. Bush,
February 13, 2006, introducing School Libraries Work!
Published by Scholastic Library Publishing, School Libraries Work! contains summaries of the studies done in the U.S. that looked at if and how school libraries affect student achievement. An abundance of evidence shows that when library media specialists work with teachers to support learning opportunities with books and technology, students learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized tests than peers in schools without good school libraries.
To read the essential resource, visit www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/s/slw3_2008.pdf
Why Librarians Now More Than Ever?
"Getting rid of libraries and librarians now that we have the Internet would be like getting rid of all directional signs and stoplights after building a brand-new highway system. Yes, the new highways are pretty and shiny and go everywhere. You're still going to need guidance and control in order to get where you need to go. Libraries and librarians provide that same kind of framework for the Internet, keeping patrons from becoming completely lost". -Rachel Holt (Radical Reference Blog Post)
The Role of School Librarians in Promoting the Use of Educational Technologies
School librarians perform an integral role in promoting the effective use of educational technologies in
their schools.
About School Librarians
School librarians are professionals who hold teaching degrees, as well as librarian certification. School
librarians may also be referred to as teacher-librarians or library media specialists.
School librarians are in unique positions within their schools because they:
Libraries support the curriculum, promote literacy development, and foster lifelong reading habits among
children through the development of carefully selected print collections and the infusion of educational
technology.
Libraries provide:
In today's difficult economic times, many school districts have chosen to cut non-classroom teaching
positions. These cuts run counter to a large body of research that indicates that a strong library program,
staffed by certified school librarians, correlates with significantly greater student achievement. Shortterm
savings are obliterated by long-term consequences of denying students equitable access to
educational resources and instruction provided by the school's information literacy specialists and
technologists - school librarians. As schools close their libraries or staff them with non-certificated
personnel, students lose access to professionally managed print and electronic resources. At an
unprecedented time in history when students require development of complex information literacy and
technology skills to succeed, a robust school library program is a prerequisite to success.
School librarian needs include:
[email protected] with comments and questions.
their schools.
About School Librarians
School librarians are professionals who hold teaching degrees, as well as librarian certification. School
librarians may also be referred to as teacher-librarians or library media specialists.
School librarians are in unique positions within their schools because they:
- collaborate with all teachers in the building across grade levels and subject disciplines.
- work with all students throughout the students’ academic careers.
- are instructional leaders in their schools who serve on curriculum, school improvement, and
- planning committees.
- frequently provide professional development to their colleagues in areas related to instructional
- and technology resources.
- teach a wide range of local, state, and national curriculum, information literacy, and technology
- standards, including all ISTE NETS standards.
- serve as the primary technology "integration specialist" in their buildings.
Libraries support the curriculum, promote literacy development, and foster lifelong reading habits among
children through the development of carefully selected print collections and the infusion of educational
technology.
Libraries provide:
- a wealth of educational resources for students in the form of online databases; eBooks;
- audiobooks; online catalogs; creativity and research tools; and professionally vetted websites that
- are available at school and home.
- ready access to technology hardware, including computers, printers, assistive technologies for
- special needs students, presentation equipment, digital readers, and cameras, as well as a variety of
- specialized educational software and online applications.
- equitable access to technology for students of all income levels.
- flexible, broadly available access points for technology whether the school uses computer labs,
- portable devices, or a hybrid model.
- a location that encourages individual study, group collaboration, and large group presentations.
- About School Librarians & Educational Technology
- School librarians play a critical role in the infusion of educational technology in their schools. In
- particular, they:
- support the use of technology throughout the school by working closely with the school's
- technology coordinator or fill the role of technology coordinator when a separate position does not
- exist.
- serve as information literacy and educational technology specialists in their schools.
- address educational technology and information literacy skills instruction embedded in the
- curriculum.
- provide technology training for teachers, administrators, and parents.
- 2
- work with teachers, counselors, and administrators to prepare students to succeed in higher
- education, the work place, and in society.
- help students develop important digital citizenry attributes to demonstrate responsible use of
- information and technology.
- provide leadership in the development of local information and technology literacy standards.
In today's difficult economic times, many school districts have chosen to cut non-classroom teaching
positions. These cuts run counter to a large body of research that indicates that a strong library program,
staffed by certified school librarians, correlates with significantly greater student achievement. Shortterm
savings are obliterated by long-term consequences of denying students equitable access to
educational resources and instruction provided by the school's information literacy specialists and
technologists - school librarians. As schools close their libraries or staff them with non-certificated
personnel, students lose access to professionally managed print and electronic resources. At an
unprecedented time in history when students require development of complex information literacy and
technology skills to succeed, a robust school library program is a prerequisite to success.
School librarian needs include:
- adequate funding for technology, including sufficient connectivity, electrical access, hardware,
- software, subscription databases, and online tools to equitably support research and inquiry-based
- learning.
- access to relevant professional development that supports them in maintaining currency in their
- knowledge of educational technology and its applications.
- funding and incentives to assist school districts in committing to staffing all school libraries with
- certified school library professionals and appropriate support staff.
- language in legislation that specifically highlights the inclusion of school librarians to ensure that these critical professional positions are not eliminated due to ambiguity and misinformed prioritization.
[email protected] with comments and questions.