LIS 5283 – School Library Administration, Dr. Buffy Edwards, Summer 2019
Course Goals:
- Support MLIS students in school library administration regarding the roles of teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and program administrator
- Promote the importance of collaboration, leadership, and support from technology
Learning and Skill Objectives:
- Identify and make connections about the primary elements of a comprehensive school library program
- Apply guiding principles of facilities development and quantitative space allocation suggestions to the preparation of educational specifications for a new or remodeled school library
- Identify the types, numbers, and basic duties of personnel needed for effective school library programming
- Describe major components of the school and district library programs reflected in the function of design, consultation, information, administration, instruction, and evaluation
- Collaborate with teachers to design and deliver instruction that ensures students master information skills as well as learning objectives in other curriculum content areas
LIS 5283 provided a tremendous amount of applicable research and techniques to apply as a school librarian. The focus on the American Association of School Librarians Standards helped ensure preparation for the roles of teaching for learning, promoting literacy and reading, teaching information skills, advocating and leading, and program management and administration. LIS 5283 has provided an excellent foundation on which to base library decisions in the future. This course also encouraged me to become a member of the American Library Association (Goal 4.1, 4.4)
The instructional teaching unit assignment provided applicable practice in multiple ways. It challenged me to link content standards and AASL standards within a teaching unit and to collaborate with a regular education teacher. I was able to create goals and objectives as well as plan a unit to meet these standards. The unit was based on guided inquiry design (open, immerse, explore, identify, gather, create, share, & evaluate) (Goal 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8). I was also able to integrate technology, assessment, and reflection to create a unit in which young adults could study the real-world issue of climate change (Goal 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.1, 2.3).
The Field Experience Project assignment was an in-depth look into a school library program and allowed me to apply skills such as library observation, planning for a first meeting with a principal, and preparing for a first meeting with teachers. I was able to observe roles and think about the application of best practices. The meeting plans and materials I created will help stakeholders understand the libraries roles, collaboration, and the services I, as the school librarian, can provide (Goal 1.6, 1.8, 2.2, 3.2) The designing of the library space, with a 3-dimensinal tool, forced me to think of a way to incorporate the multiple needed spaces (relaxing reading space, makerspace, instructional space, technology area, etc.) within a library. I now have a strong foundation to prepare myself to assume the role of school librarian.
Lastly, I created a virtual learning commons for LIS 5283. This allowed for improvement of my personal technology skills, and it will help me assist users in technology use in the future. I have created a virtual space for collaboration and information sharing (Goal 1.7, 1.8, 4.1). The project allowed me to explore and gather many information tools as well as resource links for students, teachers, families, and the communities (Goal 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.6). The virtual learning commons also provides a way for librarians to promote their roles and advocate by exemplifying all that is achieved in the library’s physical and virtual space (Goal 2.2). Overall, it provides a place for connection, collaboration, and information gathering and sharing.
Maegan Heath 