Goals and Objectives:

It is important to set and continually review goals and objectives in order to serve as a successful librarian.  The University of Oklahoma’s Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) program provides courses that assist me in meeting these goals and objectives.  The programs also set the foundations that I will expand on in order to serve efficiently as a school librarian.  During the first semester in the MLIS program, I set individual learning goals and objectives using the Competencies for Libraries Serving Children in Public Libraries (http://www.ala.org/alsc/edcareeers/alsccorecomps), the American Library Association’s (ALA) Core Competences of Librarianship (http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/sites/ala.org.educationcareers/files/content/careers/corecomp/corecompetences/finalcorecompstat09.pdf), the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National School Library Standards (http://standards.aasl.org/), and the ALA/AASL Standards for Initial Preparation of School Librarians (2010)(http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aasleducation/schoollibrary/2010_standards_with_rubrics_and_statements_1-31-11.pdf).

Individual Learning Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: To acquire skills and knowledge to be an effective school librarian.

• Objective 1: Understand the information behavior of users and their information needs.
• Objective 2: Stay current on users’ needs by gathering data and keeping current on trends, resources, and research.
• Objective 3: Implement lessons and support the use of appropriate information materials to support children in teacher-led, group, and independent information gathering and research.
• Objective 4: Be familiar with developmentally-appropriate educational practices and standards.
• Objective 5: Be knowledgeable of the diversity of the children I serve and the many factors that influence their lives.
• Objective 6: Offer engaging and quality materials, activities, and events that serve library users and their caregivers.
• Objective 7: Understand, obtain, and implement appropriate technology.
• Objective 8: Collaborate with other educators to assist student achievement.

Goal 2: To have the ability to advocate and justify the importance of school librarians.

• Objective 1: Understand how libraries enhance teaching and student learning.
• Objective 2: Effectively communicate with stakeholders and administration.
• Objective 3: Justify the content and delivery method of lessons and activities.

Goal 3: Serve as an effective leader of a library program within a school.

• Objective 1: Understand federal, state, local, and school policies.
• Objective 2: Provide leadership to effectively manage others within the library program.
• Objective 3: Understand successful organization including physical aspects, cataloging, classification, and metadata.
• Objective 4: Acquire materials to provide a diverse, inclusive, and ethical collection.
• Objective 5: Have the skills to create and adhere to a budget. This will include being knowledgeable of sources of funding.

Goal 4: Continue learning in an effort to be a highly effective librarian.

• Objective 1: Take courses in the Master of Library and Information Science that will help me gain the skills I need.
• Objective 2: Partake in self-evaluation to identify my insufficiencies.
• Objective 3: Participate in professional development opportunities.
• Objective 4: Participate in professional organizations that focus on information studies and/or librarianship.

Statement of Professional Goals:

My professional goal is to become a school librarian.  My goals and objectives have been created so that I have the understanding and skill set to provide effective services and resources to children, their caretakers, school personnel, and administration.  I hope I also have the opportunity to serve the community as well.  Currently, I plan to serve children in an early childhood or elementary setting; however, I am open to serving children of any age.  Most of my current experience is serving children ages five, six, seven, and eight as I have been a first grade teacher for eight years and a music teacher for one year.  I aspire to assist these children in becoming citizens who are caring, connected, and critical thinkers.  My goal is to encourage children to become lifelong learners and to seek information.  I hope to better understand what motivates these behaviors, so I can make a broad and deeply effective impact.

My purpose of pursuing a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) degree is to understand information organization, access, and retrieval and to enhance my skills to motivate other to seek, evaluate, and utilize information.  As a librarian, I would have the ability to supply numerous others with learning opportunities and resources.  I would, hopefully, be able to offer these opportunities to students, educators, administration, and the public.

As a professional, my goal is to become the most effective school librarian possible.  In my school career as well as my professional career I hold high goals for myself.  As an educator, I attained Teacher of the Year for my school site and my district.  I am always collecting data and information on how to better myself and my instruction.  The Master of Library and Information Studies program has added a tremendous amount of knowledge about the innumerable aspects of information.  The program has inspired me, and will continue to motivate, in the research realm.  I am confident it has guided me into becoming a facilitator of inquiry, critical thinking, and problem-solving.  Most importantly, I will have the tools to research methods to help others become seekers of information who think critically about what they find and share.