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 * Personal Beliefs and Goals Statement**

To introduce my personal beliefs and goals, I have chosen to post two assignments that asked us to reflect on ourselves as school library media specialists. The Manifesto was written in my first library class, and the Vision Statement was written about halfway through my program.

School Librarian Manifesto ** 60670: Foundations of Library and Information Science

Fall 2008, Dr. Boon

I will put my patrons first. They are my reason for being here.

I will get to know my patrons and their community so that I can better meet their needs. I will listen to what they say and provide a forum for communication, such as a Teen Advisory Group. I will listen to what their parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators say about them so that I can provide resources needed for their growth.

I will provide all my patrons with equal access to information. As we live in a democratic society, I must uphold their right to information. If they are to learn the skills of comparing and analyzing, judging and critiquing, arguing and persuading, I must provide a wide range of materials to read and view. I cannot allow subtle or overt censorship as that is decidedly un-American. I must also provide materials of various ability levels to meet all learners’ needs.

I am a key player in my patrons’ education. I will partner with teachers and be actively involved in curriculum planning and student learning. I will not sit at my desk, unapproachable. I will be a roaming facilitator of learning.

In my role as librarian, I will help students and teachers learn information literacy skills. As the amount of information increases and the methods of retrieving it are rapidly changing, I will be there to help find the best information in a reasonable amount of time. I will also encourage and nurture the curiosity and patience needed to research, process, and utilize information.

I will promote a love of reading and literacy. I will provide materials that are age-appropriate and high interest to entice teens to read for pleasure. I will model reading whenever I am able and provide venues for teens to share their reading experiences through recommendations and book clubs.

I am in a position to help my patrons navigate through the Technology Age. I will provide them with the current resources and training they need to be 21st century learners and citizens.

I will make the physical environment of the library comfortable and appealing to the teens using it. It should be their home-away-from-home during the school day.

I will keep my priorities straight and put people, especially teens, first.


 * My SLMS Vision Statement**

LIS 60607: School Library Media Center

November 2009, Dr. Harper I firmly believe that a School Library Media Specialist (SLMS) is at the center of a successful school. As the AASL suggests, four main roles exist: teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and administrator. Each part promotes the vision and best practices of the district and the individual school. My personal goal is to keep the people I serve first and then consider the resources, physical space, and other tangibles. Everything I do will revolve around the people I serve. I must be able to justify every decision I make by assessing its effects on my patrons.

The role of teacher-librarian is of great importance to me. Based on the standards set by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) and the American Association of School Libraries (AASL), my stated job is to teach students information literacy skills in a variety of settings and to all students. As information literacy crosses the disciplines, SLMS’s are in a pivotal position in student education; many teachers do not actively address these skills, but “education needs to change if the United States is going to remain competitive in the global marketplace” (Formanack 28). Much current library dialogue suggests that librarians can and should be the leaders in this shift. My goal is to use my expertise in learning theory and practice to help students grow in a multitude of ways (with consideration of multiple intelligences and the Developmental Assets) to prepare them for future success. I believe in educating the whole child, and, without being tied to a particular discipline, I will have opportunities to extend student learning across the curriculum, to help students to see connections among disciplines and with the world at large, to promote self-selected learning and research, and to promote “non-tested” learning goals, such as reading for pleasure. Through well-chosen programming, I may be able to reach students who do not usually visit the library as well as those who are regulars. In addition, I will provide a safe haven for students in a noisy and/or formal school environment. I will design and maintain a comfortable and engaging physical space that invites kids to browse, research, read, collaborate, rest, and, ultimately, take ownership of their learning.

Another primary goal of a SLMS is to be a helpful and knowledgeable instructional partner to the administration and teachers. As teachers have direct impact on student achievement, I can help students by helping teachers. For example, the ODE School Library Service Model has a graphic of the little red school house with the discipline areas connected on webs; the library is at the center of all disciplines (Ohio Department of Education 265). It is my job to collaborate with teachers to find appropriate, engaging resources for their curriculum needs. I can help them align curriculum to the state standards and to incorporate Web 2.0 practices such as wikis and blogs. Zmuda and Harada suggested that the LMS is reframed as a “Learning Specialist.” In this vein, my goal is to be an active in departmental decision-making and curriculum planning. It is also my job to provide a current, stimulating professional collection so that my colleagues’ professional needs are met (Franklin and Stephens). My goal is to keep teachers updated on new resources and technology through newsletters, announcements, and in-services. I am in a unique position to teach the teachers. My goal as information specialist is a powerful one. I need to grow my expertise in the areas of literature, curriculum resources, research, information literacy, copyright and plagiarism, and technology, just to name some of the most important. I must continue my own professional development by participating in library listservs and blogs, by reading professional journals, by collaborating with local librarians, and by attending workshops, conferences, and even classes. It is not enough to harbor my knowledge and skills; my goal is to share what I know and to document how this information is disseminated and used by my patrons. I need to demystify these concepts to my colleagues and help them feel comfortable learning and using new information, resources, and technology.

The role of administrator is very important; without its functions, there would be no library. Collection development is at the heart of library work. I will honor the Library Bill of Rights: I will choose resources to meet the differentiated needs of all of my patrons. I will provide equal access to all my patrons. I will not practice nor allow intentional or unintentional censorship in my library acquisitions, policies, or collaborations. I will defend my patrons’ right to equal access of information as well as their privacy throughout the process. To make my job more transparent, I will create policy statements that guide my selection and weeding processes. I will share information with all stakeholders so they are privy to key information that may impact library services, good or bad. I will market my library and recruit advocates. I can do this through regular presentations to the faculty, PTA, Board, and even the community. In budgeting, I will be fiscally responsible with the district money. I will follow Board- approved selection criteria and align all resources with state curriculum and teacher needs. I will consult reviews by trusted professional sources in order to select high-quality, age-appropriate, and engaging resources. I will have a long-range resource selection and maintenance plan that takes into account emergencies such as water damage, theft, and failed levies. I will manage library personnel professionally, fairly, and with dignity. I will do all I can to keep the library and SLMS available during school hours. Finally, as an administrator, my job is to evaluate the library media center: facility, personnel, resources, procedures, policies, programs, etc. I will create evaluation plans that address particular goals to make my library better. Loertscher’s article “What flavor is your school library? The teacher-librarian as learning leader” suggested that there are many flavors or types of librarians. My goal is to provide the flavor that the school and its patrons need at a particular point in time. The needs of a school and its patrons will most likely change over time and in various circumstances; it is my job to assess what services are needed and to provide them.

While my professional goal is to provide quality services to my patrons, my personal goal is to make a difference in the lives of my patrons. This is an intangible goal, but it drives everything I do as a teacher. Likewise, I hope I will be a successful school librarian with a collection of “warm fuzzies.” I hope students come back to visit me after they graduate and tell me that the library or I made even a small impact on them. This is my ultimate goal.

References Formanack, Gail. “The Importance of Language: the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and AASL Standards.” //School Library Media Activities Montly// XXV.1 (September 2008): 28-30.

Frankin, Pat, and Claire Gatrell Stephens. “Professionally Speaking: //You Need a// //Professional Collection//!” //School Library Media Activities Monthly// XXIV.1 (September 2007): 43-44.

Loertscher, David. “What flavor is your school library? The teacher-librarian as learning leader." //Teacher Librarian// 34.2 (December 2006): 8-12.

Morris, Betty. “The New AASL Guidelines and Standards Will Lead the Profession.” Knowledge Quest 32.4 (March/April 2004): 29-31.

Ohio Department of Education. //Academic Content Standards: K-12 Guidelines:// //Library.// December 2004.

Zmuda, Allison, and Violet H. Harada. “Reframing the Library Media Specialist as a Learning Specialist.” //School Library Media Activities Monthly// XXIV.8 (April 2008): 42-46.