Like all roles in schools, that of the Teacher Librarian (TL) exists within the confines of industrial legislation, leadership planning, and student learning and supervision. While that may seem like a bland set of parameters for any role in a school, it is very important to understand the constraints within which this role in schools is confined. Advocacy for teacher rights and defence of working conditions has always been the boundaries within which teaching role descriptions have
been established.
It is revealing to read about the traditions and stereotypes specifically attached to the Teacher Librarian role – visions of twin-sets and pearls with screwed up faces declaring “Shhhh!” (Korodaj, 2011) – and compare it to advocacy declarations of untapped expertise (Gillespie, 2006), potential for professional coaching (Harvey, 2011), and teacher leadership in new skills for a new century (ASLA, 2013). Somehow, the Teacher Librarian has to navigate a path amongst all this expectation, and find a way to value-add to student learning in a new paradigm, and resource the curriculum for other teaching staff. It is, afterall, an expensive undertaking to resource a modern library and provide qualified staff to empower users of this facility to benefit from this significant investment. The modern Teacher Librarian is much more than a keeper of books, and will be compelled to make their presence known – define their own value and inject it into the needs of their learning community. This is the ultimate advocacy – making the role ubiquitous and indispensable while managing it with grace and professionalism.
My participation thus far in the Teacher Librarian role in NSW DEC schools has come about through the mentoring of Principals. At the end of 2012, my then Principal approached me to fill the role of Teacher Librarian for a LSL Temporary Contract for 2013. Ostensibly presented as a fit for my skill set, with experience in corporate database management (from another career), capabilities in inquiry and knowledgable in technology support, proven expertise in innovative practice and a love of literature and literacy improvement reaching back to my own school memories of Brecht, Hesse, Orwell and Sartre. The Teacher Librarian role seemed an appropriate fit. Since then it has become an opportunity to branch out into other schools and now be offered a permanent position based on completion of the MEd(TL).
However, these last two calendar years have also been a revelation regarding the complexities of the role of Teacher Librarian, and the advocacy challenges facing this role in schools. To be succinct, in my view, the TL role is a Project Manager’s nightmare. Constantly responding to demands from all quarters, analysing systems and providing solutions to multiple complex problems each day, while resourcing a curriculum, managing a budget, teaching, supervising and supporting students throughout the day, liaising with staff members, supervising secretarial support, maintaining a collection – nurturing, supporting, teaching, resolving! Quite often the Teacher Librarian role is the stuff of Chaos Theory – a butterfly takes flight, resulting in the arrival of a storm, and the TL steps into the vortex to provide solutions, support learning and make the story have a happy ending – or lend the perfect book that provides one. My hope is that ETL401 will help to provide some clarity within the role description in order that I might develop a Strategic Plan for my new role.
Deb Hogg
Reference list:
Australian School Library Association (ASLA) 2013, Future learning and school libraries. ASLA, Canberra, ACT.
Gillespie, Ann M. (2006) Teacher-librarian contributions to student literacy standards. pp. 1-85. (Unpublished) http://eprints.qut.edu.au/20410/1/c20410.pdf
Harvey, Carl A. (2011) The Coach in the Library. Educational Leadership, Vol. 69, No. 2, Oct 2011
Korodaj, L. (2011). Chameleons embracing change: considering the image of the teacher librarian. Access (10300155), 25(4), 16-19.
Please note: image inserted in this post was created by Deb Hogg in the Noteography app on an iPad
Hi Deb,
This is an interesting blog post, showing your experience of the TL role, and your concern that all the myriad pieces are a project manager’s nightmare! You do need this subject to help you prioritise these many facets, and I hope it does.
You might have used more sources for this post, and will obviously use more for the Connections article. But you’re using them correctly.
Well done.
Lee
ETL401 SC
Not sure how to express this but there is also a role in welfare. The TL often has quite a different relationship with students. Also we are a little like a trade union organiser. We can liaise equally with workers (student) Middle managers (teachers) and bosses. We live in many different worlds in the library. The world of imagination, the world of knowledge, the world of curriculum, the world of exemplary learning design, the world of management including budgeting, staffing etc This might explain in part our isolation. Where do we fit? We have budgets and staff which is quite a different experience to classroom teachers. We need to know about all subjects. We need to form relationships with often large numbers of students and with staff from different grades or faculties, and with office staff and with school executives. It can feel like juggling balls – even with expertise and experience sometimes they do slip out of our hands. The library and more importantly the teacher-librarian should be such a central figure in the school although sadly this is not always the case nor it is always the vision of the school or the school Principal. A new sign was put up in my library last week – it is about behaviour this new scheme called PBEL. The sign says “in the classroom we …” it was interesting to hear one boy say on reading the sign – this is not a classroom. I was all ready to jump in when nearly all the other students howled him down. “Of course this is a classroom!”. Then I said do you agree it is the best classroom in the whole school – YES!!!! they shouted.