Elementary Library Media Specialists (and others who can benefit):
I posted a question weeks ago concerning justification and documentation of
preservation of administrative and clerical time to "NON-LIBRARY" central
office personnel who in turn are suppose to be our spokesperson. The replies
were appreciated and forwarded to an elementary media specialist who in turn took
the replies to create the information below. It was sent to a central office
administrator. Nothing from the administrator, yet. I thought someone else could
benefit from the information. (no need to "reinvent the wheel" ...to coin a phrase)
The information would add to or make an informative flyer, etc.
Thanks to all who sent comments, suggestions, and tips. A special thanks to the
elementary library media specialist who took on this task !
Robert Joyce
Halifax County, Virginia
Elementary Library Media Specialist preK-6
robert@gcronline.com
Librarians' Schedules
School librarians need non-scheduled class time in their schedules because of all
the responsibilities and functions the position of school library media specialist
entails. Elementary school librarians not only meet with and teach whole classrooms
for 30 to 50 minutes each on a weekly basis, but in order to do this they must have
Collaborating/Planning time as well as sufficient Clerical /Processing time for all
the books, periodicals and audiovisuals purchased, housed and maintained in our
Library Media Centers. The school library media specialists
Design and implement the elementary media program, policies and procedures.
Select materials for purchase after extensive time reading reviews and trying to
find the best values in order to stretch the limited budget as far as it can go.
These materials include books for both students and teachers, periodicals for
students, periodicals that provide teachers with professional literature relevant
to the curriculum, and audiovisuals to support the various SOLs and curriculum.
Organize proper record-keeping to manage their budgets.
Process new material by checking it against the P.O., stamping it with school
name, barcoding, labeling, cataloging, entering into computer, making and/or filing
shelf list cards, and then promoting its use.
Identify and label books for Accelerated Reader, and see that tests are
available for the new books purchased.
Monitor (or “weed”) the collections for obsolete, worn and damaged, stereotyped
materials. When discarding anything, it must be stamped DISCARDED, barcodes
removed, shelf list card pulled and the record deleted from the computer.
Participate in state, regional and county-level associations, meetings and
in-services.
Shelve books ( if they are not where they are supposed to be, then they are
“lost” and of no use if we cannot put our hands on them).
Repair books.
Pull books and audiovisuals for teachers.
Train and supervise library volunteers and student helpers.
Communicate regularly with students, faculty, principals and parents.
Assist students in finding books, research materials and using the computers.
Check books out/in.
Keep track of and collect fines for overdue, damaged and lost books.
Sometimes schedule and manage the school book fairs, and in a few schools plan,
order, host and distribute the Reading Is Fundamental program books.
Additional duties outside of administering the Library Media Center and its program
as the “hub” of the school usually include
Bus duty, although in 1985 the SACS visitation team cited a local school for
having the librarian pull bus duty because that resulted in the Library Media
Center not being available to teachers and/or students for research, planning and
gathering materials during the contract time that falls before and after the school
day's instructional time.
Serving on SACS, SIP, SCA and PTO committees that involve after school
meetings, as well as homework assistance after-school programs, make it so that
duties such as shelving, ordering, processing, planning … cannot be done during the
after school hours on days these committees meet. Clerical duties for the most part
cannot be done from home in the evenings because the computer system and the books
and materials and bookshelves must remain in the schools.
Sufficient time is needed within the contract school day for the librarian/library
media specialist to attend the required Clerical/Processing and
Collaborating/Planning duties. A new Arkansas state law just passed this spring
requires school librarians to have 1/3 of their contract time for administrative
duties. In Alabama, the State Department of Education recommends 60% of the
librarian's time is instructional and 40% is set aside for maintenance of the
library.
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