[LM_NET] GEN: Questions for "Seasoned" School librarians or Supervisors

[Rebecca Dickenson <rebecca@DICKENSON.NET>]

I'm currently in my last semester of my MLS degree program.  As I start
thinking about applying for my first school librarian job, I had some
questions about your expectations for a new school librarian.  
If you’re willing to respond, please do so—email me off list, and I’ll
post a HIT if anyone indicates that they're interested in the answers
topic.  

Questions for "seasoned" librarians or supervisors: 
1. What do you expect a beginning school librarian (brand new graduate)
to be able to do? 

        a. Specific tech skills? Should they be able to build a library
webpage? Troubleshoot school computers? Troubleshoot the cataloging
program? Maintain the Accelerated Reader program? 

        b. What types of library lessons should they offer? Story-times,
Dewey Decimal orientation, information literacy skills, support for
class research projects? 

        c. Collaboration with teachers? Do you expect to see them
actively seeking out what teachers need, or simply working well with the
teachers that approach them?  

        d. What sort of relationship/rapport with administrators? With
library aides? Student clerks? 

        e. What knowledge of procedures for ordering materials should
they have or quickly obtain? Should they rely mostly on book reviews and
curriculum guides, or solicit suggestions from teachers, students,
administrators? How should they go about that? 

        f. Would you expect beginning librarians to be able to offer
special programs? Book Clubs? Inviting children’s authors in to speak? 
        
        g. Should they have membership/be active in professional
associations? What journals or research should they be reading? 

        
2.  How your expectations in the same areas be different for a school
librarian with about 4 years of experience? What areas do you expect
them to know more about or to have really developed in that period of
time?

Rebecca Dickenson
MIS student (UT Knoxville) 
7th Grade teacher (Heritage Middle School, Maryville TN) 
rebecca@dickenson.net

  

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