Building Level Responsibilities and Relationships Contents
Library Media Specialist
Library Media Clerk
Building Level Administrator
Technology Specialist
Resource Specialists
Student Assistants
Volunteers
School Library Media Advisory Committee
Teacher
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In addition to the Library Media Specialist, each school may have a Technology Specialist, a Curriculum Resource Teacher/Learning Specialist and a variety of support staff such as Media Clerks and Technology Clerks. It is essential that people in these positions work in harmony with one another for the benefit of the entire school.
Library Media Specialist
The Library Media Specialist is a member of the teaching faculty and a certified professional who reports to the principal and administers a library media program to help students and faculty obtain maximum benefit from the educational program. As a professional, the media specialist is expected to maintain currency in the field by participating in staff developments and keeping abreast of new and emerging concepts and technologies.
The consistent role of the Library Media Specialist is SERVICE. This is accomplished through collaboration, leadership and technology. These themes guide the library media specialist in providing an effective student centered program. Information Power, ALA, 1998, outlines four major areas of the library media specialist’s responsibilities.
Roles of a Library Media Specialist:
Teacher Role:
- Develops a thorough knowledge of the curriculum.
- Teaches information literacy in all subject areas according to state standards.
- Advocates integrated information-based instruction to prepare students to become independent and lifelong learners.
Typical Duties of Teacher Role:
- Teaches library information skills and promotes information literacy.
- Collaborates with classroom teacher in designing, implementing and evaluating instruction.
- Understands the role of technology in instruction, student learning and professional development.
- Establishes a media program that encourages a variety of materials and activities to stimulate learning and to develop students’ skills in reading, writing listening, evaluating and communicating.
- Applies current and innovative methodology in delivering instruction.
- Provides opportunities for discovery and exploration of library media resources.
- Promotes state and local reading contests to encourage reading. (i.e. Sunshine State Young Readers’ Award, Battle of the Books and Florida Teens’ Read.)
Instructional Partner
- Collaborates in curriculum development and technology planning to promote information literacy.
- Participates on instructional teams and as a curricular leader.
- Serves on decision-making committees within the school and within the community.
Typical duties of Instructional Partner Role:
- Provides orientation and assistance to parents, faculty, interns and students.
- Assists teachers in integrating library media services and instruction with classroom learning by preparing units involving library information center resources as well as correlating information skills to the FCAT.
- Continues personal professional development and provides an in-service program for teachers which stimulate effective utilization of media and the development of innovative activities.
- Utilizes and embraces emerging technology not only with video production, the media management system and electronic resources, but also in planning curriculum with faculty.
- Provides teachers with information about new materials and recent media developments and assists them in the selection and utilization of these materials and equipment to support learning objectives.
- Assumes a leadership role in promoting the principles of intellectual freedom.
Information Specialist
- Evaluates and promotes information resources.
- Teaches strategies for locating, accessing and evaluating information.
- Promotes use of technology for students and faculty.
Typical Duties of Information Specialist Role:
- Establishes specific guidelines and procedures for selection and evaluation of media resources and equipment.
- Processes, organizes and maintains all materials and equipment for quick easy accessibility and maintains a professional library collection.
- Plans and maintains a relevant professional collection and promotes professional development of the staff.
- Provides leadership in the integration of technology into all areas of the curriculum and the instructional practices of the faculty.
- Serves as a resource person to administrators, teachers, students and parents.
Program Administrator
- Develops effective policies and procedures that reflect legal guidelines and professional ethics.
- Develops and evaluates the collection to meet the diverse learning needs of students.
- Manages the staff, budget, facilities and provides instructional staff development with ongoing administrative support.
Typical Duties of Program Administrator Role:
- Establishes goals, objectives, priorities and strategies in planning library media programs that are integrated with other school programs.
- Provides ongoing evaluation of the library media programs and makes program modifications as needed.
- Formulates and submits budget requests with written justification based on specific program needs for an effective library media program.
- Solicits input from parents, faculty and students for selection and implementation of media resources and programs.
- Promotes the use of the media center with liberal loan procedures for teacher and student use of materials and equipment.
- Promotes cooperative arrangements with other library media centers and supportive agencies within the district including the Orange County Library System.
- Provides access of the library media center for individual and group study throughout the school day by establishing and maintaining an orderly scheme of furniture and space for user needs and convenience.
- Develops written duties and time schedules for effective use of all library media center staff (clerks, students and volunteers).
- Establishes routines and procedures in evaluating, selecting, ordering, processing, organizing and circulating materials.
- Maintains inventory and maintenance records of all media and provides central distribution and accountability for media.
(See Data Collection form for Media Specialists or visit: http://intranet.ocps.net/FormsManagement/Data_Collection_Media_Specialist_Technology_Specialist_112005.pdf )
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Library Media Clerk
The school library media clerk performs various clerical and technical tasks as assigned under the supervision of the library media specialist.
Typical Duties
- Assists teachers and students
- Locates materials.
- Pulls curriculum materials.
- Delivers and operates equipment.
- Assists in production of materials.
- Files catalogs, materials, and correspondence.
- Records statistics such as circulation and attendance.
- Performs clerical tasks such as operating the media management computer, inventory, word processing, graphics, telecommunications, bibliographies, requisitions and reports.
- Assists in processing new materials such as receiving, cataloguing, shelving, circulation, record keeping and maintenance.
- Assists in maintaining collection including repairs, organization, and running and circulating overdue items.
- Assists in maintaining inventory and circulation records on all equipment
- Maintains, cleans, repairs and inventories equipment.
- Communicates with technology repair about needed repair work.
- Maintains property receipt forms for off campus equipment.
- Assists in weeding and discarding materials.
- Assists with student assistants (i.e., reading shelves)
- Assists in video production skills including recording scheduling and broadcasting on CCTV.
- Assists in copy machine operation and maintenance.
- Assists in yearly inventory.
- Assists in special library media activities such as the Book Fair.
- Staffs and maintains records for the school store.
(See Media Clerk I Job Description)
(See Media Clerk II Job Description) or visit http://intranet.ocps.net/personnelFrameset.htm )
Building Level Administrator
The principal or building level administrator will be responsible for evaluating the library media specialist and ensuring that the library media center maintains its position as the resource center of the school. Where applicable, the principal shall be responsible for implementing Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The principal appoints a School Library Media Advisory Committee. The principal budgets sufficient funds annually at the school level to maintain media services at a high level and to conform to applicable state statutes and accreditation standards.
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The Library Media Specialist works in close cooperation with the Technology Specialist. Each is part of the resource team to provide leadership at the school level. They collaborate on purchases that conform to the curriculum goals. They also work together to create and implement the school’s five year technology plan. Some technology specialists with the help of the Media Specialist develop their own Acceptable Use Policies. However, a county version is now available for all users at: See Internet User Policy or visit http://intranet.ocps.net/FormsManagement/Internet_Policy_082001.PDF
The resource specialists are additional members of the school’s resource team. These may include: Curriculum Resource Teacher (CRT), Learning Resource Specialist (LRS), Reading Coach, Instructional Coaches and Literacy Coach. The Resource Specialists and Library Media Specialist collaborate on staff development, curriculum planning and special programs. The resource team jointly makes decisions that will benefit the staff and students.
Student Assistants
Student assistants in the library media center may perform many routine tasks as directed by the library media specialist.
Typical Duties may include:
- Checks in/out materials
- Shelves materials and reads shelves.
- Delivers equipment and materials.
- Sets up and operates computers and other equipment.
- Assists teachers and students in the operation of equipment.
- Assists teachers and students in implementation of software.
- Picks up mail and deliveries.
- Assists with processing of new materials.
- Verifies bibliographies.
- Files publisher’s catalogs.
- Prepares bulletin boards, displays and signs.
- Other tasks may be assigned according to special interests and skills.
- Assists with book fairs.
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Volunteers are an integral part of the library media program. They encourage community support of media programs and promote good school, home and community relations.
Volunteers must be registered as an ADDition to receive full credit for volunteering. This may be done via the internet at: https://volunteer.ocps.net/HowtoADDitions.asp
Typical Duties may include:
- Word processing and filing.
- Read and tells stories.
- Supervise student use of computers.
- Assist in locating materials.
- Prepares displays and bulletin boards.
- Repairs books and other materials.
- Shelves materials.
- Assists with special programs and activities such as the Book Fair.
The principal appoints a School Library Media Advisory Committee comprised of the faculty media specialist as well as representation from the faculty, local School Advisory Committee, PTA, and where applicable, the student body. This committee may recommend to the principal school library media policies, rules and procedures. It shall coordinate and participate in the evaluation of the total school media program.
Members of the School Library Media Advisory Committee may be called upon to be a part of a review committee if a challenge should occur.
Teacher
The teacher incorporates the library media resources, services and facilities into the curriculum and encourages student interests.
Teacher responsibilities include:
- Becomes familiar with the material and services available in the media center.
- Plans individual and group visitation times and units of instruction collaborating with the media specialist.
- Helps students develop personal responsibility for library media materials.
- Works with the media specialist to utilize a variety of media in classroom activities.
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