Chapters 3, 12 and 14

Chapter 3: Becoming a Library Media Specialist

            Chapter 3 covers the reasons why people become library media specialists; what a library media specialist does and the schooling and testing involved. The author also discusses the practical aspects of finding and landing a Library Media Specialist job. I love when author Blanche Woolls said that a library media specialist should be enthusiastic about learning, knowledgeable about technology and teaching and should be always enthusiastic about the accomplishments of their students.

            I didn’t know anything about the fact that there are three types of certification until one of my fellow students mentioned it. So, I was interested when the author talked about the three types—emergency, temporary and permanent. When there are two few qualified applicants, a school district can assign an emergency certification. Someone still in college can sometimes receive a temporary certification but they must try for a permanent certification within a designated time period. Each state has its own requirements for permanent certification.

            Woolls covers the basics of finding a library job—writing a resume and cover letter, obtaining a reference letter from the practicum supervisor, subscribing to educational job hotlines and more. She also talks about how once you find a job, the learning doesn’t stop there. Every library media specialist should be hungry to learn new things and to continue to take classes. They should also be cheerleaders for the profession.

Chapter 12: On the Job: Advocacy and the Media Center

            If Library Media Specialists want to keep their jobs, then they have to market themselves and their libraries to administrators, teachers, students and parents. According to the author, they need to market the services they provide to teachers and students. These include requested and perceived needed services, services that teachers and students may not even know exist and, of course, new services and technology that many students and staff might not even know exist. Librarians should also market new materials and special collections that are available.

            Besides knowing what services and materials to market, a LMS must know how to market themselves and their library. A marketing strategy needs to be devised and different responsibilities assigned to each person involved. A test to see if the marketing is successful can provide great feedback and help a LMS adjust where needed. It’s always helpful to then do a final evaluation of the market strategy.

            And then, promote, promote, promote! LMS’s should promote themselves and their libraries through ads in the school paper or Web site; over the intercom (if available), flyers for teachers, asking for some time to speak at teacher’s meetings, daily or weekly trivia contests, displays, posters, anything one can dream up to get the word out about the need for librarians and their libraries. Library media specialists should always be ready to do presentations also. This is a great way to also promote the position to the community.

Chapter 14: Cooperation, Networking and Social Networking

            Public and school libraries have a history of cooperation. A lack of resources lead public and school libraries to cooperate and to network with each other. Statewide databases allow libraries to share the same resources. Through the use of the World Wide Web and the Internet, library media specialists help teachers and students to network with many different people from across the globe. One of the LMS’s most important jobs is to teach students how to use the Web properly and ethically. There is a plethora of information out there and LMS’s must teach students how to know which sites are reliable and authoritative and how to research effectively.

With the explosion of social networking sites, students need to be made aware of how much and what types of information should be allowed on these sites. Cyber bullying and the spreading of rumors can lead to devastating results. It’s up to the library media specialist to teach the students how to use these sites safely.
            LMS’s must also embrace new technology and enthusiastically teach it to others. Blogs, wikis, podcasting, screencasting, videocasting, digital storytelling—so many new technologies are coming out every day and many can help enhance the learning environment. With all the electronic books available now, librarians and teachers need to embrace this technology as a way to help students learn and, hopefully help them want to read more. We need to make our students more globally aware and this can be achieved through networking and today’s new technology.

Citation:

Woolls, Blanche.  The School Library Media Manager.  Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited, 2008.

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