Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) School Librarian Certificate Standards.
The knowledge and skills identified in this section must be used by an educator
preparation program in the development of curricula and coursework and by the
State Board for Educator Certification as the basis for developing the
examination required to obtain the School Librarian Certificate. The standards
also serve as the foundation for the professional growth plan and continuing
professional education activities required by §
239.65
of this title (relating to Requirements to Renew the Standard School Librarian
Certificate).
(b) Standard I.
Learner-Centered Teaching and Learning: The certified school librarian is an
educational leader who promotes the integration of curriculum, resources, and
teaching strategies to ensure the success of all students as the effective
creators and users of ideas and information, enabling them to become lifelong
learners. Accordingly, the certified school librarian must be able to do the
following activities with understanding and valuation of their importance:
(1) participate as an educational leader, an
equal partner, and a change agent in the curriculum development process at both
the school campus and school district levels;
(2) participate in curriculum design and
integrated planning of a shared school campus vision that focuses on reading,
teaching, and learning;
(3) model
and promote collaborative planning, cooperative teaching, and direct
instruction as determined by learners' needs and state curriculum
standards;
(4) direct and encourage
students in the ethical use of resources to locate, gather, select, synthesize,
and evaluate relevant information;
(5) work collaboratively with faculty to
provide students with opportunities to assume responsibility for planning and
engaging in independent learning;
(6) adapt teaching strategies to accommodate
the diverse learning needs of the student population;
(7) provide and promote ongoing staff
development for the learning community, particularly in the areas of
integration of information technology, information literacy, and literature
appreciation;
(8) provide and
promote ongoing learning opportunities for students, particularly in the areas
of integration of information technology and information literacy;
(9) direct and encourage students to read a
variety of fiction and nonfiction resources for personal and informational
needs;
(10) understand and evaluate
national, state, and local reading initiatives;
(11) create a learning environment in which
the diversity of groups and the uniqueness of individuals are recognized and
appreciated; and
(12) provide
instructional access to library resources and facilities through open, flexible
scheduling for classes, small groups, and individuals.
(c) Standard II. Learner-Centered Library
Program Leadership and Management: The certified school librarian is an
educational leader who promotes the success of all students by acquiring,
organizing, and managing information for use in a creative and exemplary
library program. Accordingly, the certified school librarian is a leader and
manager who must be able to do the following activities with understanding and
valuation of their importance:
(1) advocate
for the development of an exemplary library media program that encourages a
vision of excellence for all learners;
(2) synthesize information from a variety of
sources for effective decision making to develop and maintain an exemplary
library program;
(3) design
policies and procedures that comply with local, state, and federal laws and
policies while supporting sound decisions relating to school and library
instruction and programs;
(4)
establish partnerships within the learning community to support school district
and school campus goals through exemplary library programs;
(5) demonstrate effective leadership
strategies while working within school campus and school district
administrative structures to promote achievement of library program
goals;
(6) employ effective
interpersonal communication skills;
(7) implement effective strategies and
techniques to systematically perform library management operations such as
budgeting; purchasing; scheduling; managing and maintaining facilities and
resources; supervising adults and children; reporting; grant writing; and
overseeing circulation and inventory;
(8) collaborate with faculty to ensure that
the process of evaluating and selecting library resources provides
curriculum-related and leisure reading materials;
(9) design and implement acceptable use
policies for current and emerging technologies;
(10) use effective planning, time management,
and organization of work to maximize attainment of district and campus goals
through exemplary library programs; and
(11) monitor, assess, and employ existing and
emerging technologies for management applications.
(d) Standard III. Learner-Centered Technology
and Information Access: The certified school librarian is an educational leader
who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the use and
integration of technology, telecommunications, and information systems to
enrich the curriculum and enhance learning. Accordingly, the certified school
librarian must be able to do the following activities with understanding and
valuation of their importance:
(1) provide a
balanced, carefully selected, and systematically organized collection of
library resources that are sufficient to meet students' needs and are
continuously monitored to be current and relevant in each subject
area;
(2) model and promote the
highest standard of conduct, ethics, and integrity in the use of the Internet
and other print and electronic resources;
(3) employ existing and emerging technologies
to access, evaluate, and disseminate information for possible application to
instructional programs;
(4) promote
interlibrary loan policy to facilitate information access beyond the
campus;
(5) model information
problem-solving processes in providing instruction about reference and research
techniques; and
(6) participate in
state and national technology initiatives.
(e) Standard IV. Learner-Centered Library
Environment: The school librarian is an educational leader who promotes the
success of all students by establishing a climate in the library that enables
and encourages all members of the learning community to explore and meet their
information needs. Accordingly, the certified school librarian must be able to
do the following activities with understanding and valuation of their
importance:
(1) understand the principles of
exemplary library design as defined by state and federal guidelines for a
simultaneous-use facility for individuals, small groups, and classes;
(2) develop and maintain a flexible,
functional, and barrier-free library facility that conforms to national and
state library standards;
(3)
provide a safe, secure environment that is age appropriate;
(4) maximize available space to permit
displays of student-, faculty- and community-produced materials and
collections; and
(5) promote access
to resources and information during and beyond the instructional day and school
year.
(f) Standard V.
Learner-Centered Connections to the Community: The school librarian is an
educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating
with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests
and needs, and fostering the use of community resources. Accordingly, the
certified school librarian must be able to do the following activities with
understanding and valuation of their importance:
(1) promote awareness of and responsiveness
to learning differences and other types of diversity in the learning
community;
(2) exhibit effective
communication through oral, written, electronic, and nonverbal
expression;
(3) implement
strategies for effective internal and external communications;
(4) establish partnerships with businesses,
learning institutions, global communities, and other libraries and entities to
strengthen programs and support school campus goals;
(5) develop library programs that offer
families opportunities to participate in school activities and in their
children's education;
(6) advocate
access to resources and information during and beyond the instructional day and
school year; and
(7) develop and
implement a comprehensive program of community relations that uses strategies
to effectively involve and inform multiple constituencies, including the news
media.
(g) Standard VI.
Learner-Centered Information Science and Librarianship: As an educational
leader, the certified school librarian uses his or her unique knowledge base,
drawing from both education and library science, to promote the success of all
students and to provide experiences that help learners locate, evaluate, and
use information to solve problems while becoming lifelong readers and learners.
Accordingly, the certified school librarian must be able to do the following
activities with understanding and valuation of their importance:
(1) understand the role of all types of
libraries and information agencies in an integrated learning
environment;
(2) understand the
role of the school library media program as a central element in the
intellectual life of the school;
(3) know theories, principles, and skills
related to the selection, acquisition, organization, storage, retrieval, use,
and evaluation of information;
(4)
implement standard library procedures for classifying, cataloging, and
processing various resources that facilitate computerization and resource
sharing;
(5) evaluate and select
existing and emergent technologies in support of the library program;
(6) communicate effectively to patrons to
determine their information needs;
(7) demonstrate an understanding of
bibliographic and retrieval techniques needed to organize and use information
sources;
(8) use knowledge of
literature and information resources to help students select
materials;
(9) understand and model
principles of intellectual freedom, information access, privacy, and
proprietary rights;
(10) design and
use statistical reports to support an exemplary library program;
(11) use varied reading materials, programs,
and motivational strategies to guide the development of independent
readers;
(12) engage in continual
self-evaluation and self-directed learning for professional growth;
(13) maintain an active interest in and
contribute to appropriate local, state, regional, and national professional
associations and publications;
(14)
demonstrate ethical behavior in all professional contexts; and
(15) work collaboratively with other
information professionals in support of the library program and the
profession.
