This document discusses the roles and responsibilities of school librarians, including acting as instructional leaders and constantly updating their skills. It emphasizes that leadership is about building relationships to guide groups to success. Several sources discuss how effective school library programs require librarians to take leadership roles in collaboration, shared decision-making, and empowering teachers. Evidence-based practice and action research can help librarians demonstrate how school library programs impact student achievement.

1. LIB 604
Libraries in the School Curriculum
Spring 2013
School Librarians
and Leadership

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A curricular leader and a full participant
on the instructional team, the library
media specialist constantly updates
personal skills and knowledge in order
to work effectively with teachers,
administrators, and other staff--both to
expand their general understanding of
information issues and to provide them
with specific opportunities to develop
sophisticated skills in information
literacy, including the uses of
information technology.
Roles and Responsibilities of the School Library Media Specialist
(from Chapter 1, "The Vision," of Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Copyright ©
1998 American Library Association and Association for Educational Communications and Technology. )

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The newest set of
guidelines from the
American
Association of
Chapter IV
School Librarians Empowering learning
(AASL).
through leadership:
• Guideline:
The school library media
program is built by professionals who
model leadership and best practices
for the school community
− Empowering Learners: Guidelines for
School Library Media Programs

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At its essence, leading is all about relationships
– growing the connections among individuals
that permit collective, collaborative thinking
and action.
Leaders motivate, join forces in articulating a
common vision and goals, and support others
in conceiving and implementing plans for
action.
February 10, 2013

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We say, “So-and-so is a born leader.”
No such thing. Leadership is a
relationship between a person and
a group plus the skills to guide the
group to success. As with any
relationship, success depends on
both parties. One group’s stellar
leader may fail utterly when
leading another group.
Stever Robbins:
Stever Column - The Essence of Leadership
8/25/2003
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Leadership is a relationship between those who
aspire to lead and those who chose to follow.
Sometimes the relationship is one-to-one.
Sometimes it’s one-to-many. But regardless of
whether the number is one or one thousand,
leadership is a relationship.
Leadership Development is Character Development
By JIM KOUZES and BARRY POSNER
February 10, 2013

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Leadership is not just dependent on
an individual’s unique qualities.
“Successful leaders have learned
to view their organizations’
environment in a holistic way.”
(Leadership for School Culture,
1994). They understand and
model the core values of the
institution.
Leading on the Wave of Change
Knowledge Quest on the Web:
January/February 2001
Debbie Abilock, Editor

8. Preparing for Leadership
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Teachers provide a powerful and
insightful voice regarding
decisions about school change
because teachers have
knowledge of local school
conditions
. . . a teacher’s power is essential
both within and beyond the
walls of the classroom.
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Various studies indicate that
effective teacher leadership
involves a move away from
top-down, hierarchical modes
of functioning and a move
toward shared decision-
making, teamwork, and
community building.
Teachers as Leaders in Education Reform.
ERIC Digest by Wynne, Joan

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Being creative
Being interactive
Being vision-headed
Empowering others (by encouraging
participation and involvement)
Being passionate about their work
 Based on Leadership: A Communication
Perspective (2003), reproduced in Empowering
Learners (AASL, 2009).

11. Preparing for Leadership
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Academic achievement increases when school
librarians are leaders in their schools.
Library media specialists who seek leadership
roles and partnerships with administrators
create strong library media programs
translating into academic achievement.
This is an indirect relationship. That is,
leadership translates to higher
collaboration with teachers in creating
quality learning experiences that in turn,
has a direct impact on academic
achievement.
David Loertscher
Powering Achievement:
February 10, 2013 School Library Media Programs Make a Difference
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 Loertscher: Leadership and Achievement
PowerPoint Slides
For Colorado (and other) studies see School Library
Impact Studies

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15. http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/leadership.html

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Understanding the
concept and process of
action research will
prepare the library media
specialist to take a
leadership role in
improving both the
library media center and
the entire school program.

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Evidence-Based Practice is not complicated. It is a
simple process of paying attention to
what you do and keeping a record of
how that helps teachers and
students. As Ross Todd explains,
Evidence-Based Practice is
“knowing and showing how the
school library program helps
students learn.” For more
information on Evidence-Based
Practice, please click here.
Read Building Evidence-based Practice Through
Action Research by V.H. Harada.

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