The document discusses the American Association of School Librarians' (AASL) position statement and requirements for effective school library staffing, including the need for well-educated library professionals, support staff, and district library directors. It also provides examples of real-life school library staffing scenarios and how they align with the AASL requirements. Research on school librarians conducted by Lorna Code is discussed, showing how she advocated for maintaining certified library staff positions.

1. Mitchell Berman
LIS 773
Spring 2015

2.  The success of any school library program,
no matter how well designed, ultimately
depends on the quality and number of the
personnel responsible for managing the
instructional program in addition to the
library’s physical and virtual resources. A
well-educated library degreed professional
staff, supported by technical and clerical
staff, is crucial to build effective school
library programs.
http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/
resources/statements/staffing

3. FOUR BASIC
STAFFING
REQUIREMENTS
FROM AASL

4.  The library program is
serviced by one or more well-
educated library degreed
professionals working full-
time in the school library.

5.  In addition to library degreed
professionals, highly trained
technical and clerical support staff
is necessary for all library
programs at all grade levels. Each
school must employ at least one
full-time technical assistant or
clerk for each school librarian.

6.  More than one library degreed
professional is required in many
schools. The specific number of
additional professional staff is
determined by the schools
instructional programs, services,
facilities, size, and number of
students and teachers.

7.  All school systems must employ a district
library director to provide leadership and
direction to the overall library program.
The district director is a member of the
administrative staff and serves on
committees that address broader
educational issues and determine the
criteria and policies for the district’s
curriculum and instructional programs.

8. Real Life
Scenarios

9.  No MLIS, Associates in
Computer Information
Systems from College of Lake
County
 Title is Library Media Assistant
 Duties include story times,
collection buying/weeding,
checking in and out books to
students
 Oversees enrichment reading
groups
 On a 5 day rotation with
students
 District librarian is
professional librarian-Req. 4

10.  Holds an endorsement-Library
Information Specialist-from
Chicago State University
 Her official title is Teacher
Librarian
 Her school is on a 7 day rotation,
so she sees all the students in the
school (over 1,000)
 Only Librarian in building
 Provides instruction, facilitates
early literacy with story times and
activities to younger grades,
implements technology in her
lessons with older students
 Requirements 1and 4 apply here

11.  Holds a MLIS from
Dominican University along
with proper Library
Information Specialist
Certification
 Is the Library Media
Specialist
 No Aides in her library
 She provides instruction and
builds the collection, as well
as handles all clerical duties
 When out of the library, the
library is closed
 Requirement 1
Picture Courtesy of Kathryn
Wawer

12.  Holds a MLIS from the
University of Illinois-
Urbana-Champaign
 Is one of 2 MLIS certified
persons in the library
 Staff of four helps assist the
two librarians at LFHS
 Laura is also a tech support
coach for the school, but
also assists with
bibliographies, instruction,
and other library duties
 Requirements 1, 2, 3

14.  Lorna Code is a Library Media Specialist at Kaneland
High School in District 302, outside DeKalb, IL.
 Her district decided to cut the last remaining certified
elementary librarian.
 Lorna posted on the ISLMA listserv her situation and
asked for help.
 Lorna decided to read an open letter at a school
board meeting stating facts why it is important for
the school board not to cut the position.
 One of her main arguments was that research is one
of the main components of common core and cutting
librarians who are trained to teach research skills
hinders a student’s skillset and doesn’t prepare them
for future.

15.  She had also written on the ISLMA thread asking
other ISLMA members how many certified
librarians are in each of their districts.
 She presented facts about the nearby districts
near her school and how many certified staff they
had-which further supported the importance of
having certified school librarians in the district.
 Her district eventually decided to eliminate the
elementary position, but Lorna will continue to
advocate for the school library.

16. http://www.ala.org/a
asl/sites/ala.org.aasl/
files/content/aaslisue
s/advocacy/AASL_info
graphic.pdf

17.  AASL Position Statement and Requirements about Staffing. Retrieved
on February 10, 2015 from:
http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/statements/staffing
 Code, L. (2015, March 23). Email Interview.
 Grigg, L. (2014). Personal Interview.
 Mikkelsen, C. (2015, February 13). Personal Interview.
 Reidel, H. (2015, February 17). Personal Interview.
 School Library Infographic from AASL. Retrieved on March 11, 2015
from:
http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslisues/ad
vocacy/AASL_infographic.pdf
 Wawer, K. (2015, January 29). Personal Interview.