What does a School Librarian do?

A school librarian is in charge of a variety of responsibilities in the library. She must collaborate with students, teachers, and administrators to make sure they have access to the information they require. A school librarian works with teachers and administrators to teach students how to find information and collaborate with them. To put it another way, she wears many hats in order to run a successful library media center.

Students are introduced to literature a school librarian, also known as a media specialist. She accomplishes this goal holding booktalks, storytimes, and lessons that are meticulously planned. She assists students in obtaining the books they require for class or recreational purposes. She must be aware of the wide range of children’s books available today in order to find the ideal book for a particular student.

Elementary school librarians teach the Dewey decimal system so that students can locate books in the library on their own. They show students how to navigate the online catalog to find books on specific topics or specific authors. A school librarian instructs students on various book genres as well as the distinction between fiction and nonfiction. She holds storytimes for the students in order to instill a love of reading in them.

School librarians in elementary, middle, and high schools are in charge of teaching students how to use the Internet and library databases to access electronic information. The goal is to teach kids how to find and analyze information compiling research from reputable sources. With the Internet’s never-ending source of information displayed in a bewildering array, teaching children how to sift through the useless information to find reputable information is a critical task.

A school librarian works with teachers to help them plan lessons. The goal is to supplement what is taught in the traditional classroom. School librarians assist teachers in locating materials to aid in lesson planning. It is critical that a school librarian builds the library’s collection on a regular basis so that only current information-based resources fill the shelves. Nonfiction books that are out of date should never be found on the shelves of a school library.

School librarians are in charge of selecting materials for the library’s collection. Books, software, reference materials, periodicals, and electronic databases are among the items they must choose for the library. They frequently subscribe to review journals in order to make informed decisions about what materials to buy with the library’s often limited budget.

A school librarian is frequently in charge of planning the school’s book fair. A book sale event is held to raise funds for the school library. Students, teachers, parents, and other community members shop at the book fair to help the school library raise funds. Volunteers are usually needed for these events, but many school librarians are on their own to complete this monumental task.

Despite a media specialist’s many responsibilities, her primary goal is to help students become lifelong learners. She hopes that every student who comes to her library will develop a passion for reading. She wants to teach them how to find information and assess whether the source of that information is trustworthy. The school librarian’s sincere hope is that students will carry the skills they learn in the library with them throughout their adult lives.