The+Role+of+The+TL

4. The Role of the TL.

Examining the multi-faceted role of the TL, whether it be Herring’s model (2007, p 30), the role advocated by Purcell (2010 p 31), or Lamb and Johnson (2008), has crystalised for me what I should be doing in my library to make it the most effective library for the learning and teaching community. I have always understood that the role of TL was challenging and complex but I was more focused on the small picture and ‘tasks of the TL’ (Winzenried, 2011) rather than the big picture and the ‘role of the TL’. I now understand that this is a highly skilled, complex role that encompasses being curriculum leader, information specialist, instructional partner (Herring, 2007), leader of teachers, collaborator and technologist (Lamb and Johnson, 2008). Reflecting on this ‘big picture’ has on the one hand increased my effectiveness and on the other, has given me professional goals to strive for.

Indeed, the 2004 ASLA/ALIA document “Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians” and the AASL (2007) “Standards for the 21st century learner” have given me cause to reflect on why and how I was going to effectively assimilate these standards into my everyday thinking and professional practice. To varying degrees, I have already achieved this with some of the standards, but I still have a long way to go before I reach the heights of some of the TLs that have been spotlighted throughout the course.

I agree with Herring (2007, p 28) that it is the mission of the school library to be focused on the development of effective learning and teaching in the school and to encourage individual learners to reflect on, and engage with, their own learning. To achieve this, I am fully aware of the importance of ensuring that information Literacy skills are incorporated into the curriculum. To achieve this I would need to be more proactive in collaborating with staff to develop IL learning opportunities and providing teachers with the resources they need to develop IL rich units of work. I agree with Montiel-Overall (2005) that collaboration between the TL and classroom teacher is the most effective means of facilitating student IL acquisition. To achieve this, I would need to increase the profile of IL in the school by espousing its value and conducting PD on IL and canvasing Principal support for more flexible timetabling.

I also understand the importance of evidence-based practice (Todd, 2007) and providing proof of the TLs ‘value-added’ (Green, 2004). I agree that it is my professional responsibility to structure my time so that I can obtain the necessary proof and evidence to acquire whatever is necessary to make a difference to the student learning outcomes of my learning community.

Understanding the importance of being a leader in my field and the importance of networking, I would ensure that I continued to attended SLAV conferences but I would increase my sphere to include membership with ALIA and attend networking meetings such as IPSHA (The Independent Primary School Heads of Australia).

SLASA (2008), ASLA (2004), Herring (2007) and Purcell (2010) all acknowledge that the role of the TL is complex. I believe however that with a good understanding of this dynamic role, and a clear vision of what I wish to achieve, combined with effective time management, support from the Principal (Oberg, 2006), careful prioritizing, delegating, displaying strong leadership skills (including being an advocate for the TL profession) and good collaborative skills, I would hope that I could be an effective TL of the 21st century.

Link to Information Literacy

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 * References **

ALIA. (2004) “Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians” Retrieved from []

American Association of School Librarians. (2007). Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. Retrieved April 2012 from []

Australian Library and Information Association. (2011). Statement on free access to information. Retrieved April 2012, from []

Green, G. (2004). Teacher-librarians and the culture of thinking: Taking up the challenge. In S. La Marca & M. Manning (Eds.), Reality bytes: Information literacy for independent learning (pp. 67-73). Carlton, Victoria: School Library Association of Victoria.

Herring, J. (2007). Teacher librarians and the school library. In S. Ferguson (Ed.) Libraries in the twenty-first century : charting new directions in information (pp. 27-42). Wagga Wagga, NSW : Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.

Kennedy, J. (2006). Collection Management: a concise introduction (Rev. edn). Wagga Wagga, New South Wales: Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2008). School library media specialist 2.0: a dynamic collaborator, teacher, and technologist. Teacher Librarian, 36(2), 74-78.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Montiel-Overall, P. (2006). Teacher and teacher-librarian collaboration: Moving toward integration. Teacher Librarian, 34(2), 28-33.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Purcell, M. (2010). All librarians do is check out books, right? A look at the roles of a school library media specialist. Library Media Connection, 29(3), 30-33.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">School Library Association of South Australia, SLASA, 2008 The Role of the teacher librarian. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Todd, R. J. (2007). Evidenced-based practice and school libraries : from advocacy to action. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">In S. Hughes-Hassell & V. H. Harada School reform and the school library media <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">specialist (pp. 57-78). Westport, CY : Libraries Unlimited.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Valenza, J., (2010) Manifesto for 21st Century School Librarians. Retrieved April 2012 from http://informationfluency.wikispaces.com/You+know+you%27re+a+21st+century+librarian+if+.+.+.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Winzenreid, A., (2011) The Role of the Teacher Librarian. (ETL401 Forum)