Library Media Specialist

LIBRARIAN TITLE: Librarian QUALIFICATIONS: Certificate, license, or other legal credential required Degree(s) required and area of major study. Kind and amount of prior job experience required. Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable. REPORTS TO: Principal and Assistant Principal JOB GOALS: To provide all students with an enriched library environment containing a wide variety of materials that will invite intellectual growth, and to aid all students in acquiring the skills needed to take full advantage of media center resources. Performance Responsibilities Mission and Goal Works with the superintendent and those whom he/she supervises to articulate and promote the school’s vision of teaching, learning and reading. Monitors and evaluates progress toward accomplishment of system goals and objectives. Uses student data to identify program needs. Develops goals and objectives programs and operations. Ensures that library plans are consistent with school plans. Seeks out, encourages, and supports innovative ideas to enhance learning. Organizes daily, monthly and yearly schedules to facilitate reading and learning in the school. Communicates high expectations of students, staff and parents. Creates and supports innovative ideas that in turn support reading and learning. Interprets to the staff, administration and the public the objectives and facilities of the audiovisual program. Organizes and implements an audiovisual aids program for general circulation, such a program to include use of films, filmstrips, recordings, transcriptions, tapes, slides, exhibits, posters, and other audio visual instructional materials and equipment. Follows established procedures in the Mississippi Public Schools Accountability Standards and other applicable federal and state regulations. Management of Educational Resources Operates and supervises the media center to which assigned. Evaluates, selects, and requisitions new media center materials. Assists teachers in the selection of books and other instructional materials, and makes media center materials available to supplement the instructional program. Maintains a comprehensive and efficient system for cataloging all media center materials and instructs teachers and students on use of the system. Works with teachers in planning those assignments likely to lead to extended use of media center resources. Informs teachers and other staff members concerning new materials the media center acquires. Arranges for interlibrary loan of materials or interest or use to teachers. Serves as a consultant to principals and teachers so that they may be properly instructed as to materials and equipment available, their mechanical care and operation, and their educational use, as well as to help them develop and use audiovisual materials of their own creation. Serves as a consultant to all curriculum committees. Works with building principals and department heads to stimulate better and more effective use of items from the center. Arranges frequently changing book-related displays and exhibits likely to interest the media center’s patrons. Conducts at least one annual in-service workshop on the creation and design of the audiovisual materials, and conducts such other in-service programs as may from time to time appear to the curriculum director as necessary or valuable. Exposes students to computer literacy and other types of educational software programs (i.e. Excel, PowerPoint, etc). Student Performance and Deportment Promotes appropriate conduct of students using media center facilities. Helps students to develop habits of independent reference work and to develop skill in the use of reference materials in relation to planned assignments. Presents and discusses materials with a class studying a particular topic, on the invitation of the teacher. Counsels with and gives reading guidance to students who have special reading problems or unusual intellectual interests. Monitors attendance in the media center and keeps attendance records. Helps students locate reference materials and other instructional materials. Reads to small groups of students. (elementary school centers only) Supervises the Accelerated Reader program. Teaches library literacy skills. Fiscal Management and Fixed Assets Purchases books and supplies as required by Mississippi Public School Standards. Maintains Fixed Asset Inventory as required by district. Maintains files of catalog cards, vertical file material, and publishers’ catalogs. Removes obsolete and worn materials from the library/media center collection. Prepares and administers the media center budget. Conducts the annual inventory of media center materials and the preparation of missing materials and materials to be discarded. Supervises the clerical routines necessary for the smooth operation of the media center. Shelves incoming materials. Maintains current inventory of supplies and suggests items for acquisition as needed. Establishes efficient procedures for processing of requests for materials and for the maintenance of equipment. Recommends purchase of, organizes, and catalogs all instructional materials and audiovisual equipment. Assumes responsibility for the inventory and maintenance of instructional materials and audiovisual equipment. Conducts a continuous evaluation of materials and equipment so that purchases may be made on an increasingly selective basis. Spends at least 75% of time on non-administrative activities. Performs all other duties assigned by Principal or Superintendent. Management Providing a welcome and respectful climate in the school library. Developing a vision, a mission, and goals (both long and short range) for the school library program with input from administrators, teachers, and students. Developing a scheduling policy which provides open and flexible access for all students and teachers. Ensuring that students have access to the library for class-related research, individual investigation, independent reading, and personal inquiry. Working with the technology coordinator to implement the technology plan for the school. Working with technology personnel to maintain working and up-to-date computers, Internet access, and other technology peripherals. Establishing budget priorities based on assessment of needs, status of library collection, technology needed, library plan for improvement, input from the library advisory committee, and industry trends. Maintaining budget and expenditure records proficiently. Maintaining fair and consistent circulation and use policies. Developing a policies and procedures manual for the library that is approved by the local board of education. Documenting, reporting, and maintaining records showing the use of library resources. Organization and Maintenance Providing access to a balanced, up-to-date collection of both print/non-print and digital formats materials, including technology, that meet the needs of students and teachers. Establishing, maintaining, and updating an automated catalog and organizing the collection using the Dewey Decimal System or other standard library classification system. Arranging the library for a variety of uses by large group, small groups, and individuals. Managing the library staff and volunteers. Providing professional development for teachers and administrators based on assessed needs to demonstrate how technology and information skills can be used to support the curriculum and instruction. Instructional Consultant Providing orientation and instruction for students and faculty in the use of the library’s materials and equipment. Collaborating with teachers to plan and implement instructional units integrating the resources of the library with the classroom curriculum. Providing instruction and resources to reach diverse student needs. Encouraging reading by maintaining an awareness of students’ reading interests and by providing guidance in the selection of appropriate materials. Developing and implementing reading initiatives to motivate and engage each student in independent reading. Collaborating with teachers to integrate inquiry, 21 st Century Learning Standards, and technology skills into the school curriculum. Having knowledge of state and school-wide test results with respect to proficiency in library and Information literacy skills. Implementing the use of technology into the school library program management and instruction. Participating in school curriculum planning meetings. Providing professional development to faculty/staff on the use of new and emerging technologies and instructional resources to enhance teaching and learning. Communication Communicating regularly with administrators, teachers, students, and parents about library resources and programs in various forms (e.g., staff meetings newsletters, student newspaper, displays, web page). Promoting use of the library to students, teachers, and parents to ensure that the library is a vital and active center of learning for the entire school community. Developing an ongoing advocacy program for the library. Working collaboratively with parent organizations and community partners in planning and implementing special projects and seeking outside funding. Professional Growth Attending local, state, and national professional development workshops and meetings geared to school librarians. Reading professional library journals to stay abreast of outstanding print and digital formatted materials and current trends in school library programs. Staying current on the latest technologies and their use for teaching and learning. #J-18808-Ljbffr