Librarian - H.Y. Livesay and Soldiers Memorial Middle School

Job Description

Job Description

A School Librarian Information Specialist (Librarian) for grades 5 - 8 in a Tennessee public school district acts as an instructional leader, technology partner, and program administrator. This role bridges late-elementary foundational literacy with complex middle-school level research and digital citizenship.

The Grades 5–8 School Librarian manages the school's library media center and serves as an instructional collaborator. The specialist empowers students to become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, ethical information users, and skilled digital researchers. The position reports directly to the School Principal.

Essential Performance Responsibilities

1. Instruction & Literacy Promotion

• Standard-Aligned Lessons : Teach info-literacy curriculum mapped directly to the Tennessee Academic Standards .
• Research & Database Skills : Train grades 6–8 on evaluating online databases, checking source credibility, and citing media.
• Digital Citizenship : Instruct students on cyberbullying, digital footprints, and copyright/plagiarism rules.
• Reading Guidance : Guide middle-grade students to text complexities that match their reading levels and personal interests.
• Literacy Initiatives : Coordinate school-wide reading events, book fairs, and student literacy challenges

2. Teacher Collaboration & Curriculum Integration

• Instructional Partnerships : Co-plan and co-teach units with classroom teachers to embed research skills into ELA, Science, and Social Studies.
• Resource Matching : Curate physical and digital text sets tailored to classroom units, accommodating various learning tiers and IEP mandates.
• Tech Support : Advise faculty on integrating educational technology, STEM activities, and digital multimedia tools into lessons.

3. Collection Management & Policy Compliance

• Curated Collection : Evaluate, select, and weed library books and electronic databases following Tennessee law and local Board of Education policies.
• Balanced Catalog : Maintain an equitable balance of complex fiction and nonfiction titles that accurately reflect student demographics.
• Circulation Systems : Oversee the digital library cataloging system (e.g., Follett Destiny) and complete mandatory annual inventories.
• Budget Accountability : Allocate the library budget transparently, documenting all local and state-funded resources.

4. Learning Environment Supervision

• Space Optimization : Maintain a welcoming, safe, and highly functional media center designed for simultaneous classroom instruction and individual study.
• Flexible Scheduling : Arrange a flexible physical or digital transition model so students can utilize resources at their specific point of need.
• Student Safety : Enforce the Tennessee Teacher Code of Ethics while supervising students, volunteers, or library assistants.

5. Physical Demands & Working Conditions

• Routine movement, including standing (up to 60% of the day), walking, kneeling, and bending to manage shelving.
• Ability to occasionally lift or push media carts weighing up to 25 lbs.

6. Minimum Qualifications & Requirements

• Education : Bachelor's degree in Education or Library Science required; a Master's in Library Science (MLIS) or Library Informatics is highly preferred.
• Licensure : Must hold or be eligible for a valid Tennessee Educator License