Resources to Help You Get Started
We've put together this collection of journal articles and books to help you increase your understanding of this topic. Each resource also includes a description to help you decide which could be most beneficial to you in your own situation. Additionally, we have all created posters in Glogster that can be used as well. They can be found on our Interactive Posters page.
Books
MacDonell, Colleen. Essential Documents for School Librarians. (2005). Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, LLC. Like the title says, this book provides a number of form templates that would be helpful in the operation of library services, including collecting data about the program. It also provides commentary about the forms to help you determine which would be useful to you and how to incorporate them into your program. ***Amanda Recommends***
McGhee, Marla W. & Jansen, Barbara A. The Principal’s Guide to a Powerful Media Program: A School Library for the 21st Century. (2010). Worthington, Ohio: Linworth. Written specifically for principals, this guide is an introduction to school library programs and explains their value, purpose, and roles. Media specialists may want to consult this book to understand how to educate others about what they do.
Toor, Ruth & Weisburg, Hilda K. Being Indispensable: A School Librarian's Guide to Becoming an Invaluable Leader. (2011). Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association. Chapter 4 answers the question: What do administrators want? It includes specific sections for different levels of administration and provides a list of questions/suggestions at the end of each section to get you really thinking about how you interact with administrators. ***Amanda Recommends***
McGhee, Marla W. & Jansen, Barbara A. The Principal’s Guide to a Powerful Media Program: A School Library for the 21st Century. (2010). Worthington, Ohio: Linworth. Written specifically for principals, this guide is an introduction to school library programs and explains their value, purpose, and roles. Media specialists may want to consult this book to understand how to educate others about what they do.
Toor, Ruth & Weisburg, Hilda K. Being Indispensable: A School Librarian's Guide to Becoming an Invaluable Leader. (2011). Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association. Chapter 4 answers the question: What do administrators want? It includes specific sections for different levels of administration and provides a list of questions/suggestions at the end of each section to get you really thinking about how you interact with administrators. ***Amanda Recommends***
Articles
Bosco, Jim. "School Library Media Specialists and School Administrators as Allies!" Multimedia Schools 8.4 (2001): 48. - Explains the formulation of the TSSA (Technology Standards for School Administrators Project), a project geared toward raising administrators' awareness about the importance of technology and how they can help teachers to implement technology in the classroom. The author also explains ways in which the school librarian can assist the administrators in the task - filtering important articles, implementing professional development, being involved in technology committees with the end goal of collaboration on lessons teaching information and technology skills.
Castro, Joel. "Are we Speaking the Same Language? Librarians, Principals, the School Library Program, and Taking the Lead." Texas Library Journal 86.1 (2010): 20-1. - Written from a principal's point of view, Castro explains what a principal should look for when assessing the school library - noise indicating interactive learning of students, librarian mixed in with students instead of behind the desk. He also gives librarians tips on how they can appeal to principals by speaking the same language: provide data, create metrics where there are none, volunteer to sponsor a student group to make you indispensable as an employee, justify budget requests according to student achievement and cross-curricular usage of materials. ***Nicole Recommends***
Gustafson, Kelly. "A Dozen Ways the School Librarian can Help Administrators Find Time." School Library Monthly 27.5 (2011): 36-8. - Gustafson uses the hands on the clock to measure time as resources. Librarians can educate principals on the importance of their activities in the school by relating those activities to time and how much time librarians can save for teachers by providing them with useful tools and collaboration. There is one lesson for each hand on the clock, and each lesson emphasizes a different aspect of a successful school library program, for example, the importance of principals showing support for librarians by attending library conferences and librarians showing support for principals by attending at principal conferences.
Harvey II, Carl A. “Principal Perspective, Part 1: The Role of the Library Media Specialist.” School Library Media Activities Monthly 25.2 (2008): 51-3. This article is the first segment of a three-part interview with elementary school principal Vince Barnes. Part one of the interview outlines, from Barnes' perspective, what the role and goals of the library media specialist should be. Barnes stresses the importance of shared goals and being a school leader. ***Anne Recommends***
Harvey II, Carl A. “Principal Perspective, Part 2: The Library Media Program.” School Library Media Activities Monthly 25.4 (2008): 53-5. This is the second segment of Harvey's interview with an elementary school principal. The article is particularly interesting because the principal discusses the administrator's role in developing a successful library program, including playing the role of the catalyst.The principal also described how he grew to understand the importance of the library in education. ***Anne Recommends***
Harvey II, Carl A. "Principal Perspective, Part 3: Advocacy and Shared Vision." School Library Media Activities Monthly 25.6 (2009): 51-3. This is the third and final portion of the interview with principal Vince Barnes. The interview describes how the principal is an advocate for the library, and how the relationship between media specialist and principal translates to advocacy. ***Anne Recommends***
Harvey II, Carl A. "Impacting School Improvement." Library Media Connection 24.6 (2006): 20-1.- Harvey stresses the importance of the library media specialist being a part of the school improvement committee. The SLMS has no place in the school if he or she does not participate in the school's vision of improvement. The SLMS can also provide valuable insight on how to use technology and where to find information about topics teachers may need. The SLMS should be first in line to volunteer to be a part of the committee and needs to use his or her skills to lead and support the school improvement plan. ***Nicole Recommends***
Johnson, Doug. "Whose Voices are most Powerful?" Library Media Connection 23.3 (2004): 98. - This article tells the sad story of a school library media specialist's position being cut in half by the school board, despite the appearance of the author and his argument against cutting the program, which related largely to student achievement. The board made several cuts that evening, all with a great deal of thought and deliberation, but when it came to the SLMS position, the superintendent commented that if the library was so important, why had no parents called to voice their support for it? The article stresses the importance of parent support and how important their voices really are. ***Nicole Recommends***
Jones, Plummer Alston, Jr. "The Executive Briefing." Knowledge Quest 32.2 (2003): 30-4.- This article describes one tool, the executive briefing, as a means of reaching out to the school principal at the beginning of the school year and beginning a career-long partnership. The executive briefing is a concise, well-organized report meant to describe the background of the SLMS, explain the role of the library media center in the school, describe the organization of the library, justify its need for funding, and set the bar for regular one-on-one meetings between the principal and the school library media specialist. ***Nicole Recommends***
Kaaland, Christie, and Deb Nickerson. "Notes from the Bullet Train: Communication as a Key to Administrative Support." School Library Monthly 26.8 (2010): 45-7. - Explains the importance of regular reports to the principal and what those reports should contain. The authors provide tips for constructing the report, for example, switching up the type of information so that the principal does not get bored from month to month, addressing issues you know to be on the principal's mind, and providing a special time for administrators to come in and learn to use the technology even if no one shows up for a few months. The article also contains a sample report. ***Nicole Recommends***
Levitov, Deborah. "Educating School Administrators." School Library Monthly 26.6 (2010): 45-7. - Provides insight on ways to educate school administrators about the importance of the library and librarian within the school setting. The article also stresses the importance of interpersonal skills on the part of the librarian and willingness to direct library data to relate to administrators' concerns and agendas.
Oehlman, Pam, and Richard Moore. "Getting them to Pay Attention." CSLA Journal 31.1 (2007): 11-13. - Provides a real-life scenario in which advocacy saved librarian jobs and improved school library media centers in Long Beach, California. The authors provide tips on how to advocate including: keep your spiel at the meetings to three minutes or less, be positive and enthusiastic, and do not whine; provide solutions.
VanBuren, Lois. "Presenting Radical Ideas to Administrators and Faculty." Teacher Librarian 38.1 (2010): 24-26. Largely a skill-based article, the author provides tips on presenting in front of administrators. She includes advice, such as practicing, being honest, and including humor. She also gives a suggested outline for the slide show presentation itself.
Castro, Joel. "Are we Speaking the Same Language? Librarians, Principals, the School Library Program, and Taking the Lead." Texas Library Journal 86.1 (2010): 20-1. - Written from a principal's point of view, Castro explains what a principal should look for when assessing the school library - noise indicating interactive learning of students, librarian mixed in with students instead of behind the desk. He also gives librarians tips on how they can appeal to principals by speaking the same language: provide data, create metrics where there are none, volunteer to sponsor a student group to make you indispensable as an employee, justify budget requests according to student achievement and cross-curricular usage of materials. ***Nicole Recommends***
Gustafson, Kelly. "A Dozen Ways the School Librarian can Help Administrators Find Time." School Library Monthly 27.5 (2011): 36-8. - Gustafson uses the hands on the clock to measure time as resources. Librarians can educate principals on the importance of their activities in the school by relating those activities to time and how much time librarians can save for teachers by providing them with useful tools and collaboration. There is one lesson for each hand on the clock, and each lesson emphasizes a different aspect of a successful school library program, for example, the importance of principals showing support for librarians by attending library conferences and librarians showing support for principals by attending at principal conferences.
Harvey II, Carl A. “Principal Perspective, Part 1: The Role of the Library Media Specialist.” School Library Media Activities Monthly 25.2 (2008): 51-3. This article is the first segment of a three-part interview with elementary school principal Vince Barnes. Part one of the interview outlines, from Barnes' perspective, what the role and goals of the library media specialist should be. Barnes stresses the importance of shared goals and being a school leader. ***Anne Recommends***
Harvey II, Carl A. “Principal Perspective, Part 2: The Library Media Program.” School Library Media Activities Monthly 25.4 (2008): 53-5. This is the second segment of Harvey's interview with an elementary school principal. The article is particularly interesting because the principal discusses the administrator's role in developing a successful library program, including playing the role of the catalyst.The principal also described how he grew to understand the importance of the library in education. ***Anne Recommends***
Harvey II, Carl A. "Principal Perspective, Part 3: Advocacy and Shared Vision." School Library Media Activities Monthly 25.6 (2009): 51-3. This is the third and final portion of the interview with principal Vince Barnes. The interview describes how the principal is an advocate for the library, and how the relationship between media specialist and principal translates to advocacy. ***Anne Recommends***
Harvey II, Carl A. "Impacting School Improvement." Library Media Connection 24.6 (2006): 20-1.- Harvey stresses the importance of the library media specialist being a part of the school improvement committee. The SLMS has no place in the school if he or she does not participate in the school's vision of improvement. The SLMS can also provide valuable insight on how to use technology and where to find information about topics teachers may need. The SLMS should be first in line to volunteer to be a part of the committee and needs to use his or her skills to lead and support the school improvement plan. ***Nicole Recommends***
Johnson, Doug. "Whose Voices are most Powerful?" Library Media Connection 23.3 (2004): 98. - This article tells the sad story of a school library media specialist's position being cut in half by the school board, despite the appearance of the author and his argument against cutting the program, which related largely to student achievement. The board made several cuts that evening, all with a great deal of thought and deliberation, but when it came to the SLMS position, the superintendent commented that if the library was so important, why had no parents called to voice their support for it? The article stresses the importance of parent support and how important their voices really are. ***Nicole Recommends***
Jones, Plummer Alston, Jr. "The Executive Briefing." Knowledge Quest 32.2 (2003): 30-4.- This article describes one tool, the executive briefing, as a means of reaching out to the school principal at the beginning of the school year and beginning a career-long partnership. The executive briefing is a concise, well-organized report meant to describe the background of the SLMS, explain the role of the library media center in the school, describe the organization of the library, justify its need for funding, and set the bar for regular one-on-one meetings between the principal and the school library media specialist. ***Nicole Recommends***
Kaaland, Christie, and Deb Nickerson. "Notes from the Bullet Train: Communication as a Key to Administrative Support." School Library Monthly 26.8 (2010): 45-7. - Explains the importance of regular reports to the principal and what those reports should contain. The authors provide tips for constructing the report, for example, switching up the type of information so that the principal does not get bored from month to month, addressing issues you know to be on the principal's mind, and providing a special time for administrators to come in and learn to use the technology even if no one shows up for a few months. The article also contains a sample report. ***Nicole Recommends***
Levitov, Deborah. "Educating School Administrators." School Library Monthly 26.6 (2010): 45-7. - Provides insight on ways to educate school administrators about the importance of the library and librarian within the school setting. The article also stresses the importance of interpersonal skills on the part of the librarian and willingness to direct library data to relate to administrators' concerns and agendas.
Oehlman, Pam, and Richard Moore. "Getting them to Pay Attention." CSLA Journal 31.1 (2007): 11-13. - Provides a real-life scenario in which advocacy saved librarian jobs and improved school library media centers in Long Beach, California. The authors provide tips on how to advocate including: keep your spiel at the meetings to three minutes or less, be positive and enthusiastic, and do not whine; provide solutions.
VanBuren, Lois. "Presenting Radical Ideas to Administrators and Faculty." Teacher Librarian 38.1 (2010): 24-26. Largely a skill-based article, the author provides tips on presenting in front of administrators. She includes advice, such as practicing, being honest, and including humor. She also gives a suggested outline for the slide show presentation itself.