School library collaborations: Making them work to improve student achievement

• Main Author: Hockersmith, Charles Edwin
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2010
• Subjects: Educational leadership; Library science
• ISBN: 9781124240862; 1124240861

Research indicates that qualified school Library Media Specialists who actively engage in effective collaborations contribute to increased student achievement. This Executive Position Paper (EPP) seeks to analyze and support school library media specialist’s (LMS) teacher collaboration in the Christina School District, Newark, Delaware, to improve student achievement. It examines both the concept of collaboration and the activities that make up effective collaborations. This paper also presents models and strategies of school library collaborations that must be reinforced by effective professional development. Collaborations that affect student achievement fail when obstacles such as fixed schedules, administrative attitudes, and teacher apathy are not addressed. This study found that while most school LMSs espouse the tenets of the American Association of School Librarians’ Standards for the 21st Century Learner (2007), most still operate 19th and 20th century school libraries. Most teachers view the role of the school LMS to be that of resource manager and not of instructional collaborator who is an expert in information literacy and 21st century instructional technology. This paper proposes focused administrative oversight of a school, district, and state information literacy curriculum with effective, action research-based professional development. It also proposes that teacher education programs introduce the information literacy role of the 21st century library media specialist to pre-service teachers.