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Core Beliefs of a School Librarian
The annual conference of the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) is underway right now in Durban, South Africa, and how I wish I could be there. Fortunately, however, IASL is great at providing access to a "virtual conference," including a discussion list for feedback and reaction to the keynote address. This year's keynote is by Ross Todd, and it's a thought-provoking essay.
Dr. Todd offers three key beliefs he feels underly the provision of effective school library programs. The first key belief is that the provision of information and information services makes a difference to the lives of people. If we do not believe that our information services can make a difference to people, then there is no point to their provision. It is as simple as that. Second, the key role of the school librarian centers on pedagogical intervention that directly impacts on and shapes the quality of student learning through their engagement with information. Learning in complex and diverse information environments does not happen by chance, and nor can it be left to chance. Explicit, systematic and planned pedagogical intervention must be the distinguishing and observable characteristic of the school library. Third, the role of pedagogical intervention is to bring on transformation. Learning takes place, and the lives of our students are transformed. All of this bring us, Todd points out, to the need for evidence to demonstrate the reality of these beliefs. This resonates with me as I finish up my annual report. The statistics and anecdotes I fill my report with show me that I'm doing something, but I can't point to them and say to my administrators, "See what a difference our program makes to students." I need to do tests and surveys to gather some real data.
These concepts of difference, intervention and transformation also fit exactly with our developing curriculum (see earlier post). The understanding which is the main goal of our curriculum is demonstrated in ways that make a difference and show change (transformation).
Perhaps a good exercise at the beginning of the school year will be to have all the librarians read Todd's address and discuss it in terms of the curriculum project and the library's place in that.
5:10:15 PM  [];[]
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© Copyright 2003 Deborah Wells-Clinton.
Last update: 8/17/03; 16:52:35.
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