In their daily practice, OKCPS library media specialists model what it means to be a school librarian: teacher, leader, information specialist, instructional partner, and program administrator.
Teacher: From learning parts of a book with our youngest students to synthesizing and evaluating a variety of sources, OKCPS librarians provide lessons daily that align with Oklahoma Academic Standards (OAS), International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards, and American Association of School Librarians (AASL).
Being a teacher is not limited to enrolled students. Frequently, librarians begin the year by instructing their coworkers in how to effectively use various apps and technologies related to education. Instruction can vary from research skills to database usage to modeling how to integrate apps within daily lessons.
Leader: Leaders actively build community. Throughout the year, OKCPS librarians find ways to connect with their school-wide community. This can be seen in intentionally designed displays. Last April during Arab American Month, one student at Southern Hills Elementary, exclaimed “That’s me!”, when she saw a book with a young girl wearing a hijab. Libraries frequently gather materials that reflect their students. These materials honor Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and more.
Front row L to R: Lindsey Clinton, Adelaide Lee Elementary; Summer Martin, Classen School of Advanced Studies Middle School
Middle row L to R: Heidi Tuers-Jackson, Putnam Heights Academy; Susan Miller, Southeast High School; Tamia Deberry, MLK, Jr. Elementary; Sara Mabry Agnew, Star Spencer High School
Back row L to R: Beth Hardwick, U. S. Grant High School; John Allen, Kaiser Elementary' Shereen Rasor, Adams Elementary' Michael Dubois, Southern Hills Elementary
Information Specialist: What is information? How do we access and evaluate it for reliability? Once gathered, what are appropriate ways to share it? LMSs are responsible for instilling a knowledge base that begins with pre-Kindergarteners and continues all the way through providing professional development for our colleagues. Our youngest ones begin by recognizing fiction and nonfiction, pretend and what is real. We model and facilitate learning experiences which take students through the inquiry process.
Instructional Partner: Collaboration and co-teaching is a key component for success. OKCPS LMSs model this process by working with classroom teachers to design lessons that integrate OAS and AASL standards. One such high school example is when a librarian curated primary sources and taught students how to evaluate them for authenticity while the classroom teacher provided the historical context and prepared them to view sources and artifacts through various lenses. In middle school, we deepen genre studies and teach students how to effectively search for information in what can be an overwhelming world of databases.
Program Administrator: One frequently forgotten role as a program administrator is space designer. Over the past few years, several OKCPS libraries have had a facelift. LMSs designed spaces to be functional, inviting, and visually appealing.
Windows, Mirrors, and Bridges: As school librarians, we are fulfilling a calling. That calling is laid out in the SLIS mission to educate socially responsible leaders and to contribute to the public good by engaging communities. The world needs more kindness and empathy, and to achieve that we must provide mirrors, windows, and bridges. During Native American Heritage Month, students at U. S. Grant High School participated in a Native American beading activity in the library. This experience drew them in and allowed those who are Native American to see their culture reflected in their school. For those who were not, this provided a glimpse into another culture, all the while building connections and creating community.
We, OU alumni, are grateful for the foundation the SLIS laid before us. It showed us how to ensure students see themselves reflected in the world around them, experience something more than themselves, and build bridges that deepen their connection to others.
