Interview with a Librarian - Essay Example

Interview with a Librarian The role and significance of the school library media centre and specialist has been increasing remarkably over the last few decades. In the modern situation, the continuing education is given great emphasis and the method of such studies remarkably includes the use of conference type group study with the use of networking, the various kinds of independent study such as video taped/CD-ROM material, broadcast programming, online/internet delivery, and the like. Professional growth is also very much related to such functions provided by the school library media center and this is greatly assisted by the specialists in the field. Thus, we realize the significant role of the school library media center and that of the school media center specialists. In this paper, we try to identify the various functions and duties of the school library media specialist and make an analysis of the various standards of the duties provided in the manuals and the actual duties performed by specialists. We may gather the various duties of a media specialist in an interview one of the school library media specialists. As a first step, let us identify some of the remarkable trends in the school library media center. Unlike the school libraries of the past which were just places to avail some material and books for the assignments and other activities, the idea has now shifted towards the exciting and more beneficial concept of the school library media center. In this system, the access to information and any useful material is much higher and wide variety of format, both printed and electronic, is available which aid the new generation students in their multi layered assignment purpose and the like. The most remarkable advantage of the modern school library media centers is that they serve the students greatly and play a major role in the development of their various aspects and education. These school library media centers act as powerful agents in the various areas connected with student learning and education such as finding, analyzing, evaluating, interpreting, and communicating information and ideas. "It is where students learn to find, analyze, evaluate, interpret and communicate information and ideas--skills they will need as adults to live and work in an information-based society. In addition to serving as independent learning centers, the programs of many centers are directly integrated into the curriculum" (American Association for School Librarians, 2006). The twenty first century school library media centers have various trends that make the system more effective. Before we go on to the discussion about the major duties of school library media specialists in the interview, let us analyze some of the major trends in the system. One most important among the trends is the flexibility in student spaces which gives the students ample space to work and do group activities. Possessing a teaching lab and large instructional area helps the students in various ways in their activities and works. Thus, the trend of more flexibility in student space is an advantageous development as far as the students are concerned. Another major trend in school library media center is the development in visual literacy which has great importance in the student learning activity. The development of modern technique and the growth in the teaching instruments also have proven to affect the modern student learning. Visual aids in teaching have been more extensively used in the modern times. Thus, the awareness about the LCD projectors and other visual aids is found the remarkable characteristic of the modern school library media center. Extended access to the school library media center can be considered yet another major trend in the area. Thus, the working time of the school library media center has been extended as well as the access of the students to the center widened. The time the students spend in the library and the media center has increased extremely. Therefore the usefulness of the libraries to the students has increased and more students are benefited by the service rendered by the center. To point out more trends in the school library media center in the current era, let us be aware that the technology readiness in these centers has been amazing in output. In certain cases the improvement in this can be very fast and encouraging. The development in supervision and adequate shelving also may be regarded as key trends in the modern school library media centers. (The Unquiet Librarian, 2007). As we have already gone through some of the most important trends in the modern school library media centers, it is important that we also familiarize with the role of the specialists working in the centers. "The library media specialist is an essential link in a new educational learning community which includes students, teachers, administrators, and parents as well as local, regional, state, national, and international communities." (American Library Association, 1998). As most of us would agree, the modern learning community and their learning activity are transformed greatly. Now we don't find the learning activity limited to a specific region, time, age, occupation etc, rather the new learning is universal in nature. This complicated learning activity of the day is characterized by the interest and needs of the students and this is a challenging activity. Most significantly, the assistance for the modern students in this complicated learning arrives from the school library media specialists. "Helping students to be information literate in this learning community is the central concern of student-centered library media programs. The goal is to assist all students in becoming active and creative locators, evaluators, and users of information to solve problems, think critically, and to satisfy their own curiosity through research and reading experiences. As the keystone of a student-centered library media program, the library media specialist works collaboratively with teachers, administrators, and others to facilitate students' entry into the Information and Communication Ages" (American Library Association, 1998). His role may be best illustrated in the four duties of a teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, program administrator. Let us now consider the interview with one of the well-recognized school library media specials in the region, Mr. Henry Jones. In the course of the interview, the interviewer asked him about the nature of the profession in the current situation. This section is the specific area dealing with our topic and let us see how Mr. Jones responses. Interviewer: Sir, could you illustrate the major functions of a school library media specialist Please identify at least five major duties that are done on a regular basis. Mr. Henry Jones: That's really a relevant question to be asked in this occasion and many of our students and educationalists would ask the same question. Well. to be frank, what you find in the standards prescribed by the various institutions in the field. The duties that are performed by the specialists are remarkably more complicated than we think and are larger in volume. They facilitate various kinds of assistance to the students, though students are many often unsatisfied. On a regular basis, the specialists administer various aspects of the media program and execute the different functions related to the students' development. They assist the students in the maximum utilization of the library and the services provided. Working with the students, the school library media specialists analyzes the learning requirements, the needed information etc in order to provide the various materials available to the students. The specialists help the identification of the learning material and curriculum content in order to make learning process easier. Most importantly, being experts, they avail the assistance to the students in acquiring and formatting information through various resources. In short, the role and the function of the school library media specialists are various and include the development of the students. Interviewer: Sir, the school library media centers are noted for the new trends in the field. How do you think they will affect the transformation of the school library media specialists Mr. Henry Jones: It's true that present school library media centers are noted for the various trends they exhibit. It is of great significance to understand how these trends would result in the present system. Certainly, these trends will affect the specialists greatly as they are the people primarily concerned with the activities in the centers. Their function, on the whole, will be assisted by the new trends, though these will make the duties and responsibilities of the specialists more extended and multi-layered. In fact, the trends in the area will most favorably work in the transformation of their duties. It is mainly due to the simplified handling of the functionaries and equipments. The students are greatly aware of the various techniques and equipments and this will reduce the extended duties of the specialists in training the students to handle them. The role of the specialists in location and identification of the material needed is limited now as the students prefer finding them on their own and the students have greater access to the center. Thus, the duties of the specialists, in a way, are helped by the new trends in the field. Thus, we may conclude that the role of the school library media specialists is much affected by the new trends in the field. Now, in understanding their role better, let us find the difference between the duties actually performed and those recommended by the various standards of the organizations. Thus, the major duties of the specialists cover, mainly, the areas of teaching and learning, information access and delivery, and program administration. They need to identify the wide range of source material and should be able to access it for the benefit of the students. Accessing the material according to the requirements of the curriculum is also important function of the specialists. By acquiring such materials and sources for the students, they function as facilitators to the student requirements or their function is, in certain occasions, similar to that of a teacher. "Information access and delivery is the first of the three critical areas of services for today's school library media specialists Teaching and learning is the second aspect of school librarianship Program administration constitutes the third rung of the knowledge base" (ALA/AASL Standards). The school library media specialists now play an instrumental role in the learning process of the students and their role is now very significant in the learning process, especially in the continuing education. "In addition, the breadth and depth of the school library collection and enhanced access to it, ensures that worldwide resources will be included in a variety of formats available to all students. Program planning and evaluation is more rigorous and reflective as well. As a result, student achievement is more central to the goals of the school library media program. Therefore, programs which prepare today's school library media specialists must also reflect these values and educational expectations" (ALA/AASL Standards). Now, to point out the various functions and duties of the school library media specialists as they are provided in the various standards, let us consider some of their most relevant roles. "The school library media specialist works with the school community in the following roles: Teacher who is knowledgeable about current research on teaching and learning, information science, and instructional technologies Instructional Partner who collaboratively plans with teachers and others to integrate information and technology indicators with curricular content, learning outcomes, student information needs, and resources. Information Specialist who works in an environment that has been profoundly affected by technology Program Administrator who advocates for the library media program and provides the knowledge, vision, and leadership to steer it creatively and energetically in the 21st century" (The School Library Media Cohort, 2005). Thus, the role of the school library media specialists is great in a general consideration of the learning activity. The duties they need to perform are based on the great role of theirs. Many often these duties are not well carried out which put the students in deep trouble. There is some gap between the standards in the writing and the actual practice which points to the necessity of great changes in the performance of these duties which will result in the best utilization of the school library media centers for the maximum benefit of the students. Significantly, the new trends in the school library media centers have resulted in a transformation of their duties and functioning. The transformation of the centers can be very well identified as a favorable condition for the specialists in acquiring the wide range of skills and awareness needed for assisting the learners in their learning activity. Thus, the transformation of the school library media centers in the modern times has much benefited the specialists. However, there are times when the specialists cannot hold all the relevant adjustments to the new developments. In such situations, they can be best assisted by the continuing education and professional growth. The most significant method of continuing education is, in the modern situation, the independent study which will be of great help to the school library media specialists as the main centers of these learning method are the school library media centers. The tools and instruments of this type of learning can greatly help the specialists and their duties can be best carried out in such circumstances. Thus, the modern technology and learning materials will help them a lot in carrying out their functions in the transformed state of the school library media centers. Another major contributor in this regard is the professional growth of the specialists. Only such a development can help the specialists meet the changed requirements and functions due to the new trends in the area. In conclusion, let us reaffirm the significant role of the school library media specialists in the modern education process. Their role and functions are varied and have great relevance in the modern situation. We also identify the changed situation in the school library media centers and the trends in the area. These have considerable impact on the functions of the specialists working in the area. Thus, the role of the specialists is also affected by the changes and trends in the area. At the concluding point, we also understand the duties of the school library media specialists as prescribed in various standards of the organizations and the actual situation in this regard. The foremost role of the specialists needs to be preserved as helping the education process in the modern world which raises many challenges. Therefore, transformation in the duties and role of the school library media specialists is the need of the day. Reference American Association for School Librarians. (2006). AASL advocacy toolkit partner in Learning: The School Library Media Center. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/toolkits/partnerlearning.cfm American Library Association. (1998). School Library Media Specialist Role and Responsibilities. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/office/admin/roles.html ALA/AASL Standards. For Initial Programs for School Library Media Specialist Preparation. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from http://www.ncate.org/documents/ProgramStandards/ala%202001.pdf The School Library Media Cohort. (2005, January 27). Purpose. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from http://www.aacps.org/aacps/boe/INSTR/CURR/LMS/trtowson.htm The Unquiet Librarian. (2007, September 18). Six Trends in School Library Media Centers for 21st Century. Retrieved January 17, 2008, from http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2007/09/18/six-trends-in-school-library-media-centers-for-the-21st-century/ Read More