Learning about the Job

What does a school librarian do?

Today's school librarian works with both students and teachers to facilitate access to information in a wide variety of formats, instruct students and teachers how to acquire, evaluate and use information and the technology needed in this process, and introduces children and young adults to literature and other resources to broaden their horizons. As a collaborator, change agent, and leader, the school librarian develops, promotes and implements a program that will help prepare students to be effective users of ideas and information, a lifelong skill.

Librarycareers.org  is a service of the American Library Association designed to promote interest, awareness, and information about careers in libraries. It serves as a starting point for anyone considering a library career. 

LISjobs.com  provides links to information for prospective and new librarians.

So you want to become a librarian  is a project of the Alliance Library System in Illinois. Their wiki includes information on becoming a librarian.

These resources provide a more detailed description of the school librarian's job:

• School Librarians: Sample Job Description. American Association of Librarians.
• Have you considered a career as a school librarian?  University of South Carolina, School of Library and Information Science.
• American Association of School Libraries. (2009). Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs. Chicago: American Library Association.
• Toor, Ruth and Weisburg, Hilda K. (2007). New on the Job: A school library media specialist's guide to success.  Chicago: American Library Association.
• Useful Information for New and “About to be” School Librarians.  University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science.
• Coatney, Sharon. (2010). The Many Faces of School Library Leadership.  Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited.
• Staino, Rocco and Berkowicz, Jill. (2011). Looking for a School Librarian: What are the Qualifications? School Library Monthly, 27 (5), 50-51.
• Valenza, Joyce. Manifesto for 21st Century School Librarians 
• The 21st Century Librarian.  New York Times 2009 video job description of school librarian Stephanie Rosalia.
• The 21st Century School Librarian: Literacy in a New Era.  April, 2011 blog post by new librarian Laura Lee Calverley.

Also, read testimonials from three school librarians.

Salaries

School librarians are generally on a similar salary schedule as teachers. Salaries go up with years of experience and amount of education in most cases. When transferring from district to district, a school librarian may be given credit for some, but possibly not all years of prior experience based on the teacher contract in the district. Occasionally school librarians will have a slightly extended contract to finish administrative tasks outside of the school year, but this is not common.

Teacher salaries vary from district to district, but averages can be found at:

• National Center for Education Statistics - Digest of Education Statistics,  2010, table 78: average base salary of full time teachers in public elementary and secondary schools through 2007-2008
• National Education Association - Rankings & Estimates:  Rankings of the States 2010 and Estimates of School Statistics 2011- average salary of public school teachers by state through 2000-2010

Job Outlook

• Librarians. Occupational Outlook Handbook,  2010-2011. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• Librarian.  U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Librarian: Career Information  from How.com’s Career Planning website.

Mentoring or Job Shadowing Programs

Another way to learn about the job is to shadow a school librarian for a day. Contact your local schools or state professional organization to set up a visit. Once you are in a job, connecting with a mentor will help the new school librarian navigate through the challenges of a new career.

• Exchanging Jobs  is a free Web site that offers job exchanges and job shadowing opportunities for librarians.
• Colorado Power Libraries Program matches veteran librarians with new librarians to help mentor them to use collaboration skills and techniques to turn their school librarian into vital learning centers.
• NJASL Mentoring Handbook for school library media specialists
• Maine State Library mentors for school areas of interest
• Reforma, the National Association to Provide Libraries and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, provides a mentorship program to assist those providing services to Latinos.
• Some professional organizations such as the Wisconsin Educational Media Association and the Arizona Information Literacy listerv are beginning mentoring programs or providing forums to seek mentors for new school librarians. Check with your state organization for school librarians for local programs.
• Info Career Trends- Mentoring Tenure Track Librarians