A Library Science Blog

As I have been completing my Librarian Practicum, I have noticed that a librarian's schedule is very important for so many different reasons. The students need access to materials 24/7, teachers need assistance and library space, and administrators have needs and requests as well. Aside from all of that, the librarian has to plan when they are going to work on everything else: planning lessons, collecting materials, weeding, reading advocacy, school clubs, etc. The list goes on.  I think that there is a happy medium between a flexible schedule and a fixed schedule. For example, on the days the librarian is giving lessons, the library should only be open for checking out books. A flexible schedule will work most other days. This also depends on the space of the library. If a teacher wants to use a space in the library to teach a lesson, the library may have to be closed as well. But again, the library always remains open for students needing access to books. Here's an elementary...

Coming fresh from the classroom, it's important for librarians to empathize with teachers. Think about all of the tasks they have to complete on a day-to-day basis: the grades, lesson planning, implementing UDL and other educational strategies, walk-throughs, observations from administration, professional development, etc etc. The list goes on. With this in mind, the librarian should be a supplement to the teacher. We should look at the scope and sequence of the curriculum. We should ask the teacher what they have in mind for delivering the content. After receiving all of this information, we can begin to support the teacher with their lessons, adding any type of literacy support that will help the students. My goal is to not be a burden to the teacher. I want the teacher to feel supported, relieved, and pleasantly surprised at how the librarian can help in the classroom.