Roles of the Media Specialist Letitia Green MEDT 7487

The Roles of the Media Specialist Information Power has described the role(s) of the media specialist in the exact way in which I have learned to become one. There are four main aspects to the job based upon my understanding of what it is that I am to do/become in order to be effective in my role. It is definitely a job that requires a great deal of dedication, expertise and hard work.

Roles of the Media Specialist Continued The library media specialist has many roles and responsibilities including teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and program administrator (Information Power, p. 4-5).

Media Specialist as Teacher Sixteen years of experience Worked as a teacher, coach, mentor teacher, grades 6-8 as a certified teacher, grades k-12 as a substitute teacher Becoming a Media Specialist has been the greatest shift from the classroom I have experienced to date

Media Specialist as Teacher continued In the role of teacher, the school library media specialist (SLMS) collaborates with teachers and Instructional Technology Specialist to ensure that students acquire the necessary information technology competencies and information literacy skills and the opportunities to integrate those skills into a standards based curriculum. “Teacher. The teacher librarian must be an effective educator and curricular leader. The media specialist must possess up-to-date knowledge and skills on a wide range of educational topics including teaching, learning, and information literacy.”

Media Specialist as Teacher continued Media Specialist as Teacher Video Click on the link above for additional information on this topic. According to Information Power, the media specialist as teacher is a very powerful role that is unavoidable and absolutely necessary. “Information Power (1998) has identified collaboration between media specialists and classroom teachers as critical to "support authentic, information-based learning."

Media Specialist as Information Specialist Information Specialist. The teacher librarian must be an expert in locating, evaluating, and synthesizing information. Whether collaborating with the principal on a budget issue or teaching fifth graders to use electronic databases, the media specialist must model strategies for using a spectrum of traditional and new information tools and resources.

Media Specialist as Information Specialist continued This is probably the most challenging aspect of the program for me. As a teacher, I am used to utilizing technology as both a learning and teaching tool for students, but I had not envisioned my role as being the person primarily responsible for our school’s technology until now.

Media Specialist as Information Specialist In Information Power (1998), the SLMS is viewed as having “expertise in acquiring and evaluating information sources in all formats."

Media Specialist as Instructional Partner Information Power identifies the role as Instructional Partner, but I have coined it as Collaborator. Either way, this role is vital to the overall success of the media center and the library community as a whole.

Media Specialist as Instructional Partner continued In Information Power (1998), collaboration between media specialists and classroom teachers was identified as critical to "support authentic, information-based learning.”

Media Specialist as Program Administrator As stated in Information Power (1998), the SLMS is "proficient in the management of staff, budgets, equipment, and facilities" and works with other administrators and teachers to form policies, design activities, and provide leadership that would ensure outstanding use of information and information technology.

Media Specialist as Program Administrator continued As someone who will be ultimately responsible for the media center as a whole, it is important that the media specialist has a positive relationship with stakeholders and can stand strong as the primary advocate for the media center and media specialists alike.

Roles of Media Specialist- Conclusion The role of the School Library Media Specialist is provide a comfortable atmosphere for students to relevant skills that will continue to equip them for learning in a technological world that is constantly evolving. Resources of all types are critical for the 21st century learner to remain competitive in this global environment. In addition to the role of collaborating with teachers to provide lessons to meet the specific needs of the students, managing the facility as an administrator, today’s 21st Century SLMS must be able to teach technology skills, maintain and update the collection to relate to the school's curriculum and promote 21st Century literacy skill to all students, especially those with diverse needs and multi-cultural backgrounds.

References American Association of School Librarians (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. Chicago: American Library Association. Lamb, Annette (n.d.). The Role of the Media Specialist. Retrieved from http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/specialist.htm