School librarians work in academic settings at all levels of the US education system, from elementary schools to universities. School librarians organize media collections, maintain reference services, and assist patrons in finding information. They may specialize in certain areas of library science or collections, like fine arts, law, online reference collections, or serials. This guide provides further information on what librarians do, how to become one, and librarian salary and job outlook.
School librarians should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, advanced computer skills, reading skills, and the ability to solve problems. Common tasks for school librarians include assisting patrons in learning how to use information retrieval systems, providing suggestions on books and information sources relevant to patron inquiries, and maintaining collections. School librarians may also be responsible for the acquisition of new materials for library collections. With experience, school librarians may also become responsible for supervising junior librarians, clerks, and others within the library. School librarians should be prepared to continue training and developing their skills in the information sciences throughout their careers, as information requirements in the Internet age are always evolving.
what does a school librarian make
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According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), librarians in elementary and secondary schools earned a median annual wage of $60,780 in 2018.2 Librarians in college and university libraries earned a median annual salary of $64,130 in 2018.2 However, the salary for school librarians can vary widely; salaries tend to be higher in larger libraries and frequently differ from state to state. The BLS predicts average jobs growth for librarians over the 10-year period between 2018 and 2028, at 6%.2
Many school librarians begin accumulating career experience by volunteering at local libraries while pursuing an education in library science. Advancement opportunities for school librarians are available to assistant director and library director, where salaries are commensurate with experience and the added responsibilities these positions entail. In large library systems, school librarians may alternately advance to specialist positions such as conservator.
School librarians, sometimes called school library media specialists, typically work in elementary, middle, and high school libraries. They teach students how to use library resources, including technology. They also help teachers develop lesson plans and find materials for classroom instruction.
Special librarians work in settings other than school or public libraries. They are sometimes called information professionals. Businesses, museums, government agencies, and many other groups have their own libraries that use special librarians. The main purpose of these libraries and information centers is to serve the information needs of the organization that houses the library. Therefore, special librarians collect and organize materials focused on those subjects. Special librarians may need an additional degree in the subject that they specialize in. The following are examples of special librarians:
In these statewide studies, the most substantial and consistent finding is a positive relationship between full-time, qualified school librarians and scores on standards-based language arts, reading, and writing tests, regardless of student demographics and school characteristics. For example, a national study using data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and 4th-grade National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scores documented that losses of librarians are associated with declines or inferior gains in reading scores, while gains of librarians are associated with improved scores (Lance & Hofschire, 2011a). When the study was replicated in Colorado the following year using more precise state data, the result was the same (Lance & Hofschire, 2012).
In a Pennsylvania study (Lance & Schwarz, 2012), nearly 8% more students scored Advanced on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment in reading in schools with a full-time, certified librarian than in schools without. Where part-time support staff was added to the full-time librarian, almost 9% more students achieved Advanced scores. The effect of staffing on writing scores was even greater: Students with full-time librarians were almost three times more likely than those without librarians to have Advanced writing scores.
Reading and writing scores tend to be higher for all students who have a full-time certified librarian, and when it comes to reading, students in at-risk subgroups tend to benefit more than all students combined. The Pennsylvania study (Lance & Schwarz, 2012) found that while 1.6% fewer students tested at the Below Basic level in reading when they had full-time librarians than those who did not, the difference was even greater for Black students (5.5%), Latino students (5.2%), and students with disabilities (4.6%). Even higher academic gains were evident among student subgroups if their schools had more library staff, larger library collections, and greater access to technology, databases, and the library itself. On average, Black and Latino students whose schools had larger library collections (versus those who did not) more than doubled their percentages of Advanced writing scores and cut their risk of Below Basic writing scores in half.
The mere presence of a librarian is associated with better student outcomes, but what librarians do also has positive effects. Multiple studies have found that test scores tend to be higher in schools where librarians spend more time:
Keeping in mind that no other educator receives as much training in selection, evaluation, and integration of educational resources, one cost-effective and efficient way to send a message that the librarian is a resource for everyone is by thinking of the librarian as a chief information officer (CIO). As a CIO, a trained school librarian can evaluate online databases for potential licensing, investigate open educational resources, locate resources in languages other than English, and seek out texts written at specific reading levels, thus saving teachers valuable instructional time. Librarians can curate lists of internet sites and web tools for specific assignments and even help teachers integrate such resources in their instruction.
Nationwide, research suggests that reading, writing, and graduation rates improve where schools employ certified school librarians. With increasing costs and decreasing school funds, local school districts must decide how to get the best return on their investments. Providing equitable and adequate school library services and instruction has become an issue of social justice, especially when we see that schools in the poorest and most racially diverse communities have the least access to library services (Pribesh, Gavigan, & Dickinson, 2011). Since 2000, the NCES reports that more than 10,000 full-time school librarian positions nationwide have been lost, a stunning 19% drop (Lance, 2018). Districts and schools that have cut their library services need to reexamine this practice and take a position on library equity and access for all students.
As the research and information arm of the school, school library programs can provide professional development to teachers and instruct students on information use and ethics. Fully integrated library programs with certified librarians can boost student achievement and cultivate a collaborative spirit within schools. School leaders who leverage these assets will realize what research has shown: Quality school library programs are powerful boosters of student achievement that can make important contributions to improving schools in general and, in particular, closing the achievement gap among our most vulnerable learners.
Coker, E. (2015, April). The Washington state school library study: Certified teacher-librarians, library quality and student achievement in Washington state public schools. Seattle, WA: Washington Library Media Association.
Lance, K.C. & Hofschire, L. S. (2011b). Something to shout about: School Library Journal article reveals first evidence of impact of school librarian losses (and gains) on students. CSLA Journal, 3 (2), 20-22.
Thank you for this valuable information about the level of Black and Latino child reading scores associated with having a fully qualified/certified school librarian and school library versus those without!
I have been immersed in finding a balance between resource expenditures on school libraries versus classroom libraries. For middle- and high school (grades 7 through 12), it is especially important to devote funds to maintaining and staffing a school library. The latter includes librarians not only media specialists. This article will help me make that case, I hope! 2ff7e9595c
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