“School librarians rely on their professional standards to provide direction and guidance in lesson planning, school library program development, curriculum-based unit creation, educator collaboration, pre-service school library education design, self-assessment, evaluation and advocacy of the library” (AASL, 2018).  

Standard 1: Learner and Learning

As a librarian I will be working closely with every student in the school on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.  Therefore I need to have a keen understanding of the students that I serve and “consider learner development, diversity and differences while fostering a positive learning environment” (AASL, 2019).  Throughout my experiences in the MLIS program I have had many opportunities to learn and demonstrate these skills.  During my Collaboration Unit, I developed the lesson plans based on the needs of the learners and the data from the pretest.  I continued to self-reflect on my teaching practices and made adjustments to the lesson plans along the way.  Both my Pathfinder and Paired Text Teacher’s Guide focus on the needs of the learner and provide multiple diverse ways for learning including self guided instruction, e-books, websites, fiction and nonfiction books and many more.  Lastly, the Digital Learning artifact I created a “virtual learner-centered environment that is engaging and equitable” (ALA, 2019).

Standard 2: Planning for Instruction

One of the most important jobs of the librarian is to collaborate with teachers and staff members to develop lesson plans that fit the needs of their students.  Librarians “collaborate with the learning community to strategically plan, deliver, and assess instruction” (AASL, 2019).  During my Collaboration Unit I planned with both the Library Media Specialist and the 7th grade history teacher to develop a unit of lesson plans that would use the data from a pretest to guide instruction for an inquiry process about famous Americans during the Roaring 20s.  The lessons were continually updated to reflect on best teaching practices and the needs of the specific students.  Lessons and assessments were developed to accommodate multiple learning styles and to provide for any necessary accommodations.  

Standard 3: Knowledge and Application of Content

As a librarian I will constantly need to use my “skills to actively engage learners in the critical-thinking and inquiry process” (AASL, 2019).  My Pathfinder and Digital Learning artifacts demonstrate using multimodal formats to promote learning in a diverse and digital world.  By allowing students to move through these items at their own pace I am also encouraging students to be independent learners.  The Paired Text Teacher’s Guide and Collaboration Unit encourages reading engagement by providing an array of opportunities through websites, e-books, databases, fiction and nonfiction books and other high quality resources.

Standard 4: Organization and Access

Librarians “make effective use of data and other forms of evidence to evaluate and inform decisions about library policies, resources, and services” (AASL, 2019).  During my Grant Proposal I was able to analyze the needs of a school and develop a plan that would enhance the vision of the library.  I took this data and wrote a comprehensive grant proposal that would meet the needs of all students of the school but specifically a targeted group of students.  The Speaking Notes demonstrates my ability to be an “advocate for flexible, open access to library resources and services according to the ethical codes of the profession” (AASL, 2019).

Standard 5: Leadership, Advocacy and Professional Responsibility

Effective librarians are “actively engaged in leadership, collaboration, advocacy, and professional networking” (AASL, 2019).  This is a crucial part of being a librarian that is often overlooked at times.  Through the Grant Proposal and Speaking Notes I learned how to use data to be an advocate for an underserved community by proposing an outdoor learning space and the elimination of library fines.  My Conference Presentation was developed a plan that allowed me to “lead and collaborate with members of the learning community to effectively design and implement solutions that positively impact learner growth and strengthen the role of the school library” (AASL, 2019).  

Resources

American Association of School Librarians (AASL). (2018). The national school library standards for learners, school librarians, and school libraries. Chicago, IL: ALA.

American Library Association. (2019). ALA/AASL/CAEP School Librarian Preparation Standards (2019). Retrieved from https://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aasleducation/ALA_AASL_CAEP_School_Librarian_Preparation_Standards_201