It is essential school librarians understand and demonstrate how they impact the school culture, implement school and district goals, and form positive relationships within the school community. However, some school librarians have difficulty understanding the connection between advocacy, leadership, and acting in a leadership role. As a result,…

The publication in 2015 of new international school library guidelines was the culmination of a two-year process involving a wide network of contributors. The process was guided by the Joint Committee of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) School Libraries Section and the International Association of School Librarianship…

The athletic department and the school library at Mayde Creek High School in Texas have been collaborating to build literacy and leadership skills among the athletes on the varsity football team, and both the boys' and girls' varsity basketball teams through collaborative leadership book studies that are also sports-focused. Because of the success…

One of the ways school librarians can become a leader in the school community is to design, organize, and present professional development opportunities for fellow educators. Running professional development is a chance for school librarians to become leaders in the school, as well as an opportunity to collaborate with fellow educators, advance…

This article describes the SS "School Library Leadership" maiden voyage, which departed from the University of Vermont (UVM) during the 2010 fall semester. Twelve intrepid sailors followed their sense of adventure into uncharted waters with cocaptains Judy Kaplan and Susan Ballard in an online collaboration that provided a powerful…

Over breakfast at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, this author was asked, "What is authority? What does one know about the ways in which he/she determines credibility? Whom do you trust?" In this article, the author focuses on these questions in terms of administrators who have control over libraries. She provides a…

Leadership and advocacy often resemble a dance more than a straight-line march toward a goal. At times the leader advocate must work the process and lead the dance; at other times, the leader must stand back and let the process work, always ready to add a step or two to the dance when necessary. In this article, the author describes how librarians…

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" were released just as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) was refreshing its National Educational Technology Standards for Students in late 2007. These standards outline what students will know and be able to do with educational…

Discusses the importance of fostering learning communities in today's school reform movement and the potential role of the school library media specialist as a leader in building collaborative networks with classroom teachers. Highlights include a comparison of traditional and collaborative models; linking collaboration and leadership; and…

Discusses the role of the school library media specialist in standards-based learning. Topics include standards-based assessment; information literacy standards; collaboration with classroom teachers; benchmarks and indicators for student performance; leadership in a standards-based climate; and the use of technology to support curriculum and…