ERIC Number: EJ873573
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Feb
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-127X
EISSN: N/A
School Librarians: Vital Educational Leaders
Martineau, Pamela
Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, v75 n6 p4-6 Feb 2010
In the new millennium, school librarians are more likely to be found sitting behind a computer as they update the library web page or create a wiki on genetically modified organisms. Or they might be seen in the library computer lab as they lead students through tutorials on annotated bibliographies or Google docs. If adequately supported, school librarians--or teacher librarians--are vital educational leaders on campus who update educators' and students' research skills in an era of ever-changing technology. But many education policy makers don't actually know what good teacher librarians do, school library advocates claim, so library programs are especially vulnerable to budget cuts. Research shows a link between strong library programs and student achievement. The boost to student achievement from strong library programs at the high school level apparently carries over into college. Another study of incoming freshmen found that students from high schools with teacher librarians fared significantly better academically at college than their peers from high schools without teacher librarians. A good teacher librarian should spend large amounts of time teaching students, maintaining the library website, and collaborating with teachers. And the only way to do that is with support staff who take over the day-to-day operations of the library.
Descriptors: High Schools, Academic Achievement, School Libraries, Research Skills, Librarians, Library Services, Library Automation, Library Skills, College School Cooperation
Prakken Publications. 832 Phoenix Drive, P.O. Box 8623, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Tel: 734-975-2800; Fax: 734-975-2787; Web site: http://www.eddigest.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: High Schools; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A