School Librarians

It was so much fun presenting at the Texas Library Association Conference.

Librarians, Teaching Librarians, Library Media Specialists, Media Specialists, or whatever title is used are some of the most passionate, hard working people I have ever met. And some of the most taken advantage of and disrespected. As a former school librarian, I know firsthand the work that goes into being a librarian. Becoming a librarian taught me so much about leadership, about dealing with multiple different stakeholders, and about programming and planning events. 

However, even though they are such hard workers, I heard over and over again about the mistreatment they get and how many of their positions were being cut. I don't understand education sometimes. You have an expert in literacy, in literature, in technology, and in programming on your campus and you dismiss their value and worth at every turn. Now, I know I have someone saying...that doesn't sound like my school librarian. Well, there are people not good at their job in every profession. And I have definitely seen some librarians that needed to be replaced pronto because they gave all of us a bad name. But I have seen SO many more excellent, caring professionals that just get a raw deal.

So many that supervise them don't really understand what a librarian is supposed to do. Well, let me tell you. A librarian is there to support instruction, to support the curriculum, to teach digital citizenship, to teach research, to foster a love of literacy and reading, to create programs and so much more! 

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