September was a month for getting staff trained on Google Classroom and Google Drive. I supported the process by creating documentation, sending out newsletters, traveling to campus for group demonstrations, 1:1 teacher training and presenting at the principals meeting.
I also began teaching middle school information literacy lessons. I will be teaching four 7th & 8th grade classes. While teaching this class I hope to build a knowledge base to support the creation of a district library curriculum. To support this, I am studying the new AASL standards and exposing myself to a variety of district units and plans. I will continue this work throughout the year.
I am determined to make the book festival a reality this year. In 2016 I successfully pulled it off, but after a few years with difficulty finding volunteers, I think it’s going to happen. I have enlisted the help of a new batch of volunteers and have scheduled the event for April.
In my expanded role as District Librarian, I am developing a new library mission statement. With inspiration from our organizations mission and strategic pillars, the following are goals for the District Librarian.
- Partnerships. The mission states that we provide services through an integrated system. I envision this position connecting departments (clinical, educational, IT) across the agency. Creating a central cohesion for therapeutic environment will strengthening services offered to clients.
- Support. As our staff works to serve clients, the District Librarian will identify research, resources, assets, etc. from promising/proven practices to enrich services and improve outcomes. This support will be shared with staff in accessible formats that can be easily utilized in the busy environment.
- Teaching. Librarianship is a teaching position at the core. Whether it be classroom teaching or professional development, the District Librarian will always have a foot in the classroom.
- Planning. Education is at a pivotal stage in transformation. The District Librarian will be an important role in planning for the future. Librarians tend to be a ‘Jack of all trades’ and planning for the future often requires eyes of a person who understands multiple perspectives. A major focus of the planning in the early phases will be developing an information literacy curriculum for the schools.
