School Librarian as Instructional Coach

March 3-5th (School Library):

This week I spent 3 hours on M, T, and W in the school library.  I'm still continuing my task of updating the fiction inventory with new call number labels and mylar wrapping.  I feel that student patron use/circulation of fiction books is on the rise as a result.   Popular books continue to be graphic novels, new paperbacks, and historical fiction.

I recently found a quote off the School Library Journal website that is fitting:

"There is a critical role for both school and community librarians in the transition to digital,” says Sara Hall, director of the Center for Digital Learning at the Alliance for Excellent Education. “Whether they’re librarians or media specialists, they’re often becoming instructional coaches leading the transition." 
http://schoollibraryjournal.tumblr.com/post/78507933315/there-is-a-critical-role-for-both-school-and

I'm realizing more and more everyday that teachers and faculty are relying on the librarians to help them navigate the use of digital technology for the classroom.   As a school library media specialist, not just a library technician, I've been given an added responsibility of assisting staff with digital resources.  This week I spent a good deal of time explaining to students and teachers how to use the HP notebooks, connecting to WiFi, and accessing online databases/archives of historical images for educational use.  I've also discovered a few nifty techno tools in the process.  One is Discovery Education Streaming http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/ and the other is Atomic Learning online technology tutorials available to scusd employees on the District's employee intranet. 

Our library has a pretty decent collection of audiovisual material, but it comprises mostly VHS tapes.  Most of the teachers are looking for DVD copies of certain movies (e.g. The Outsiders) and if the library is lacking these resources, the teachers are looking elsewhere.  Discovery Streaming appears to be one source.   I predict that the audiovisual collection for the library will soon become obsolete as more and more faculty switch to other sources for their audiovisual educational media.  I don't see the reference material as becoming so irrelevant, however.  Many teachers are still requesting that their classes have time to use specific print references on subjects like science, medicine, careers, and U.S. government.  Common core, however, may change that practice next year.  New desktop PCs in the library would really help facilitate the transition!