ROLES of the SCHOOL LIBRARIAN

EMPOWERING STUDENT LEARNING and SUCCESS

EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The Northeast Comprehensive Center’s 2011 informational brief
Impact of School Libraries on Student Achievement analyzed a
collection of impact studies to examine relationships between school
libraries and student achievement with respect to demographic data,
technology, budgeting, staffing, professional development, and
collaboration. Since that year, 6 statewide school library impact
studies have been conducted in 5 states: Colorado (1), Kansas (1),
Pennsylvania (1), South Carolina (2), and Washington (1). The Northeast
Comprehensive Center also reviewed research conducted from 2011
through 2019 on a range of topics, including the evolving roles of
school librarians; the transformation of the school library with growing
digital demands of technology integration in teaching and learning, to
the rise of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
education, 21st century learning skills for college and career readiness;
and requirements for effective and evidence-based practices under
more rigorous national and state legislation and learning standards.
Across the studies included here, the primary indicators used to
measure student academic achievement are standardized test scores
in reading, math, and writing, and 4- to 5-year high school cohort
graduation rates.
The integration of technology into curricula and emergence of new
areas of practice for school librarians that promote equity and access,
such as culturally responsive-sustaining education, are expanding the
school librarian’s influence beyond the school walls as they connect
the school to the global community of learners. In its 2018 National
School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School
Libraries, the American Association of School Libraries (AASL)
recognizes and defines 5 roles of school librarians that are crucial to
the development and significance of effective school library programs:
Teacher, Leader, Instructional Partner, Information Specialist, and
Program Administrator.
At the request of the New York State Education Department, this brief
delves into these 5 roles of the school librarian by identifying key
aspects of each role and discussing how school leaders can ensure
they are making the best use of their librarians' expertise. Based on the
findings and promising practices outlined in the research analyzed
here, we summarize some ways in which administrators can support
professional learning and institutes of higher education can prepare
school librarians to effectively take on these new roles.
prepared by

Stephanie Cohen
Ivy Poitras
Khaila Mickens NORTHEAST COMPREHENSIVE CENTER
Anushka Shirali
SCHOOL LIBRARIAN AS “As teacher the school librarian empowers learners to
TEACHER become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful
researchers, and ethical users of information.
The school librarian supports students’ success by guiding them to read
for understanding, breadth, and pleasure; use information for defined
and self-defined purposes; build on prior knowledge and construct new
knowledge; embrace the world of information and all its formats; work
with each other in successful collaborations for learning; constructively
assess their own work and the work of their peers; [and] become their
own best critics” (AASL 2018, 14).

A few takeaways from impact studies and research outlining promising

practices:

▪ Developing students’ reading and comprehension skills through

literacy instruction led by the school librarian and access to a
wide range of grade, level, and age appropriate materials
tailored to their interests improves student performance on
statewide assessments and reinforces literacy development in
and out of school.

Gretes, 2013; Lance & Hofschire, 2012; Lance & Schwarz, 2012;
Radlick & Stefl-Mabry, 2015

▪ Collaborating with other educators to design and implement

literacy instructional strategies enables the school librarian to
have a sustained impact on students’ literacy skills beginning with
early learning.

Reed & Oslund, 2018

▪ Teaching students to develop research skills and encouraging

them to access the school library collection and resources in
different formats and for different purposes, the school librarian
empowers students to engage in the inquiry process.

Lance, Schwarz, & Rodney, 2014

▪ Coteaching between school librarians and classroom teachers

positively impacts student achievement by engaging students
with rich and robust learning experiences.

Loertscher, 2014

▪ Adapting the school library space to meet a variety of purposes

enables the school librarian to offer innovative programming that
promotes creativity and learning.

Small, 2014

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SCHOOL LIBRARIAN AS The school librarian is “a teacher and a learner who listens
LEADER to and acts upon good ideas from peers, educators, and
learners. Leadership also requires increased professional commitment
and thorough knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing the
profession. By becoming an active member of the local and global
learning community, the school librarian can build relationships with
organizations and stakeholders to develop an effective school library
program and advocate for student learning” (AASL 2018, 14).

In the AASL’s position statement, The Strategic Leadership Role of

School Librarians, the leadership role is described as follows: “The
American Association of School Librarians supports the position that
full-time certified school librarians provide effective leadership in areas
of curriculum development, instructional design, technology
integration, professional development, student advocacy, information
literacy instruction, and collaboration. This is demonstrated by active
involvement in and through school and district-level leadership teams,
technology teams, strategic planning, literacy development,
curriculum development, and initiatives that impact student
achievement” (1).

A few takeaways from impact studies and research outlining promising

practices:

▪ Providing leadership in technology integration across discipline

areas requires school librarians to apply their knowledge of the
specific needs of the school population to ensure effective
implementation of new technologies.

Ennis-Cole & Smith, 2011

▪ Working with other educators and school administrators to

develop curriculum materials makes the school librarian an
integral member of the school’s instructional design team.

Kimmel, 2012

▪ Leading schoolwide initiatives allows the school librarian to

oversee the successful implementation of innovative learning, in
addition to supporting teachers and school administrators.

Johnston, 2012; Kang, 2015

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SCHOOL LIBRARIAN AS “The school librarian collaborates with classroom teachers to
INSTRUCTIONAL develop assignments that are matched to academic
standards and include key critical-thinking skills, technology
PARTNER and information literacy skills, and core social skills and
cultural competencies. The school librarian guides instructional
design by working with the classroom teacher to establish learning
objectives and goals, and by implementing assessment strategies
before, during, and after assigned units of study. . . . Communication with
classroom teachers and learners now takes place virtually, as well as face
to face” (AASL 2018, 14).

Furthermore, the AASL defines this role in its Position Statement on the
Instructional Role of the School Librarian, “The school librarian plays a
prominent role in instructing students, faculty, and administrators in a
range of literacies, including information, digital, print, visual, and
textual literacies. As leaders in literacy and technology, school
librarians are perfectly positioned to instruct every student in the school
community through both traditional and blended learning.”

A few takeaways from impact studies and research outlining promising

practices:

▪ Collaborating with teachers to adapt existing curriculum

materials to integrate technology and be more cross-disciplinary
allows the school librarian to support students at all levels and
with diverse learning needs.

Green, Kennedy, Chassereau, & Schriver, 2013; Latham, Julien, Gross,

& Witte, 2016; Subramaniam, Ahn, Fleischmann, & Druin, 2012;
Subramaniam, Ahn, Greene, Druin, Fleischmann, & Walsh, 2013

▪ Promoting the value of STEM education through library

programming helps teachers to find resources to support students.

Subramaniam et. al, 2012

▪ Leading and providing professional development aligned to

learning standards and other initiatives that require new
knowledge, such as introducing new technologies, can boost
student learning in the classroom.

Hunt & Luetkehans, 2013

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SCHOOL LIBRARIAN AS “As an information specialist, the school librarian uses
INFORMATION technology tools to supplement school resources, assist in
the creation of engaging learning tasks, connect the school
SPECIALIST with the global learning community, communicate with
students and classroom teachers at any time, and provide
[continuous]access to school library services. The school
librarian introduces and models emerging technologies, as well as
strategies for finding, assessing, and using information. He or she is a
leader in software and hardware evaluation, establishing the processes
for such evaluation to take place. . . . [The] school librarian must be
versed in the theoretical grounding and practical application of
[copyright and fair use] laws in order to teach the ethical use of
information to the learning community” (AASL 2018, 14).

A few takeaways from impact studies and research outlining promising

practices:

▪ Improving equitable access to learning with technology

positively impacts student achievement.

Lance & Schwarz, 2012

▪ Supporting teachers in integrating technology leads to

improvements in student learning.

Green et al., 2013

▪ Providing students with resources to build their skills around online

news helps them become better consumers of information.

Will, 2016

▪ Connecting the school with the global community helps students

engage in critical thinking, collaboration, and authentic,
real-world problem solving.

Donham, 2014; Kuhlthau, Maniotes, & Caspari

▪ Teaching ethical use of information ensures that students are able

to generate their own insightful questions and are more
motivated to be more inquisitive and discerning in the future.

Kreuger & Donham, 2013

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SCHOOL LIBRARIAN AS “As program administrator, the school librarian ensures that
PROGRAM all members of the learning community have access to
resources that meet a variety of needs and interests. The
ADMINISTRATOR implementation of a successful school library program requires the
collaborative development of the program mission, strategic plan, and
policies, as well as the effective management of staff, the program
budget, and the physical and virtual spaces. To augment information
resources available to the learning community, the school librarian works
actively to form partnerships with stakeholders and sister organizations at
local and global levels. The school librarian also addresses broader
educational issues with other teachers in the building, at the district level,
and at the professional association level” (AASL 2018, 15).

A few takeaways from impact studies and research outlining promising

practices:

▪ Ensuring equitable access to the school library, collection, and

resources can raise student achievement and are reinforced by
the presence of a school librarian.

Coker, 2015; Krashen, Lee, & McQuillan, 2012

▪ Supporting diverse student learning with a library collection that

reflects the characteristics of the school community and
collaborating with specialized educators are necessary for school
librarians to best address students’ needs.

Subramaniam, Oxley, & Kodama, 2013

▪ Engaging all members of the school community in promoting the

school library as a learning hub, the school librarian can build
partnerships that facilitate learning interventions and enrichment
opportunities.

Knapp, 2013; Whittingham, Huffman, Christensen, & McAllister, 2013

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 All these studies show how impactful school librarians can be on
CHALLENGES student achievement through innovative educational intervention
programs they create and provide, especially if an intervention brings
together classmates and community members alike with the goal of
improving the learning process. However, several studies also highlight
the challenges that school librarians face in being able to do more
within the school community.

▪ Increasing Librarian/Teacher Collaborations for Greater Student

Learning Gains

Everhart, Mardis, & Johnston, 2011; Green, Jones, & Burke, 2017;
Green, Kennedy, Chassereau, & Schriver, 2013; Johnston, 2012; Kang
& Everhart, 2014; Latham, Julien, Gross, & Witte, 2016; Subramaniam,
Ahn, Fleischmann, & Druin, 2012; Subramaniam, Ahn, Greene, Druin,
Fleischmann, & Walsh, 2013; Subramaniam et. al, 2012; Varlejs, Stec, &
Kwon, 2014; Will, 2016

▪ Expanding Professional Development

Professional development for school librarians should be
expanded to focus more on school librarian leadership and
teaching and learning.

Weeks, Carlson, DiScala, Barlow, Massey, et al., 2017

▪ Clarifying School Librarian Roles in Support of Student Learning

Administrators and teachers must be well informed about the
different ways in which school librarians can support learning.

Adkins, 2014; Reed & Albakry, 2017

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 Given the vast range of research that has emerged over the past
CONCLUSION decade, we chose to organize the information around the 5 roles of
the school librarian as outlined by the AASL. The school librarians’
contributions, whether direct or indirect, are consistently shown to be of
positive value to not only students and teachers, but the wider school
community. The rapid pace of technology and automation are valid
concerns regarding how they alter the dynamics of early childhood
through postsecondary learning and expectations for the changing
trends in employment opportunities. However, the underlying skills for
inquiry and cross-disciplinary literacy that school libraries aim to
cultivate and support in how teachers can more effectively teach
students and how students can more effectively learn will still be
necessary even when their application to future tasks may be different.
Therefore, it is important to consider the sustainability of school libraries
for the success of all students in New York as well as across the country
for generations to come, because school libraries and the role of
school librarians have and will continue to evolve to meet the
conditions of the world and time in which they exist. By taking certain
measures, outlined throughout this report, the State and administrators
within school buildings can improve this existing infrastructure for
learning and in shaping the greater role of the school library within the
community as a resource for all learners and uses.

DISCLAIMER
The contents of this report were developed under a grant from the Department of
Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the
Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal
Government.
The development of this informational brief was also supported in part with Federal Library
Services and Technology Act funds awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal
Institute of Museum and Library Services. The New York State Library is a program of the
Office of Cultural Education in the New York State Education Department.

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