Collaborative partnerships with staff, from teaching staff to school leadership, are essential for a TL’s success as a learning leader (Haycock, 2007). A productive relationship with the Principal, and other key leadership team members, is vital for library advocacy, justifying funding/budget changes, reporting, future planning, professional development, and much more. Often the work of library staff goes unnoticed by other members of staff, especially leadership who aren’t necessarily ‘on the ground’, so it is important to make these efforts known. Communicating the essential role that school libraries play in the lives of the broader learning community, and their incredible impact, is an ongoing process. Regular collaboration meetings could be a good way of keeping the Principal informed and on-board.
A supportive Principal can enable a TL by backing their vision for the school library, providing suggestions and support, sharing leadership advice or strategies, and ensuring appropriate funding (for staff and resources). I think a supportive Principal should also trust a TL’s expertise and genuinely understand that the library is adding value to the lives of all learners through library offerings and services.
In turn, TLs can support a Principal by driving whole-school initiatives, such as reading programs, teaching skills (e.g. digital/information literacy and research), supporting literacy development, teaching classes and more (Kemp, 2017). TLs can also provide guidance about information needs, assist with curriculum development (including cross-curriculum priorities or inquiry learning projects) and support staff as they plan learning units. For independent schools, a wonderful library could also be a selling point for prospective families!
References:
Haycock, K. (2007). Collaboration: Critical Success Factors for Student Learning. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 25-35.
Kemp, J. (2017). Ten ways to advocate for your role as a teacher librarian. Connections, 103, 6-7. https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-103/ten-ways-to-advocate-for-your-role-as-a-teacher-librarian/
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