One issue explored in ETL504 was where the teacher-librarian is placed amongst the school leadership hierarchy. On one side, there is the view that teacher-librarians are positioned to be leaders of curriculum, learning and information literacy (Oddone, 2021). They are proactively at the forefront of educational trends and lead their school community to embrace the rapidly changing information and technology landscape (Merga, 2020). Therefore, based on their sphere of influence and expertise, one can conclude that teacher librarians should be part of the leadership teams within the school, supported by Stephens (2011) and Merga (2021). In Assignment One, I strategically placed this role in the middle leadership within my primary school context that acts as collaborative support for the executive and leader for the teachers and students within the organisation. This is further exemplified by the New South Wales Department of Education (2017) school libraries handbook, which explicitly states the leadership role of resource development and information literacy as part of their role for their schools.
However, despite the academic evidence supporting teacher librarians as leaders, the reality of this role is currently being undermined and diminished. Research from Crothers (2019) and Carmody (2019) states a growing and alarming reduction in the number of qualified teacher librarians in schools, with many principals replacing them with cheaper “library officers” and “library assistants”, often with no formal qualifications or training to cut costs. This begs the question, if teacher-librarians are as valuable as middle leaders, why are they the first casualty when it comes to budget cuts, as cited by Carmody (2019)? This is further exemplified in the discussion posts and online meetings of ETL504. Many beginning teacher librarians have said that they are relegated to a diminished role of relieving teachers and teaching subject areas that do not take advantage of the teacher-librarian’s capacity to lead information and curriculum expertise.
In my opinion and supported by Carmody (2019) and Kemp (2017), the lack of awareness of principals on the role and benefits of the teacher-librarians as a leader is a contributing factor to this declining reality. Budget constraints, COVID, the focus on improving NAPLAN data over authentic learning, and the need for more support staff to fill in literacy and numeracy gaps have contributed to this decline too.
To remedy this and elevate the role to its rightful place as a middle leader, we explored in the second half of ETL504 the “how to lead” aspect of teacher librarians as leaders.
One recurring strategy evident in ETL504, ETL401 and ETL503 is the importance of advocacy and leading from the middle. The teacher-librarian will need to advocate and proactively apply leadership models such as servitude, transformation and instruction to demonstrate through words and actions to improve the perception and value of their role within the organisation. Through developing positive collaborative relationships centred on student learning, it is argued by Kaaland (2012) that the teacher-librarian has the opportunity to market their potential and gain much-needed allies to drive meaningful changes to improve student outcomes. However, this requires time and patience, which in the education sphere can pose a challenge for the teacher-librarian to navigate, considering how time-poor staff are. According to a survey conducted by Sonnemann and Joiner (2022), 92% of teachers cited a lack of time to adequately organise their lessons, let alone plan for new initiatives.
Therefore, strategically planning how to advocate and improve the teacher-librarian role is essential in improving its position within the organisation. By identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) to change and forming collaborative relationships, teacher librarians will be better equipped to navigate the dynamic role of middle leaders, capitalising on achievable goals and proactively managing challenges before they become a hindrance to success.
Reference List
Crothers, J (2019). ‘Teacher librarian numbers are dwindling — should we be worried?’ https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/life matters/teacher-librarian-numbers-are-dwindling-%E 2%80%94-should-we-be-worried/11590334
Kaaland, C. (2012). Developing a culture of advocacy. In D. Levitov (Ed.), Activism and the school librarian: Tools for advocacy and survival. Libraries Unlimited.
Kemp, J. (2017). Ten ways to advocate for your role as a teacher librarian. Connections – School Catalogue Information Service. 1 (103) 6-7 https://www.scisdata.com/media/1656/connections103.pdf
Leigh, D. (2009). SWOT analysis. Handbook of Improving Performance in the Workplace: Volumes 1‐3, 115-140.
New South Wales Department of Education (2017). School Libraries Handbook 2017. https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/media/documents/schoollibrarieshandbook2015.pdf
Merga, M. K. (2020). School Librarians as Literacy Educators Within a Complex Role. Journal of Library Administration, 60(8), 889-908. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2020.1820278
Merga, M. K. (2021). Why are teacher librarians an excellent investment in contemporary schools?. Scan: The Journal for Educators, 40(2), 12-15.
Oddone, K. [KayO] (2021, June 14). Teacher Librarian as Leader: Lessons from the Literature. Teacher Librarian as Leader. https://www.linkinglearning.com.au/teacher-librarian-as-leader-lessons-from-the-literature/
Sonnemann, J & Joiner, R. (2022). Teachers don’t have enough time to prepare well for class. We have a solution. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/teachers-dont-have-enough-time-to-prepare-well-for-class-we-have-a-solution-175633
Stephens, W. S. (2011). The school librarian as leader: out of the middle, into the foreground. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 18+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A257611630/AONE?u=anon~f5fbc5fe&sid=googleScholar&xid=4dc5f5da