Blog Post 4: Technology Leadership Role of School Librarians

Society has become inundated with technology and the digital world is something to embrace rather than ignore, especially in the library setting. Technology has allowed the world to shrink and ultimately become connected at the click of a button or swipe of a page. The American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL, 2007) Standards for the 21^st Century Learner have prioritized the skills students need to become functional adults and successful individuals. By promoting a way of thinking and interacting with the world in a way that requires students to inquire, think critically, draw conclusions, make informed decisions, participate ethically and productively in society, and pursue personal growth, the Standards are teaching students to understand the information bombarding them, manipulate it in a meaningful way, and ultimately, go out into the digital world well-equipped and confident in their abilities (AASL, 2007). The digital world is forever linked with the modern students of today, and so should the library be as well. The person responsible and equipped to encourage the safe, responsible, and effective use of information and the place for it in the digital environment is unequivocally the school librarian. School librarians are trained professional, information specialists, with the knowledge and wisdom to instruct students so they might be effective adults with a high chance for success in the rapidly-changing world in which they live.

While some educators and education systems are hesitant to fully embrace technology and digital education, librarians should not be so wary. As Nancy Willard (2010) so aptly expresses, “it’s high time for [schools], and education in general, to establish the fact that internet literacy is an absolute prerequisite for success to 21^st century children”. Specifically sighting concerns related to internet filtering, Willard (2010) discusses how internet filtering is a poor substitute for educating students about appropriate online behavior and more often leads to the denial of legitimate learning content rather than blocking truly inappropriate or invalid content. While internet filters certainly have a place in education, blanket filtering is a sad excuse for teaching students how to determine which information is valuable and important when they interact with the vast digital world. 

The library is a perfect setting for teaching students how to gain the 21^st century learning skills they need to succeed. “Much more than a physical space, the library is now also available 24/7/365 as a virtual learning center” (Koechlin, Zwaan, & Loertscher, 2008). Without having the authoritative control over most information like in the past, libraries should be restructuring their space and purpose to accommodate 21^st century learning by creating a learning commons that promotes and encourages the use of technology and digital resources. A librarian should construct an environment that’s conducive to encouraging the skills of the 21^st century and allow their library to continue being “an essential element to [student] education – a gateway into the vast world of information” (Koechlin, Zwaan, & Loertscher, 2008). If not the librarian, then who will lead the youth of today toward a standard where they are competent, confident, and responsible in their interaction with the digital world of the information age? Arguably there’s no one more suited than the school librarian.

American Association of School Librarians. (2007). Standards for 21^st century learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf

Koechlin, C., Zwaan, S., and Loertscher, D.V. (2008). The time is now: Transform your school library into a learning commons. Teacher Librarian, 36(1), 8-14.

Willard, N. (2010). Teach them to swim. Knowledge Quest, 39(1), 54-61.