School Librarians as Partners in School Improvement: What Principals Know and Do

• In Event: Library Research

Abstract

This paper reports on data gathered from a survey of 64 K-12 principals in a single state in the southern US. Data were analyzed to assess the perceptions of principals toward school library media specialists as partners in school improvement. The study serves as a starting point for educating administrators about the value and skills their media specialists can offer to improve learning in schools. Traditional areas of strengths for media specialist that were not being routinely tapped by principals were using the library media specialist to provide instruction related to school initiatives, to engage in ongoing assessment, and to support and train teachers in technology and/or instructional resources.

Authors

• Lorraine C. Schmertzing, Valdosta State University

• Dianne Dees, Valdosta State University

• Cheryl Youse, Colquitt County High School

• Alisande Mayer, Moulton Branch Elementary School