Mary G Johnson's List: Advocacy for Libraries

Online Writers Workshop, Online Monthly Classes taught by published authors and industry professionals and Robust Literature Magazine with Columns, Interviews, Reviews and more.

As a librarian, we help to teach people how to become self-sufficient on the computer, find the answer to patron's questions (no offence Google, but while you may come back with a million answers, we librarians come back with the right answer), develop graphic designs for advertisement, act as a social media managers, handle reader's advisory, teach information literacy classes, act as storytellers, and teach children, to name just a few of our duties. We wear many many caps.

As schools evolve to meet the needs of next generation students, the role of the library is increasingly unclear. If the model of textbooks and teachers as the source of all knowledge is outdated, then the idea that a school media center can contain all of the instructional resources the school could ever need is equally obsolete. The notion that even the best-funded school libraries could ever rival the wealth of resources available instantaneously from the smartphone in a student's pocket is absurd. Yet schools do not seem to be tearing out their libraries, and with good reason. We still need them around. They're still relevant. They still play a critical role in the teaching and learning that takes place in our schools.

Becoming a librarian has never been so exciting, rewarding, or accessible. It is a great way to make a positive difference in your life, the life of your community, and far beyond. The right-hand navigation buttons will get you on your way to becoming a librarian, or, if you already are one, to enhancing and advancing your career, as well as the profession.

If you are wondering what a librarian in the 21st century does, here are a few links that will help you with your decision to embark on one of the greatest career journeys, ever! Sometimes we are asked what in particular you have to study in high school or college to become a librarian. The answer is whatever you want! It’s helpful to have good computer skills, but anthropology majors, nurses, potters, and teachers all make their way into the library profession. Even rock stars! The rich diversity of backgrounds makes this a truly fun and exciting profession! What a wonderful way to make a difference in the world!

The job description of the future librarian will read something like the following:

Wanted: Information guru who can help find answers to the most pressing questions facing our organization and the environment in which we operate and compete. Must be knowledgeable on internet, cloud computing and other digital information technologies. Responsibilities include resource management, information curation, research for competitive intelligence and other business-critical purposes. Must be available as a resource to all users, no matter who they are or what digital device they use. Prefer somebody with experience in our industry and project management expertise. Must be a team player and good problem solver.

Now that I think of it, that’s not a job description for the future librarian – it’s one for today.

Excellent and up-to-date studies on school libraries

Improving Student Achievement

spoof of Lord of the Rings trilogy

IMLS report: This report issues a call to action: Now is the time for policy makers and practitioners to fully use the capacity of libraries and museums in their early learning efforts. This is critical because we must work together to reach the all-too-many children who are still left out of effective community early learning opportunities and resources, and disconnected from the powerful programs for children, parents, and caregivers that you will read about in this report. This report calls upon communities to engage libraries and museums as a key partner in comprehensive early
learning strategies to grow young minds. It highlights the exciting work these institutions are doing around the country in partnership with communities to shape children's outcomes in school and in life. We need to do more, especially for those low-income children who need more. If we can strengthen the country's network of museums and libraries to be a greater force for early learning, effective learning opportunities for all children can deepen and grow.

This is the undeniable impact illustrated by a Pennsylvania study presented in our feature story, “Librarian Required,” by Debra E. Kachel and Keith Curry Lance (p. 28). The study joins a growing body of research that proves the efficacy of librarians in our schools. But this one goes further, showing how some 200,000 students are being denied in a state with deep cuts to school libraries. All this in light of the Common Core State Standards and the call for 21st-century skills. Given the responsibility for student achievement, anyone with control of the purse strings should seriously consider the lessons of the Pennsylvania study.

Consistently, reading and writing scores are better for students who have a full-time certified librarian than those who don’t. Students who are economically disadvantaged, black, Hispanic, and have IEPs (i.e., students with disabilities) benefit proportionally more than students generally. These findings suggest that staffing libraries with certified librarians can help close achievement gaps. What are some of the other key findings?

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has released a new publication that provides school librarians an opportunity to engage in rigorous self-evaluation and shape school administrator evaluations. “A 21st-Century Approach to School Librarian Evaluation,” written by Patricia Owen, is available in both print and e-book formats, as well as in a print/e-book bundle. This and other AASL publications can be purchased through the ALA online store.

The site is essentially designed to give you lots of practical advice on how to market your library – be that public, academic, special or archive. There are tools and resources, lots of useful links, new case studies which will be added to on an ongoing basis, and there’s info about the Library Marketing Toolkit book and its contributors. There’s also a blog, which will give tips and aim to highlight the best (and sometimes the worst) marketing from libraries around the world. The first post is Marketing libraries with new technologies: what you need to know, and what to do next and features this presentation, which I gave at an Academic and Research Libraries Group conference on new technologies in libraries”

This old idea of the public library as co-working space now offers a modern answer – one among many – for how these aging institutions could become more relevant two millennia after the original Alexandria library burned to the ground. Would-be entrepreneurs everywhere are looking for business know-how and physical space to incubate their start-ups. Libraries meanwhile may be associated today with an outmoded product in paper books. But they also happen to have just about everything a 21st century innovator could need: Internet access, work space, reference materials, professional guidance.

Principals value their librarians. They also want them to be more visible leaders. Those are just two of the interesting findings from a recent survey of 102 media specialists and 67 principals. In fact, 90 percent of the administrators that we surveyed think we have a positive impact in schools—and a large number also feel that our jobs are important. That’s great news, considering only 65 percent of librarians in the study thought their bosses would recognize the valuable role we play.

Montana State Library provides opportunities through libraries to support communities through change and challenge in an information society.

Montana State Library provides a video showing how libraries serve businesses and families

The Montana State Library and Mineral County Public Library are pleased to announce the release of a series of three videos that highlight the impact libraries have on the lives of Montanans. The videos feature Montana library users and Montana librarians from around the state.

WOW Bus brings technology to communities in Montana