1

Librarians as Educational Technology Leaders

ETEC 511 Prof. Dr.F.Feng
University of British Columbia
Cathy Fowler
December 12, 2012

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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to outline why Teacher-librarians should be educational
technology leaders in their schools. The evidence to support this statement is focused on the
skills and attributes of professional teacher-librarians and the need for leadership in a new age of
libraries and education.
.

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Librarians as Educational Technology Leaders
Introduction
From my own experience as a Teacher-Librarian and from discussions with colleagues
across our district and province I have determined that a new role for teacher-librarians is
needed. Teacher-librarians should be educational technology leaders who are responsible for the
selection, acquisition, evaluation, and organization of information resources and technologies as
well as the instruction of information literacies in their schools. I believe this to be a beneficial
change in our current or traditional role as teacher-librarians for two reasons.
The first reason being the 21st Century library and its users are interdependent upon
technology. The 21st Century library as defined by Reitz (2005) is a "library without walls."
Where the entire collection is not limited to paper, physical text or microform but is accessible in
various digital formats from any computer network. As a result of the shift from a brick and
mortar building to a virtual library, the 21st Century user needs to take more responsibility in
locating and retrieving information from the library's collections, more than they have done in
the traditional library. (Anyira, 2011 p.1) Though it has always been the role of the librarian to
teach information and communication technology skills, (ICTS) it is now more important than
ever that our students know how to access, evaluate and use the information available to them.
My second reason is to ensure teacher-librarians maintain an integral role in the future at
their schools. As the culture of libraries and technology changes and with ever declining library
and school budgets, streamlining the technology and library strands through the librarian makes
economical sense. Schools who have a goal to improve their technology accessibility and use
share a common goal with the library which is to improve information accessibility and use
through technology. By establishing teacher-librarians as educational technology leaders in

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schools not only are you ensuring a strong library program but also establishing a cost-effective
technology program using the resources that are already established in the library.
Role of the Teacher-Librarian
Traditionally the role of the teacher-librarian was to manage and build the library
collection, circulate the materials, promote and encourage use of the library, collaborate with
teachers and teach Information Literacy skills. This role as changed dramatically with the
introduction of technology. Technology has streamlined the management and circulation duties
in the library and changed both the physical space and use of the library however, The use of
technology has placed increased demand on teacher-librarians time to teach information [and
communication] technology, to learn new technologies, to trouble shoot, and to learn which
Internet resources can assist students and teachers. (Scheirer, 2000 p.4)
Murray (2000) describes effective librarians as instructional partners with the teachers in
their school. They collaborate with teachers to refine information-seeking assignments,
encouraging the development of those that foster critical thinking. They identify the crosscurricular connections that are essential to interdisciplinary learning, therefore needing to know
the curriculum across all subject areas. Librarians are information specialists and information
generalists. They may not know the answer to a specific question, but they know where and
how to find it. They provide leadership in the adoption and use of information technologies by
being current in the research assessment and evaluation of new technology.
Subramaniam, M., Ahn, J., Fleischmann, K., and Scheirer. S. (2012) describe the most
important role of a teacher-librarian as an instructional partner whose role has further
morphed to include teaching and integrating multiple literacies across the curriculum such as
information, digital, technology, media, and visual literacies. (p. 173)

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To be an effective teacher-librarian as Murray, Subramaniam et al. and Scheirer describes
involves knowing the curriculum, being able to collaborate and work with the entire staff and
students and being knowledgeable in all current technology trends in order to provide students
with ICTS that can be applied across all grades and curriculum.
Information and communication technology skills
To ensure all students are getting the necessary ICT skills necessary for their education
and to compete in a global technological workforce, librarians should be teaching a stand-alone
ICTS curriculum rather than the current model which suggests ICTS be taught throughout other
curriculum areas. The Grades 5 to 10 (ICTI), are intended to support teachers and students as
they use technology to enhance learning across the curriculum. (B.C. Ministry of Education) In
a study conducted across three Australian high schools the assumption was that all students were
receiving ICT skills across the school however, evidence showed that, apart from examples
where there was active collaboration between the teacher-librarian and selected teachers, there
was little knowledge among teachers and teacher-librarians of what aspects of information
literacy practices were being taught or reinforced across the schools. (Herring, 2011p.32) It was
further discovered that there was no common understanding among the teachers of what
Information Literacy was or the skills involved.
An ICT curriculum taught by the librarian in collaboration with the classroom teachers
would ensure these skills were taught across the entire school population. ICT skills would be
easily transferred to all areas of curriculum as well as into higher education pursuits and/or job or
career applications.
By having the librarian as the educational technology leader, teachers can focus on their
curriculum knowing that their students will be,

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Incorporating the skills necessary for a more constructivist view of learning, in
which students are empowered to ask meaningful questions and follow a path of
discovery to construct their own understandings, draw conclusions, create new
knowledge, and share their knowledge with others. (Subramaniam et al.p.173)
This will be accomplished by using technology such as; Web 2.0 applications,
collaborative on-line learning tools, multi-media formats and appropriate, relevant and applicable
resources. This frees the classroom teacher to concentrate on their curriculum and student
workload without worrying about learning new technology or web applications.
Subramaniam et al. (2012) indicate that, Lack of teacher knowledge about how to
effectively integrate new media tools into the curriculum is a major factor for the lack of
innovation in classrooms. (p.174) School librarians are already in the position as teachercollaborators and instructional partners to work with teachers to model new teaching strategies,
integrate educational technology, and advocate for exciting change in their schools. (p.175)
Kahn and Kellner (1999) state, It is important that teachers have the opportunity
themselves to develop the requisite literacies to make progressive uses of technology in their
classrooms, and without the leadership and training the educational goals for technology will
not be achieved.
Librarians as technology leaders would be responsible for training in educational
technology they would then disseminate the information to the teachers through in-service and
professional development, eliminating the need to bring in outside agents to teach and promote
new technology. Centralizing who is responsible and defining the role will alleviate stress on
teachers who are under curriculum and ministry constraints or who are just not interested.
Maintaining an Integral Role
The body of literature on school library programs has found a consistently positive and
significant correlation between school library resources and student achievement in the United

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States (Subramaniam et al. p.168) and yet funding for libraries and librarians has decreased
steadily since the beginning of my career more than 10 years ago. Teacher-librarian FTE
positions have decreased steadily over the decade, with a loss of -277.1 FTE between 200102
and 201011. (BCTF Research, 2011) Schools have to choose between library programs and
other school needs. In an article about the Crisis in Canadian Libraries it was reported,
In 1997, 80% of Ontario elementary schools had teacher librarians... This year,
that number was down to 56%. In secondary schools, the number of
teacher
librarians was down from 78% to 66%... for schools in northern
Ontario, its
about 10%. Schools are sometimes choosing between spending
money on fixing a
leaking roof or paying a teacher librarian, and the roof wins. Some
schools have
no library at all... This fight is being lost right now.... School
libraries, in
particular, are being closed. Teacher-librarians are being
cut.
(Williams, 2011 para.1)
Why dont libraries make economic sense? According to Puryears (1999) production
function libraries are not cost effective. The variable and fixed costs; books, staff, technology,
maintenance, physical space and furniture vs. the measured effectiveness of the library books to
meet the needs of all students is not cost effective. To a maximize output the input factors must
be manipulated. By establishing librarians as educational technology leaders their role becomes
multi-functional. Using their skills to evaluate, select, organize, advocate for and teach the
effective use of educational technology within the library could result in less technology needed
in other areas of the school, less training for other teachers, fewer staff needed to organize or
maintain technology and less time from administrators or other personnel who may not be
directly involved with educational technology. Effectiveness does not require that large
quantities of technology be added across the entire educational system. (Puryear, 1999 p. 48)
Creating a leadership role for teacher-librarians is a cost-effective way of ensuring that we
maintain a strong library program while expanding educational technology.

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Leadership
In order for the teacher-librarian to maintain an integral role within the school and
district, a new role or vision for the library must be created, and that is as the leader of
educational technology within the school.
Wikipedia describes leadership as a process of social influence in which one person can
enlist the aid and support the others in the accomplishment of a common task."
(Wikipedia/Leadership) We can all agree on the common tasks for technology in our schools
such as, to improve access to information or to increase the chance of success for all students, we
just dont always know who is in charge. With technology constantly changing; new programs,
platforms, media, technology tools, and learning theories related to technology, we need
someone to lead the way. School districts have made a commitment to purchasing new
technology to support the need for ICT skills but without the leadership to ensure
implementation and good teaching practices new technology will not benefit the students.
With the constant consumer stream of technology advertising the next best thing
knowing what technology will benefit our students and how to use it is essential. This leader
must be able to be an expert in the selection, acquisition, evaluation, and organization of
information resources and technologies in all formats and have expertise in the ethical use of
information. (Subramimain et al. p.175) As information specialists the teacher-librarian is in
position to take on that role.
A leader needs to advocate for the improvement and successofallthepeopletheyare
responsible for. Librarians have been continuous advocates for making sure all students have
access to information resources and that includes electronic or technology resources.
Doug Johnson is an ongoing advocate of teacher-librarians as leaders, he has written

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hundreds of articles in his career for his Blue Skunk Blog and various education and teacherlibrarian journals as well as several books on the topic. He points out that,

The SLMS [Librarian] advocates for liberal access to electronic resources for all
students in a school. Home access and public library access to information
technologies alone will not close the digital divide. We serve on
building
technology teams and advocate for access to technology for all
students...The
SLMS voices the need for non-departmental (library) access to
information
technologies that are available before, during and after school
hours. (Johnson,
2004 para.15)
Advocating for access to information technology in libraries has become the librarians political
agenda, while taking on the role of leadership is political shift to ensure our voice and interests
are heard.
Professional competencies of Librarians
What makes librarians the clear choice for educational technology leaderships? The
Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada lists professional and personal competencies for
Teacher-Librarians (Appendix A) where leadership and technology use is highlighted. To be
recognized as a teacher-librarian these competencies must be met through course work,
additional training and continued professional development.
Johnson (2003) provides evidence to support why librarians are better equipped than
others to handle the role of technology leadership.
Professional trainers may not have experience in education, and theyre not based
in schools. District technicians often lack teaching or interpersonal skills.
District-level trainers are usually spread too thin to work with individual staff
members. Classroom teachers are too busy teaching kids and may be reluctant to
experiment with new educational methods. Videotapes, online instruction,
manuals, and trial-and-error experimentation require a higher level of personal
commitment from teachers. (Johnson 2003 para.3)
Johnson (2003) further argues his position by pointing out the attributes professional
librarians possess starting with A healthy attitude toward technology. Librarians teach not only

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how to use technology, but understand why and under what circumstances it should be used.
(Appendix B) This list outlines the many attributes teacher-librarians use to run an effective
library program.
These lists of competencies and skills clearly outline why teacher-librarians are
educational technology leaders. In many schools they are working and performing in this
capacity. The problem is that they are seldom recognized for it. When it comes to the politics of
technology in schools teacher-librarians are often overlooked.
Why are teacher-librarians overlooked as educational technology leaders?
Though libraries have changed dramatically in the 21st Century and librarians have
adapted to those changes the public still view libraries as a static, quiet, solitary zone for reading
or studying instead of as a dynamic learning environment that supports a wide range of
technological and cognitive learning tools such as collaboration, peer support and situational
learning. Subramaniam et al. (2012) theorize that staff often promotes this archaic vision of
school libraries. Librarians often struggle to gain recognition from teachers about the
importance of process of literacy skills for learning content. They further disregard librarians
when they are reluctant to collaborate which may be due to many factors including the
misconception that collaboration is too time consuming.
In Ignoring the Evidence: Another Decade of Decline for School Libraries, Oberg
(2012) queries when:
Four decades of research indicates that well-staffed, well-stocked, and well-used
school libraries are correlated with increases in student achievement,
[and]
When provincial, national, or international learning assessments are
analyzed, the
areas of concern that emerge are frequently library-related,
particularly in the
realm of information literacy practices: formulating

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questions, identifying
information, distinguishing between
doesnt the research on school libraries
policymakers and funding allocators?

appropriate sources of information, locating

relevant and irrelevant information...Why
resonate with educational

This article doesnt provide the answers to this complex economic, societal and political
Issue, but it points out that as Canada continues its decline in library support parts of Europe are
supporting libraries as a force for educational reform, for improving reading education, and for
developing students abilities in information handling and knowledge creation. (Oberg, 2012)
Canada is currently third in Reading skills and fifth in Math and Science as reported by the
Organisation(sic)forEconomicCooperationandDevelopment(OECD)butasEuropestrivesto
improvetheirlibrarystandardswillCanadafallfurtherbehind?(Shepherd,2010)
Bonk (2010) also notes that libraries are taking a hit from both the public and educational
leaders who see the Internet as a replacement for libraries and librarians.
Not all educational leaders target the library as the campus entity best able to
support digital information literacy. In fact, for many administrators,
faculty,
parents, and students, the school library's role is already supported
(or perhaps,
paradoxically, made less necessary) by a more amorphous
institution born in the
Information Age: the Internet. Many educational thinkers
believe that the Internet
already places into the palms of students' hands
more information than they can
possibly process. They argue (or school
administrators hear) that it is now up to
the teacher and a more modern
classroom dynamic to manage this rapid, Internetfed information stream to
support learning.
As discussed earlier teachers are often reluctant or unknowledgeable about how to
manage the Internet-fed information stream. As information specialists, teacher-librarians are
more likely to be able to teach the management and selection of the rapid onslaught of
information. They are already in the position of using, managing and sharing their technology
resources. Until the school community sees the value of a collaborative relationship within a
dynamic multi-use library setting, librarians will continue to be overlooked.

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What happens if librarians are not educational technology leaders?
Not having technology leadership can leave teachers with a lack of adequate knowledge,
as well as a lack of confidence that prevents them from embracing new technologies.
(Williams, 2004) Many teacher-librarians are willing and already taking the initiative and
assuming a leadership role within their schools.
Kahn and Kellner (1999) predicted a need for a reconstructuring of education where our
students learn skills of media and computer literacy through collaborative and interactive
classrooms to be able to function in a highly technologized information economy. Teacherlibrarians are working within their libraries and collaborating in classrooms to develop new
pedagogies and modes of learning for new information and multimedia environments, such as
the Deweyian education which focused on critical problem solving and goal-seeking projects.
(Kahn and Kellner, 1999 p.442)
Unfortunately, as I have witnessed in my own district, not all teacher-librarians have the
same goal. Park (1992 p.747) in his article, Libraries without walls or; Librarians without a
profession, warns us that,
Libraries may miss the opportunity to become the primary delivery mechanism
of information, and, likewise, librarians may miss the opportunity to become
highly valued information professionals, if they don't broaden their vision, keep
pace with technology, and use both to anticipate and respond to the patron's
needs. In other words, both libraries and librarians could be quickly
marginalized.
For those teacher-librarians that choose not to broaden their vision into the 21st Century and meet
the needs of the 21st Century library user there is little hope that the public, administrators and
their colleagues will see the future in their library.
Whats next?

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Libraries are rapidly evolving, and librarians have to be able to embrace that change.
But as the role and functionality of libraries change, the interpretation of what the domain of
librarian is needs to evolve too. (Foote, 2011) This shift is both physical and psychological.
As an educational technology leader the teacher-librarian may not always be found in the
library, but may be collaborating with teachers to team teach in classrooms, meeting with
administrators to plan for new technology and working on district projects. As more and more of
the library resources become digital the circulation of resources will decrease meaning less time
spent at the circulation desk and managing the collection and more time interacting with students
and teachers.
Librarians must be accepted and acknowledge as specialists and leaders by the staff,
administration and district to be effective in policy and decision making. Though many
librarians have the same credentials as the administration they are rarely chosen to be the voice
for change. Oberg (2012) mentions that when the province of Ontario announced cutting
librarians and libraries there was a flurry of media coverage and concern but it was short-lived
and the cuts went through with no opposition. No one seemed to listen to the teacher-librarians
about the damage done to a school without a library.
This transition will not be easy. There are several potential factors for conflict; teachers
who dont want to share or collaborate with technology, school districts not recognizing the need
for a new ICTS curriculum taught by a specialist, administrators and district personnel not
wanting to give up a leadership role, provincial and district budgetary cutbacks reducing already
limited librarian time and the most damaging factor is teacher-librarians not seeing the future of
educational technology and stepping up to the leadership role. All we can do is keep advocating
and maintain our presence in libraries, schools and in as many decision making opportunities as

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possible. Through the commitment of professional teacher-librarians with a similar vision we
will be recognized as the educational technology leaders that we are.

their
contexts.

References

School librarians [are] the key change agents to develop and implement
media-enhanced education because they are (a) often leaders of media programs
in schools, (b) best equipped to spread an educational program through
existing collaboration with teachers across an entire school, and (c) able to
connect young people to resources that bridge in and out of school
(Subramaniam et al., 2012 p.169)

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Anyira, Isaac Echezonam, "The anatomy of library users in the 21st century" (2011). Library Philosophy
and Practice (e-journal).
Paper 535. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/535
Association for the Teacher-librarianship in Canada, Canadian School Library Association (1998).
Competencies for teacher-librarians in the 21st century. Teacher Librarian, 26(2), 22-25.
BCTF Research . "Changes in FTE learning specialist teachers 2001-02 to 2010-11." BCTLA
Publications Reports A (2011): 1-8. www.bctf.ca. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
(http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/reports/wlc/Changes_in_Specialist_Teachers_prov_and_district_tables_2001_02_
to_2010_11.pdf)
Bonk, Curtis J. "How technology is changing school." Educational Leadership 67, no. 7 (April 2010):
6065. (As Summarized in Effective Schools Research Abstracts 25, no. 1).
Foote, C. " Librarians as leaders." Not So Distant Future technology, libraries, and schools. edublogs,
6 Feb. 2011. Web. 27 Oct. 2012. <http://futura.edublogs.org/2011/02/06/librarians-as-leaders/>.
Herring, James. "Assumptions, information literacy and transfer in high schools." Teacher Librarian 38.3
(2011): 32-36. Print.
"Information and Communications Technology Integration - ICTI." BCIS Redirector . B.C. Ministry of
Education , n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2012. <http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/perf_stands/icti/>.
Johnson,D.(2003).Becomingindispensable.SchoolLibraryJournal"LearningQuarterly",...Retrieved
December8,2012,fromhttp://www.dougjohnson.com/dougwri/becomingindispensable.html
Johnson, D. "Lessons school librarians teach others." American libraries 35.11 (2004): 46-48. Print. 1
Dec. 2012.
Kahn, R. & Kellener, D. (2007). Paulo Freire and Ivan Illich: Technology, politics and the reconstruction
of education. Policy Futures in Education, 5(4). (http://richardkahn.org/writings/tep/freireillich.pdf)
Leadership-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved December 8,
2012, from http://en.wkipedia.org/wiki/Leadership
Murray, J. "Librarians evolving into cybrarians." Information Today, Inc.. Version March/April. Multi
Media & Internet @ Schools, n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/mar00/murray
Oberg,D.(n.d.).Ignoringtheevidence:Anotherdecadeofdeclineforschoollibraries|Canadian
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ace.ca/educationcanada/article/ignoringevidenceanotherdecadedeclineschoollibraries
Park, B. "On my mind: Libraries without walls; Or, librarians without a profession." American libraries
23 (Oct.).No. 9 (1992): pp. 746-747. Print.
Puryear,J.M.(1999,September).Theeconomicsofeducationaltechnology.TechKnowLogia,pp.4649

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Reitz, J. (2005). Dictionary of library and information science. Westport, CT:
Libraries Unlimited.
Scheirer, B. (2000, March 24). The changing role of the teacher-librarian in the twenty-first century.
University of Saskatchewan. Retrieved December 8, 2012, from
http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers
Shepherd,J.(2010,December7).Worldeducationrankings:whichcountrydoesbestatreading,maths
andscience?|News|guardian.co.uk.DataBlogFactsareSacred.RetrievedDecember9,2012,from
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Subramaniam, M., Ahn, J., Fleischmann, K., Scheirer. S. "Reimagining the role of school libraries in
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Williams, T. (2004). Teachers link to electronic resources in the library media center: A local study of
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olume72004/williams.cfm

Appendix A

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1.1
1.2
voluntary
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
23-24)

places a priority on staff relationships and leadership in the implementation of

change.
provides leadership in collaborative program planning and teaching to ensure
both physical and intellectual access to information and commitment to
reading.
knows curriculum programs mandated by the province, district and school.
understands students and their social, emotional and intellectual needs.
has expert knowledge in evaluating learning resources in different formats
and media, both on-site and remote, to support the instructional program.
develops and promotes the effective use of informational and imaginative
resources in all formats through cooperative professional activities
provides appropriate information, resources or instruction to satisfy the needs of
individuals and groups.
uses appropriate information technology to acquire, organize and disseminate
information.
manages library programs, services and staff to support the stated goals of the
school. (Association for Teacher-librarianship in Canada et al., 1998, p.

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AppendixB

A healthy attitude toward technology. Librarians teach not only how to use technology,
but understand why and under what circumstances it should be used.

Good teaching skills. Media specialists offer good pedagogical techniques and have welldeveloped human relations and communication skills. We are understanding and
empathetic when technologically related stress occurs in the classroom.

An understanding of the role technology plays in information literacy and how it fosters
higher-level thinking skills. We view technology as just another tool that can be used by
students completing well-designed information literacy projects.

Experience as skillful collaborators. School librarians have long focused on integrating

research and information literacy into the curriculum, and, as a result, many media
specialists are excellent at collaborating with classroom teachers.

Serve as models for the successful use of technology. The librarys automated catalogs,
circulation systems, electronic reference materials, and student workstations all existed
prior to current technologies. Teachers rightfully see the media specialist as the educator
most comfortable with technology.

The flexibility to provide in-building support. A flexible library schedule enables us to be

a real asset to teachers learning to use or integrate technology. Librarians can work with
teachers in the library, lab, and classroom.

A whole school view. Along with the principal, the media specialist is most
knowledgeable about the schools resources, and can suggest when technology needs to
be upgraded.

Concerns about the ethical use of technology. Media specialists teach kids how to
evaluate information and understand online copyright laws and intellectual property
issues. Who else but librarians worry about this stuff? (Johnson, 2003 para. 3)