Second Guessing?

After reading through my new course material (EDES 549 Leadership in Teacher-Librarianship) I am wondering if my capping paper idea is too vague. I might have trouble doing the literature review because there is so much to think about.

My idea for a title was: Why Teacher-Librarians are Essential: The Evolving Roles of School Libraries and Teacher-Librarians in the 21st Century.

Let’s think about this. A paper with this title should include the history of teacher-librarian roles in schools and how these roles have changed in the 21st century as well as the history of school library it’s changing role. Then there is the whole idea of having to define what “essential” means and describing what it looks like. Also, I would need to address the question: what is it that teacher-librarians do that makes them essential, which would entail discussing and finding information about the ideal personal and professional characteristics of a “master” or essential teacher-librarian. Plus I would need to look at the idea of “new literacies” and also would want to include Literacy with ICT and inquiry. Then I would need to link effective teaching practices of these new literacies, ICT and inquiry to an “essential” teacher-librarian.

That’s a lot. Plus I’m not really interested in focussing on the history of the roles of teacher-librarians and school libraries, but the rest does really interest me.

What is it that teacher-librarians do that makes them essential? I actually like this question. Maybe it’s something I can focus on. I’m definitely interested in what makes a “good” or essential teacher-librarian, specifically the characteristics, actual activities and other hard to pinpoint things that make some teacher-librarians more successful than others.

But I am also really interested in the Literacy with ICT aspect of our job and how that aspect makes teacher-librarians so very important in this day and age. I suppose that makes me also interested in the new literacies, technology integration and inquiry learning too!

I wonder how I can marry these two things without making writing my capping paper such an immense undertaking that I will go mad!! Plus it shouldn’t be really really long either, so . . . I guess I will have to think about it some more.

In the meantime I think I will continue to explore what makes a teacher-librarian essential. I think the next blog will be about how teacher-librarians are teachers first. Stay tuned for more!

"Essential" Defined

Before I really begin to ramble, I think I should define what I mean by the word “essential” as it applies to a teacher-librarian.


Define.com states the following definition for “essential” taken from WordNet

1. absolutely necessary; vitally necessary;

2. basic and fundamental;

3. of the greatest importance;

4. absolutely required and not to be used up or sacrificed

So if we apply this to the role of a teacher-librarian in a school what we get is the following:

The essential teacher-librarian is someone who is seen to be absolutely and vitally necessary by teachers, administrators, students and parents. The essential teacher-librarian has a basic and fundamental role to play both in the school community and with the teachers and students. He or she is of the greatest importance for the success and education of students. The essential teacher-librarian is absolutely required and not to be used up or sacrificed when the budget gets tight.

That’s my definition of The Essential Teacher-Librarian.

But first of all, let’s make something clear: I would argue that we could rewrite the definition above, removing all the “essential” words, and it would (or should) still apply in the 21st century. The trick is we need to ensure we ARE being (or at least striving to be) that essential teacher-librarian in order for this argument to be effective or even realistic.

Wow that’s a pretty tall order! So how do we achieve that ideal? This is essentially the premise I hope to write about for my capping paper: what we are already doing and should continue to do, but also what we ought to be doing as well. By looking at these questions, I think it will be clear why we are essential in the 21st century and what we need to do to ensure we continue to be.

I think this definition is a good starting point, but what precisely makes a teacher-librarian essential? Maybe more specific discussion about the characteristics of The Essential Teacher-Librarian is in order. Stay tuned for this . . .

Christine :)

Delusional, self-involved narcissistic silliness!

This blog was primarily set up as a way for me to work out my rambling thoughts about my capping paper, which is essentially a mini-thesis, for my MEd in Teacher-Librarianship. It may develop into something else along the way I suppose, that often happens in reality: things evolve!


I think the first order of business is to discuss the title of the blog and why I chose that particular moniker. It’s not because I see myself as “The Essential Teacher-Librarian” or some other related, yet delusional, self-involved narcissistic silliness. Far from . . . I too will evolve I am sure, but in the mean time I am still learning and growing. I do strive to be essential to the teachers and students I serve, but that will be a career long endeavour I am sure. No, the reasoning behind the title is simply that I feel teacher-librarians are essential in the 21st century. But saying that often makes one feel the need to explain or defend. That was my intent with this blog: to use it as a way to explore how teacher-librarians are essential, really to explore the answers to these questions:

How are Teacher-Librarians essential in today’s Canadian schools? (What do they do?)

Why are Teacher-Librarians essential in today’s Canadian schools? (What difference do they make or effect do they have?)

What must Teacher-Librarians do to become essential if we are not working to our full potential?

What must teacher-librarians do to remain essential?

What exactly is the definition of “The Essential Teacher-Librarian” anyway?

What are the characteristics of “The Essential Teacher-Librarian.” (personality & professionally)

I am leaning towards the following title for my capping paper (but with the way my brain works, it might change a hundred times before I even start writing!!):

Why Teacher-Librarians are Essential: The Evolving Roles of School Libraries and Teacher-Librarians in the 21st Century.

Hmmm . . ..  already I'm thinking it needs work!!

Let the adventures begin!

Christine :)