The role of teacher-librarian is remarkably complex. Beyond the stereotypical pushers of books, they are information superheroes! It is a privilege to assist in the shaping of young minds, but as it has been said, “with great power comes great responsibility” (Raimi, 2002)
Our humble TL becomes an information superhero by working to “build information literacy skills and identify appropriate tools” (Riedling, 2019, p. 89). Those two things are important: it’s not enough to simply identify reference tools that are useful for the school community; the TL is also responsible for reference services. The resources themselves do not function in isolation; rather they work in concert with the reference services as part of a thoughtful continuum of information literacy skills. Ideally the TL (information specialist) works collaboratively with classroom teachers (subject specialists). Together they “prioritize the process involved in doing a research assignment,” (Beaudry, Lesson 5, 2024) and create “resource-based learning opportunities” that “improve[s] research skills and foster[s] self-confidence in finding information by integrating library skills as part of subject curriculum (Nolan, 1989, as cited in Partido State University, 2012).
With this in mind, my 5 essential tools for a school library learning commons are useful in that they support this desire to not only provide learners with information in a specific moment for a specific task, but to “foster research and the student’s information literacy skills… for socially responsible life-long learning” (Riedling, 2019, p. 95).
A good LLC has useful student information like this poster in plain sight. My recommended tools help students work through this process.
A rule of thumb of North Vancouver teacher librarians:
If you know 0-25% of your topic, choose a REFERENCE source.
If you know 25-50% of your topic, choose a BOOK.
If you know 50-75% of your topic, choose a DATABASE. (School District 44, 2024)
Tool #1:
The first essential tool is to help our students who are looking to form their base knowledge and therefore reach out to reference sources on the internet. It also serves to help with what I call the ““But I found it on Google…” problem. Part of our information literacy teaching has to be the difference between googling and researching. And this tool ia awesome to help our students become more thoughtful consumers of digital information:
Central Michigan University Online Research Guide
Tool #2:
It is helpful to introduce our students to some reliable information workhorses, sites they know they can go to in order to build their base knowledge. So this “tool” is a two-for-one deal to cover most curricular bases:
Anyone can access the former site anywhere, anytime. The second connects automatically within the school but requires a login code from home. Communication of this code is important for students to be able to harness its power, so it could also be posted throughout the library, included in the continuum of skills instruction, and available at the circulation desk on slips of paper: Important login codes- please take one!
Tool #3:
Once students have good base knowledge, a book is often the next logical source of research. Unfortunately due to budgetary restrictions, most schools cannot maintain a robust print reference collection. However, it is incumbent on our superhero to possess a strong “knowledge of sources” (Riedling, 2019, p. 93). If the school LLC cannot supply it, who can? In our case, the District of North Vancouver Public Library searchable website is an excellent tool. Furthermore, “tools” can sometimes be people, and my local branch employs a youth librarian- an excellent resource for students to access!
North Vancouver District Public Library
Tool #4:
We do our students a huge favour if our instruction of information skills includes the use of databases. Once our students have decent base knowledge on a topic, this allows them to go deeper into that topic. Like most schools, I would use EBSCO . Like the World Book Encyclopedia, this has automatic access within school, and students would need a login code to use it from home.
Tool #5:
I call this the 1-2 punch! Bam! Pow!
Once students have engaged in meaningful research, the TL (and classroom teacher) need to make sure to instruct the entire continuum of skills of information literacy and help students accurately and effectively cite their sources 📑. This reinforces the importance of a) ethical use of other people’s work, and b) substantiating their work with quality research. So I would provide them with a tool to explain the process and answer questions they might encounter: Purdue University Online Writing Lab, which can help with both APA and MLA.
I would then provide them with a tool to help create their citations: Citation Machine.
I used both to do this blog- so they are “real-world” useful!
In providing tools, and more importantly, instructing students in the use of these tools, the TL is using their superpowers and helping to “assist students in developing skills in information retrieval and critical thinking so that they may become informed decision-makers and life-long learners” (Victoria School District as cited in Beaudry, Lesson 6, 2024).
Teacher-librarians: fighting the evil scourge of ignorance and the invading menace of intellectual dishonesty. Bam! Pow!