Standard 5: Program Management and Administration
Candidates plan, develop, implement, and evaluate school library programs, resources, and services in support of the mission of the library program within the school according to the ethics and principles of library science, education, management, and administration. |
Elements
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Reflection
Effectively planning, implementing, managing, and assessing school library programs is an expansive job that requires much preparation. School libraries fill a unique niche within larger school environments (which are themselves unique), and determining the best approaches to programs and services is not always easy. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Fortunately, in FRIT 7331, Leadership of the School Library Media Program, I was able to conduct a sort of practice run of program administration by completing the strategic management plan key assessment. From assessing a school’s population to then reworking a library mission statement, conducting parent surveys, and drafting goals and initiatives, this assignment was probably the most helpful out of all of my coursework in terms of preparing me to do my job well. The strategic management plan provided me with an outline of how to evaluate my program’s strengths and weaknesses, gain stakeholder buy-in, and plan for future improvements.
Task 5, the library media program evaluation, was another useful tool in learning how to effectively manage a school library program. After measuring my library’s performance across six categories, I drafted a report of the findings and prepared an action plan to improve several areas. Task 4, the library grant application, is another example of how my clinical practicum experiences have paved the way for dynamic library programming.
I have found that becoming a strong manager and administrator largely depends on a solid foundation of professionalism and a thorough understanding of my ethical responsibilities. In my personal philosophy statement, I outline my beliefs about the value added by media specialists and school libraries, and I also take a firm stand for intellectual freedom. I used Banned Book Week at my school to discuss these ethical imperatives with both teachers and students. Equitable access to resources is another important responsibility, and since I began working as a media specialist in the fall of 2014, I have worked to maintain not only a strong physical collection of resources that meets both recreational and curricular reading needs of teachers and students, but an extensive digital collection as well. In fact, one of the first changes I made in my position was to ensure stakeholders had access to the library catalog when they were off campus (previously, the catalog could only be accessed via the school’s local, internal network). I also started working on a website for my school’s library last year, and although this project is still a work in progress, I made sure to set up easy access to all of our electronic resources as soon as possible.
Program administration is an ongoing endeavor, but I feel that with my ITEC coursework and key assessments, I’ve been equipped with the tools I need to make my school library an essential part of the educational process.
Task 5, the library media program evaluation, was another useful tool in learning how to effectively manage a school library program. After measuring my library’s performance across six categories, I drafted a report of the findings and prepared an action plan to improve several areas. Task 4, the library grant application, is another example of how my clinical practicum experiences have paved the way for dynamic library programming.
I have found that becoming a strong manager and administrator largely depends on a solid foundation of professionalism and a thorough understanding of my ethical responsibilities. In my personal philosophy statement, I outline my beliefs about the value added by media specialists and school libraries, and I also take a firm stand for intellectual freedom. I used Banned Book Week at my school to discuss these ethical imperatives with both teachers and students. Equitable access to resources is another important responsibility, and since I began working as a media specialist in the fall of 2014, I have worked to maintain not only a strong physical collection of resources that meets both recreational and curricular reading needs of teachers and students, but an extensive digital collection as well. In fact, one of the first changes I made in my position was to ensure stakeholders had access to the library catalog when they were off campus (previously, the catalog could only be accessed via the school’s local, internal network). I also started working on a website for my school’s library last year, and although this project is still a work in progress, I made sure to set up easy access to all of our electronic resources as soon as possible.
Program administration is an ongoing endeavor, but I feel that with my ITEC coursework and key assessments, I’ve been equipped with the tools I need to make my school library an essential part of the educational process.