Librarians in Schools as Literacy Educators: Advocates for Reaching Beyond the Classroom

Description

This book explores the role that librarians play within schools as literacy leaders. While librarians working in schools are generally perceived as peripheral to the educational experience, they can in fact provide significant support in encouraging children’s literacy and literature learning. As the need for strong functional literacy becomes ever more important, librarians who support literacy are often invaluable in achieving various academic, vocational and social goals. However, this contribution often seems to be overlooked, with funding cuts disproportionately affecting librarians. Building on recent research from Australia, the USA and the UK, the author examines the role that librarians may play as literacy educators in schools in order to make visible their contributions to the school community. In doing so, this book urges for greater recognition and support to school libraries and their staff as valuable members of the school community. Front Matter ....Pages i-xv School Librarians Are Educators Too (Margaret Kristin Merga)....Pages 1-38 Do Teacher Librarians Feel That Their Profession Is Valued? (Margaret Kristin Merga)....Pages 39-70 Do Schools with Libraries use Them? (Margaret Kristin Merga)....Pages 71-90 40 Practices and Strategies: What Teacher Librarians do to Support Children’s Literature and Literacy Learning (Margaret Kristin Merga)....Pages 91-131 Competing Demands and Barriers (Margaret Kristin Merga)....Pages 133-171 Collaboration with Teachers (Margaret Kristin Merga)....Pages 173-194 Supporting the Nation’s Literary Voice: Teacher Librarians as Advocates of National Literature in Schools (Margaret Kristin Merga)....Pages 195-221 The Future of Teacher Librarians and School Libraries: Some Closing Comments (Margaret Kristin Merga)....Pages 223-238 Back Matter ....Pages 239-254