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Job Hunting Tips for Teacher-Librarians


@your library brand

Collaboration, Communication, and Cooperation
These are the three "C's" of teacher-librarianship. As you prepare for a job interview, keep these three professional behaviors in mind. Think about how you will incorporate these actions into your future school library program.
 
Before the Interview:
Do your homework!
 

Know the district and state standards you will be expected to teach.

Arizona State Standards

Know the research on school libraries and student achievement.

Library Research Service

Know the nine information literacy standards for student learning found in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning.

Information Power - AASL (pdf)

Teacher-librarians in Tucson Unified School District created a brochure to help principals evaluate teacher-librarians and school library programs.

TUSD Teacher-Librarians:
A Critical Component in 21st-Century Education (pdf)
The Utah Standards are useful reading for anyone who is interested in what an exemplary school library program should be.

Standards for Utah School Library Media Programs (pdf)

 
Then compose your cover letter. Sample cover letter.

 
During the Interview:

 
Listen to the interview team, particularly the principal, as they suggest the schools' needs. Use your knowledge of 21st-century school librarianship to specify the ways you will help the school meet its goals through collaboration, communication, and cooperation.
 
After the Interview:
Send a thank-you letter to the interview team in care of the principal. Restate the specific contributions you can make to meet the needs of the school, particularly in improving student achievement, through your work as a proactive, professional teacher-librarian.
Good luck!
If you've done your homework, landing the position will be easy.
Then you must follow through and be the school leader every teacher-librarian can and should be!

To the TLD Certification, Recruitment, and Advocacy Web site. The AzLA webmaster is not responsible for the content on these pages.

To the AzLA Web site.

Page Updated: 14 August 2008
Contact Judi Moreillon: info@storytrail.com