Advice from a librarian, someone who has been asked every type of assignment, project, and pointof view to finish something, – there are a few suggestions:

If you look closely, a certified librarian is quite capable of answering all of the above, and showing how to achieve all of the above – REMEMBER- I know this is a shocker to some, BUT- a librarian is NOT someone shushing, but someone guiding, making connections like bran synapses, and finding paths to lead everyone to safety and success.

It seems unfair that the rules and guidelines for what constitutes librarians in many a school are dictated by people that the remember what a librarians was when they were little – and often, that is not a realistic image in the 30 years since of how librarians have been trained to meet the changes needed to meet the needs of – well, students!

Many individuals not trained formally in Information Science are a godsend as well, without them,, kiss your school library away – and they do an amazing, daring, bold job of maintaining access to literacy. Think WHAT a team a certified librarian and that educated individual could do for the student body? They could cut the hard work of teachers in HALF and make the connections needs for students to make the connections THEY need to make.

Sure, you could be in a district that has NO librarian (many that I will not name) – or no certified librarian (certified meaning working through a rigorous degree of Information Science or the certification program Delaware offers for that path) – but wouldn’t you want to make sure your school would try to search ways to insure that would happen?

Many school have no choice as they do not have units for a certified librarian, only for certified nurses and counselors.

But someone to exercise thinking skills and coping skills through providing a place of solace, a place where someone can feel safe while learning in a “third space” safe setting – isn’t that just as important?

Often the answer is no – because many do not realize what a school librarian actually does (books is the #1 Family Feud answer that – is SUCH an outdated question) – it is pertinent for many to be aware of what a school librarian can and should do for every student.

A STUDENT pointed out to me today, many of the “leaders” proactively wanting to remove and censor items are the same individuals that do not want to address controversial issues with students.

Ignoring or trying to act as real world experiences don’t exist, well, I mean it just doesn’t work for long (you can try, I think we have all tried at some point).

Begin to take a peek in on a day in the life:

then think about how is the best way to navigate the many sources of information- you could have someone that is navigating how to navigate without prior training or someone that has been trained to do so – I mean, heck, if I had a choice to go with a licensed doctor or go with someone who has explored surgery through some observations, what the heck – let’s wing it! (NOT!)

Let’s not “wing it” when it comes to making sure an individual licensed and trained to navigate through research, technology, bias, and futuristic opportunities – do the parent thing and find out where your school stands on valuing a certified librarian.

How are these chosen? –

Lastly, YOUR interest, YOUR voice, and YOUR concern on wanting and being able to state, “We need a certified librarian in our school/district!” helps move the whole level of education to a higher position for EVERY stakeholder in education.

Don’t wing it.