Parts to a Successful School Library
Dominique Burns: Professional Synthesis/ LIBR 204/ Summer 2015
Management
“Many library school students do not see themselves as ever becoming a manager. However, the fact is that you, more often than not, will quickly find yourself being a manager” (Evans & Alire, 2013, p. 22)
Patricia A. Messner and Brenda S. Copeland (2011) believe that school librarians manage library materials, resources, staff, and students (p. 1). School libraries often run similarly to a classroom, but don’t usually use grading systems as a way to gage what the students have learned. Messner and Copeland (2011) suggest using rewards and incentives as a way of managing students (p. 3). These rewards and incentives can also be used to gage what students have learned.
Part of managing a school library according to Messner and Copeland (2011) is also making sure the school’s library staff is “Knowledgeable, hardworking, and service oriented. They must possess a certain amount of basic information just to keep the library up and running” (p. IX). School libraries are often staffed with parent volunteers, student aides, paraprofessionals, and the librarian (Messner & Copeland, 2011, p. IX). School librarians must also manage numerous moving parts, such as budgets and curriculum.