The library media specialist must work with the school administration to ensure that time is available to meet the demands of the position.
Teacher
librarians are a very busy professionals. It's essential that they
are able to schedule their time to address the mission of the library
media program. Unfortunately some library media specialists have very
little control over their time.
Some professionals are automatically scheduled with back-to-back classes for the entire day, while others are able to work collaboratively with teachers to design a flexible program of activities.
Read Position Statement on Flexible Scheduling from American Association of School Librarians (AASL).
What is flexible scheduling?
Flexible scheduling relates to how a library media specialist schedules his or her time. A flexible schedule allows the teacher librarian to work collaboratively with teachers and administration to develop programs that may or may not include regularly scheduled classes.
People often think about flexible scheduling as two opposing views rather than a continuum of options and opportunities. A library media specialist must work within the established structure, politics, and history of a school. But at the same time, explore new ways of thinking about time and schedules. As a result, flexible scheduling may have less to do with the schedule and more to do with the way a teacher librarian thinks about how they spend their time and focus their energy.
In some cases, it's difficult to change the status quo.
For example, some rigid library schedules are based on teacher union demands for teacher planning time or breaks. The teacher librarian may be in the same category as the art teacher or physical education instructor. As a result, it's unlikely that a flexible schedule will happen.
In other situations, the opposite problem exists. Some high schools are under so much academic pressure that teachers are reluctant to take away time for work in the library. The teachers have no interest in planning or collaborating with the media specialist.
Rather than being miserable or trying to implement radical changes, it may be more realistic to work for change internally. In other words, ask yourself how you can build collaborative relationships within the structure of a rigid system. Or, how you can use a virtual presence to connect with high school teachers who are unlikely to physically visit to your center.
Read Where
the Kids Are by Pamela S. Bacon,
School Library Journal, July 2004; 50(7), 28. (Access
requires login) This teacher librarian is thinking in innovative
ways about reaching students.
Read Its
Good to Be Inflexible by Doug Johnson
in School Library Journal, Nov 2001; 47(11), 39. (Access requires
login) Do you agree or
disagree. Take a stand, present your argument. Convince your opponents.
Is flexible scheduling important for the consultant role of a library media professional?
A primary role of the teacher librarian is to collaborate with members of the learning community. This role is difficult when faced with a rigid class schedule.
Read The Instructional Consultant Role of the Elementary-School Library Media Specialist and the Effects of Program Scheduling on Its Practice in Eleanor Putnam in SLMQ, 25(1), Fall 1996.
Read The Impact of Scheduling on Curriculum Consultation and Information Skills Instruction: Part One (1993-94
AASL/High smith Research Award Study) by Jean van Deusenand Julie
I Tallman in School Library Media Research, 23(1), Fall 1994.
Read Tracking the Transition to a Flexible Access Library Program in Two Library Power Elementary Schools by
Donna M. Shannon in School Library Media Research, 24(3), Spring 1996.
Words of Wisdom
As you think about the importance of flexible scheduling and access to information, consider the wide range of views and perspectives.
Read the perspective of one library media specialist:
Catherine Trinkle gave us permission to post a letter she wrote to Doug Johnson related to her thoughts on the topic of flexible scheduling. Read this PDF document.
Check Your Understanding
Information
Power: Information Access and Delivery - Principle 4.
The library media
program requires flexible and equitable access to information, ideas,
resources for learning. (p. 83, 89)
Define flexible scheduling. Discuss different perspectives on the issue.
Make It Real
Read Position Statement on Flexible Scheduling from American Association of School Librarians (AASL).
Read Its Good to Be Inflexible by Doug Johnson in School Library Journal, Nov 2001; 47(11), 39. (Access requires login)
Do you agree or disagree with Doug Johnson? Take a stand, present your argument. Convince your opponents.
Read More About It
Bacon, Pamela S. Where the Kids Are.
School Library Journal, July 2004; 50(7), 28. (Access
requires login)
http://search.epnet.com.proxy.ulib.iupui.edu/login.aspx?direct=tru
. . .
An online course is a great way to reach busy classrooms.
Scheduling
AASL Resources Guide for School Library Media Program Development
http://www.ala.org/aasl...
Buchanan, Jan. Flexible Access Library Media Programs. Libraries Unlimited, 1991. ISBN 0-87287-834-1
Dobrot, Nancy L. & McCawley. Beyond Flexible Scheduling: A Workshop Guide. Hi Willow/LMC Source. ISBN 0-931510-44-9
Flexible Scheduling
http://nema.k12.ne.us/CheckIt/flex.html
Flexible Scheduling
http://www.upei.ca/~fac_ed/projects/handbook/flexible.htm
Flexible Scheduling (PowerPoint document)
https://www.myscschools.com/offices/tech/ms/lms/Flexible_scheduling.ppt
Johnson, Doug. True Flexibility. School Library Journal, Nov 2001.
http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/trueflex.html
Unfortunately what many dedicated professionals hear is: “School media specialists in flexibly scheduled programs are good and school media specialists in programs with fixed schedules are bad.”
Ohlrich, Karen Browne. Making Flexible Access and Flexible Scheduling Work Today. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2001.
Position Statement on Flexible Scheduling from American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
http://www.ala.org/aasl...
Putnam, Eleonor. The Instructional Consultant Role of the Elementary-School Library Media Specialist and the Effects of Program Scheduling on Its Practice. SLMQ, 25(1), Fall 1996.
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aasl...
Research on Flexible Access to School Libraries
http://www.nswtl.net/info/research/flexible.htm
Scheduling Issues in School Libraries
http://www.libraries.phila.k12.pa.us/lion/scheduling.html
Links from LION
Shannon, Donna M. Flexible Access Library Media Programs Bibliography, April 1998.
http://www.libsci.sc.edu/shannon/flexbib.htm
Shannon, Donna M. Tracking the Transition to a Flexible Access Library Program in Two Library Power Elementary Schools. School Library Media Research, 24(3), Spring 1996.
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aasl...
Sheppard, Betsy C. Flexible Scheduling in the Library Media Center: A Position Paper
http://www.uncp.edu/home/...
van Deusen, Jean Donham and Tallman, Julie I. The Impact of Scheduling on Curriculum Consultation and Information Skills Instruction: Part One (1993-94 AASL/Highsmith Research Award Study). School Library Media Research, 23(1), Fall 1994.
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/...
Study focusing on the consultation and teaching roles of library media specialists examines relationships between the methods of scheduling students into the library media center and the consultation activity and information skills instruction performed by library media specialists.