The 21st Century Role of the High School Librarian

“What is information?” I asked the class.

“Data,” responded one tenth grader.

“Mmmm…yes, data is one TYPE of information,” I replied.

“Articles?”

“That is a source for information…is there another word that includes all types and forms of information?”

And so we go around the room, until one student yells out “KNOWLEDGE!”

As an information professional (librarian, library media specialist -- whatever you want to call me) my patrons seem to find it mind-blowing when I define my role as handling and organizing all knowledge. They begin to wonder what exactly does my librarian do?

I tell my students that if they leave our high school aware that information is around them at all times, I have done part of my job. I tell them that I’d like them to they leave us fully aware of their opportunity to absorb information around them. (Pay attention to the world beyond your phone!) My job is complete if they have the ability to sort information, to use it to make informed decisions, and distinguish “good” information from “bad.” I am successful if they are critical thinkers.

How can I help them on this path? I tell them...

·      Come to me if you are overwhelmed with the information around you

·      Come to me if you can’t find enough information.

·      Come to me if you are having difficulty recognizing the authority of the information you found

·      Come to me if you need to find an expert

·      Come to me if you need a better understanding of how the knowledge you have ties into a wider world of knowledge

·      Come to me if you don’t understand where answers to your questions can be found

·      Come to me if you don’t even know what questions to ask to gain deeper knowledge

High school librarians are vital team members in our schools. We connect both students and faculty to sources and ideas that support subject area learning. We define links between content and create an overarching umbrella for the knowledge that constantly flows throughout the school. Building ties between knowledge and knowledge holders, within and beyond the school, is our greatest skill.

Who We Are in a Digital World

I am growing as a teacher and presenter, relying on my personal stories to deliver messages of history, heritage, hope, compassion, unity, and community.  There is no better way to connect with other human beings than to share stories. We build relationships this way. We build bridges of understanding by demonstrating common themes. I have learned that my stories impact the adults to whom I have always directed information about caring for archives, but similar stories make the same impact on children. How do we get students interested in a subject? Tell them stories about it. More than that, show them that you respect their own stories that they have already identified as important to their lives.

The Bow, NH Rotarians donated a
book to their local elementary school
to honor my visit.

This week, I had the pleasure of addressing Rotarians. A colleague asked me to deliver a short presentation about family history. She told me that her Rotary group has responded favorably to her own stories about her own family history. I decided to tie together some stories of my own for them.

My grandparents
My daughter's pancakes and mom's pizza
My students and encouraging thinking about the future 

In the classroom this week, I spoke about a totally different (but strangely related) subject. I was teaching about being an effective information consumer and distributor.  We discussed branding and the stories that companies are crafting about themselves to sculpt their reputations. I then asked students to turn inward and to examine what kind of personal brand they are creating online.

Like many of us, students are creating an online presence without thought to the digital trail they are leaving and the personal characterization they are sculpting for themselves. Today, our information often is saved before we even have a chance to consider its initial purpose, organization and long-term value.

Digital Life 101 asks young adults to consider their digital lives, the stories they are telling, and the information they are spreading. After viewing the short movie in the classroom, I split students into groups to discuss what they put online and what audiences they are reaching. Do they want all of the stories they share to reach all of these audiences? What personal brand are they projecting? How can they more carefully craft their personal story by using restraint and through the careful management of their social media and other online interactions?

It took me 20 years to craft my stories for diverse audiences. I had time. Our teens might not. By having them identify what is important to them now and by helping them focus in on personal branding, my purpose is twofold:

• I hope to help young people gain a greater awareness of how their life fits in with their larger communities, to feel part of something bigger than themselves, and to gain an appreciation for their place in history.
• But, I also hope to help them realize that the "stories" they tell now, those little bits of information they leave all over the Internet, are precious, potentially dangerous, and open to larger audiences they may not have considered. They may not be talking to Rotarians yet, but their words have potential and can make an impact on our culture.

Stories are powerful. If we don't craft them for ourselves, others will tell the story of who we are. Thoughtfully and deliberately consider your role in this world and the remnants you leave behind. Help the teens in your life do the same.

Young Inventors Program - Library and Information Services Award

For the past five or so years, I have been a judge for the New Hampshire Young Inventors Program. Each spring, K-8 students who win local school competitions move on to this competition that supports innovative young people throughout our state. This year, I am honored to be sponsoring my first specialty award, the Library & Information Services Award. Sponsored by ArchivesInfo, this award recognizes an invention that can support the day to day work of libraries. Inventions in this category could include items such as a new type of bookshelf, a computer database, or a stand for holding your e-reader while you ride a stationary bike. My intention in sponsoring the award is to support this valuable program and the kids who take part. I also wish to raise awareness about what libraries can do for people's lives and to encourage young people to think about ways to make libraries stronger and more impactful.

As libraries expand services, re-invent themselves, or just renovate their marketing to attract a 21st century audience, they must make their innovation prominent. Libraries serve as places supporting discovery, learning, curiosity, and invention. Conversations about our role in building makerspaces, encouraging cutting edge technology, teaching sound information seeking practices and more need to filter out of our inner circles and move beyond the field of library and information science. Librarians must show how our institutions support multiple disciplines and are capable of engaging in conversations ranging from the arts to mathematics, science and history. 

Inviting students to think about how they themselves can make libraries more helpful places can play an important role in continuing and promoting the relevance of our profession. I am hopeful that by offering an award for library related inventions, I can encourage young students to consider new possibilities. I look forward to seeing children's creations for progressive libraries and better information services.