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As more and more schools implement professional learning communities (PLCs), school librarians often ask: What is the role of school librarians in PLCs? What should we be doing to contribute? What are my colleagues in other schools doing?
In this article we explore these questions by first describing eight potential roles for school librarians as members of PLCs: information specialist, staff developer, teacher and collaborator, critical friend, leader, researcher, learner, and student advocate. Then we report the findings of a research study conducted by one of the authors; the study examined what school librarians are actually doing in PLCs, as well as the barriers that prevent their full participation. Our goal is to help school librarians make the most of PLCs.
POTENTIAL ROLE 1: INFORMATION SPECIALIST
The Science PLC at Mulberry High School is concerned about the inability of many of their ninthgraders to comprehend the textbook. During one of the PLC meetings Hal, the school librarian, offers to identify some articles and books the team can read to help them better understand the reading processes involved in comprehending nonfiction texts. Prior to the next meeting, Hal creates a wiki that contains an annotated bibliography of recommended books and articles, as well as a description of some of the most common strategies recommended by experts in the field of reading education.
The most obvious role for school librarians is information specialist. As a member of the content area PLCs, the school librarian is in a prime position to be asked to gather information for the group, or to be proactive and suggest that gaps in student learning might be better addressed if the PLC considered some current research on teaching and learning. Being an information specialist should not stop at simply compiling a list of resources. By taking time to read, analyze, and synthesize the literature, the school librarian can "jump start" the discussion and also determine how the school library program might support the PLCs' efforts to address particular challenges. Coming to a PLC meeting with strategies and ideas already formulated helps to strengthen the connection between the school library program and student learning.
POTENTIAL ROLE 2: STAFF DEVELOPER
In May the School Improvement Team at Hartley Middle School decided that a primary goal...