Defense of the Media Specialist

The school library media program is an integral piece of the student achievement puzzle.  The library media center is the place where students learn how to find, analyze, evaluate, interpret and communicate information and ideas.  These skills are the skeleton key to unlock any door  for any student in the present or in their lifelong learning pursuits.    It has come to my attention that this administration is considering dropping a full-time licensed media specialist from its staff.  I stand before you today not to argue for my job, I stand before you to present why the media specialist is an indispensable teacher, collaborator, program administrator and change agent in this learning community.  

Let me begin by recognizing that the district, is feeling the pinch of the economic downturn.  In these difficult times every dollar spent needs to be carefully considered; how will this expenditure increase student achievement? 

A licensed media specialist wears, at least, three very important hats.  First, and most importantly, a media specialist is a teacher. Also known as a teacher-librarian, the media specialist provides information literacy and technology literacy instruction for all students in the school.  This instruction includes lesson and unit planning as well as feedback and assessment. 

The second major role of a media specialist is as instructional partner.  The media specialist works with the teaching staff to develop collaborative, inquiry and project based units.  This partnership with the staff is embedded in almost every unit within all the subject areas in the school’s curriculum. 
Finally as administrator of the media program, the media specialist is an expert in the selection of and evaluation of all print and electronic media for use in the curricular goals of the school.

The loss of a media specialist at your school, is a dramatic blow to the students and staff and the entire learning community.  Students’ access to important literacy skills, skill essential to the development and sustainable learning is threatened.  Additionally, research suggests that a well staffed and fully funded media program has a positive correlation with student achievement.  Teachers will lament the loss of a keystone partner in their curricular goals.  The media specialist is the lifeblood of fresh new information for teachers to continue their professional development.  Finally, and most tragically, the media specialist is an active agent for change in the learning community.  By providing physical and intellectual access to information, the media specialist plants seeds for change in all walks of life curricular and extra-curricular.  From providing the community with access to news important to them or even as far as supporting the development of new ideas that will change the world, a media specialist is indispensable.