Library 101: A Handbook for the School Librarian

by Claire Gatrell Stephens

This handbook is the perfect introduction to school library management for both novice and seasoned professionals. The authors--both experienced school librarians--provide basic guidelines for overseeing an effective library program, practical examples that can be used to implement quality lessons, comprehensive coverage of key topics including daily tasks and human resource management, and ideas for the future of school library management. The provided strategies make setting up and running a program easy for professionals at any level.

The second edition includes updated information on the latest trends, terminology, and technologies current in the field. The book is organized into three focusing on daily operations; your role as a teacher collaborator and visionary; and methods for managing a collection. Included resource lists, sidebars, charts, and pictures offer tips and ideas for successfully implementing your plans.

Genres: Professional Development

249 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 14, 2015

Reviews

[Lee Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was extremely helpful to me as a brand new high school librarian. I started this job on September 26 and panicked because I discovered I was not only the sole librarian, but I also don't have any library staff to help me out. Cataloging/processing, purchasing, circulation, management, reshelving, shelf-reading, inventorying and weeding... it's all up to me. Yikes.

It was a big jump. The only experience I really had was working in ILL (as a page) and later in circulation (as a part-time supervisor) at my college library. After graduate school, I spent one year as a part-time "floating" librarian in the public system, which--thanks to the nature of the 8 city branches I worked in--was essentially the same as as my circulation supervisor position. I sat at the desk and answered questions and phone calls. I helped people with computers and printing. Once in a great while, I got to run a family program. At the end of the day, I locked up. That was it. That was my experience. Not much managerial training, as I'd hoped to receive.

Then suddenly I found myself in this great but overwhelming new full-time position. I had to do literally everything--and I had to train myself! I simultaneously loved it and hated it. I'm lucky to have kept in touch with the former librarian here, but she can only do so much from her new home several states away, and the administration and faculty are supportive but they don't know much about the ins and outs of library management.

Library 101: A Handbook for the School Librarian helped calm my nerves. The first week of this job was rough. I was sure I was in over my head. But reading through this book definitely helped me feel more prepared to take on the daily tasks of this job. Some of the stuff--such as the TV direction chapter--was a little irrelevant to my job, but overall most of my basic questions were answered in this book, and it even sparked some fun ideas for projects and programs that I'd like to enact.

4/5 stars.

[Jill Norman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is VERY basic and is for someone who hasn’t been around school libraries at all. It had some decent ideas, and the glossary was helpful, but overall it’s a little too simple.

Some of the information and links were out of date- especially information on technology, but that’s to be expected at the rate in which things change.

[Heidi Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good textbook overview of the job of a school librarian. If you are just learning about the job, this book would be helpful. If you have already taken several classes and researched extensively, this book is a bit basic.