The School Library Manager: Surviving and Thriving

by Blanche Woolls, Sharon Coatney

In recent years, nearly all school libraries and school librarians have been targeted for having their funding or staffing cut as a result of reductions in school budgets. How does a newly graduated LIS professional prepare for a career in this volatile environment? How do established librarians and administrators prove their value and necessity to decision makers?



This freshly updated edition of The School Library Manager is an invaluable textbook that leads readers through the many essential management tasks and skills required to administer the successful school library program and beyond. It promotes the leadership role of the school librarian in the school and addresses the need for school librarians to provide students with equal access to information. The information presented will not only enable librarians to keep their jobs but also supply specific guidance and inspiration that gives readers the ability to make their positions and libraries undeniably relevant and valuable--and to ensure a path of upward mobility in their LIS careers.

Genres: Professional Development, Textbooks, Nonfiction, Education

288 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2013

Reviews

[Dr. T Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text provides a very thorough grounding in school librarianship. I am a teacher with a few decades under my belt, and I am working on completing a school library media specialist certification. My professional experiences over the years have prepared me for the "school" part of the SLMS profession (and some of the LMS parts, too); and Woolls and Coatney do a fine job in this tome of laying out a lot of the important concepts, experiences, and patterns of thought of the education profession. For those with limited professional experience in the world of education, this is an excellent resource.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah Library Science-the textbooks have been so inspirational and really reinforced why we have and need libraries..this book here was basically the job description every school librarian needs to perform step by step—the preface introduces the librarian as one that is entering the age of the internet and one to one computer usage among students. In some ways this is a cautionary tale that warns librarians to be cognizant of the new technology needs, to innovate and update the traditional space to entice students…There are warnings against taking the captive audience of students in a school building for granted and constantly changing to compliment the internet savvy and social, collaborative learning styles of 21st century learners—like a remedy for staying relevant and creating lifelong readers who can use and love their library. The book breaks down the role and responsibilities of school librarians, the relationships between public librarians, technology, job seeking and preparation for jobs, what to expect in a new library media specialist job (man I really needed this book starting my job in August LOL this is now a constant reference point), the expectations and responsibilities of the library media space, the importance of reading programs and advocacy, access to information with privacy and copyright so prevalent today, the social accommodations needed to modernize libraries, the collaboration and relationships between librarians and all staff and students, budgeting, networking and leadership. The quintessential book for school librarians I will gladly add to my library and refer to often..Highly recommended as easy to read and understand with examples, references to help any school librarian looking to make change, show a school how much they are worth and institute a reading culture and love to stay with children their entire academic and personal life.

[SaraKat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the more helpful and interesting textbooks I've used during this program. There are 14 chapters and each covers a different aspect of managing a library. Topics include: the history and importance of the library in today's culture; how to become a librarian and the job search; managing the program, services, access to information, staff and volunteers, and the facility; getting to know the curriculum and collaborating with teachers; creating a budget; assessing the program to improve it; and advocacy for your library and all libraries worldwide. My main issue with the book was that some topics were covered repetitively in multiple chapters. Since textbooks are usually read out-of-order or sporadically, this probably doesn't matter so much. This would be a good book to keep instead of selling back to a bookstore due to its reference-like design and the appendix with helpful forms.

[Cathlina Bergman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of the job of a public school librarian. Covers budgeting, collaboration with colleagues, being an advocate, the physical space of a library, etc. Copyright is 2018, so I wonder how a new edition would change with all the changes to the public school system because of Covid. The writing had a lot of awkward inverted sentences and passive voice at times. Ex. "Later in the chapter suggestions for how to keep up and where to learn about all those new bells and whistles are given." Ugh.

3.5 /5 stars

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as part of my MLIS program.
It is dry reading, but it is a non-fiction textbook.
There are very few pictures, charts, or graphs - be prepared to read, read, read.

I thin kit will be useful as a handbook or reference once I'm working as a SLMS, but the ALA also has many good resources.

[Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative book. Great resource for anyone wanting to choose library science as their career choice.

[Elizabeth]

School read.

[Kristeane Benavides · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you need to learn about librarianship, then this book will be helpful to you.

[Heidi Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good summation of what is involved in being a teacher librarian.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a pleasure to read, but at least somewhat useful. 3*

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry but useful

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative. Glad to be done with my reading assignments for this semester.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite text books I have read so far. Easy to read and understand with lots of information about media centers and learning commons.