Date of Graduation

2003

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the daily activities of effective school library media specialists in an elementary school, middle school, and high school in a Louisiana parish, non-church, public school system through qualitative research using interviews, observation field notes, and written documentation from the three schools. The importance of the study was that there is little known about the leadership role of the school library media specialist and the role of the school library media specialist. Further, the literature concerning effective schools and effective school library media specialists is separate. The study had four conclusions. First, an effective school library media specialist can be the hub of the school. Second, the effective school library media specialist can lead from the middle through technology expertise, collaborative planning, promoting reading and positive public relations. Next, the effective school library media specialist is supported by the positive perceptions of the superintendent, school principal, library supervisor, and classroom teachers who all realize the importance of the school library media program to academic achievement. Even though the programs do not completely meet the standards, through the leadership that evolved from daily collaboration, the school library media specialists in this study managed to provide effective programs. Last, the school library media specialists are enabled by the positive perceptions of the superintendent, scheduling and financial support from the school principal, the advocacy of the library supervisor, and the use of the center by teachers. However, constraints such as a lack of time for collaborative planning, lack of paraprofessional staff, inadequate funding and no substitutes for the school library media specialists constrain them.

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