12/01/1989 20460

SCHOOL LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR

DEFINITION: This is professional educational advisory work in the development and improvement of school library services in the schools of the Commonwealth.

An employee in this class provides advisory services to professional and administrative personnel in local school districts and intermediate units in the development, improvement, expansion, and integration of comprehensive school libraries and educational materials centers in Pennsylvania's schools. Work involves responsibility for encouraging information networking to link school libraries with informational data bases to provide schools with access to electronic data searching and to expand the role of school libraries in providing resource and data services to teachers, students, and administrators. Work includes providing school librarians and administrators with information and materials to implement departmental recommendations and plans for school library services. Employees review library programs in local districts and make recommendations on standards and regulations. Work includes collaboration with departmental specialists in the review and evaluation of library materials, services, and facilities for appropriateness in meeting objectives and missions of libraries in the schools. Employees conduct training sessions, workshops, and conferences to disseminate information on successful practices and new and innovative approaches in school library services. Work is performed with considerable independence and is reviewed by a supervisor through staff conferences and evaluation of results.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Advises local school library personnel, teachers, and administrators on current practices and improvements in school library management and organization, computerized networking and on-line searching, materials selection, and other related matters.

Provides advisory services to local school districts on school library design and construction, selection, and organization of instructional materials, duties, and responsibilities of professional and clerical school library personnel, budgeting and purchasing procedures, and the uses of instructional materials by teachers and students.

Promotes the organization of school libraries into larger units of services; advises on the mechanics of organization and the advantages of cooperative library practices.

Provides advisory and consultative assistance on the development and implementation of information resource networks to link local school libraries with other libraries and informational data bases to improve school library data resource capacities through state of the art technologies and use of electronic data searching of diverse data bases available.

Organizes and presents workshops, seminars and in-service training programs on latest trends and development in the area of school library media services and on the goals and direction of school library media programs for school library media personnel, teachers, administrators, and others.

Disseminates library materials to local school officials through the media of conferences, workshops, correspondence, and publications.

Interprets the provisions of the library code and rules and regulations pertaining to the state's comprehensive school library development program for school officials, teachers, and
librarians.

Maintains liaison with local, state, regional, and national professional organizations concerned with school library and instructional materials center development.

Evaluates new trends and techniques in the field of library science and information resource sharing as they pertain to use in local schools and prepares pamphlets, guides, and other materials to distribute to the schools in the Commonwealth.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of modern theories, principles, and practices in the field of education.

Knowledge of the role of the school library and information resource services in the instructional and administrative processes of the schools and intermediate units of the Commonwealth.

Knowledge of current practices and techniques in the field of school library development and improvement.

Knowledge of the services, potentials, and limitations of modern information networks, electronic retrieval technologies, and modern information collection and management in the library field.

Knowledge of current curriculum and instructional developments as related to the requirements of comprehensive school libraries.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of library administration.

Ability to promote, organize, and establish a comprehensive school library.

Ability to advance the development of expanded library facilities with professional and lay groups.

Ability to represent the Department of Education and to interpret its policies regarding school libraries.

Ability to express ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school officials, teachers, and the public.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: Four years of professional experience in the field of public school library administration or development;

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Any equivalent combination of experience and training.