Librarians as Learning Specialists: Meeting the Learning Imperative for the 21st Century

Zmuda and Harada explore the increasing number of job descriptions in schools for learning specialists with the accompanying difficulty in effectively leveraging these roles to positively affect student learning. School librarians have been one of these learning specialists for decades. The ranks have expanded in recent years to include many other content area specialists. Grant Wiggins' foreword emphasizes the relevance of learning specialists is grounded in their ability to deliver results on mission-critical measures.

This title incorporates quotations, exemplars, and findings from experts in both mainstream and librarian-focused education literature in an inclusive approach making the text accessible and credible for any leader charged with improving the system's ability for improved student achievement.

There are an increasing number of job descriptions in schools for learning specialists - certified teachers with specialized areas of expertise whose job it is to improve student performance. While these positions are attractive ideas in theory, there are real challenges in effectively leveraging such roles to positively affect student learning. School librarians have been one of these learning specialists for decades. The ranks have expanded in recent years to include reading specialists, literacy coaches, writing coaches, technology specialists, mathematics specialists, science specialists, and teachers of English Language Learners. References included throughout the book incorporate quotations, exemplars, and findings from experts in both mainstream and librarian-focused education literature. This inclusive approach makes the text accessible and credible for any leader charged with improving the system's ability for improved student achievement. Grant Wiggins' foreword emphasizes the premise that the relevance of learning specialists is grounded in their ability to deliver results on mission-critical measures.

Allison Zmuda is a faculty member in the Understanding by Design cadre for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, a staff consultant for Education connection in Litchfield, Connecticut and operates her own consulting firm, The Competent Classroom, LLC.

Violet H. Harada is professor of library and information science in the Department of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Hawaii. Harada has been a secondary teacher, a curriculum writer, an elementary school librarian, and a state specialist with the Hawaii Department of Education as well as a college professor. In addition to her teaching duties, she coordinates the school library specialization for the Library and Information Science Graduate Program.