International Society for Technology in Education - National Educational Technology Standards for Students. (2007) - National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers. (2008) - National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators. (2009)
The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine (New York City) has the whole Library curriculum on their web site. It is an outstanding illustration of what can be done with collaboration in an independent school.
I have been active in private school libraries for most of my career as well as having served as a university adjunct professor for many years. I have been elected to positions in the American Association of School Librarians, the Texas Library Association, the Houston Area Independent School Librarian Network, the Catholic Library Association and the Network of Sacred Heart Schools. I have been a presenter in the field for many groups, including the National Association of Independent Schools and have been active as an editorial advisor, contributor, and writer of articles. I am currently the Upper School Librarian at Duchesne Academy in Houston, Texas.
ESSAY ABSTRACT
Collaboration is a word that has been buzzing in the school library world since 1988 when the American Association of School Librarians released Information Power, which marked a dramatic shift in the role of librarian. Suddenly “teaching” and “collaboration” were part of the job. Until that time, “library skills” were taught randomly and often out of context with the curriculum. Many librarians hoped the concept of collaboration would just go away but with every update of the standards, the role of librarian as teacher and collaborator is even more strongly emphasized. Recently the latest guidelines, Standards for the 21st Century Learner, (AASL Standards) have been released and they continue to articulate this responsibility. Collaboration is the goal end of a spectrum of change that begins in the “old school” methodology of library skills and progresses through coordination with core curricula to actual collaboration that imbeds the information literacy into the core curricula. To collaborate brings strength and vitality to the work of the librarian, as well as to the role of the library in the private school.
