Librarian Interview 2

Location/Context
Title I Elementary School in Newberry County

Shared Foundation: Collaborate

Questions asked: What are some examples of the ways in which you are implementing this competency in your library program? What are some of the resources in the library program that you are using to implement this competency? Does this competency include collaboration with classroom teachers? Are there any other comments you'd like to share? 

Examples of Implementing Competencies
In her library program, collaboration is a core focus of instruction. She meets with each grade level about once a month to learn what units they are teaching and to align library instruction with classroom goals. She often uses the ELA curriculum, such as Open Court, as a foundation for planning. For example, if students are working on spelling or specific literacy skills, she designs library stations that reinforce those skills in a connected way. Also, she collaborates across content areas by discussing overarching science and social studies themes, such as preservation, and building library lessons around those concepts. A major component of her program is a research project implemented at every grade level, where teachers select the standard, topic, and timing...whether before, during, or after instruction. Students then complete research tied to science or social studies topics, focusing on skills such as evaluating sources and citing information. One example is 5th-grade students researching a World War II historical figure and writing a structured three-paragraph essay based on their findings.

Resources to Implement Competencies
She uses a combination of print and digital resources from the library collection to support instruction. Schoology is a key digital tool in her program, especially for book award nominees, for which she creates discussion boards to foster student engagement. Older students in 4th and 5th grade respond to and interact with peers’ posts, while younger students respond to teacher-guided questions. She also maintains a book-recommendation board with a 5-star rating system to help students make informed choices during independent reading. In addition, she incorporates ELA vocabulary and classroom curriculum materials provided by teachers to ensure alignment between library instruction and classroom learning.

Collaboration with Classroom Teachers
Collaboration is ongoing and intentional. She works with teachers to design research projects and instructional support that are directly tied to their standards. Teachers typically provide a standard number, topic, and a general nine-week timeframe, and she uses that information to build library lessons that support their instruction while developing students’ research and inquiry skills.

Challenges
One of the biggest challenges is inconsistent teacher participation. Despite regular outreach and a simple request for a standard and topic, she does not always receive responses or input on collaboration. Time is another limitation, as the fixed library schedule restricts opportunities for extended planning or multi-day collaboration with classes.

Additional Comments
Overall, collaboration in her library program requires flexibility, persistence, and strong communication. While there are structural challenges, she continues to prioritize building relationships with teachers and creating meaningful connections between library instruction and classroom learning whenever possible.

Reflection
This interview reinforced my belief that collaboration is most effective when it is flexible, consistent, and rooted in shared instructional goals. It also highlighted for me how important it is to build systems that make collaboration easier for teachers, rather than adding extra steps to their workload. At the same time, it made me reflect on my own tendency to value deeper, more integrated planning and how I may need to balance that with the realities of limited time and participation in different school settings. Overall, it affirmed my focus on building strong relationships as the foundation for meaningful library instruction aligned with classroom learning.