By Deb Grill

December 12, 2024

SDP Public Meeting

I know that everyone’s image of a school librarian involves introducing students to books like the one I am holding.  And doing that is essential to improving student literacy.  But books are not a school librarian’s only area of expertise. 

School librarians are experts in media literacy, and in this day and age it is important that every student learns how to navigate and analyze the overwhelming profusion of media resources that exist. As the previous speaker pointed out, subject area teachers don’t have the time to do that.

School librarians from elementary school through high school not only expose students to reputable print and online resources, but they teach students how to identify valid sources of information. 

School librarians do this with age appropriate lessons that focus on understanding the different types of media, Identifying authorship and purpose, recognizing bias and point of view.

School librarians teach students how to evaluate the credibility and trustworthiness of a source by investigating the author’s citations, expertise, and affiliations.

School librarians teach students how to identify the media techniques use to influence an audience: for example techniques like emotional appeal, celebrity endorsement, catchy jingles.

School Librarians teach students how to understand various types of media messages and how each type of message might influence an individual’s thoughts, feelings and behavior.

School librarians cover much more than I can enumerate in 2 minutes.

If our students are to survive and thrive in the daily and ever-changing onslaught of today’s media without becoming victims of misinformation, they will need the guidance and instruction that a school librarian has to offer. You need to find a place  in your $4.5 billion dollar budget for school librarians.