Library Services

A Licensed School Librarian, known in Minnesota as a School Library Media Specialist, has a Master’s Degree in library information science or a graduate certificate in school library media programs as well as a state-issued media specialist teaching license. The purpose of a librarian in the school is to work directly with students and staff. A licensed library media specialist:

• Encourages a love of literacy, reading and the pursuit of knowledge
• Provides access to reliable, relevant, age-appropriate resources
• Collaborates with teachers to support instruction and teach digital citizenship, research, information and technology literacy skills
• Work directly with students to support reading and the development of skills needed to be college or career ready 
• Advocate for intellectual freedom and ensure access to information that represents multiple perspectives

A fully staffed library program includes a full-time licensed library media specialist and a paraprofessional. The support staff handles all circulation and clerical duties, while the library media specialist teaches classes, collaborates with teachers, and provides direct instruction and support to students.

Edina, Osseo, Minnetonka, and Hopkins Public Schools all use this service model. Anoka-Hennepin also has licensed library media specialists in almost all buildings.

For the 2023-24 school year, Minneapolis Public School hired at least half-time library media specialists for all of their traditional schools. Read more here.

By comparison, SPPS has licensed library media specialists in 23 out of 62 schools with a physical library space and collection, or 37% of schools. 

A library is not a luxury, but one of the necessities of life.- Henry Ward Beecher

We have licensed library media specialists in 23 of our 62 schools with a physical library. SPPS has 39 elementary schools and four of them have a school library media specialist. Thirty-three of our elementary school libraries are staffed with an Educational Assistant or Teaching Assistant. In elementary schools, staffed by library paraprofessionals, the hours of operation vary from a couple hours a day, a couple days a week and about 25% offer services during to the whole school day. Our secondary and K-8 school libraries are staffed by licensed library media specialists and are open throughout the school day.

Budget constraints are cited as the reason for the inequitable library staffing in St. Paul Public Schools.

A school district or charter school library or school library media center provides equitable and free access to students, teachers, and administrators.

A school library or school library media center must have the following characteristics:

(1) ensures every student has equitable access to resources and is able to locate, access, and use resources that are organized and cataloged; (2) has a collection development plan that includes but is not limited to materials selection and deselection, a challenged materials procedure, and an intellectual and academic freedom statement; (3) is housed in a central location that provides an environment for expanded learning and supports a variety of student interests; (4) has technology and Internet access; and (5) is served by a licensed school library media specialist or licensed school librarian.

Minn. Stat. § 124D.901

Scholastic has compiled research from over 30 separate studies demonstrating the integral role librarians play in teaching and supporting student learning. They found that when school librarians are cut, student achievement suffers. View the full report HERE

Libraries don’t just mean print books. Digital resources are essential in a 1:1 iPad environment, and library media specialists play a crucial role. They curate digital content, support instruction, teach digital citizenship, and educate students about issues such as online safety, privacy, and behavior as well as the ethical use of information. Library Media Specialists can also act as an in-house technology specialist, assisting students with device questions or issues.

Just as all content areas have standards, library media specialists have information and technology literacy standards to meet for all grade levels. The American Association of School Librarians published new standards in 2019. The standards may be viewed at: https://standards.aasl.org 

Minnesota also has their own library media standards written by ITEM, the School Library Unit of the Minnesota Library Association. The state standards may be viewed here: https://www.mnlibraryassociation.org/page/ITEMstandards2019