Media Specialist

Job Goal:

To provide teachers and students with a library media environment that invites intellectual growth, encourages the use of instructional technology, and assists students in acquiring the skills needed to take full advantage of school library/media center resources.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Operates and supervises the assigned school library/media center to provide effective library media services and resources to teachers, students, and other staff and to ensure availability of materials and technology to supplement instructional programs.
• Implements the media collection development plan within the assigned school, including selecting and acquiring resources, maintaining current inventory (including ebooks), weeding materials, and evaluating the collection.
• Establishes and maintains a comprehensive, efficient system for classifying, cataloging, circulating, and inventorying all school library/media center materials.
• Maintains school-based equipment and devices to ensure availability at the point and time of need; provides onsite technical support and troubleshoots various hardware and software issues; works with the district-level Technology Coordinator to perform necessary updates and repairs and address escalated concerns.
• Uses the school system’s instructional materials asset management system to track and monitor distribution, circulation, and aging of materials and devices within the assigned school; assists the Technology Coordinator with barcoding of district-owned technology/media assets as requested.
• Assists teachers in selecting books and other instructional materials/resources for their classrooms; works with teachers to plan for student assignments likely to lead to extended use of school library/media center services.
• Helps students to acquire skills in effectively using school library/media center materials, resources, and technologies in relation to classroom assignments and to develop good practices for conducting independent reference work.
• Coordinates student reading programs designed to encourage literacy and reading comprehension and promote collaboration in meeting set goals; compiles student data and shares with teachers and other staff as appropriate.
• Organizes special events related to the school library/media center (e.g., book fairs); collaborates with other school staff to research library funding opportunities.
• Prepares and submits reports, applications, license renewals, and other documentation to relevant state agencies, organizations, and external funding sources to meet established deadlines and time constraints.
• Arranges frequently changing displays/exhibits, such as bulletin boards and book collections, likely to interest students.
• Collaborates with teachers to plan for the integration of emerging technologies and digital curriculum into lesson plans and to develop curricular content that integrates information literacy skills into instructional activities and maintains active engagement strategies.
• Seeks teacher and student input in the selection and evaluation of textbooks, reading materials, software applications, and technologies to support learning objectives.
• Works with the school Counselor to keep teachers and other staff informed about newly acquired school library/media center materials and recent technology developments pertaining to their specific instructional areas.
• Selects, collects, organizes, stores, and disseminates information in various formats.
• Administers the school library/media center budget; monitors expenditures to ensure fiscal responsibility.
• Supports cooperative resource sharing with other library media/technology centers and local, state, and national information agencies.
• Participates in various meetings to present and interpret information regarding school library/media center services; serves as a member on various teams and committees as appropriate.
• Maintains research-based knowledge in state and national current trends and best practices within school library, media center, and technology advancements; researches and recommends solutions, equipment, and resources as applicable to BCS needs.
• Attends approved trainings, activities, and events, including in-service programs, seminars, conferences, workshops, etc. to address professional learning needs.
• Trains, supervises, and provides guidance to parent volunteers and/or student workers.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications (minimum education, licensure, skills, and/or experience):

• Valid Alabama School Library Media certification

Note: This job description is subject to change at any time. While this job description reflects delegation of essential duties and responsibilities, it does not exclude or restrict management’s right to assign or reassign tasks, duties, or responsibilities to this job at any time.