Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Online School Librarian: Roles and Responsibilities

  • Published:
TechTrends Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Children across the United States of America are maturing in a media-saturated society. Unfortunately, this often results in poor content choices and evaluative skills. North American schools have attempted to address this problem through information literacy skills. One role key to teaching these skills is the role of the school librarian. Unfortunately, although much research is available on this role in traditional schools, little research was found on the school librarian’s role and responsibilities in a fully online school. In this study, two online school principals were interviewed regarding skills required to teach information literacy; who in their school was responsible for teaching these skills and how these skills were taught. Results indicate that although there is much potential for teaching information literacy in a fully online school, the reality often falls short due to a chopping up of school librarian duties into tasks assigned to several individuals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ALA/AASL Standards for Initial Preparation of School Librarians (2010). Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aasleducation/schoollibrary/2010_standards_with_rubrics_and_statements_1-31-11.pdf

  • Bathon, J. & Baker, B. D. (2013). School finance 2.0: Flexible financing for a virtual world. Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center.

  • Beck, D., Maranto, R., & Lo, W. J. (2013). Parent involvement and student/parent satisfaction in cyber schools. In McBride, R. & M. Searson (Eds.) Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 229–236). Orlando, FL: AACE.

  • Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). (2013, June). National charter school study. Palo Alto: CREDO, Stanford University. Retrieved January 19, 2015, from http://credo.stanford.edu/researchreports.html.

  • Church, A. P. (2005). Virtual school libraries—the time is now! MultiMedia & Internet@Schools, 12(2), 8–12.

  • Clark, T. (2001). Virtual schools: Trends and issues. A study of virtual schools in the United States. WestEd: Phoenix, AZ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, T. (2001). Virtual schools: Trends and issues, a study of virtual schools in the United states. San Francisco: WestEd. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from: http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/virtualschools.pdf

  • Common Core State Standards Initiative (2010). Common core state standards for English language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Retrieved on January 17, 2015 from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy.

  • Eastin, M. S., Yang, M.S., & Nathanson, A. I. (2006). Children of the net: An empirical exploration into the evaluation of Internet content. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 50, 211–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, M. B., & Berkowitz, R. E. (2000). Teaching Information & Technology Skills: The Big6 [TM] in Secondary Schools. Linworth Publishing: Worthington, OH.

    Google Scholar 

  • Everhart, N., Mardis, M. A., & Johnston, M. (2011). National board certified school librarians’ leadership in technology integration: Results of a national survey. School Library Media Research, 14.

  • Fedorowicz, J., Vilvovsky, S., & Golibersuch, A. J. (2010). Gender differences in teenagers’ elective use of computer technology. Communications of AIS, 27, 27–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glass, G. V.,Welner, K., & Bathon, J. (2011). Online K-12 schooling in the U.S.: Uncertain private venture in need of public regulation. Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center.

  • Goodman, K. S., & Goodman, Y. M. (1982). A whole language comprehension-centered view of reading development. DOCUMENT RESUME ED 218 649 CS 207 072, 300, 125.

  • Hargittai, E., Fullerton, L., Menchen-Trevino, E., & Thomas, K. Y. (2010). Trust online: Young adults’ evaluation of web content. International Journal of Communication, 4, 468–494.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasler-Waters, L., Barbour, M. K., & Menchaca, M. P. (2014). The nature of online charter schools: Evolution and emerging concerns. Educational Technology & Society, 17(4), 379–389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, J., Bertot, J. C. & Davis, D. M. (2012). Libraries connect communities: Public library funding & technology access study 2011–2012. Digital supplement of American Libraries. Retrieved on January 16, 2015 from http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/4673a369.

  • Hubbard, B., & Mitchell, N. (2011). Troubling questions about online education. Colorado: EdNews.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, A. E. (2013). Tailoring instruction for students in online and distance learning environments. In P. Ragains (Ed.), Information Literacy Instruction that Works: A Guide to Teaching by Discipline and Student Population, (87–95). American Library Association.

  • Kovacs, P. E. (2011). The Gates Foundation and the Future of US “Public” Schools (Vol. 5). Taylor & Francis.

  • Kuiper, E., Volman, M., & Terwel, J. (2005). The Web as an information resource in K–12 education: Strategies for supporting students in searching and processing information. Review of Educational Research, 75(3), 285–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2008). The virtual teacherlibrarian: Establishing and maintaining an effective web presence. Teacher Librarian, 35(4), 69–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lance, K. C. & Hofschire, L. (2013). The impact of school libraries on academic achievement. In M. J. Dow (Ed.) School Libraries Matter, (65–77). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lenhart, A., Purcell, K., Smith, A., & Zickuhr, K. (2010). Social Media and Young Adults, Washington, DC: Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved on Janaury 16, 2015 from www.pewinternet.org/reports/2010/Social-media-and-Young-Adults.aspx.

  • Lim, S., & Kwon, N. (2010). Gender difference in information behavior concerning Wikipedia, an unorthodox information source? Library & Information Science Research, 32, 212–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livingstone, S. (2004). Media literacy and the challenge of new information and communication technologies. The Communication Review, 7(1), 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livingstone, S., Bober, M., & Helsper, E. (2005). Internet literacy among children and young people: Findings from the UK Children Go Online Project.

  • Maranto, R. (2005). A tale of two cities: School privatization in Philadelphia and Chester. American Journal of Education, 111(2), 151–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor, September 2011, K-12 Online Learning Evaluation Report Summary.

  • Miron, G., & Urschel, J. (2012). Understanding and improving full-time virtual schools. National Education Policy Center. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/understanding-improving-virtual.

  • Pew Internet & American Life Project. (2008). Teens, video games, and civics. Retrieved January 16, 2015 from http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2008/PIP_Teens_Games_and_ Civic s_Report_FINAL.pdf.pdf

  • Queen, B., & Lewis, L. (2011). Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students, 2009–10. US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences.

  • Ritter, G. W. (2012). Internal evaluation of the Arkansas virtual academy school. University of Arkansas. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://www.k12.com/arva#UctCXD5AQRM.

  • Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, B., Dillon, E., & Jambulapati, P. (2011). Ohio E-Schools: Learning from their experience. Education Sector. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from http://www.educationsector.org/publications/ohio-e-schoolslearning-their-experience.

  • Wang, H., & Woodworth, K. (2011). Evaluation of Rocketship education’s use of DreamBox Learning’s Online Mathematics Program. Center for Education Policy: Menlo Park.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wathan, C. N., & Burkell, J. (2002). Believe it or not: Factors influencing credibility on the web. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 53(2), 134–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, J., Pape, L., Murin, A., Gemin, B., & Vashaw, L. (2014). Keeping pace with K-12 digital learning: An annual review of policy and practice. Evergreen Education Group.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72703, USA

    Dennis Beck

Authors
  1. Dennis Beck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dennis Beck.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Beck, D. The Online School Librarian: Roles and Responsibilities. TECHTRENDS TECH TRENDS 59, 77–84 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-015-0856-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-015-0856-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation