Teacher-librarian at school

The teacher-librarian at the school is not the most well-known position to the general public. But even these specialists have their own responsibilities at work, job descriptions. It is useful to know what kind of salary they are paid, what portfolio is required and how certification is going on.

The school employs primarily teachers of various subjects - everyone knows that. And traditionally the position of a librarian there was considered, rather, an auxiliary, auxiliary. However, life makes its own adjustments, and in connection with the growing importance of such moments, a new profession has appeared - a school teacher-librarian.

Of course, the teacher-librarian keeps the existing book fund, and as far as possible expands it. But at the same time, the emphasis is on something completely different - the library of an educational institution should become a full-fledged means of socialization of students, and not just a place where they borrow books from time to time. The task was set to increase the activity of communication and make the library a full-fledged link in information education. The official orders emphasize that the importance of the reading initiative on the part of the children themselves should increase, that is, they should be interested and involved deliberately, and not just put demands to read one or another publication.

This approach allowed:

• improve material incentives;
• add powers and benefits on a par with “regular educators”;
• at the same time and to increase the requirements for the candidates themselves and employees, who now have to undergo certification and other checks.

The main responsibilities of the person holding this position are as follows:

• participate (as far as possible) in the educational activities of the institution as a whole in accordance with the requirements of educational standards;
• conduct educational and methodological support of educational activities;
• analyze the state of the book fund and develop it (as far as possible);
• analyze changes in requests for certain publications;
• predict the likely shifts in requests for educational and fiction literature;
• according to these estimates and forecasts, prepare applications for replenishment and renewal of the fund, and, if necessary, write off the publications that have become irrelevant.

But the list of works of such a specialist does not end there. Its functions also include:

• handing out the necessary textbooks to students and collecting them at the right time;
• organization of literary exhibitions and their holding;
• preparation of long-term plans for their own work;
• pedagogical activity to spread interest in the book, the ability to choose and evaluate it, correctly understand the content, analyze artistic techniques, expressive means and logical moves of the authors;
• development of a culture of reading and searching for the necessary information among students, a culture of using the library and its reference books, catalogs;
• cooperation with district and other out-of-school libraries, with education authorities;
• interacting with class teachers to provide students with exactly the literature they need at a particular moment;
• monitoring compliance with safety standards;
• compilation of catalogs and card files;
• consultations for other teachers and parents so that they can choose the right literature;
• disciplinary punishment of pupils where appropriate;
• participation in the development of school development strategy.

A typical portfolio of a librarian teacher includes:

• general information about the specialist;
• information about his level of education;
• information about additional training and certification;
• professional growth cards;
• analytical reports on the work done in the previous places (indicating the numbers of the increase in attendance and other quantitative indicators);
• data on participation in school-wide activities;
• diplomas and certificates;
• author's work programs;
• library development plans.

The skills and knowledge of educational librarians include:

• familiarity with guidance materials;
• knowledge of the basics of librarianship and its technology;
• assimilation of forms and practices of interaction with readers in an individual and mass format;
• the ability to compile catalogs, complete and take into account the fund;
• understanding of occupational health and safety standards and fire protection requirements.

Responsibility includes:

• compensation for shortages in case of loss or damage to books;
• disciplinary liability under the law;
• removal from office when attempting political, sectarian or other propaganda, including by influencing the foundation;
• responsibility for violation of the organization's charter, for violence against students, including psychological.

No special pedagogical education is required for this position. You just need to own, in fact, the skills of librarianship. This is directly prescribed by the order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development approving the position of a teacher-librarian. There it is indicated that he must have a higher professional - it makes no difference, pedagogical or library - education. The same order says that the requirements for seniority cannot be imposed, but it affects the level of payment.

Attention should be paid to such a procedure as certification. The order is:

• holding 1 time in 5 years;
• in the first 2 years of work, certification is not carried out;
• in the absence of special skills and experience, but in the presence of the necessary practical experience and competencies, the certification commission has the right, as an exception, to appoint such a person to the position;
• the commission has the right to test (test) potential employees before concluding contracts;
• if the test is unsuccessful, the employee is notified and after 3 days they have the right to terminate the employment contract, unless the term of the test itself, originally set, has not expired.

On average in Russia, this indicator, according to some data, ranges from 20 to 25 thousand rubles. A lot plays a role, even the season; wages are usually at their maximum at the very beginning of the year, and are reduced by the end of spring. It should be noted that the situation is not outlined as well everywhere. Thus, according to a number of sources, real payment rates in Russia are 13-14 thousand rubles. In the "two capitals" the situation is slightly better (up to 27,000), and in the Far North and partly in the Far East, the salary of a teacher-librarian is the same 20-25 thousand; in rural areas, the payment is only 10-11 thousand, and the leading teacher-librarian can additionally receive 4000-5000.