Leader of Research Hub/ Teacher Librarian

The 21st-century learning hub (21CLH) will combine the existing library services with multimedia equipment, multipurpose tools, flexible spaces, maker spaces, etc.  

The 21CLH will be an environment that stimulates  exploration, experimentation and research  conducted by adults alongside younger students.   

The 21CLH user will understand that the Hub is not just the place where one  can  access information, but also the area where one creates information and products.   

The 21CLH will have a physical location, but its services should be school wide; library staff should be actively engaged in lessons in classrooms, social media, and our web portal. While in the past we had to go to the library, the 21CLH will come to us.   

The ISL Qatar 21CLH will become more explicit in its promotion of intercultural understanding, multiculturalism and multilingualism as well as become more agile in influencing the curriculum development in response to rapid changes in the world (e.g. global pandemic and black lives matter)  

Knowledge and Skills. He/She should:  

• be aligned with the ISL values of diversity, passion, identity and understanding  
• possess excellent communication skills and be willing to adapt to the demands of an international school; in particular he/she should be able to communicate effectively in English  
• show genuine interest in all students and ensure that the IB Learner Profile and PYP attitudes are prominent aspects of their school life  
• be able to participate fully in an expanding IB school and, in particular, help to develop the team spirit within the Secondary school  
• provide guidance and leadership to all employees who work directly or indirectly in the library  
• have the ability to manage a diverse and demanding workload  

Roles and Responsibilities 

Leader  

As a leader the school librarian creates an environment where collaboration and creative problem solving thrive. The school librarian is an excellent communicator who instills enthusiasm in others by making them feel that they are important members of a team. Strong leaders foster an environment of creativity, innovation, and openness to new ideas, welcoming and encouraging input from others to create consensus. They anticipate future obstacles and continually retool to meet challenges. The school librarian demonstrates his or her role as a visible and active leader within the school community, an advocate for the SLP, and a professional member of the school library community by: 

•  serving on decision making teams in the school taking an active role in school improvement and accreditation activities benchmarking the SLP to school, and national program standards   
• sharing expertise by presenting at faculty meetings, parent meetings, and school board meetings 
• creating an environment that is conducive to active and participatory learning, resource-based instructional practices, and collaboration with teaching staff 
• sharing with the learning community collaboratively developed and up-to-date group policies concerning such issues as materials selection, circulation, reconsideration of materials, copyright, privacy, and acceptable use 
• encouraging the use of instructional technology to engage students and to improve learning, providing 24/7 access to digital information resources for the entire learning community 
• collecting and analyzing data to improve instruction and to demonstrate correlations between the SLP and student achievement 
• maintaining active memberships in professional associations 
• remaining current in professional practices and developments, information technologies, and educational research applicable to school library programs 
• advocating for school library programs and the guiding principles of the school library profession; the school librarian is an active, accessible, and informed proponent of the school library profession by: 
• advocating, communicating, and promoting opportunities to improve the profession 
• maintaining frequent and timely communication to stakeholders through the school and library website, parent newsletter, e-mail, and other formats, such as video/audio streaming, and on-demand video/podcasts 
• writing articles and submitting regular reports providing evidence of what the library and school librarian do to prepare learners to be successful in the twenty-first century 
• maintaining an effective public relations program 
• demonstrating a commitment to maintaining intellectual freedom 
• promoting the ethical use of information

Instructional Partner 

• As an instructional partner the school librarian works with teachers and other educators to build and strengthen connections between student information and research needs, curricular content, learning outcomes, and information resources. The school librarian demonstrates his or her role as an essential and equal partner in the instructional process by: 
• participating in the curriculum development process at both the building and group level to ensure that the curricula include the full range of literacy skills (information, media, visual, digital, and technological literacy) necessary to meet content standards and to develop lifelong learners, 
• collaborating with teachers and students to design and teach engaging inquiry and learning experiences and assessments that incorporate multiple literacies and foster critical thinking 
• participating in the implementation of collaboratively planned learning experiences by providing group and individual instruction, assessing student progress, and evaluating activities 
• joining with teachers and others to plan and implement meaningful experiences that will promote a love of reading and lifelong learning 
• providing and planning professional development opportunities within the school and group for and with all staff, including other school librarians. 

Information Specialist 

• As information specialist, the school librarian provides leadership and expertise in the selection, acquisition, evaluation, and organization of information resources and technologies in all formats, as well as expertise in the ethical use of information.
• The school librarian ensures equitable access and responsible use of information
• in accordance with group policy, developing and maintaining a collection of resources appropriate to the curriculum, the learners, and the teaching styles and instructional strategies used within the school community