At a conference recently I was shocked by the number of times school library staff members introduced themselves as ‘just’ the library technician or ‘just’ a library assistant. I gently corrected each person, asking them to rephrase that without the ‘just’ because there is no ‘just’ in any school library staff member’s title. Each role is unique, specialised and incredibly important to the school library. Why is it that school library staff members who are not teacher librarians feel this sense of ‘just’ around their role? How has this been allowed to happen within the profession and how can we start to change it?
Each school library staff member and the role they undertake is valuable and so very needed for a successful school library. There is an incredible variation in roles needed in the school library and each has a slightly different focus, allocation of tasks, and qualifications and experience required. Even then, you’ll have variation depending on the school setting and staff member’s skill set, as some bring a wealth of experiences in diverse areas and skills to their roles. Since every day is so varied in the school library and staff have to complete everything from cataloguing and covering to marketing, these varied skills and qualifications are highly valuable.
So why do we not value and elevate these roles?
It’s not a new realisation to me, I’ve been aware of the division and inequity in the school library professions for a while. I’ve worked as a school library assistant, book hire coordinator and relief (unqualified) library technician for many years. And I know it’s not an issue just related to the school library field. Often associate school staff – non-teaching staff – are treated as less-than or as inferior to teachers by teachers. Actually, some teachers treat non-teaching staff abysmally. I’ve experienced it first hand and seen others treated in the same way. I’m not sure where this idea came from, because it’s so wrong and toxic and needs to stop. And it especially needs to stop within the school library profession.
A system problem
Unfortunately, the schooling system itself is a cause of this inequality. Most of our school systems do not have structures in place to recognise the many and variety roles within the school library, qualifications or experience they might have. The structures in place to identify and remunerate non-teaching staff are outdated or ill-informed when it comes to the roles of different school library staff and the skills required. One task in a list of role descriptions can be used to hold back the recognition, standing or pay of an associate staff. I was told – it doesn’t matter what qualifications you have, you get paid relevant to the role not your skills. I was also told, you’ll only move up a pay level if you are supervising other school library staff members. Well, that would require there to be other school library staff members, a hugely limiting factor for most school library settings that are under staffed.
These role recognition structures is an area that desperately needs advocacy and change, but again the systems and structures don’t make this easy, as most of these structures are isolated to small groups, divided by school sector, state or area.
Sometimes it’s not deliberate
Sometimes this exclusion and treatment is not deliberate. That’s probably the majority of the time. People do not mean to exclude others but it is done through use of language and silencing of voices. Have a listen at your next network or association or PD event. Who is in attendance? How many times is the title ‘teacher librarian’ used to describe a role when ‘school library staff member’ or ‘school library professional’ would work? Who is being excluded? Who is being made to feel unwelcome in the room? Now, that’s not to say we shouldn’t use proper title descriptions where appropriate and recognise our teacher librarians, library technicians, librarians and other roles where it is correct and proper to do so, but I feel strongly that we need to make sure our language is far more inclusive when talking about the school library profession as a whole.
Teacher librarians
Teacher librarians, we need to continue to ensure our colleagues feel valued on the same level as all library staff. Everyone’s role is different and none are more valuable or less valuable, they are just different. It’s time to make sure our library technicians, and librarians and library assistants and volunteers know and feel that, feel valued. How can we change our language so all school library staff members feel included and valued? How can we make sure all school library staff feel welcome at all professional development conferences, network meetings or conversations?
School Library Associations
It’s wonderful to see school library associations to do more to support all school library staff. That includes ensuring their voices are welcomed in publications, providing targeted professional learning for all roles, making school library awards open to all school library staff, and ensuring that all school library staff feel welcome at events.
Professional learning for all school library staff
It’s encouraging to see more professional development and learning opportunities for all school library staff. I’ve been so heartened to see library conferences recognise the diverse roles of people in attendance, see people from all roles taking the stage, and see webinars targeted to a variety of roles. I can’t wait to see this continue and grow.
School library staff members – we need your voices
Are you a library assistant, technician, librarian, teacher in the library or person undertaking another role in the school library? We need your voice. It’s time to step up. I’m sorry. I know it’s not easy and not always been a safe or welcoming space to do so. First step. Value yourself. If others around you don’t value you, value yourself. What you do is incredible and so very, very valued. We need you all. We need your voices. Join a network. Go to a webinar or conference and make it known that you are a school library staff member and that you are there. Never introduce yourself with a ‘just’ in front of your title. Be proud of what you do. Share your work. Share about what you do in whatever format suits you. Post on social media. Write an article or contribute to an association publication. Sign up to present at a conference. Sign up for a role in a school library association committee. Or simply share what you do with someone over a coffee sometime. Representing all voices in the room is so important. Not sure where to start? Please reach out, I’d be so happy to help. Your voice is valued and needed.
The future of school libraries is only bright if we have a diverse profession of all role descriptions in school libraries to support our staff and students. We need school staff members of all types and we need to value the work they do.
Thank you ❤️ – primary school Library Officer.