C&RL News July/August 2017 364 Charge and history In 2014, the Standards for Proficiencies for Instruction Librarians and Coordinators Revi- sion Task Force was charged “to update and revise the ‘Standards for Proficiencies for In- struction Librarians and Coordinators’ docu- ment in accordance with the recommenda- tions published in the report of the ‘Standards for Proficiencies for Instruction Librarians and Coordinator Review Task Force.’” The Re- view Task Force recommended that the new document adopt a contextual, holistic ap- proach and wider vision which encompasses the roles and responsibilities of the instruc- tion librarian within the academy, bridge the broader context and potential practical appli- cations, and simplify the document. This new “Roles and Strengths of Teaching Librar- ians” document represents major change in this revision. Major changes in the revision include language changes such as the shift from “proficiencies” to “roles” and from “in- struction librarian” to “teaching librarian,” a structural change from a list to a conceptual model, and an altered focus in the document from skills to strengths needed to thrive in each of the roles. This document uses the phrase “teaching librarian,” defined as a li- brarian who teaches in various contexts, and for whom teaching may be all or part of their professional responsibilities. This phrase is used because it is deemed broader and more participatory than “instruction,” which is in- dicative of the importance of teaching and the broader educational goals held by librar- ians. The following statement from the ACRL Board of Directors addresses the context of the challenges in part for this Task Force as we proceeded to complete our assignment. At the 2016 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Boston, the ACRL Board of Direc- tors took action to formally adopt the “Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.” The Board also affirmed its intent to make a decision on the status of the “Information Lit- eracy Competency Standards for Higher Education” at the 2016 ALA Annual Conference, according to the timeline established at the 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting. The Board did decide to rescind the “Information Literacy Competence Standards for Higher Education” and their decision was announced at the 2016 ALA national meeting. The new Framework document re- mains a framework, not a standard, so that it can move forward as a dynamic, living document with great flexibility and potential. Approach The shift in focus in 2015 from the ACRL “In- standards, guidelines, and frameworks Roles and strengths of teaching librarians Approved by the ACRL Board of Directors, April 2017 by the Standards and Proficiencies for Instruction Librarians and Coordinators Revision Task Force July/August 2017 365 C&RL News formation Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education” to the “Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Educa- tion” (Framework) model prompted the task force to closely examine not only the profi- ciencies themselves but their structure and purpose. In the spirit of the Framework, the Task Force intended to present a more holis- tic perspective of the range of work done by teaching librarians rather than a list of skills needed to do a specific job. Teaching librar- ians have increasingly explored innovative and creative roles within their institutions, and the document is intended to reflect the myriad activities, projects, and responsi- bilities that teaching librarians from a wide variety of institutions may find themselves taking on at different points in their work life and throughout their careers, as well as the characteristics and strengths needed to flourish within these roles. The Task Force also wanted to provide a basic framework from which teaching librarian roles can con- tinually expand within a variety of contexts. In short, this document was designed to act as a bridge between concept and practice. Context The changing higher education environ- ment in which discrete skill sets rapidly evolve, necessitates a broad set of concepts to describe the dynamic roles undertaken by teaching librarians. In keeping with the Framework, which provides “a cluster of in- terconnected core concepts . . . rather than any prescriptive enumeration of skills,” the new “Roles and Strengths” document aims to construct broad and often overlapping categories within which teaching librarians operate, and identifies strengths needed to carry out the daily work within those roles. The roles of the teaching librarian cannot be fully understood without engagement with the concepts, knowledge practices, and dispositions outlined in the Framework, which sets out “foundational ideas about the information ecosystem” in which librar- ians work and students learn. The teaching librarian works with students as coach, guide, and mentor as students navigate through this complex information ecosystem at different stages of their personal and cognitive devel- opment. Throughout all the roles presented in the new “Roles and Strengths” document, we see potential for improved student learn- ing through application of the rich ideas and context of the Framework. How the document was created The members of the Task Force began by col- lecting U.S. job postings for academic instruc- tion or information literacy librarians from a six-month period. Postings were analyzed for emerging trends as well as examined quantita- tively through word frequency using the Voy- ant text analysis program. The Task Force also consulted recent literature related to job ads and academic standards, particularly Gold and Grotti’s 2013 article, “Do Job Advertisements Reflect ACRL’s Standards for Proficiencies for Instruction Librarians and Coordinators?: A Content Analysis.” In a summary of their find- ings, the authors suggested “. . . that profes- sional standards can provide additional guid- ance regarding specific competencies that go above and beyond the language of job ads.” Identified trends from the literature and analy- sis of job postings included: • disciplinary and curricular integration knowledge promoting consistency with the larger institution; Members of the task force • Dawn Amsberry, Penn State, mem- ber • Candice Benjes-Small, Radford Uni- versity, member • Sara Harrington, Ohio University, cochair • Sara Miller, Michigan State Univer- sity, member and IS Executive Committee liaison • Courtney Mlinar, Austin Community College, member • Carroll Wetzel Wilkinson, West Vir- ginia University, cochair C&RL News July/August 2017 366 • knowledge about online module cre- ation and appropriate tools; • a range of teaching skills including a variety of formats and methods; • knowledge of outcomes, assessment, and scholarly communication; • collaboration with teaching faculty; • ability to work with other librarians as teaching and learning trainers in concert with an increasing need for liaison librarians to teach; and • an understanding of signature disciplin- ary pedagogies. Through discussions of these findings, as well as the diverse experiences and institu- tional contexts among the members of the task force, the seven roles which form the framework of this document were developed: advocate, coordinator, instructional designer, lifelong learner, leader, teacher, and teaching partner. This graphic below illustrates the roles and indicates their interconnected and flexible nature. Librar- ians would not neces- sarily have all roles in their work. Purpose of the roles The purpose of the roles is to conceptual- ize and describe the broad nature and va- riety of the work that teaching librarians undertake as well as the related characteristics which enable librari- ans to thrive within those roles. These seven roles, which can and do overlap, are intend- ed to help librarians situate our individual work experiences within the broader work of academic libraries and within academic communities, as well as suggest creative new areas for expansion. The roles also are intended to assist in naming and situating some of the more abstract and unique situ- ations in which librarians find themselves. In this way, the document is purposefully broad and encompassing. Just as the Frame- work is not intended to require librarians to touch upon every frame in every instruc- tional situation, we did not intend that every teaching librarian would or should be work- ing in every role described in the document. We anticipate that many librarians may find themselves identifying more strongly with certain roles over others based upon their positions, institutional contexts, and other factors. Intended use This document is intended to help both clarify roles which may be assumed by a proficient teaching librarian and inspire new roles. • For hiring institutions, the roles can aid in thinking more specifically about what the institution envisions for teaching librarians in accordance with their mission, vision, and strategic objec- tives. While interview- ing for new positions, the hiring committee is frequently asked to describe teaching li- brarian responsibilities. These questions are of- ten answered as “teach information literacy sessions” or “coordi- nate instruction,” but these answers do not define duties as well as roles. These descrip- tions can be clarified through identifying certain characteristics that are needed to thrive in specific roles. • For individual librarians, units, or su- pervisors, the document can help with assist- ing teaching librarians with goal setting for projects, ideas, or professional development, and articulating how creative or unique work can reflect institutional priorities. The docu- ment can help librarians to clarify the major role or roles associated with their specific position in order to lend focus to their work Roles for instruction librarians. July/August 2017 367 C&RL News and more clearly define their work to others. The roles can also serve as a template for thinking about possibilities for new or unique positions or as a means for re-envisioning and revitalizing educational responsibilities and roles. • For future librarians, administrators, and instructors in LIS programs, the docu- ment provides a nuanced portrait of the range of possibilities and expectations for practicing teaching librarians. Finally, this document is both based in actual experience and aspirational in nature. It is not intended to be a comprehensive checklist of skills to be attained by every graduating LIS student, or to be fulfilled by a job applicant. It is neither realistic nor intend- ed for any teaching librarian to fully embody all the roles or strengths in their current or desired position. Its intent is to help academic teaching librarians to identify and clarify areas of focus for professional development as well as identify new possibilities for collaboration, expansion, or creative projects. Roles Advocate Advocacy by the teaching librarian may in- volve persuasion, activism, encouragement, and support in many forms. A teaching li- brarian will need to be able to contextually situate information literacy and communi- cate its value across a range of audiences in the college/university community. Advo- cacy is required when working with library leaders and the college or university admin- istration to promote and advance informa- tion literacy, student learning, and the infor- mation literacy program within the overall library organization. Strengths: • Advocates for professional develop- ment opportunities and other forms of career advancement for teaching librarians. • Communicates the value of information literacy to campus library colleagues. • Advocates for the library’s role in stu- dent learning and development across the curriculum. • Partners with faculty to encourage in- formation literacy within courses and within the curriculum. • Engages with representatives of cam- pus programs and initiatives to integrate in- formation literacy into co-curricular activities. • Promotes and advances information literacy to library leaders and campus ad- ministrators. • Advocates for information literacy in rela- tionship to student success in the context of in- stitutional learning goals or learning outcomes. Coordinator A coordinator leads, develops, and main- tains a library and/or institution’s informa- tion literacy program. This role requires highly effective organizational and commu- nication skills in managing multiple simul- taneous projects, events, resources, assess- ment, statistical reporting, and coordinating with administrators as well as academic departments. The coordinator must have diplomatic people skills and confidently navigate the politics of instruction, under- standing the climate, culture, and expecta- tions of the stakeholders involved in the institution’s information literacy goals. Strengths: • Collaborates effectively and diplomati- cally, contributing to developing a welcoming culture of inclusive excellence in teaching, learning, and student success. • Encourages, leads, and empowers other teaching librarians in their professional development and workload management. • Uses emotional intelligence and politi- cal acumen with highly developed, inclusive communication skills to navigate complex and sensitive situations. • Collaborates in the development of campus-wide information literacy initiatives and goals and facilitates change while gen- erating trust, support, and commitment from administration and faculty partners. • Creates and cultivates an environment of assessment and value for the information C&RL News July/August 2017 368 literacy program. • Maintains a consistent and effective in- formation literacy program by leading amidst changes in administration, resources, and funding. • Assumes responsibility for assessment results, project management, and best practices for instruction programs. Instructional designer The teaching librarian as instructional designer creates educational experiences through de- signing instructional materials, and develop- ing learning outcomes, assessment tools, and learning objects across diverse learning envi- ronments. Learning environments can include face-to-face, hybrid, and online classrooms. The instructional designer makes pedagogical choices appropriate to the educational envi- ronment, taking into consideration audience, culture, and accessibility dimensions. The instructional designer draws upon a solid understanding of learning theory, peda- gogical practices such as backward design, outcomes alignment and assessment methodol- ogy, as well as technical skill in creating digital instructional materials. Communication and the ability to work collaboratively are also essential to this role. Instructional designers may work closely with both librarians and teaching faculty to design learning experiences that integrate information literacy and enhance instruction. Strengths: • Analyzes the instructional environment, and targets instruction delivery toward appro- priate audiences. • Identifies learning needs of students, and creatively addresses identified needs across multiple contexts drawing on a repertoire of tools, methods, and theories. • Defines goals and outcomes for learning experiences. • Creates innovative and appealing lessons with supporting instructional materials aligned with and supporting learning outcomes. • Assesses the success and impact of learning experiences and makes appropriate adjustments to improve student engagement and learning. • Stays current with trends and innovations in learning and instructional technologies. Lifelong learner The teaching librarian as lifelong learner is cu- rious, open, and flexible, seeking out new op- portunities for continuous learning. Through- out the lifelong learner’s professional career, the librarian maintains enthusiasm for teaching through reflective practice and exploration of new approaches to instruction. Lifelong learn- ers are self-motivated in their pursuit of new knowledge, ideas, and experiences. Strengths: • Pursues professional opportunities to improve and refresh teaching skills. • Maintains currency in both pedagogy and information literacy across disciplines. • Actively participates in discussions on teaching and learning with colleagues online and in other forums. • Demonstrates openness to implementing new ideas and new pedagogical practices and to exploring new instructional technologies. • Participates in local, regional, or national professional associations. Leader The teaching librarian demonstrates leader- ship both in leading by example and leading across campus contexts. Leading by example includes working to create and maintain a healthy work environment by encouraging new ideas in teaching and learning and by supporting instructional endeavors of librar- ian colleagues. Librarian leaders model in- structional best practices as well as continuous learning and growth, facilitate the sharing of pedagogical ideas and experiences, and sup- port teaching and learning efforts across disci- plines and co-curricular areas. The teaching librarian leads across contexts, including within the library, on campus, in professional contexts, and in the community. Teaching librarians lead alongside teaching faculty and academic staff, working with a di- verse range of partners on campus. Librarians July/August 2017 369 C&RL News may co-lead cross-campus collaborations such as curriculum design, learning and technology initiatives, learning outcomes development at course and/or program levels, student success and retention efforts, campus committees, and academic integrity programs. Using a unique, centralized perspective shaped by relationships with students, faculty, and staff, the leader is inclusive and diplomatic. Leading involves effectively navigating campus politics while successfully advancing and managing change. The leader joins other librarians and campus partners in furthering transformative vision and strategic action to advance information literacy as a library and campus-wide priority. Strengths: • Works to model effective change man- agement. • Builds and models a personal record of excellent instructional practice, including modeling new pedagogies. • Establishes credibility with other librar- ians in the workplace. • Creates an environment of positive learn- ing, trust, and reflection, addressing pedagogical or instruction-related conflicts and encouraging the development of confidence in teaching. • Advocates for financial and other resourc- es for the instructional program to support hu- man resources and professional development. • Contributes valuable perspectives as a participant across campus communities. • Navigates, communicates, and operation- alizes information literacy within and among campus entities and structures. • Builds organizational authority with re- gard to informational literacy regardless of place within the organizational hierarchy. Teacher This role emphasizes activity in the classroom or other instructional environments where the librarian interacts directly with learners. The teacher employs best practices of teaching and learning for integrating information literacy into higher education. The teacher engages with learners, partners with faculty and admin- istrators, and motivates learning with regard to the importance of information literacy in dis- ciplinary, subject-based, and applied contexts. The teacher employs a learner-centered ap- proach, encouraging learners to be agents in their own learning. Strengths: • Analyzes the needs of each teaching/ learning setting, environment, or group and employs appropriate pedagogical techniques to meet those needs. • Articulates goals and learning outcomes for information literacy instruction. • Selects from a repertoire of pedagogies and techniques for diverse learners and learn- ing contexts and experiments with innovative instructional techniques and tools. • Creates a positive and interactive learning environment that recognizes the importance of context. • Engages in assessment to ensure that instruction is meeting the defined learning outcomes. • Demonstrates enthusiasm for teaching and learning and a commitment to professional development, lifelong-learning, and reflective practice. • Adapts concepts from professional docu- ments and guidelines, such as the “Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education” in design and content of instructional situations. Teaching partner Teaching librarians have many opportunities to collaborate in different instructional settings with teaching faculty, other librarians, and other campus colleagues. These relationships aim to be partnerships rather than support services. Being a teaching partner requires the teaching librarian to have confidence in the strengths they bring to collaborative relationships with colleagues. This ex- pertise may include broader perspectives about information literacy, formal educa- tion in ways that information is organized and classified, expertise in research skills, and knowledge of scholarly communica- tion models and processes. The librarian must also respect the strengths brought C&RL News July/August 2017 370 by the collaborator. In the best teaching partnerships, each person’s contributions are valued equally. The teaching librarian is able to articulate how their contributions are relevant to the instructional context. They may also be in- volved in designing assignments, assessing students’ information literacy skills, or provid- ing feedback on student assignments or proj- ects. Conversations between the librarian and the teaching partner can establish the level of each partner’s involvement and explore creative possibilities for further collaboration. Strengths: • Seeks out and engages teaching part- ners, remaining open to various ways of collaborating. • Builds mutual respect, trust, and un- derstanding with collaborators. • Models and encourages effective col- laboration with other teaching partners. • Articulates benefits of collaborating with the teaching librarian. • With other teaching partners, develops shared vision and goals for the collaboration. • Negotiates librarian’s responsibilities and expectations for the instructional setting with collaborators. • Brings information literacy perspective and expertise to the partnership. 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