Managing Up for Librarians
Librarians (and teachers) can be conflicted in how they work with, for and as educational leaders, both in the building and within systems. In my writing with School Library Journal, I explored this topic in a number of articles. In leadership, ‘managing up’ is a term for skills, habits of mind and strategies for working with those above you on the organizational ladder. There is nothing wrong with managing up. It’s an essential part of effectively working within an organization. After 20 years as a teacher librarian, I am now a district administrator. I should know….
Making the Principal Connection
This was the cover article in January 2013. It explores the many ways in which school librarians are more like building principals that it may seem. It also pokes holes in some urban myths about principals and district leaders.
One of my Pivot Points columns from 2014 further reveals the secrets in the dark kingdom of educational leadership, exploring ‘what keeps administrators up at night’ and offering a decoder ring to translate the language of librarians into the language of district leaders.
This column was inspired by participation in a Digital Promise event which included superintendents from around the U.S. discussing the challenges of effectively implementing digital content and services in the classroom. This provides some insight into the ‘big rocks’ which many districts continue to grapple with.
Building a Belief in Libraries
One of my last Pivot Points articles details how teacher librarians in Vancouver Public Schools caught the attention of national administrators and publications like Education Week by effectively connecting to strategic work in the district. It includes superintendents Dr. Steven Webb and Dr. Mark Edwards speaking to the essential and critical role of librarians in future ready schools.
