What is my Role?

I have now been a teacher-librarian for almost three months. I didn't expect to be here, but I'm so happy that I am. Now that the initial panic has worn off, it's time for me to start thinking about what my role is as a librarian. Why am in in the library every day? Who am I serving? Am I actually helping anybody? These are not always easy questions to answer. I have been developing my vision of what a TL should be and I'm attempting to live up to that vision, but it's not always easy.

I look at the amazing work being done by some fellow TLs that I follow on Twitter and I'm in awe. I'm still trying to keep up with what the students are reading. I don't want to be an old fashioned librarian who is all about the books, but ensuring that the students continue to be interested in books is a vital part of who I am as a librarian. There is such joy in discussing a book with a student. The students really seem to appreciate that I value their thoughts and opinions. It makes me want to cry when I think that this was never part of their library experience before now.

I also want to become a leader in teaching students and teachers about how technology is changing how we learn and develop, but I'm terrified that I don't know enough. Can one ever know enough? I think I have to take an action/reflection model. Act first, and then reflect on the action and how it can be changed and/or improved. My first step towards this is to present to the department heads a proposal that would bring all students into the library every year to learn something about searching or digital ethics or citation.

I have so much to learn, and I may not have a lot of time to do it.