SCHOOL LIBRARIES WORLDWIDE

Volume 6, Number 2, July 2000

Theme: School Library Education

Educating Preservice Media Specialists: Developing School Leaders [PDF file]
Sharon Vansickle
The leadership role of the library media specialists is the most important factor in establishing the viability of the school media program. The purpose of this study was to determine how preservice media specialists in the United States perceive leader-ship responsibilities and certain tasks associated with the school library media profession. One hundred and fifty preservice media specialists enrolled at five universities in the south eastern US were asked to participate in this study. Data indicated that many of the preservice media specialists in this study viewed themselves as support personnel rather than school leaders. For the most part, this research establishes the need to include leadership development courses in the degree programs offered to preservice media specialists.

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Last updated 24 March 2009 (KSB)