01

Jennifer YuJessica Li

Case Study

Underwood, L. J. (2003). A Case Study of Four School Library Media Specialists' Leadership in Louisiana. 

To understand the daily activities of effective school library media specialists in an elementary school, middle school, and high school in a Louisiana parish, non-church, public school system.

Purpose:

Qualitative research using interviews, observation field notes, and written documentation from the three schools.

Methods:

•There is little known about the leadership role of the school library media specialist and the role of the school library media specialist.

•The literature concerning effective schools and effective school library media specialists is separate

Importance:

Conclusion:

1 An effective school library media specialist can be the hum of the school.

Conclusion:

2 The effective school library media specialist can lead from the middle through technology expertise, collaborative planning, promoting reading and positive public relations.

Conclusion:

3 The effective school library media, specialist is supported by the positive perceptions of the superintendent, school principal. Library supervisor, and classroom teachers who all realize the importance of the school library media specialist to academic achievement. Even though the programs do not completely meet the standards, through the leadership that evolved from daily collaborations, the school library media specialists in this study managed to provide effective programs.

Conclusion:

4 Last, the school library media

specialists are enabled by the positive perceptions of the superintendent, scheduling and financial support from the school principal, the advocacy of the library supervisor, and the use of the enter by teacher. However, constraints such as a lack of time for collaborative planning, lack of paraprofessional staff, inadequate funding and no substitutes for the school library media specialists constraint them.