LIBE 467

Welcome to my blog!  As you can see, this blog was originally created in 2008 for another TL course, LLED 441.  Wish I could say I found it useful, but I didn't find that a blog was very useful in an elementary school setting. My teaching partner and I actually just simplifed our library homepage because we found that too much information was overwhelming to both students and teachers and no one was using it anymore. A blog was just one more thing. Maybe someone can convince me otherwise...
So I am resurrecting this blog as part of the course requirements in LIBE 467, but also to track my progress through the course.  While instructor Anne says this course isn't "sexy', I think it really is the meat and potatoes of what TLs do- as Riedling says, to find the information necessary to answer student questions AND to teach them how to use this information.  We are considered research specialists.  I'm really hoping that this course will empower me in understanding the materials and services available to schools and develop a plan to make this an important and useful part of the library.
I am also hoping that this course will give more more ammunition in demonstrating the need for TLs in school libraries. My school is currently undergoing a major review of the role of the library, and only one of the three school administrators really believes in the value of the school library. As Riedling points out, it is because of all the advances made in technology today, that TLs are needed more than ever to narrow down the huge amounts of information available and find the resources that are necessary and useful to the students. 
Lastly, I am really interested in the whole topic of research, collaborative teaching and the role of the classroom teacher and the TL.  Who is supposed to do what?  I have found that most teachers are reluctant to get involved because of the extra work. I'm also wondering about specific research models and implementing it in my school so that all teachers and students use the same model, same terminology and scaffold the reference process as students move up through the grades.  Sounds like a daunting task!