Thoughts on Purcell reading - All Librarians Do Is Check Out Books Right?

Do you agree with Purcell?

After reading Purcell's article, think about a) whether you agree with the roles Purcell identifies and b) whether you would change the order of the roles she identifies e.g. should teacher come first?

Do I agree with the roles Purcell identifies? Hmmmm.....

A key statement I underlined is in the conclusion – “Media specialist’s roles are constantly changing and they must be able to accept new tasks in order to perform their duties successfully”

Constantly changing?  This says to me that any attempted definitions of the role of a TL could possibly be like photographs in time: they may be very relevant for right now, but in time – a year, a few years, or a decade – they will not match the current needs and expectations.  Her definitions may have dated by 2021, as may have other definitions we are examining now.  The article is dated Nov/Dec 2010 and so is fairly recent, but it would be an interesting exercise to go back in 5, 10 years time and do a comparison between what a TL was expected in then and now.

Or not. 

They may be as solid as they come and be just as relevant then as now.

Having said that do I agree with her role definition?  Honestly, not having had any TL experience, I myself am a novice with very little idea about what a TL does or is supposed to do.  These articles are defining it for me as I go, so my judgement calls at this stage comes from very shaky ground.  There is no way I have any solid experience to call on.

Purcell says herself in the last sentence – Library media specialists need to do a better job of clearly articulating their roles........

I guess that’s what we’re trying to do.

More thoughts as they come to hand