Bring Back 4J Elementary and Middle School Teacher-Librarians

We are concerned about the lack of teacher-librarians in 4J’s elementary and middle schools.

Our students are missing out on the essential research, information literacy, digital citizenship and technology instruction that teacher-librarians provide. We are concerned that 4J students lack basic research skills upon entering high school and that 4J's high school teacher-librarians must teach elementary-level research, library and technology skills to high school students.

School districts around Oregon understand the value of teacher-librarians and are restoring library positions. Portland Public Schools hired around 30 teacher-librarians this year alone! Even nearby, many Springfield elementary and middle school students receive vital instruction from teacher-librarians.

Teacher-librarians benefit EVERY student and teacher in a school. Study after study shows teacher-librarians directly boost student achievement.

It’s time for 4J to restore elementary and middle school teacher-librarians!

What Do Teacher-Librarians Do?

Teacher-librarians help students become critical thinkers, adept researchers, enthusiastic readers, and ethical digital citizens.

Teacher-librarians directly instruct students how to:
- Locate online information effectively and safely using the best search terms
- Find information within books using an index, table of contents and other features
- Evaluate information for accuracy, reliability and credibility
- Organize and synthesize information
- Stay safe online and protect their personal identity
- Use various technological tools, from creating blogs to using citation programs to designing podcasts and e-books to present their evidence of learning
- Find the right book that appeals to them by exploring genres, authors and themes
- Use proper online etiquette and social media behavior
- Paraphrase and avoid plagiarism
- Assess the differences between primary and secondary sources, fact and opinion, and fiction vs. nonfiction

Teacher-librarians also collaborate with classroom teachers and serve as integrated technology specialists.

Teacher-librarians build relationships with students year-after-year and work with ALL students.