Competing Standards in the Education of School Librarians

Education for school librarians traditionally blends elements from the fields of LIS and education. A thorough preparation in both professions is necessary since school librarians hold state teaching certification in K-12 library media. A variety of standards from professional organizations guide school librarians in performing their multi-faceted roles, and accordingly inform the curricula of school librarian preparation programs. However, the plethora of standards may actually make it more difficult to determine what standards to include in LIS curricula, and when to include them in educating future school librarians. The implications of competitive aspects of inclusion of each of these standards in school librarian education programs are discussed.