2009 ALISE Conference

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Different Perceptions of Teacher and Librarian Collaboration: A Qualitative Study

Patricia Montiel Overall, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Arizona
Abstract
Teacher and librarian collaboration has become an important strategy for 21st century school librarians.  The strategy recommended in professional guidelines as a way to improve student academic achievement involves jointly planned and implemented instruction that improves teaching and learning.  While considerable information about teacher and librarian collaboration exists in the library and information science literature providing librarians a clear understanding of the potential outcomes and gains to students from teacher and librarian collaboration (i.e., making connections, better understanding of subject content), it is unclear that teachers fully recognize this as a goal of teacher and librarian collaboration.  This qualitative study examined perceptions of teachers and librarians from two school districts as to the outcomes and gains to students from teacher and librarian collaboration.  Findings indicate that teachers and librarians largely perceive traditional outcomes from teacher and librarian collaboration, such as providing resources and developing skills, yet few teachers see their collaborative endeavors with librarians as including jointly planned and implemented instruction with the potential for improving teaching and learning.