IMPACT AS A 21ST-CENTURY

LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST by Peggy Milam Creighton

Peggy Milam Creighton, Ed.S., NBCT, is the library media specialist at Compton Elementary

School in Powder Springs, GA. Email: peggymilam@hotmail.com

Library media specialists have big roles to fulfill as program administrators, information

specialists, teachers, and instructional partners. But what about the more mundane tasks

accomplished every day? These small things do make a big difference. In his book The

Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, author Malcolm Gladwell

details these routine behaviors that reap big rewards (2000). Gladwell identifies three

types of people who can make a difference: mavens, connectors, and salesmen. He

explains, "Mavens are data banks. They provide the message... Connectors are social glue:

they spread it...." "Salesmen," he continues, they are the ones "with the skills to persuade

us when we are unconvinced of what we are hearing..." (2000). When I read this, I

immediately thought of individuals who fit into these three categories. But I wondered,

"How do these analogies apply to library media specialists?" Eventually, I realized these

categories identify the habits of exemplary library media specialists and make a big

difference in the success of their practice.

Media Mavens

Surely, everyone knows some library media specialists who are mavens. An article entitled

"Mavens" in Wikipedia identifies Gladwell''s mavens as "intense gatherers of information."

I think school library mavens are the wise ones who reap the information harvest for the

benefit of others. Library media specialist mavens recognize that they have insight into

what students enjoy reading and use that information to support reading instruction. They

understand that they play a key role in modeling technology tools, so they adopt My Space,

You Tube, Flickr, and Peanut Butter wiki and teach others. Library media specialist

mavens become Google Earth gurus, Frappr mapping fanatics, and Library Thing

catalogers. Media mavens are experts at using the Library of Congress, Search Systems,

The Institute for Library and Information Literacy Education, and the National Center for

Education Statistics to locate information. They use their knowledge of the curriculum to

make information more accessible to their students. They create pathfinders such as those

created by the multitalented Master Maven Joyce Valenza to better serve their staff and

students.

Library media mavens seek to increase their knowledge to better serve their patrons. They

gather data to assess their programs, as master mavens Joan Yoshina and Violet Harada

have done. Media mavens continue to grow professionally by Ninging with others,

Hitchhiking professional development, Feedburning informative blogs and podcasts, and

learning in a MUVE.

Library media mavens put their wisdom to work developing unique programs that attract

patrons with special needs, community partners, parents, and others in their community.

Library media mavens podcast story times, such as Master Maven Sarah Chauncey has

done. Library media mavens stream video of their school news shows so working parents

can tune in, offer Homework Help Hotlines by phone, blogs, or with Instant Messaging. For

all the patrons they serve, mavens play a role as consultants, advisors, information

gatherers, authorities, and niche-fillers. As such, they are valuable members of their staff,

valuable members of their communities, valuable collaborators, and valuable program

administrators.

Characteristics of Media Mavens

wise

insightful

understanding

technology models

lifelong learners

data collectors

professional achievers

program developers

consultants

advisors

information gatherers

authorities

gurus

experts

Library Media Connectors

Perhaps most readers can identify some connectors. Gladwell says, "Sprinkled among

every walk of life... are a handful of people with a truly extraordinary knack of making

friends and acquaintances. They are Connectors" (2000). The article "The Tipping Point"

in Wikipedia says that Gladwell's connectors are "those with wide social circles. They are

the hubs of the human social network...."

Connectors blog their thoughts and ideas, bringing countless minds together to comment

on the same issue virtually, such as Connoisseur Connector and self-proclaimed

curmudgeon Alice Yucht has done with her Alice in Infoland blog. Connectors have a way

of drawing others in and making them joiners, such as Connoisseur Connector Lisa Perez

has done with her virtual meetings in Second Life.

School library media connectors make themselves available to serve on technology

committees, attend team meetings, and write School Improvement Plans. As connectors,

they willingly offer to assist the principal, to mentor new staff members, or to tutor after

school.

Connectors are champions of causes that are important in the school library world: they

lobby for bills such as the SKILLS Act; they become National Board Certified Teachers,

conference speakers such as Connoisseur Connector Gail Dickinson or published writers

such as the prolific Connoisseur Connector Doug Johnson. They serve in professional

organizations as Sara Kelly Johns does, mentor new media specialists as Carl Harvey II

does, or teach online as Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson do. Connectors, like Connoisseur

connector Barbara Stripling, are role models who pave the way for others to follow.

Connectors are innovators, such as Connoisseur Connector Peter Milbury. They see

connections others have missed and share ideas, like Shonda Brisco and Diane Chen do.

They promote programs that enrich instruction during the day and in After School

Programs. They volunteer for things others avoid, assist with difficult behavior problems,

or provide timeout space. Library media specialist connectors are not afraid to try new

combinations and blaze new trails to forge a relationship.

Connectors build communities both in person and virtually. Connectors use collaborative

technology tools to draw folks together: they post literary and school-related events on

Google calendars and share them, create blogs to keep patrons informed, open Facebook

accounts, share Nings, and use Twitter as a virtual reference tool with Instant Messaging

help.

Library media specialist connectors share their knowledge with others. They create videos

and post them to Teacher Tube, such as Connoisseur Connector "Dr. Loopy" a.k.a. Doug

Valentine has done. They post their favorite websites to Del.icio.us for others to access,

communicate their experiences on LM_net or Teacher-Librarian wiki or School Library

Media Activities Monthly blog and share what they have learned so others can learn it, too.

Characteristics of Connectors

bloggers

assistants

tutors

lobbyists

writers

role models

volunteers

teachers

joiners

mentors

champions of causes

speakers

innovators

trail blazers

community builders

Library Media Specialist Salesmen

It is most likely that readers know some library media specialists who are salesmen.

According to Gladwell, salesmen are the ones "with the skills to persuade us when we are

unconvinced of what we are hearing..." (2000). The article entitled "The Tipping Point" in

Wikipedia says salesmen are "charismatic people with powerful negotiation skills. They

exert 'soft' influence rather than forceful power."

As salesmen, library media specialists are writers and advocates of all things related to

school libraries, such as Super Sales people Ken Haycock, David Loertscher, and Blanche

Woolls. School library salesmen are the promoters of new trends in technology resources,

such as Joan Frye Williams, and, like Super Salesmen David Warlick or Michael Stephens,

they are compelling and magnetic. Library media specialist salesmen possess superior

marketing skills, such as Super Saleswoman Jill Stover, who has led the way in "thinking

outside the book" with her unique marketing strategies. School library media specialist

salesmen create slogans, write mission statements, create contests, and schedule events

that attract new patrons and keep veteran patrons coming back.

Library media specialist salesmen use research to convince others of their authority, such

as Super Salesmen Keith Lance and Ross Todd. They use their diverse skills to differentiate

their programs from the rest. If they are writers, they publish promotional material—

newsletters, brochures, flyers, blogs, wikis, websites, PowerPoints, and bookmarks.

Storytellers, such as Toni Buzzeo, take every opportunity to demonstrate their skills—at

Parent Night, on the school news, on the Web, at the Talent Show, at the fall fair. The artsy

ones create banners, t-shirts, signs, and even sculptures. Those who think they lack the

talent to do it themselves use prepared kits from the American Library Association or the

American Association of School Librarians.

School library media specialist salesmen are visionary, such as Super Saleswoman Debbie

Abilock—they introduce new technology trends and model their use. They convince

reluctant adopters to try new things, maximize use of their space and their resources, and

make their programs sound inviting. School library media specialist salesmen are

hawkers, clowns, attention-getters, magnets, speakers, promoters, and advertising

executives. School library media salesmen are the dynamos who convince others not to

lose out by not joining in.

Characteristics of Salesmen

persuaders

negotiators

advocates

compelling

marketers

publishers

convincing

clowns

unique

charismatic

writers

promoters

magnetic

researchers

visionaries

hawkers

attention-getters

dynamos

Implications for Library Media Specialists

So what can be learned from these three types of people? Some of the most successful

library media specialists are the ones who find their niche, and whether they are mavens,

connectors, or salesmen, these library media specialists have made a difference by

meeting a need. They model technology tools such as My Space, Teacher Tube, Flickr,

Google Earth, Library Thing, and Peanut Butter wiki. They podcast, stream video, IM, and

Twitter. They search the Library of Congress, stay abreast of legislation such as the SKILLS

Act, become National Board Certified and mentor others to do the same. They speak, write,

research, and promote all they can, and convince patrons to take advantage of it. What if

all of us could join with the collective chorus of library media specialist voices who are

currently making a difference in their daily practice? What if we could all lead "octopus

programs" such as Kelly Kuntz, past President of the Oregon Educational Media

Association envisioned when she said, "A strong library program would be like an octopus.

It would work its way into every classroom, and if you tried to cut off the tentacles you

couldn't because it was so interwoven into the fabric of the school...."

Resources:

Print

Gladwell, M. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Little, Brown,

2000.

Internet (in order of mention in article)

Roles of the SLMS.

http://www.ala.org/aaslTemplate.cfm?Section=informationpower&Template=/ContentM

anagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=19930

Malcolm Gladwell. http://www.gladwell.com

Wikipedia "mavens." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maven

My Space. http://www.myspace.com

You Tube. http://www.youtube.com

Flickr. http://www.flickr.com

Peanut Butter wiki. http://pbwiki.com

Google Earth. http://earth.google.com

Frappr. http://www.frappr.com

Library Thing. http://www.librarything.com

Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov

Search Systems database. http://www.searchsystems.net

The Institute for Library and Information Literacy Education. http://www.ilile.org

National Center for Education Statistics. http://nces.ed.gov/

Joyce Valenza's pathfinders. http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/pathmenu.html

Violet Harada article. http://www.schoollibrarymedia.com/features/articles/Nov06.html

Teacher Librarian ning. http://teacherlibrarian.ning.com/

Professional Conference summaries. http://www.hitchhikr.com

Feedburner Aggregator. http://www.feedburner.com

Second Life multi-user virtual reality environment. http://secondlife.com/

Sarah Chauncey's podcasts. http://www.grandviewlibrary.org/StoryTelling.aspx

School news shows. http://mes.wcs.k12.va.us/morning_news.htm

Homework help hotline. http://www.putnamcityschools.org/hefner/homework.html or

http://mhms-media.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html

The MHMS Media Blog. http://mhms-media.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html

Wikipedia "connectors." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tipping_Point_(book)

Alice in Infoland. http://www.aliceinfo.org/

Virtual meetings in Second Life.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Info%20International/127/233/34/

SKILLS Act. http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslissues/SKILLS_Act.cfm

NBCT. http://www.nbpts.org

Gail Dickinson. http://education.odu.edu/eci/dir/vitae/g_dickinson.shtml

Doug Johnson. http://www.doug-johnson.com/

Sara Kelly Johns. http://fromtheinsideout.squarespace.com/

Carl Harvey II.

http://www.nobl.k12.in.us/media/NorthMedia/LMS/NORTHLMC/HARVEY.HTM

Annette Lamb/Larry Johnson. http://eduscapes.com/lamb/

Barbara Stripling. http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA499368.html

Peter Milbury. http://www.school-libraries.org/milbury/

Shonda Brisco. http://txschoollibrarians.ning.com/profile/ShondaB

Diane Chen. http://deepthinking.blogsome.com/

After School Programs. http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/bookflixfreetrial

Google calendars. http://www.google.com/calendar

Facebook. http://www.facebook.com

Ning. http://www.ning.com

Twitter. http://twitter.com

Teacher Tube example.

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=3c2807e1dd9963eda16d

Doug Valentine.

http://teacherlibrarian.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=drloopy

Del.icio.us example. http://del.icio.us/peggymilamcreighton

LM_Net wikispaces. http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/

Teacher Librarian Wiki. http://teacherlibrarianwiki.pbwiki.com/

SLMAM Blog on Web 2.0. http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com

Wikipedia "salesmen." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tipping_Point_(book)

Ken Haycock. http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/faculty/haycockk/haycockk.php

David Loertscher/Blanche Woolls. http://www.gale.com/reference/about-

reviewers/blanche-woolls-david-loertscher/index.htm

Joan Frye Williams. http://www.infopeople.org/workshop/instructor/56

David Warlick. http://davidwarlick.com/wordpress/?page_id=2

Michael Stephens. http://tametheweb.com/

Jill Stover. http://librarymarketing.blogspt.com/

Keith Lance. http://www.lrs.org/documents/resumes/kl_res.pdf

Ross Todd. http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~rtodd/

Library flyers. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/LearnPtnrs/library.html

Library bookmarks. http://www.gale.com/free_resources/marketing/find_yourself/

Toni Buzzeo. http://www.tonibuzzeo.com

Library sculpture. http://www.olc.org/marketing/6wcpl.htm

ALA/AASL Marketing kits.

http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/campaign/prtools/campaignforamericaslibrariesprogramwa

shingtondc/marketing_workbook.pdf Or

http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/campaign/schoollibrary/schoollibrary.htm

Debbie Abilock. http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/bio/

Space. http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/libraries.cfm

Kelly Kuntz. http://www.nwrel.org/nwedu/09-01/link.asp