Given the vast range of research that has emerged over the past decade, we chose to organize the information around the 5 roles of the school librarian as outlined by the AASL. The school librarians’ contributions, whether direct or indirect, are consistently shown to be of positive value to not only students and teachers, but the wider school community. The rapid pace of technology and automation are valid concerns regarding how they alter the dynamics of early childhood through postsecondary learning and expectations for the changing trends in employment opportunities. However, the underlying skills for inquiry and cross-disciplinary literacy that school libraries aim to cultivate and support in how teachers can more effectively teach students and how students can more effectively learn will still be necessary even when their application to future tasks may be different.

Electronic reproduction.

Introduction -- School Librarian as Teacher -- School Librarian as Leader -- School Librarian as Instructional Partner -- School Librarian as Information Specialist -- School Librarian as Program Administrator -- Challenges -- Conclusion -- Appendix—References.