NYC School Librarian Guidebook: Staffing
New York State Staffing Requirements
AMENDMENT TO THE REGULATIONS
OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Pursuant to Section 207 of the Education Law
Sections 91.1 and 91.2 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education are repealed and new Sections 91.1 and 91.2 are added, effective February 18, 1974, to read as follows:
Section 91.2 Employment of school library media specialist. Each school district shall employ a certified school library media specialist, unless equivalent service is provided by an alternative arrangement approved by the Commissioner, in accordance with the following standards:
(a) In a secondary school with an enrollment of not more than 100 pupils, a certified school library media specialist should devote at least one school period each day to school library work.
(b) In a secondary school with an enrollment of more than 100 but not more than 300 pupils, a certified school library media specialist shall devote at least two school periods each day to school library work.
(c) In a secondary school with an enrollment of more than 300 but not more than 500 pupils, a certified school library media specialist shall devote at least one-half of each school day to school library work.
(d) In a secondary school with an enrollment of more than 500 but not more than 700 pupils, a certified school library media specialist shall devote at least five school periods each day to school library work.
(e) In a secondary school with an enrollment of more than 700 but less than 1,000 pupils, a certified school library media specialist shall devote the entire school day to school library work.
(f) One additional full-time assistant certified school library media specialist shall be employed in each secondary school for each additional 1,000 pupils enrolled in such school.
Job Description for School Librarian
The terms school librarian and library media specialist are interchangeable and describe a teacher with a Master of Library Science degree and certification as a Teacher of Library (NYC) or Media Specialist (Library) (NYS). In some New York City schools, teachers are assigned to the library to perform the functions of the librarian.
The school librarian plans, develops and administers the library program for the school(s) in public, independent and parochial school buildings or campuses.
The librarian integrates the information resources and services of the library media program through collaboration with classroom and content area teachers to accomplish the instructional goals of the school.
A list of job descriptions for School Librarians/Library Media Specialists can be found at http://www.sldirectory.com/libsf/resf/evaluate.html#job.
A job description for the school librarian position should be constructed around national standards for school library media programs. The three major areas involved in creating exemplary library programs are Learning and Teaching, Information Access and Delivery, and Program Administration.