Hey, Library Lady!: The Importance of Library Standards

Helen R. Adams article, 65 Years & Counting: AASL and School Libraries Still Champions of Intellectual Freedom sheds light on several alarming concerns that are trending in school libraries. Students are being limited to information through strict district filters, books being challenged due to content that is diverse and goes against the norm for some families (religious beliefs and non-traditional LGBTQ literature), and students privacy rights are being violated.

As future librarians, we need to stand up and protect the privacy rights of our students, have access to materials that are potentially controversial to some families, and protect intellectual freedoms. According to Adams, "Self-censorship and labeling and ratings systems continue to be concerns; however, the most serious issue is the shrinking number of school librarian positions in schools, reducing the number of voices protecting and advocating for students' intellectual freedom and privacy." This article also addresses the continual lack of appropriate funding for school libraries, which directly affects students and teachers, when there is not enough money to provide appropriate resources. As future librarians, we have guidelines provided by the American Association of School Libraries (AASL) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ITSE).

The AASL standard is based on the principles of Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curae, Explore, and Engage. This framework is based on students, teachers, and the librarian working together to support inquiry based learning. The common beliefs in the standards of AASL are as follows:
1. The school library is a unique and essential part of the learning community.
2. Qualified school librarians lead effective school libraries.
3. Learners should be prepared for college, career, and life.
4. Reading is the core of personal and academic competency.
5. Intellectual freedom is every learner's right.
6. Information technologies must be appropriately integrated and equitably available.

The ISTE standards, as stated on the ISTE website "are designed to empower student voice and ensure that learning is a student-driven process." This standard is composed of seven principles that consist of the empowered learner, digital citizen, knowledge constructor, innovative designer, computational thinker, creative communicator, and global collaborator.

Both standards can be used together with a crosswalk guide found here National School Library Standards crosswalk with ISTE Standards for Students and Educators, which explains how each standard is paired with each other. Librarians should use both standards when helping students to find materials or online websites to use to find the information they are seeking.

As librarians, we must strive to protect students' privacy and intellectual freedom. Adams states " we must continue to teach them that they have the right to privacy in this digital world, give them the skills to protect their own privacy, and help them understand the importance of safeguarding their privacy." We must also protect students' privacy as much as we can when it comes to the materials they check out, and questions asked when seeking information on a topic. The most challenging part is protecting privacy when it comes to being shared with outside parties, such as the system used by libraries to check in and out books to students. Adams also states "In the realm of intellectual freedom, we will protect students' right to read, of course, but beyond that, we will continue to advocate for students' right to access to information of all types and in all formats." To achieve all of this, we must stop the decline of librarians and have ample certified librarians in our schools who will fight to protect student rights.

References

Adams, H. R. (2016). 65 years and counting AASL and school librarians — Still champions of intellectual freedom. Knowledge Quest, 45(1), 34-41.

AASL Standards Framework for Learners. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/AASL-Standards-Framework-for-Learners-pamphlet.pdf

AASL Standards Framework for Learners. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/AASL-Standards-Framework-for-Learners-pamphlet.pdf