Interview with a Librarian

Current teacher evaluation systems place value on collaborative relationships between educators. Common Core Standards strongly suggest interdisciplinary units of study and make several references to reading and literacy in all subject areas. While current trends in education point to collaboration and a more holistic approach to learning, the practice remains a hit-or-miss exercise. The school librarian is in the unique position of being able to see connections among the different subject areas by virtue of his or her expertise on the resources available to each of these areas. When he or she is able to assist in the creation of curricular units that incorporate a variety of subjects into lesson plans, students are free to make connections that may have eluded them in single-subject studies. This chapter discusses one librarian's approach to collaboration that focuses on relationships, connections, and creativity.