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Collaboration
Mission & Belief Statements Program Overview Role of the Teacher Librarian Collaboration ICCSD School Libraries ICCSD Library Staff

Collaborative planning is a concept that involves the entire school in a cooperative, integrated process. This is achieved by effectively integrating library activities and resources with classroom learning experiences.

Research and best practices today indicate that integration of information literacy skills, collaboration with classroom teachers, and flexible scheduling in the library program are critical components in the effective delivery of the information literacy curriculum. Collaboration and the integration of information problem solving skills is most productive when flexible scheduling is in place and when time is provided for teachers and the teacher librarian to mutually plan.

The teacher brings to the planning process a knowledge of subject content and student needs. The teacher librarian contributes a broad knowledge of resources and technology, and is responsible for developing a collection of resources and services appropriate to meet the needs of the students. Together they share an understanding of teaching methods and a wide range of strategies. When this process of collaborative planning is employed, information literacy skills--accessing, evaluating and communicating information -- can be effectively integrated into the classroom curriculum, and the classroom content can serve as a vehicle for the instruction of the information problem solving process.

A collaborative program can only exist with the support of building and district administrators, who hold a belief in the importance of integration to insuring information literacy. Administrators create an environment supportive of integration by:

  • holding the expectation that collaboration will occur;

  • providing time for collaboration to occur through scheduling decisions;

  • providing budgetary support for resources and equipment;

  • understanding curricular goals throughout the building;

  • providing ongoing support of the collaborative process.

Collaborative Planning Forms

The school administrator, the classroom teacher and teacher librarian all contribute to collaboration and integration.  The following illustrates the role each plays in this process:

School Administrator
promotes collaboration by		 Classroom Teacher
promotes collaboration by		 Teacher Librarian
promotes collaboration by
  • participating in the planning and implementation of the school curriculum;
  • creating the necessary environment in the school to encourage collaboration by:
    • holding the expectation that collaboration will occur;
    • providing time for collaboration to occur through scheduling decisions;
    • providing budgetary support for resources and equipment;
    • possessing knowledge of the curriculum and suggesting possible areas for collaboration;
    • acting as a resource person;
    • understanding program goals throughout the building;
    • ongoing monitoring of the collaborative process;
    • supporting special projects.
  • participating in the planning and implementation of the school curriculum;
  • cooperating with the teacher librarian in planning, teaching and evaluating units;
  • contributing an understanding of students' learning needs and level of knowledge;
  • providing content area expertise;
  • offering specific knowledge of the curriculum and suggesting resources for library collection development;
  • teaching content as mutually agreed upon by teacher and librarian;
  • proactively articulating program needs.
  • participating in the planning and implementation of the school curriculum;
  • providing instruction in accessing, evaluating and communicating information;
  • selecting a collection of resources and services appropriate to meet the needs of the students and encouraging teacher input;
  • cooperating with teachers in planning, teaching and evaluating;
  • teaching information literacy curriculum as mutually agreed upon by teacher and librarian;
  • extending students interests and skills beyond the traditional subject areas of the curriculum.

This page was last updated on February 11, 2011.