Best Practices in Virginia School Libraries

The National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries (AASL, 2018b) indicate that school librarians should function as teachers, instructional partners, information specialists, leaders, and program administrators, and numerous studies document the important role that the school librarian plays in the teaching and learning taking place in the school (Lance & Kachel, 2018). Strong school librarians positively impact student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify, explore, and describe traits and activities of award-winning school librarians in Virginia. Data collected from 18 participants through semi- structured interviews identified the common traits of leader, communicator, advocate, relationship builder, welcomer, and trailblazer. Common activities of these award-winning librarians included administrative activities, student-focused activities, and instructional activities. Findings from this study can inform every day practice and professional development for school librarians as well as school librarian preparation program coursework.