Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-3-.48

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 290-3-3-.48 - Library Media (Grades P-12)

(1)Rationale. Programs for library media specialists develop leadership, collaboration, and technology skills to design and manage up-to-date, comprehensive, and integrated library media centers. The library media specialist possesses the knowledge and skills to enable the learning community to become effective users of ideas and information. These standards are aligned the 2018 National School Library Standards of the American Library Association/American Association of School Librarians (ALA/AASL), and the Alabama Course of Study: Technology Education.

(2)Unconditional Admission to a Library Media Program. The study of library media begins at the Class A level. Requirements for unconditional admission shall include:

(a) A valid bachelor's-level or valid master's-level professional educator certificate in a teaching field or valid master's-level professional educator certificate in another area of instructional support. If an individual is unconditionally admitted to an Alabama Class A program based on a valid bachelor's- or valid master's-level professional educator certificate from another state, completes a Class A program, and subsequently applies for Alabama certification at the Class A level, then the individual must hold at least a valid Class B Professional Educator Certificate before applying for Class A certification.

(b) Effective July 1, 2017, two full years of full-time, acceptable educational work experience. Effective July 1, 2019, two full years of full-time, acceptable P-12 professional educational work experience. See Definition (18).

(3)Program Curriculum. In addition to meeting Rule 290-2-2 -.46(2)(a) -(e), the program must meet the following requirements:

(a)Learners and Learning Environments. Candidates in school librarian preparation programs are effective educators who demonstrate an awareness of learners' development. Candidates promote cultural competence and respect for inclusiveness. Candidates integrate the National School Library Standards considering learner development, diversity, and differences while fostering a positive learning environment. Candidates impact student learning so that all learners are prepared for college, career, and life.

1.Learner Development. Candidates demonstrate the ways learners grow within and across cognitive, psychomotor, affective, and developmental domains. Candidates engage learners' interests to think, create, share and grow as they design and implement instruction that integrates the National School Library Standards.

2.Learner Diversity. Candidates articulate and model cultural competence and respect for inclusiveness, supporting individual and group perspectives.

3.Learning Differences. Candidates cultivate the educational and personal development of all members of a learning community, including those with diverse intellectual abilities, learning modalities, and physical variabilities.

4.Learning Environments. Candidates create both physical and virtual learner-centered environments that are engaging and equitable. The learning environments encourage positive social interaction and the curation and creation of knowledge.

(b)Instruction. Candidates in school librarian preparation programs collaborate with the learning community to strategically plan, deliver, and assess instruction. Candidates design culturally responsive learning experiences using a variety of instructional strategies and assessments that measure the impact on student learning. Candidates guide learners to reflect on their learning growth and their ethical use of information. Candidates use data and information to reflect on and revise the effectiveness of their instruction.

1.Planning for Instruction. Candidates collaborate with members of the learning community to design developmentally and culturally responsive resource-based learning experiences that integrate inquiry, innovation, and exploration and provide equitable, efficient, and ethical information access.

2.Instructional Strategies. Candidates use a variety of instructional strategies and technologies to ensure that learners have multiple opportunities to inquire, include, collaborate, curate, explore, and engage in their learning.

3.Integrating Ethical Use of Information into Instructional Practice. Candidates teach learners to evaluate information for accuracy, bias, validity, relevance, and cultural context. Learners demonstrate ethical use of information and technology in the creation of new knowledge.

4.Assessment. Candidates use multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth. Candidates, in collaboration with instructional partners, revise their instruction to address areas in which learners need to develop understanding.

(c)Literacies. Candidates in school librarian preparation programs are knowledgeable in literature, digital and information literacies, and current instructional technologies. Candidates use their pedagogical skills to actively engage learners in the critical-thinking and inquiry process. Candidates use a variety of strategies to foster the development of ethical digital citizens and motivated readers.

1.Reading Engagement. Candidates demonstrate knowledge of children's and young adult literature that addresses the diverse developmental, cultural, social, and linguistic needs of all learners. Candidates use strategies to foster learner motivation to read for learning, personal growth, and enjoyment.

2.Information Literacy. Candidates know when and why information is needed, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner. Candidates model, promote, and teach critical-thinking and the inquiry process by using multiple literacies.

3.Technology-Enabled Learning. Candidates use digital tools, resources, and emerging technologies to design and adapt learning experiences. Candidates engage all learners in finding, evaluating, creating, and communicating data and information in a digital environment. Candidates articulate, communicate, model, and teach digital citizenship.

(d)Management. Candidates in school librarian preparation programs model, facilitate, and advocate for equitable access to and the ethical use of resources in a variety of formats. Candidates demonstrate their ability to develop, curate, organize, and manage a collection of resources to assert their commitment to the diverse needs and interests of the global society. Candidates make effective use of data and other forms of evidence to evaluate and inform decisions about library policies, resources, and services. Candidates use policies, procedures, and organizational practices to administer the library media program.

1.Access. Candidates facilitate and advocate for flexible, open access to library resources and services according to the ethical codes of the profession. Candidate's design and develop strategic solutions for addressing physical, social, virtual, economic, geographic, and intellectual barriers to equitable access to resources and services.

2.Information Resources. Candidates use evaluation criteria and selection tools to develop, curate, organize, and manage a collection designed to meet the diverse curricular and personal needs of the learning community. Candidates evaluate and select information resources in a variety of formats.

3.Evidence-Based Decision Making. Candidates make effective use of data and information to assess how practice and policy impact groups and individuals in their diverse learning communities.

4.Administration of the Library Media Program. Candidates demonstrate understanding of the need for a collection development policy that upholds the ideas of providing access to diverse materials and ideas within the learning community. This policy should include criteria and procedures for selection, reconsideration, and challenges to library materials. Candidates demonstrate understanding of the need for local procedures for short- and long-range planning and evaluation of the library media center program. Candidates demonstrate understanding of library budgeting, organization, and bibliographic principles.

(e)Professionalism. Candidates in school librarian preparation programs are actively engaged in leadership, collaboration, advocacy, and professional networking. Candidates participate in and lead ongoing professional learning. Candidates advocate for effective school libraries to benefit all learners. Candidates conduct themselves according to the ethical principles of the library and information profession.

1.Professional Learning. Candidates engage in ongoing professional learning. Candidates deliver professional development designed to meet the diverse needs of all members of the learning community.

2.Leadership and Collaboration. Candidates lead and collaborate with members of the learning community to effectively design and implement solutions that positively impact learner growth and strengthen the role of the school library.

3.Advocacy. Candidates advocate for all learners, resources, services, policies, procedures, and school libraries through networking and collaborating with the larger education and library community.

4.Ethical Practice. Candidates model and promote the ethical practices of librarianship, as expressed in the foundational documents of the library profession including the American Library Association Code of Ethics and the Library Bill of Rights.

(4)Requirements for Certification in Library Media. Readiness to serve as a library media specialist shall include:

(a) At least a valid Class B Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field, a valid Class A Professional Leadership Certificate, or a valid Class A Professional Educator Certificate in a teaching field or in another area of instructional support.

(b) An official transcript from a regionally accredited institution documenting an earned master's degree.

(c) A survey of special education course is required unless that course was taken for prior level certification. [See Rule 290-3-3-.01(51)] . An individual who completed a survey of special education course prior to the semester when the individual met requirements for unconditional admission to a Class A program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, must take a course focused primarily on one of the following categories: methods of accommodating instruction to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities in inclusive settings, multicultural education, teaching English language learners, rural education, or urban education. A diversity course used to meet this requirement for one level of certification may not be used to meet the requirement for a higher level of certification.

(d) Satisfactory completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved program for library media specialists. For candidates unconditionally admitted to a Class A library media program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, a minimum GPA of 3.25 on all courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved library media program.

(e) Competence to perform as a library media specialist in internship experiences which total at least 300 clock hours, with at least half of the time in one or more P-12 school libraries, including elementary and secondary grades. Internships in P-12 schools must be supervised by individuals who hold a valid master's level professional educator certificate in library media and who are employed as librarians.

(f) Two full years of full-time, acceptable professional educational work experience if admitted prior to July 1, 2017.

(5)Testing for Certification in Library Media. Applicants for initial certification in library media through the completion of a Class A program must meet the Praxis requirements of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) as a precondition for certification.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-3-.48

New Rule: December 19, 1978. Amended: December 13, 1990; effective February 1, 1991. Repealed and Replaced: January 9, 1997; effective February 13, 1997; operative July 1, 1997. Amended: Filed June 14, 1999; effective July 19, 1999. Amended: Filed March 14, 2002; effective April 18, 2002. Repealed and New Rule: Filed September 11, 2003; effective October 16, 2003. Repealed: Filed July 13, 2004; effective August 17, 2004. Repealed: April 14, 2005; effective May 19, 2005. New Rule: Filed September 8, 2005; effective October 13, 2005. Repealed and New Rule: Filed August 6, 2007; effective September 10, 2007. Repealed and New Rule: Filed August 3, 2009; effective September 7, 2009; operative October 1, 2009. Amended: Filed June 15, 2012; effective July 20, 2012. Amended: Filed March 14, 2013; effective April 18, 2013.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIII, Issue No. 11, August 31, 2015, eff. 9/17/2015.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVI, Issue No. 12, September 28, 2018, eff. 10/28/2018; operative 6/1/2019.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVIII, Issue No. 11, August 31, 2020, eff. 10/15/2020.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIX, Issue No. 11, August 31, 2021, eff. 10/15/2021.

Previous Rule.49 was renumbered.48 per certification published August 31, 2021; effective October 15, 2021.

Author: Dr. Eric G. Mackey

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 16-3-16, 16-23-14.