They help students and teachers define their information needs, locate information in a variety of formats, analyze and evaluate the information, and apply it to construct personal meaning. Effective librarians are instructional partners with the teachers in their school. They collaborate with teachers to refine information-seeking assignments, encouraging the development of those that foster critical thinking. They identify the cross-curricular connections that are essential to interdisciplinary learning. They share their awareness of information, communication, and technology components of state and national standards to help teachers integrate them into their curriculum.
Librarians are information specialists and information generalists.
They may not know the answer to a specific question, but they know where and how to find it. They select materials and electronic resources to support the curriculum and enrich the information environment of the school. They provide leadership in the adoption and use of information technologies. Finally, librarians are program administrators who establish policies and procedures in their media or information technology centers, introduce new technologies to access information, balance their expenditures between print and other resources, and manage the use of facilities and equipment. ICONnect also provides electronic tours to help librarians become skillful in these roles.