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Abstract: 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). The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore traits and library activities of award-winning school librarians in Virginia and to determine if the traits and activities exhibited aligned with best practice. 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 (collection development and access), student-focused activities (books and reading promotion and makerspaces), and instructional activities (collaboration, technology integration, research projects, and information literacy). These traits and activities align with best practice in the field.