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by Mark Ray

Out of necessity and opportunity, the Washington Library Media Association is taking an aggressive leadership role in helping to better define the spaces, programs and roles associated with library media in Washington State. Working in partnership with higher education (University of Washington; Antioch University), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Northwest Council of Computer Education and the International Society for Technology in Education, strategic efforts are underway to articulate the clear and mission-critical role that libraries and library professionals can play in the definition and implementation of innovative 21st century learning environments in K-12 schools.

The direct challenge:
 * Provide the Washington legislature clearly defined prototypical job descriptions for teacher librarians and school library programs while advocating for continued support for library and educational technology as part of a robust K-12 instructional program.

Additional challenges:
 * Provide districts and administration reasons to strengthen school library programs in the state in order to meet still-evolving 21st century learning goals and objectives. In the near-term, this includes the implementation of the OSPI Ed Tech EALRs.
 * Develop resources, training and support for teacher librarians to enhance skills as 21st century educators and instructional technology coaches
 * Converge and standardize language, objectives and expectations for K-12 libraries, teacher librarians and library information and technology programs
 * Develop strategic partnerships among key stakeholders in 21st century learning and educational leadership

What has happened to date:
 * Development of OSPI Library Media website
 * Results: website with evolving content
 * Initial organizational summit on January 8 at the University of Washington
 * Results: LIT Program Framework
 * WLMA executive support for framework and additional discussions
 * NCCE Teacher-Librarian Summit
 * Results: public 'release' of LIT framework, more

What is coming next:
 * Continued discussions with OSPI
 * Continued development of teacher-librarian instructional coaching proposal
 * Continued articulation and promotion of LIT framework
 * Continued discussions with legislature and stakeholders