Goal I.d
Students demonstrate leadership skills and innovation in a diverse and global environment.
Artifact 1: The Work of the Teaching Librarian
Artifact Explainer:
This infographic focuses on the teaching librarian, also identified in the school context as the school media specialist. Drawing from professional standards on teaching librarians, the artifact presents the role as multifaceted: advocate, coordinator, instructional designer, leader, lifelong learner, teacher, and teaching partner. It emphasizes that teaching librarians do more than provide resources; they manage programs, relationships, instruction, collaboration, and information literacy initiatives across the school community.
I selected this artifact for Outcome I.d because it highlights the leadership responsibilities embedded in school library work. The project frames the media specialist as someone who leads through collaboration, instructional design, advocacy, and strategic communication. It also reflects my own professional direction, since school media specialists must support diverse learners, work with teachers and administrators, adapt to institutional needs, and help position the media center as an active instructional hub. This artifact demonstrates an understanding of leadership as practical, relational, and service-centered rather than merely positional.
Artifact 2: Behavioral Interview Questions
Course: LIS 6409 - Introduction to Library Administration
Artifact Overview
This assignment used the Hillsborough County Public Schools Media Specialist position description to develop behavioral interview questions aligned with the duties, responsibilities, and professional competencies of a school library media specialist. The questions addressed program leadership, information literacy instruction, collection development, instructional technology, copyright, collaboration, communication, professional development, student engagement, and the creation of an effective learning environment.
I selected this artifact for Outcome I.d because it demonstrates my understanding of leadership from an administrative and personnel perspective. Developing effective behavioral interview questions required me to identify the professional qualities and evidence of practice that would distinguish a successful media specialist and translate broad job responsibilities into meaningful criteria for evaluating candidates. The assignment strengthened my understanding of how library leaders can use thoughtful personnel practices to build programs staffed by professionals who are prepared to serve diverse students, educators, families, and communities.
Artifact 3: School Library Redesign
Course: LIS 6455 - Organization & Administration of the School Media Center
Artifact Overview
This collaborative project developed a redesign proposal for an existing school library serving students in kindergarten through seventh grade. Our group evaluated the limitations of the current environment and created a new layout intended to support reading, research, instruction, collaboration, and creative activities within a relatively small space. Proposed improvements included low window shelving, flexible soft seating, mobile work surfaces, movable dry-erase boards, makerspace tables, improved storage, and a mobile teacher workstation.
I selected this artifact for Outcome I.d because it demonstrates innovation and collaborative leadership in addressing the changing needs of a school library community. Rather than treating the library as a fixed physical environment, the project approached the space as something that could be intentionally redesigned to support different forms of learning, student independence, collaboration, and reading engagement. The design drew on observations of other school libraries and course concepts related to flexibility, accessibility, comfort, and effective use of limited space. Working collaboratively to evaluate an existing environment and develop practical improvements strengthened my understanding of how library leaders can use thoughtful design to create more welcoming and adaptable spaces for the communities they serve.
Project Note: This assignment was completed collaboratively. For portfolio publication, the names of my group members and identifying information about the schools have been redacted, and photographs containing identifiable students or staff have been pixelated to protect their privacy. The substance of the original project has otherwise been preserved.
Artifact 4: Cougar Crew Posters & Interest Form
Course: LIS 6303 - Preparing Instructional Media
Artifact Overview
This collection of instructional and promotional materials was created during the summer before I began serving as the media specialist at Kenly Elementary School to support the launch of Cougar Crew, a student leadership and volunteer program I developed for the media center. The materials include an overall recruitment poster, student interest forms, teacher guidance, and individual posters promoting the Studio Cats morning-show anchors, Prowl Patrol student reporters, Paw Print Post mail carriers, and CAT-alog Crew media center helpers. Together, the materials communicate each team’s purpose, responsibilities, participation requirements, and application process to both students and teachers.
I selected this artifact for Outcome I.d because Cougar Crew represents an innovative approach to expanding student leadership and participation within the school media program. The project was designed not simply to recruit student helpers, but to create structured opportunities for students to take responsibility for communication, media production, school services, and library operations. Developing the accompanying instructional media required me to translate that larger program concept into materials that elementary students could understand and that teachers could use to identify and support prospective participants. The project demonstrates how thoughtful media design can support program leadership by building identity, generating interest, clarifying expectations, and helping turn a new idea into an operational school program.
The artifact also reflects the direct relationship between my coursework and professional practice. Although these materials were created for LIS 6303, they were intentionally designed for use in the media center I was preparing to lead, allowing the skills developed in Preparing Instructional Media to contribute directly to the creation of a new student program before my first school year even began.