Evaluating library and media specialists with the Danielson Framework

A library or media specialist manages a collection, teaches information literacy, supports technology across the building and serves every grade on a flexible schedule rather than a fixed roster.

Evaluators often observe a single story time or lesson and score it as though it were a full teaching assignment, which captures a small fraction of the role.

What we provide

A rubric written for this role on the same four-domain structure your administrators already use, in both the 2013 and 2022 editions.

• Collection development and curation are part of planning and preparation
• Information literacy instruction is assessed as instruction
• Support provided to other teachers counts as professional contribution
• Flexible and drop-in scheduling does not distort the observation record

The rubric derives from Danielson consulting work published by state education agencies. The 2022 edition is our own.

The 2022 rubric at a glance

22 components across 4 domains, written for this role rather than borrowed from the classroom teacher rubric.

Planning and Preparation

• 1a Applying Knowledge of Literature, Information, and Media Practice
• 1b Knowing the School's Program and Student Information Needs
• 1c Setting Goals for the Library/Media Program
• 1d Using Resources Effectively
• 1e Planning a Coherent Library/Media Program
• 1f Designing Program Evaluation

Learning Environment

• 2a Cultivating Respectful and Affirming Environments
• 2b Fostering a Culture for Investigation and Love of Literature
• 2c Establishing Library Procedures
• 2d Supporting Positive Student Behavior
• 2e Organizing Spaces for Learning and Access

Library/Media Practice

• 3a Maintaining and Extending the Collection
• 3b Collaborating with Teachers in Lesson Design
• 3c Engaging Students in Literature and Information Skills
• 3d Supporting Technology Use in Research and Learning
• 3e Responding Flexibly to User Needs

Principled Practice

• 4a Engaging in Reflective Practice
• 4b Preparing Reports and Budgets
• 4c Engaging Families and the Larger Community
• 4d Contributing to School Community and Culture
• 4e Growing and Developing Professionally
• 4f Acting in Service of Students

Each component carries level-of-performance descriptors in all four levels, written in first, second and third person so self-assessments and evaluations read correctly from the same source. Ask us for the full rubric and we will walk you through it.

More than the rubric

Evidence can come from information literacy instruction and collection work, across a flexible schedule. The rubric is not a document you print and fill in. It is built into software that runs the whole cycle: observations scheduled and recorded, rubric language inserted into the evaluation for you, self assessments and professional development plans running against the same rubric, and district reporting at the end of the year.

Plenty of districts already have the right rubric sitting in a filing cabinet. The work is in running the cycle with it. See how the software works → See the other 13 roles

Evaluating library and media specialists this year?

Tell us how your specialists are scheduled, and we will show you what it looks like when collection work and information literacy count rather than a single observed lesson. If we are not the right fit for your district, we will tell you that too. Talk with us about library and media specialist evaluation →