Library Media Specialist - Elementary

Urbana School District #116

TITLE:  Library Media Specialist

LOCATION:  Thomas Paine Elementary School

SUPERVISOR:  Building Principals

JOB SUMMARY: Under the general direction of the Principals or Assistant Principals, the teacher is responsible for helping students learn subject matter and skills that will contribute to their development as mature, able, and responsible men and women.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily.

• A Library Media Specialist should know how to quickly find resources.
• Teaches elementary students how to retrieve sources of information and encourages reading and computer literacy.
• Knowledge of the library's content and how best to retrieve sources of information for students is the number one priority for Library Media Specialists.
• Understanding information technology can relate to outside the library.
• Understanding how to use library resources in research is valuable knowledge that the Library Media Specialist can pass on to students.  Information Technology advancements over the years can be daunting, so keeping up with how to retrieve information from internal and external sources is a useful skill that can be used far beyond a person’s formative education.
• Liaison for Teachers for new book collections and literary resources.
• Library Media Specialists can assist teachers in finding information resources for their class curriculum as well as collaborate on class projects.
• Acquiring acquisition of new or current books that should be added to the collection on an ongoing basis for its users.
• Acquiring media materials and information to keep and maintain the library up to date and useful to its users.
• Library Media Specialists inventory, weed, and catalog the library’s holdings, helping the library stay focused on what is needed in the school. For example, an inventory of the library’s holdings might reveal that a book has not circulated in 10 years.  This might indicate that the book is not relevant to the school’s focus and should be taken out of circulation.
• Some library media specialists, as teachers, may serve as department chairs, team leaders, and building curriculum coordinators. The principal may assign other duties.

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, with certification and endorsements in library and media information systems

EXPERIENCE

• 2-3 years teaching students at the elementary level as a librarian/media specialist, except in the case of a new college graduate.

LICENSES/CREDENTIAL:  Valid Illinois Teaching Certificate/Licensure with the appropriate endorsements to teach Kindergarten through twelve.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Salary and Benefit information can be found on the Human Resources webpage.  There are many opportunities for employees to earn additional compensation (stipends, differentials, extra duty pay, etc.) during the regular school year and in the summer.
• This is a position within the collective bargaining unit and is not an administrative position.
• This is an exempt position.
• Student Contact Days and other days stipulated on the work calendar in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. 

EVALUATION: The performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the Board’s policy on evaluating professional personnel.

START DATE:  School Year 2026-2027

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

REVISED:  May 2026