Teacher Librarian Services

Program Overview

Heartland AEA provides two categories of teacher librarian consultation:

Digital Resources, Instructional Materials & Information Literacy

We provide consulting and professional learning in the areas of:

  • Digital resource integration in teaching and learning
  • Heartland AEA library services and instructional materials
  • Technology tools, digital citizenship and information literacy

Teacher Librarian

We offer a service to help districts address the current shortage of licensed teacher librarians. 

Services & Supports May Include*

  • Serve as certified teacher librarian per Iowa Code 256.11(9,) 281—12.3(12)
  • Build collaborative relationships with staff and the school community
    • Support the principal with decisions on best practices regarding library media resources and services. Keep the principal apprised of any areas of concern.
    • Support the curation of materials and resources collaboratively with teachers around core curriculum or a particular unit of study
  • Provide effective district/school library program planning and development
    • Conduct needs assessment to align with district and school initiatives
    • Conduct library collection analysis development and planning
      • Policy review
      • Development of standards and procedures for selection/reconsideration of materials
      • Asset audit and collection inventory support
      • Budget analysis and resource allocation prioritization
      • Resource recommendations and school library selection tools
      • Engaging with support staff and implementing of best practices
        • Advise library associate(s) on collection management (analysis, refining and updating library resources/collection)
    • Enhance physical and virtual library spaces
    • Strengthen information and digital literacy programs for increased student engagement
      • Provide teacher training, modeling and support focused around information literacy skills, inquiry and the research process, digital citizenship and digital literacy skills and the integration of emerging technologies for varied student expression
      • Provide initial student instruction focused on digital citizenship and digital literacy skills
      • Provide initial student instruction focused on information literacy skills and the research process
    • Promote school library program services and implement student-centered library activities
      • Help design activities/events that promote the love of reading and literature appreciation
    • Assess and reflect on school library program effectiveness
      • Analyze data
      • Make solutions-oriented recommendations

*Services and supports are aligned with the Iowa School Library Program Standards and are provided by licensed K-12 teacher librarians. 

*Some services will be delivered remotely.

District Requirements

  • Designate a library associate who is scheduled for day-to-day operation of the school library (i.e., circulation duties, book check-in/check-out, shelving, textbook management, scanning books for inventory, etc.)
  • Designate a budget for library materials (i.e., library books, ebooks, audiobooks, processing supplies, etc.)

Services Not Provided

  • Circulation duties (book check-in/check-out, shelving)
  • Book Fair support
  • Tech support
  • Substitute classroom coverage in the absence of substitutes
  • Serving on a reconsideration committee

Service Days

In this package, our teacher librarian provides 15 days of service per district per year, but other custom options can be explored.

Download the Flyer

Teacher Librarian Services

Important Contacts

Expand Close All
Alicia Patten

Alicia Patten

  • Teacher Librarian Consultant

Education: Bachelor’s degree, elementary education with special education minor; K-6 reading endorsement; Master’s degree, school library media studies; Instructional design certificate; K-12 computer science endorsement

Experience: Elementary special education teacher, Elementary teacher librarian, Teacher librarian consultant
Joined Heartland AEA in 2021

Expertise: AEA digital resources; K-12 library services; digital literacy; computer science

Professional Affiliations: Iowa Library Association, Iowa Association for School Librarians, Computer Science Teacher Association, Iowa Reading Association, Iowa Technology & Education Connection

How I’ve made an impact: I worked with a district’s library staff around AEA digital resources, copyright and connections to the American Association of School Librarians’ standards. We worked to improve library services and ensure compliance with best practices. This resulted in better resource management and enhanced support for students’ research and academic needs.

Amy Wichman

Amy Wichman

  • Director of Media, Technology & Digital Learning

Education: Bachelor’s degree, English, political science and secondary education; Master’s degree, education administration

Experience: Extensive experience in teaching & administration; Regional director; Director of instructional services; Director of media, technology & digital learning
Joined Heartland AEA in 2016

Expertise: Authentic technology integration/EdTech; implementing innovation; adult learning; standards-based grading, systems change

Professional affiliations: TCEA, ATD, ISTE, ISTE Certified, Scrum Master, vCISO

How I’ve made an impact: I assisted with a comprehensive implementation of technology with students that included goal setting, benchmarks and specific outcomes for annual reporting to the district’s school board. A multi-year action plan included tracking student/parent/teacher feedback, implementation planning, professional learning and data collection to track evidence of progress and update goals. Over three years we increased technology integration and ultimately test scores.

Teacher Librarian Services