Start Date: 08/25/2025
Primary Location: To Be Determined
Salary Range $63,422 - $106,621 / Annually
Online applications required
If interested, please visit the job posting for more information or apply at https://sthelens.tedk12.com//hire/Index.aspx
Located in St. Helens, OR
Job Posting #2025-020
This posting is for the 2025/2026 school year
Job Purpose
The District Media Specialist provides district-wide support for K–12 media programs (with an emphasis on elementary schools) to ensure equitable, effective library and media services for all students. This position coordinates a consistent vision and procedures across all school libraries/media centers, helping to make each one a strong resource for student learning, critical thinking, and inquiry. Serving in a collaborative, non-evaluative coaching role, the specialist works with staff – rather than directly teaching students – to build capacity in library operations and media literacy instruction. By aligning media center programs with Oregon’s standards and curriculum goals, the District Media Specialist helps prepare students to become critical thinkers and engaged citizens in an information-rich society, fostering information literacy, technology skills, digital citizenship, and a love of reading.
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Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Staff Training & Coaching: Train and coach library/media center support personnel – including school library assistants, paraprofessionals, and volunteers – in effective library procedures, cataloging, and use of the library circulation system. Provide particular support and direction to media assistants at the middle and high school levels to ensure smooth daily operations and consistent practices across buildings.
Media Center Circulation Systems Support: Serve as the district expert on the library management software and circulation systems. Assist school staff with system use, data management, and troubleshooting. Develop guidelines and job aids so that all schools maintain accurate circulation, catalog records, and inventory controls uniformly.
Media Literacy Integration: Collaborate with classroom teachers (K–12) to integrate media literacy, information literacy, and digital citizenship skills into the curriculum. Offer coaching, co-planning, and model lessons to help teachers embed research skills and critical evaluation of information into their instruction. Guide staff in using digital tools and resources to enhance student learning and meet state library/media standards.
Professional Development: Lead professional development sessions for teachers and library staff focused on library/media topics. For example, provide workshops on incorporating information literacy, educational technology, and online research skills in the classroom. Promote best practices for digital resource use, internet safety, and media analysis to build staff capacity in these areas.
Program Coordination & Consistency: Develop and disseminate district-wide library/media center policies, procedures, and best practices in alignment with professional library standards and Oregon School Library Standards. Ensure that each school’s library program aligns with a unified district vision and supports district literacy and learning goals. This includes coordinating on topics like circulation policies, student access, library/media center schedules, and resource sharing between schools.
Library Operations Support: Provide on-site and remote support to each school library to maintain consistent operations. Regularly visit school libraries to assist with organizing materials, implementing reader-friendly library environments, and addressing any program gaps. Maintain communication with principals and school staff to identify needs and to ensure library services run smoothly in each building.
Literacy and Reading Promotion: Assist schools (especially elementary) in promoting reading engagement and literacy. Support district and school initiatives such as reading programs, book fairs, author visits, or Oregon Battle of the Books, thereby nurturing students’ love of reading and lifelong learning. Provide expertise in selecting diverse, high-interest literature and informational texts that support curriculum and student interests.
Resource Curation & Collection Development: Advise and support library staff (Gr. 6-12) in curating library collections that are current, diverse, and aligned with instructional needs. Help develop collection development plans, recommend materials (books, digital resources, media) to fill gaps or support new curricula, and guide weeding/maintenance of collections. Ensure that all students have access to relevant, up-to-date resources across the district.
Collaboration and Leadership: Work closely with building administrators, the district curriculum department, and technology staff to champion the role of library/media services in student achievement. Participate in district curriculum planning or technology committees as a representative of library media programs. Advocate for the school libraries as essential centers of learning, and share emerging trends or research in school librarianship and media literacy with staff.
Travel Between Schools: Travel frequently to multiple school sites to perform duties. This position is district-wide; the specialist must be willing and able to drive between schools on a regular schedule (mileage or district vehicle provided per district policy). On-site support and visibility in each library are key parts of the role.
Other Related Duties: Carry out other duties necessary to the success of district library programs. This may include maintaining professional knowledge (attending trainings, networking with Oregon library professionals), assisting with budget planning for library resources, and providing reports or presentations about the library programs as requested by district leadership. Note: This position does not include formal supervisory or evaluative responsibilities over other staff; instead it functions as a mentor and support provider in line with its coaching focus.
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Required Qualifications
Oregon Teaching License – Library Media Endorsement: Must hold a valid Oregon teaching license with a Library Media endorsement (or be eligible for licensure with endorsement) in accordance with state requirements. (Per Oregon law, public school librarians must be licensed teachers with a library media endorsement.)
Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in Education, Library/Information Science, or a related field (required). Master’s degree in Library Science, Education, or Instructional Technology (preferred).
K–12 Media Center/Teaching Experience: Demonstrated successful experience in an educational setting. This could include prior work as a school library media specialist/teacher-librarian or comparable teaching experience. Candidates should understand library operations and the developmental needs of learners across elementary, middle, and high school levels.
Knowledge and Skills: Strong knowledge of library management systems, bibliographic cataloging, and circulation processes. Familiarity with information literacy and media literacy curricula. Effective technology skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate digital resources into the learning process. Excellent communication and presentation skills for working with adult learners (staff training).
Collaboration & Coaching Ability: Proven ability to work collaboratively with teachers and staff in a coaching or mentoring capacity. The specialist must be able to build positive relationships, exercise patience, and guide adults in learning new skills in a non-evaluative manner. Strong organizational and leadership skills to coordinate programs across multiple sites are essential.
Other Requirements: Must meet all district and state employment criteria, including passing a criminal background check and fingerprint clearance. Valid driver’s license and ability to travel between school locations during the work day.
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Preferred Qualifications and Experience
Advanced Endorsements/Training: Additional expertise in Instructional Technology integration is highly valued (e.g. an educational technology endorsement or certificate). Training in literacy instruction or reading specialist endorsement is a plus, reflecting the dual focus on traditional literacy and media literacy.
Professional Experience: 3-5 years of experience as a licensed school librarian/library media specialist is preferred. Experience leading professional development or coaching teachers (such as working as an instructional coach, mentor teacher, or district TOSA) will strengthen the candidate’s ability to succeed in this support role.
Knowledge of Standards and Curriculum: Familiarity with the Oregon School Library Standards and national library/media frameworks (AASL standards, ISTE standards for technology) is preferred. Understanding Oregon’s academic content standards and how library/media skills support classroom curricula will enable effective collaboration with teachers.
Leadership and Initiative: A record of professional leadership or involvement in library/media initiatives is beneficial. For example, experience coordinating multi-school library programs, leading reading incentive programs, or participating in library professional organizations (OASL, etc.) demonstrates the capacity to provide visionary district-level support.
Passion for Library Services: The ideal candidate is an enthusiastic advocate for the role of libraries in education – someone who stays current on emerging trends in librarianship, children’s literature, and digital media. A creative, service-oriented mindset and a commitment to equity in information access for all students are highly valued traits for this position.
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SALARY
As negotiated in the SHEA agreement.
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EVALUATION
In accordance with negotiated SHEA agreement and district policy.
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PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
