A True Librarian

Summer is over and it's back to school.  I've been reflecting for the last few days on my job as a librarian and what my goals and visions are for this school year.  As I have been thinking about this, a question popped into my head... What is a True Librarian?  I tried to think about the job description and how I would answer that.  I came to realize that there are many types of librarians and that I do not fall solely into any of these types.  At any given moment, I can be one kind and then the next moment be another type.  Many days I am a combination of more than one.  Sometimes I stay in the role for a while depending on my goals for the year but other roles sneak in and out depending on the moment.  And sometimes I can be all of these in the space of just one day.

Booky Barbara - Barbara is the book-lover of all book-lovers.  She knows every single picture book or chapter book in her library and has read them all.  She knows the exact book to point kids and teachers to at any given moment.  Her days are filled with classes coming in for story time and she is the ultimate read-alouder.  The students are mesmerized when she reads because of her changing voices and facial expressions.  Barbara is a true librarian.

Curriculum Cathy - Cathy knows the state standards for every grade level like the back of her hand and every lesson that she teaches supports at least one of those standards if not more.  She loves to create new and exciting ways to reach the students in whatever lesson she is teaching.  Teachers come to her for book suggestions for teaching certain ideas and she can point them to multiple titles in a matter of seconds.  Cathy is a true librarian.

Technology Tina - Tina is the technology-guru on her campus.  She can troubleshoot technology like nobody's business.  She just has to walk into the room and whatever technology problem was there is fixed, bam! just like that.  She also integrates technology seamlessly into her lessons and teachers come to her when they want an idea for integration.  She knows about the newest things going on probably because she tweets, skypes, follows blogs and participates in education chats. Tina is a true librarian.

Information Irene - Irene knows the answer to any question that is asked (and if she doesn't know she can find out).  She knows where to find answers and she loves to teach the students how to search for themselves.  You can often find Irene by the computers or on an iPad talking to students about keywords or directing them to the library databases to find their answers.  Irene is a true librarian. 

Programming Peggy - Peggy is the ultimate actress.  She loves to dress up and get "into character" for different activities happening in her library.  She loves planning for author visits and story-tellers and always has some kind of reading challenge going on.  She figures out how to interest kids in reading through her programming.  Peggy is a true librarian.

I know there are many more hats that librarians wear depending on their library, students, administration, etc.  Do you identify with these or do you have a different definition of a true librarian?