Superintendent  Creates  21st  Century  Libraries  in  the   Salisbury  Township  School  District   As  Superintendent  of  Salisbury  Township  School  District  and  past  recipient  of  the  PSLA   Outstanding  District  Administrator  for  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  Dr.  Randy  Ziegenfuss  has   a  clear  and  commanding  vision  of  what  he  believes  the  role  of  the  21st  century  librarian   should  encompass.       As  a  prominent  member  of  the  school  district  for  10  years,  Dr.  Ziegenfuss’  various  positions   have  helped  him  clearly  define  his  vision  as  superintendent.  Prior  to  being  selected  as   superintendent,  Dr.  Ziegenfuss  held  the  position  of  assistant  superintendent,  as  well  as   director  of  data  and  technology.       When  he  started  in  the  district  10  years  ago,  the  library  program  was  conventional.   Librarians  checked  out  books  with  the  traditional  card  cataloging  system  and  district   libraries  lacked  an  online  presence.       With  a  strong  background  in  technology,  Dr.  Ziegenfuss  realized  the  district  needed  to   upgrade  its  library  program.  He  viewed  librarians  as  teachers  and  a  crucial  element  to   education,  so  he  redefined  the  position  of  the  librarian  using  a  job  description  from  the   American  Association  of  School  Librarians  as  a  model.       Dr.  Ziegenfuss  knew  that  the  librarians  in  the  district  wanted  to  be  included  in  the   modernizing  process  and  were  excited  for  change.    The  new  librarian  job  description   became  technology  focused  and  the  librarians  adapted  to  the  change.       This  fresh  approach  to  the  district’s  libraries  involved  a  technology-­‐driven  coaching   component  for  teachers  to  implement  technology  into  their  lesson  plans.       As  a  result  of  the  technology-­‐driven  coaching,  a  core  performance  development  team   formed  consisting  of  9-­‐10  people  called  TLC,  representing  computer  technicians,  librarians   and  instructional  coaches.       “The  technology-­‐focused  support  group  has  been  in  existence  for  six  years  and  is   considered  to  be  at  the  heart  of  professional  development  for  teachers,”  Dr.  Ziegenfuss  said.       Throughout  the  school  district,  librarians  are  a  voice  in  the  use  and  expansion  of   technology  and  continuously  incorporate  technology  into  the  lives  of  students  and   teachers.     “Librarians  are  technical  experts,  specialists  in  resource  curation  and  leaders  in  choosing   the  appropriate  tools  for  technology  based  lessons,”  Dr.  Ziegenfuss  said.  “Librarians  in  the   school  district  connect  students  and  teachers  to  the  right  resources.“      

Dr.  Ziegenfuss,  as  well  as  the  community  and  school  board,  is  a  firm  believer  that  learning   goes  far  beyond  test  scores  and  numerical  assessments.       “Learning  is  not  all  about  test  scores,”  Dr.  Ziegenfuss  said.  “We  must  value  the  importance   of  learning  and  have  support  in  the  classroom  to  carry  out  this  value.”       That  support,  he  says,  comes  from  librarians.       “The  role  of  the  librarian  is  critical  in  reaching  academic  goals  and  the  school  district   wouldn’t  be  where  it  is  without  the  influence  and  guidance  of  our  librarians,”  Dr.   Ziegenfuss  said.    “They  are  such  a  powerful  voice  at  the  table.”     The  school  board  has  been  positive  and  supportive  as  the  district  continues  to  advance   libraries  into  21st  century  hubs  of  learning.       With  the  Internet  and  today’s  readily  available  technology,  students  essentially  have  access   to  the  sum  of  all  human  knowledge,  and  librarians  in  the  Salisbury  Township  School   District  realize  this.  The  district  librarians  strive  to  integrate  all  aspects  of  this  ever-­‐ changing  technology  into  course  material  to  effectively  reach  learners  without  losing  sight   of  the  learner’s  goals.       “We  want  learners  to  have  control  over  their  learning,”  Dr.  Ziegenfuss  said.  “Librarians   need  to  be  the  experts  in  curating  and  helping  teachers  and  students  solve  problems.”       Dr.  Ziegenfuss  is  also  a  firm  believer  that  librarians  are  extensions  of  teachers.  He  believes   that  librarians  must  teach  students  to  ask  the  right  questions  and  use  the  right  learning   resources  to  solve  problems.       Librarians  have  expanded  the  scope  of  technology  education  outside  of  the  classroom,  as   well.  In  fact,  librarians  help  students  prepare  for  presentations  to  the  school  board  and   have  opened  up  summer  library  hours.     Dr.  Ziegenfuss’  original  vision  has  become  a  reality  as  students  and  teachers  are  flourishing   from  the  advancement  of  the  libraries  in  the  Salisbury  Township  School  District.