Teacher librarians, technology, and collaborative connections: A case study of teacher librarians from a communities of practice perspective

The role of teacher librarians is changing in an era increasingly influenced by information and communication technology ( 1 0 . The goal of this study was to document and analyze the work of teacher librarians and how it contributes to the delivery of educational programs. The work of a group of six teacher librarians was examined as an example of a community of practice. Email messages, field notes, and artifacts representing the work of these teacher librarians were collected over five months. Data were analyzed using codes developed from Wenger's community of practice research, and conversation analysis. The research questions considered whether the teacher librarians constituted a community of practice, the nature of that practice, and how this practice correlated with the delivery of instructional programs. It is argued from the findings how the notion of a community of practice may be helpful in reconceptualizing the nature and role of teacher librarianshp.