Systems Thinking for a Librarian

A major takeaway from class and discussing systems has been the discussion around the interconnectedness of systems. Each system connects and overlaps with another system (Senge, 2014). He also presented the idea that we build our systemic webs upon each other and that there is a lack of awareness of the connectedness of various systems. I currently work within the K-12 education system as a school librarian. During discussions about systems and interconnectedness, I began thinking about my role on my campus. To start, I began reviewing literature on systems thinking in librarianship. Moreillon (2018), describes how systems thinking can be employed in a school library, with the school librarian taking a leadership role in the process. Another article I came across highlights the employment of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). According to Sommerville, Schafer, and Huston (2005), SSM helped to develop “dialogue on planning change, enabling people, and building alliances across disciplinary and functional boundaries,” (p. 223). SSM will be the methodology employed as I continue exploring systems thinking in relation to my field.

Continuing reflection on education systems, I reflected on the roles I presently hold. I am involved in two educational systems. The first is a K-12 education system. In this system, I hold two roles, parent and educator. I am a K-5 school librarian and a department chair. My role is encouraging reading among my student stakeholders, supporting digital citizenship, leading research efforts, and literacy support. I contribute to the culture of my campus because I am involved with all the students on campus, I am a campus leader, and the skills I teach are applicable to all content areas.

As a parent within this system, my role is less direct in the classroom. My role as a parent, I am raising children who go into the classroom and participate as learners. As an educator-parent, I am aware of what happens in the classroom, and of the difficulties that teachers are facing every day with all the various systems that are in play within their classrooms. Due to this insider knowledge, I feel that there is more significance placed on me to raise children who go into the classroom and do not contribute to behavior issues, who are prepared for their work, and who are prepared for the social aspect of the learning environment. I want to support the teachers, knowing what I know about their experiences. I contribute to the campus culture by preparing my children to go into the classroom and be positive participants in their learning environments.

The second educational system I am involved in is the higher education system. In the higher education system, I am a student. In addition to that I have taken on other roles, including being a teacher’s assistant (TA), I have served on a planning committee, and I am a researcher. The program is set up to be inclusive of students within various planning processes. This includes inquiring about the needs of students when selecting courses to offer, making information available, and involving student stakeholders in planning department events.

Education systems are complex with various stakeholders. There is a lot of interconnectedness within education due to many stakeholders, like myself, who hold various roles. Additionally, there are political, social, and economic systems at play. For example, there are Texas school board members being targeted in their communities because their political views conflict with the communities, this is just one example of social and political systems interconnecting with each other (Swartz, 2023).

Moreillon, J. (2018, August 20). Maximizing systems thinking. School Librarian Leadership. http://www.schoollibrarianleadership.com/2018/08/20/maximizing-systems-thinking/

Senge, P. (2014, December 15). Peter Senge: "Systems thinking for a better world"-Aalto Systems Forum 2014. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QtQqZ6Q5-o

Somerville, M. M., Schader, B., & Huston, M. E. (2005). Rethinking what we do and how we do it: Systems thinking strategies for library leadership. Australian Academic and Research Libraries, 36(4), 214-227. https://doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2005.10755311

Swartz, M. (2023, March). The campaign to sabotage Texas’s public schools. Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/campaign-to-sabotage-texas-public-schools/