Library Media Centers - Communications

We will be using your Core Data - Screen 3 Library Media contact email for all Library Media Center communication.  Please ensure this information is accurate.

Resources

These resources contain material that is relevant to the work of Missouri’s library media specialists.

Resources	Description
Librarian Standards	Delineation of performance expectations for professional 21st century school librarians in Missouri.
Librarian Standards Continuum	Detailed descriptors for the Missouri Standards for School Librarians at the levels of Candidate, New, Developing, Proficient, and Distinguished.
ESSA and School Libraries	Overview of AASL’s work with ESSA.
Libraries Transform: Year One Report	Report covers notable accomplishments of ALA’s Libraries Transform project from October 2015-August 2016, including MASL’s billboard campaign.
Show Me Connection: How School Library Media Center Services Affect Student Achievement	Study commissioned by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Missouri State Library.
ELA Expectations Relevant to Library Media Specialists	Guide to specific expectations in the newly adopted ELA Missouri Learning Standards that pertain to finding literacy-building resources for teachers, conducting research, and integrating technology.
ELA Priority Standards	ELA K-12 priority standards adopted in 2021 as big ideas crucial to mastery of the Missouri Learning Standards.
MLS Expectations ELA K-5 PDF MLS Expectations ELA K-5 Word MLS Expectations ELA 6-12 PDF MLS Expectations ELA 6-12 Word MLS Expectations ELA 6-12 Excel	ELA expectations adopted by the Missouri State Board of Education in April 2016.
Vertical Progressions ELA 6-12	Chart of each new ELA MLS expectation by grade level.
MLS Expectations Terminology ELA 6-12	Explanations and examples for selected terms in the ELA 6-12 MLS Expectations. The PDF version of the ELA 6-12 MLS Expectations contains hyperlinks from the terms to this document.
Text Complexity Rubric-Literary	Tools to assist educators in determining qualitative and quantitative complexity of literary and informational texts.
Text Complexity Rubric-Informational
Text Analysis Form

Instructional Guidance for School Librarians

Strong school library programs recognize the importance of supporting classroom teachers as they incorporate the Missouri Learning Standards within daily lessons for students. Instructional partnerships between librarians and teachers, in all grades and content areas, can increase opportunities for student learning.  

DESE’s Instructional Guidance for School Librarians, developed by librarians for librarians, helps ensure that instruction in the library remains aligned with the Missouri Learning Standards in grades K-12. For easier reference, the guidance is divided into four sections: Reading Engagement, Information Literacy, Media Literacy, and Innovation.

Specific alignment for English language arts, science, and social studies can be found in the Content Area Crosswalks documents, opening the door for collaboration and instructional partnerships with classroom teachers.

For more information, please contact Literacy@dese.mo.gov.

Instructional Guidance by Grade

• K-2 Instructional Guidance
• 3-5 Instructional Guidance
• 6-8 Instructional Guidance
• 9-10 Instructional Guidance
• 11-12 Instructional Guidance

Content Area Crosswalks

• K-2 Instructional Guidance Content Area Crosswalk
• 3-5 Instructional Guidance Content Area Crosswalk
• 6-8 Instructional Guidance Content Area Crosswalk
• 9-10 Instructional Guidance Content Area Crosswalk
• 11-12 Instructional Guidance Content Area Crosswalk

Professional Development

American Association of School Librarians	National Conference October 16-18, 2025 America’s Center – St. Louis Convention Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Missouri Association of School Librarians	Spring Conference April 19-21, 2026 Tan-Tar-A Conference Center, Osage Beach, Missouri

Exemplary School Library Program

Congratulations to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 2026 Exemplary School Library Program Recognition recipients:

• Crestview Middle School (Rockwood School District)
• Dressel Elementary School (Lindbergh Schools)
• Francis Howell Central High School (Francis Howell School District)
• Jefferson City High School (Jefferson City School District)
• Kirkwood High School (Kirkwood School District)
• Lee’s Summit North High School (Lee’s Summit R-7 School District)
• Liberty Middle School (Liberty Public Schools)
• Lucy Wortham James Elementary School (St. James R-I School District)
• Marquette High School (Rockwood School District)
• North Kirkwood Middle School (Kirkwood School District)
• Rockwood Summit High School (Rockwood School District)
• South Valley Middle School (Liberty Public Schools)
• Sperreng Middle School (Lindbergh Schools)
• Van Horn High School (Independence School District)

 

• 2025-26 DESE Library Recognition Scoring Guide 

To receive an application and instructions, please email Lisa Scroggs, School Libraries Consultant to DESE, at Lisa.Scroggs@dese.mo.gov.

LMS Certification

Library Media Specialist (LMS) certification can be added to an existing Missouri teaching certificate in two ways: 

1. Take all of the LMS required courses found on page 38, column 2 at this link. LMS courses are available through Lindenwood University, Missouri Baptist University, University of Central Missouri, Missouri State University, and University of Missouri-Columbia.
2. Take and pass ETS's School Librarian 5312 assessment. In addition to passing this test, certification requires successful completion of the following courses:

• Foundations of Librarianship
• Library Media Administration
• Developing and Managing Collections
• Organizing Information

When either of these routes has been completed, you may submit the application to add LMS to an existing certificate.

Provisional certification can be granted if you are within 12 credits of completion of the full certification route, or if you have passed the School Librarian 5312 assessment but need to take the four required courses listed above.

 LMS certification is for grades K-12, allowing you to work as an elementary, middle, or high school librarian.

The full list of requirements (7) can be found on page 38, column 2 at this link.

The add-by-test piece for LMS can be found in the same document (10A and 10 C) on page 27.

For more information specific to the certification process, please contact DESE Certification at Certification@dese.mo.gov or 573-751-0051. For questions specific to library content, please contact Lisa Scroggs, Director of Secondary Literacy, at Lisa.Scroggs@dese.mo.gov.