Cultivating a STEM-driven School Culture: A Librarian’s Journey

Librarians play a crucial role in fostering discovery and a desire to explore new concepts. This exploratory case study examines the librarian’s role in implementing STEM concepts and applications in a Texas elementary school. Focus group and interview data were analyzed and coded to identify patterns and themes. This paper focuses on the emergent themes of the (a) librarians’ role in STEM education and (b) supporting a STEM-driven school culture. Findings include the librarian’s creation of a professional learning network, her leadership role, and how she supported a STEM-driven school culture. The results of this study point to the need to expand the definition of a STEM teacher leader to include non-traditional leaders such as librarians. Implications on how librarians can help create a STEM-driven school culture are discussed.