What is a media specialist's role in school-wide reading initiatives?

A media specialist plays a vital role in cultivating a culture of reading within a school community. This involves coordinating various programs and activities that inspire both students and staff to engage with literature and promote lifelong reading habits. They facilitate book clubs, reading challenges, author visits, and other initiatives designed to create excitement around reading and to enhance students' comprehension and engagement with texts. By fostering a positive reading environment, media specialists help to ensure that reading is seen as an enjoyable and essential activity among students.

The other options do not accurately represent the primary focus of a media specialist's responsibilities. While managing technology and overseeing library staff are important functions, they are not the core of the media specialist's role in promoting reading initiatives. Teaching all subject areas also falls outside the typical expectations for a media specialist, as their expertise is more aligned with literacy, information literacy, and resource management rather than general classroom teaching across all disciplines.