School librarians will play a crucial role in the support of the implementation of the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards (CCSS). More than ever, to ensure these standards are met, school librarians must work in tandem with classroom teachers. School librarians will be instrumental in providing opportunities for students to access resources that will support their becoming critical consumers of information. In this article, the authors explore the instructional shifts as a whole that adoption of the CCSS will require (EngageNY n.d.). Each shift will adequately prepare students for success in a college or career pathway. Teachers and specialists, such as librarians, will need to explore these shifts and discern how their roles will change because of them. If all educators implement the outlined CCSS, students will have clear, consistent, and targeted benchmarks to follow, a circumstance that will allow each student to be better prepared. Schools must coordinate and collaborate at all levels by creating opportunities for all students to gain the knowledge and skills needed for their undefined futures. Schools must create students who are adaptable, are able to adjust to various situations, and are problem solvers. These traits can also be defined as 21st-century soft skills. School librarians must become familiar with the CCSS and know how to support students and classroom teachers in the implementation process. The article concludes with a discussion of the six shifts as seen from the viewpoints of a K-6 superintendent and Common Core specialists with an analysis of how school librarians fit within each shift.