Two hundred randomly selected high school principals in Iowa participated in a survey to assess their perceptions of the role of the school media specialist. Principals were chosen as the target for the study because of their critical role in the functioning of the media center. The questionnaire instrument collected demographic data about the principals, along with their perceptions of the actual and ideal performance of the media specialist. Findings indicated that the respondents perceived a difference between the actual and ideal performance of the school media specialist. Generally, the principals felt that the school media specialist should participate more as a member of the educational team, be more involved with determining goals for the media program, and apply the principles of research more frequently to the media program. Recommendations are based on needs identified by the study: (1) professional media staffs need to openly recognize and seek to resolve gaps between actual and ideal conditions in their schools, (2) school principals should seek to improve communication within the school, (3) both the new and traditional functions of the school media specialist need to be clarified, and (4) curriculum planners for pre-service school media education should provide programs that recognize and address differences found between rural and urban schools, and large and small schools. A 42-item bibliography and a copy of the questionnaire are attached. (CMV)