Re: NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES

["Steve K. Grant" <sgrant@EIS.CALSTATE.EDU>]

J.J.,
   I strongly believe those teachers are _way_ out of line.  Just as
books and magazines are purchased for the collection for the use of _all_
patrons (students and staff alike), so are newspapers.  I don't know how
many subscriptions to a given newspaper you have, but I'd suggest one;
I'd also suggest you use the "rods".  Yes, the students will want to
remove the paper and fence with them (try rubber bands around the ends
after the papers are mounted; slows 'em down some, at least), but you
just have to come down hard on them the first (or maybe second) time
they're caught fencing--word will spread.
   With drastically reduced budgets for purchase of collection materials
here in San Diego City Schools, I've even dropped magazine subscriptions
to most professional journals and many magazines which are primarily for
student browsing purposes (i.e. those which aren't indexed in _Reader's
Guide_ and/or aren't likely to be of research value).
   Teachers can come in to read the paper on their prep, _in_ the LMC
(rod and all).  If there are consistently more than one teacher during
the same period (or lunch) wanting to read the same paper, buy four rods
and split the sections between them.  Or maybe subscribe to _two_ copies
of the paper.  I have a hard time understanding dedicated and competent
teachers having time to read the paper during their classes (I certainly
never did).
   As explanation, offer to staff that you need to cut back on
subscriptions to buy more books to support the curriculum (this is always
true, isn't it?), that the LMC is for _shared_ use, that they're welcome
to take away the _previous week's_ (or older) issues, and that any
subscriptions that individuals or departments want to remove from (or
never have be displayed in) the LMC in the first place, and/or house in
classrooms/department offices, can be ordered on _department_ budgets.
At La Jolla High, we do the ordering for _all_ subscriptions purchased on
_all_ budgets, then route them as appropriate when they come in.
   I know, we all hate to "block" staff in any way when it comes to their
information needs (or desires), but in this case I think it's fully
justified.  They'll get used to it, don't you think?

        Steve Grant, Library Media Teacher
        La Jolla High School (619) 454-3081 x228
        sgrant@ctp.org

On Wed, 29 Dec 1993, JJ Towler wrote:

> Dear LM_NETTERS:
>
>         As the sole librarian of a middle school with 730
> students, I have been confronted wi a problem for which your
> opinions and experience woud be helpful.
>
>         My question is this--who is the school library supposed
> to serve?  I have a large collection of newspapers and
> magazines that my library committee and I have selected to
> provide research information as well as pleasure reading for
> our students.  But, should we also be providing these services
> for the PERSONAL USE of teachers?
>
>         My problem is that we have several teachers who snatch
> the local morning newspaper and take it to their rooms to
> read--not because they are using it for a class project--but
> because they don't have a subscription of their own.  We also
> had some teachers complain when we canceled subscriptions to
> magazines that were read only by teachers, such as Southern
> Living and Good Housekeeping.
>
>         Should the library budget be used to pay for multiple
> newspaper subscriptions or insist that newspapers be kept in
> the library?  Do you use those wooden newspaper racks with rods
> (which take a great amount of time to stock and that students use for
> fencing practice)?  Should I provide magazines for teachers who would
> rather not pay for their own subscriptions?  I look forward to
> receiving your suggestions on how to "please all the people all the
> time."
>
>         Wishing you all a productive, uncensored and fulfilling
> New Year, I am,
>
>                                         Sincerely yours,
>                                         JJ Towler
>
> J.T. Henley Middle School
> Route 1, Box 519
> Crozet, VA  22932
>