What kind of library?

[Sheryl Steinke 687-3280 <STEINKE@4J.LANE.EDU>]

    In the Eugene, OR School District there is an elementary school whose
    library needs to be quite different from the usual school library.
    Whiteaker Elementary School is a K-5 school whose population has a
    100+% turnover each school year.  It has been many years since a
    student started and ended their elementary years at Whiteaker, and it
    is in fact, quite uncommon for any students to stay at Whiteaker for
    even one year.

    So here's my challenge.  This library must automate its circulation
    and catalog along with all of the other school libraries in the
    district.  It seems unrealistic to purchase expensive hardbound books
    for this library to be checked out to students who many never return
    the books.  However, it is important for these students to have books
    to take home.  Many of them do not own any books of their own.  We
    have toyed with the idea of either having only a paperback library
    for students.  We've also considered letting student checkout books
    to their room, but not allowing them to take them out of the school.
    Should there be a difference in how fiction and non-fiction books are
    loaned to students.

    A second issues is what kind of computerized resources should this
    library provide for their students.

    If anyone has ideas, suggestions or experience in this kind of an
    environment, please respond.  I'd be happy to post them to the net.

    Sheryl Steinke

    steinke@4j.lane.edu