FW: library aide

[MARION SNELL <marions@HOME.COM>]

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Okay, I can see I'm not going to be able to stay out of this one.

I was in a K--8 district with 3 1/2 hour a day aides in the elementary
libraries and a full time librarian with full time aide in each of the
two middle schools.  The district decided to cut the middle school
library aides to 3 1/2 hours and the aides went to the superintendent
and told her that if they really wanted to save money they should can
the librarians because the aides did all the REAL work anyway.

The district did both (budgets were really tight that year).  Then they
asked me to come back for one year working both schools (one week at one
the next week at the other).  Then they decided to have the aides work
only the weeks I was not at the schools and I moved to another district.

Are you still with me?  Well, the aide who had been the most vocal about
the uselessness of librarians moved to a full time position at an
alternative school which does not have a librarian, in the same district
to which I later moved, and recently called me:  she is looking for a
transfer to a school with a librarian--BECAUSE SHE ISN'T PAID ENOUGH TO
HANDLE ALL THE HASSELS WITH TEACHERS, ETC!

He who laughs last...

A building with books and no librarian is a materials storage warehouse,
it takes a librarian to make it a learning center (yes, I am willing to
agree that some library aides become self taught librarians--but let me
tell you, they are being cheated by their districts!).

mailbox:/g|/Program
Files/Netscape/Users/marions/mail/Inbox?id=199804301459.HAA11233@mx3.home.com&number=402625&part=1.10
--
Marion the Librarian
Montgomery Academy (6-8)
San Diego City Schools
marions@home.com
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Date:    Thu, 30 Apr 1998 09:01:47 -0500
From:    Denise Meyerink <MeyerinkD@CHS.K12.SD.US>
Subject: FW: library aide
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> ----------
> From:         Denise Meyerink
> Sent:         Wednesday, April 29, 1998 8:20 AM
> To:   'cvidor@cnct.com'
> Subject:      library aide
>
> Ms. Vidor,
> I was in the same position as the aide you were referring to in your
> post to LM_NET.  Four years ago I was hired as a middle school library
> aide.  The elementary librarian was suppose to over see me and teach
> the Media Skills class. For the first nine weeks she came over to
> teach the class for about 15 minutes and then she told me it would
> work better if she didn't come over anymore (she had discipline
> problems).  What makes this worse is the middle and high school
> libraries had been combined until that year so I also had to set up
> the library. Did I have previous experience? No, but I learned the
> hard way.  I read every library management book I could get my hands
> on but I still had no professional input into the best way to do
> things.  You are right that every school should have a professional
> librarian, BUT in many school systems that is not going to happen.  My
> entire school system has around 900 students in three separate
> schools, they cannot afford three certified librarians.  If I wasn't
> in the middle school students would suffer.  They would have a library
> that was open only a few hours a day.  Instead they have someone that
> loves books, libraries, and computers and is doing everything she can
> for them. And, yes, I do teach the media skills class. By not giving
> your support to all the aides out there you are hurting students.  We
> will do a professional job with or without your support.
> Thanks for letting me sound off!
> Denise Meyerink
> Chamberlain Middle School
> meyerinkd@chs.k12.sd.us
>

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