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I know I've read many of these kinds of posts on our listserv -- and have even responded to a few. However, I'm at the end of myself in figuring out what to do next, so I welcome any ideas -- or even telling me to get over it and keep doing what I know to do!! Here the situation: I'm in my 6th year at this high school. There are 1400+ kids, about 120 teachers/staff. My predecessor was here about 30 years -- quit long before he actually left -- and left a lot of teachers with bad feelings about library accessibility, services and resources. I've done all the things that I've read about, been taught, or layed awake thinking of. I do newsletters, email about new resources, signs, website (this is new), networking with teachers to find out what they're doing, offer to do backflips for their kids, etc., etc., etc. I should also say that we have laptop carts on every floor, one for each 6 classrooms or so. So -- My problem is getting my English teachers to use the library!! I know that they should be my primary users, but there are several who STILL think that they know everything about research that their kids need to be taught and that the research can be done either on the internet or individually by the students on their own time. If class time is given, I see students from these classes in small groups. I work with those kids, giving them the info about the databases and helping them find the info that seems to illude them otherwise. Almost every kid walks out of here having had his question answered/info found. My facility is small -- only able to hold one class at a time. I know that has frustrated some teachers when I've had scheduling conflicts. One of the reasons I find this so frustrating is that teachers in other subject areas think that students are learning to research in the English curriculum. They get frustrated when kids don't know how to approach a topic for another subject area and don't want to spend the time teaching them -- or allowing me to do so. Teachers who do use my "services" are pleased and say that the kids use the information I give them productively. But there are lots and lots of students who don't get the benefit of my expertise because the teachers don't/won't use me. When there have been scheduling conflicts, I've even taken "my show on the road" and worked with classes in their own rooms. At least we work through how they are going to approach the topic, even if we don't get to do it right then. This month, my usage is down by 10% from last year. I don't know what else to do or say. The department head is one of the "offenders," so going to her won't help. The principal won't mandate something like this ... Thanks for "listening." Any suggestions will be welcome. Cyndi ===== Cyndi Bowman, Librarian Owner of Cozie, WCCC Hutchinson High School (World's Cutest Chubby Hutchinson, KS Chihuahua) bowmanc@usd308.com library_cyndi@yahoo.com "Havin' more fun than the average bear ..." -------------------------------------------------------------------- All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/el-announce/ LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html --------------------------------------------------------------------