At 06:46 AM 9/17/2004 -0700, you wrote:
>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.
I CAN be very frustrating, I know. I inherited a somewhat similar
situation. One thing that I found worked well was attending department
meetings (if you have them, ask for time on the agenda....say 5 min.) Find
out what a couple of classes/teachers will be doing in a week or so (check
curriculum maps or syllabi, ask the teacher, ask the kids), then bring in
some examples of sources or a hand out listing them. Keep it short, keep
it sweet. Your meeting with them at lunch or on prep is a great way to
informally present yourself and the library (I couldn't do that since I was
always on duty.... no prep and we were open both lunches. I networked
before and after school and at faculty meetings.)
Don't just focus on English, though. Other debatements can make effective
use of the library. You may find a group of teachers in another department
who will become your 'regulars'.
You can also make the students your allies in this. I always tried to
mention somewhere during the conversation with a student, "If there are
others in your class who are working on this, let them know we have X, Y,
and Z that can help them with this." I got LOTS of 'referrals' this way,
and word spread. Several teachers mentioned that their students alerted
them to library resources for an assignment (though I, of course, had
mentioned these things to them as well!)
In the end, I thing for our own sanity we have to accept that there WILL be
people who will NOT use the library, no matter what you do. That does not
mean you cannot help their students after school, during lunch, on passes.
If use of the library is an evaluation issue, document times you spend with
students helping, and also keep a record of meetings you attend and
presentation you make to faculty. Save your scheduling sheets and sign up
logs, too. Print statistics from your circulation system, and keep these
from year to year. Make the point that 'library usage' can be measured by
more than just class visits.
Keep at it.....it takes time to change entrenched attitudes!
Good luck,
Mark
Mark Williams
Consulting Librarian
Professional Services for Conferences, Districts, Workshops
markwilliams@makaw.net
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