Re: [LM_NET] SEC: Building the new high school without a library

[Lyn Grund <lcgrund@YAHOO.COM>]

Several thoughts are hitting me revolving around this discussion - starting with 
the link Paula posted last week about the Phil. school being planned without a 
library. I did indeed notice this immediately and thought "here we go." Because I 
think this is something that lurks in the backs of all of our minds, the fear that 
we will be found irrelevant. I feel like we are always fighting to have our efforts 
recognized and to get our resources used in a productive way. I am getting ready to 
write my monthly report, something that I get tired of doing but feel that it's the 
best way to have the admin. see what is actually going on in here and also to 
remind myself what I have done during the month. Constant self-evaluation.
   
  In my district, I can see this lack of understanding of libraries and information 
literacy happening at the lower grades. There are no librarians at our K-3 schools 
- I work with the library assistants there with varying results because I am not an 
administrator so I fall victim to the whims of the principals, and in reality the 
library assistants can do/not do whatever they please as long as the principal is 
happy. I try to be a proactive library advocate, but the reality is that my duties 
are here at the high school and that is where I put most of my energy - but even 
here, I feel like I'm losing the Google battle. One of our K-3 schools in 
particular seems to be replacing information literacy with canned programs and 
Internet sites. I was really impressed with 2 article links that were posted this 
week,  http://archives.cjr.org/year/02/5/lenger.asp and
  http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/26/opinion/26tenner.html?_r=1&oref=slogin and this 
got me on a roll - I ended up sending links to these articles out to the district. 
So far I have had no feedback from teachers.
   
  I also was struck with the comment that was made about less circulation in high 
schools. I know this is true, yet I feel that circulation statistics don't always 
reflect actual useage. More and more I pull carts of books. Everyone is in such a 
hurry that in order to get students to use books and to try to develop an 
appreciation for books as a resource, I have had to compromise and cut out the OPAC 
component (of course there are still students who will use it). So sometimes I 
check the books out to the teacher just to keep circulation statistics more 
accurate. Students use the copy machine to copy pages of the book rather than sit 
and take notes. And then some do actually check the book out - my small successes! 
I get such a sense of satisfaction when I hear a student say "this book has just 
what I'm looking for." I would think that having had a successful book experience 
would carry over to the next assignment but that doesn't happen. How can it when 
teachers loudly say "!
 kids
 don't use books anymore?" Then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that I can't 
seem to dispell even though I quickly say "that isn't so, at the moment there are 
200 books checked out." We are a small school, only 600 students. 
   
  I do think that the nature of the print collection has changed - in order to 
"sell" using books (in a climate where teachers don't necessarily require it and 
the research process is, at best, spotty) I feel that I have to weed, weed, weed 
and buy books that are appealing and not hundreds of pages of small print. I try to 
do this without compromising my standards for quality, but many times it means 
choosing titles that fall under grades 5-8 category. Of course, these also are 
excellent resources for our spec. ed. students and for poor readers. Also, I'm 
thinking more in terms of nonfiction. 
   
  It's difficult to teach that computers do not have to = Google. I "advertise" our 
database subscriptions and have made them as easy as possible to access and login. 
I have a Word document on everyone's desktops that provides each database, a short 
explanation of what kinds of information can be found, and any necessary login 
information. But without any support from teachers - who will, after I give a short 
introduction to resources appropriate for an assignment - send their kids off with 
the statement "ok, go login and start Googling."
   
  I remember those schools without walls. I was in one many years ago. They built 
it without walls and within 2 years had built partial walls - that helped with 
sight distractions, but the noise level was deafening.
   
  Rather than build schools without libraries, I feel that the library should be 
the hub of the school. Make it more accessible with its physical placement and 
accessibility. Enable "teachable moments." 
   
  I feel that I'm rambling and I'm sorry about that - I was in hibernation mode 
until the Phil. school situation followed by the 2 articles - and I thank LMNet for 
all of the input and thought-provoking posts that have gone into getting me out of 
the doldrums and back on the warpath. Until I get discouraged again.
   
  Lyn Grund, Librarian
  Middlesex High School
  Middlesex, NJ  lcgrund@yahoo.com 

                        
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