Re: Job cuts

["Rita Kaikow (Oceanside High School)" <K12OCKZR@VAXC.HOFSTRA.EDU>]

>FROM:  IN%"guusje@tenet.edu"
>DATE:  March 20 ,1994

>there's no union or civil service here for school librarians/teachers so
>perhaps I don't know what I'm talking about....but how can you be a
>librarian and not teach? even when I worked in public libraries (whihc I
>did for 15 years) I still "taught" people how to use the library, the card
>catalog., how to research a term paper etc.

You are quite right - All librarians I would hope would be willing to show
their patrons how to use available resources in their libraries.  As a matter
of fact, I once questioned a librarian in a Public Library as to why she had
not allowed students she was "helping" do the search themselves in order to
reinforce the process for future independent use by them.  By asking this I was
agreeing to the fact that I would hope that most librarians in Public Libraries
would be "teaching" patrons how to do searches correctly. I thought my
inquiry was done tactfully but she reacted quite stiffly and stated that it
was her job to do it for them.  How nice for them :-).But what if they are faced
with similar problems in the future and no one is there to do it for them?

We are all, school - public - university - special - etc. librarians, there for
them and to show them the way.  A motto that I have used  - We're not here to
do for you But show you how to do - expresses our goals succintly.

Let me clarify then.  In NYS, School Library Media Specialists have teaching
certification as well as certification as SLMS and are hired as part of the
teaching faculty.  And in some cases, they have additional administraative
certification which enables them to be part of the building supervisory staff.
The latter are not considered teaching faculty unless they include a certain
part of the day in teaching duties. Unfortunately, in NYS we have another
pressing issue that we have been trying unsuccessfully to overcome for years.
This being the fact that although school libraries are mandated in every
school, it is only on the secondary level that school library media specialists
are mandated.  This seems to be a contradiction in purposes.  For many years
districts had interpreted this to mean that it would be ok to staff elementary
school libraries with clerical staff only.  In my own district, this was the
case for many years.  Fortunately, the situation corrected itself and we have
seen a vast improvement in students' ability to function in our Library since
certified SLMS were placed in each of our elementary school libraries.

The difference between the "teaching" done by a certified school library media
specialist and a Civil Service Librarian is that the latter is not permitted to
do large group instruction which in a school environment is essential
preparation for activities that will require independent use of available
information.  The reality in a school enviroment, and the hoped goal, is that
all students need to be prepared to be lifelong users and seekers of resources
in many formats.  Another goal is to have them become as independent in the
information seeking process as is possible.  And to reach whatever level of
expertise they are capable of reaching.  How is this to be done on a one to one
basis and  succeed? The SLMS in cooperation with the classroom teacher orients
students to available resources and the mysteries of the library so they become
mysteries no more.  The SLMS then reinforces that which is introduced through
various methods of instruction and reinforcement: small group, large group, and
individual..  The Civil Service Librarian cannot.

In a school setting the existence of a Civil Service Librarian adds to the
erosion of the status of the Profession in terms of Professional Status.  They
are in limbo - neither fish nor fowl - They have no official representation
union wise.  Their salaries are much lower.  Their impact is diminished and so
might be that of their program and funding for same.  Who will suffer in the
end?  The profession as a whole and THE STUDENTS.

--
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                                       |              "A Puppy's Lament"
Rita Kaikow, Library Media Specialist  | The world is so big
Oceanside High School Library          |  And I am so small...
3160 Skillman Avenue                   |   Without you beside me
Oceanside, NY 11572                    |    I won't make it at all.
[Phone: 516/678-7534]                  |        **********
K12ockzr@VAXC.HOFSTRA.EDU              |               HAVE A HAPPY :-)
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