LM_NET: Library Media Networking
LM-Netters,
Thanks to all who responded to my query regarding computer lab
supervisors. I have been asked to post a HIT of the responses. This is
a lengthy list, requiring two parts.
The business teacher and myself are in charge of the lab or I should say
we both watch it and I schedule classes. But students can not use it
without direct teacher supervision and that is not us. A classroom
teacher or a
teacher on a free hour most monitor the class. Although teachers on
free period RARELY do it.
I am in a large elem. school w/ 1000 students. The computer lab joins
the media center but there is no glass for viewing. It is manned by a
young
man who is a recent college grad, not certified. He is receiving aids
pay
currently. I think that is typical in my very large district (about 110
schools, Greenville Co., SC). Some schools have no paid lab assistant.
The trend is definitely toward a paid assistant in our area but I don't
believe many receive more than aide pay currently. He teaches all
classes but the teacher is to stay with her class and to give him input
on what she wants her class to do. He also spends his free time(not
much)helping with computer/printer problems in classrooms. This has been
a tremendous help to me as I was very depressed last year with the
expectation that I could do my regular work plus run to classes and
troubleshoot. I have a full time clerk who is excellent. I don't know
how you can get everything done with no clerk. I am involved with a lot
of
extra technology related projects and this would be impossible with out
the excellent help I am receiving.
So much of whar you're asking depends upon your existing situation.
First of all, you set the policy for your center. That is a very real
part of the ownership of the job. Providing services and surviving
ain't easy! Nothing can pull your time like a kid determined to show
off and taking it out on your computers. If you can have someone in
the lab, I don't think it matters whether they are certified or not as
long as they can do the job. Our computers are numbered and the
students have to sign where they are seated. If there are any problems
we can go right to the source. We are open before school, during lunch
and after school. Two librarians and a clerk man the ship. Our
AV is separate but accessible. If we really start to rock and roll we
can pull the clerk from there to help us. Rarely do we do this.
Hope this helps.
I am the library media specialist at Oak Creek High School (a suburban,
grade 9-12 school, population 1,400+, located just south of the city of
Milwaukee). We have a 30-station computer lab in our IMC, along with
about 20 other computers used as standalones for research databases,
CD-ROM use, and online catalog stations. Our computer lab supervisor
works every day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. She occasionally works on a
Thursday night for a special parent career program; she can then leave
early or come in late to make up from her additional evening time. Here
are the answers to
your questions:
1. Our computer supervisor is noncertified. She has just a high school
education. Her computer experience is self-taught, but she is very
proficient and very competent.
2. Her salary is in the $9-$10 per hour range, negotiated with our
Director of curriculum and Instruction.
3. She does NOT have to keep the lab open beyond the school day (7:45
a.m. to 3 p.m.), however, we officially open at 7:30 a.m. and close at
3:30 p.m. Our lab supervisor is overzealous and often lets students
stay until 5 p.m. or later. I am not her immediate supervisor, but I
have strongly encouraged her to stay with the official hours. I am
afraid she will burn out soon and the students will start to take
advantage of her. In addition, I already have faculty members who are
not happy when the IMC is not open as long as they want it to be. This
is our first year with this computer lab supervisor position, so every
experience is new to us and we will have to learn from this year as we
plan and adjust for next year. She doe NOT get paid overtime for any
extra hours she puts in, so I doubt that this will continue
indefinitely.
4. The supervisor is expected to work with both students and faculty on
any and all computer problems they may have. This includes word
processing, use of internet, research using CD-ROMs which have been
networked, print shop, etc. She reports to our Technology Coordinator,
so he takes over where she may need assistance. She is very willing to
learn and goes out of her way to help everyone. She will learn new
programs and teach them to both faculty and students. I find her quite
competent even though we both know we both still have a lot to learn
about computers, the Internet, new programs, etc. The one thing she
does not like to do and does not to as I would like is discipline the
students. I seem to handle most problems in this area.
I'm out of time. I hope this information will be helpful to you.
I have a lab with 15 MACs adjacent to the media center, but I cannot
visually supervise it from the media center. We schedule the lab for
teachers who want to bring classes to search the Internet, do word
processing, or use other software relating to their classes. Our rule
is that the teacher must be with the students when they are in the lab.
We
do not allow students in the lab unless they are in a class. Individual
students may use computers in the media center for Internet, word
processing, SIRS, NewsBank, EBSCOHost, etc. This system works well for
us. I have only one media assistant and no student assistants. I keep
the lab going--troubleshoot the printers, etc., but I just don't have
time for supervising students in the lab. I do instruct classes when
requested by the teacher. We have requested a computer technologist for
years, but I don't think we will ever get this position. The 15 high
schools in
the system share one computer technologist to assist us; we get his
services
about 1/2 day every other week. That is not much help. Good luck.
I am in my third year as LMS at a grade 5-8 school with 1039 students in
a growing suburb of Des Moines, IA. Previously, there was for many
years only one LMS for the district, with an associate in each building.
The
LMS did not spend much time anywhere but the HS for many years. Five
years ago a second elem. was built and a LMS was hired to be shared
between the 2 elem. Then I was hired, working with an associate who had
run the Middle School LMC for 5 years, with some help from the HS LMS.
She is
good with computers, and we try to share much of the daily work of the
LMC and attached, 10-computer lab. She has no college training, but is
intuitively a good teacher and is a leader in the building. She gets
library associate pay, a little more than the rest of the associates,
but still not much--maybe $8/hour? We do have the lab open before and
after school, but only regulare teachers' hours--7:45-3:45, while school
runs from 8:00-2:55.
Rita Legan, Library Media Specialist
Bolivar High School email:
leganri@bolivar-r1.k12.mo.us
1401 N. Pomme de Terre Ave.
Bolivar, MO 65613
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