Re: Public Libraries and School LIbraries

[Mary Anne Brenner <brenner@PTD.NET>]

Re:
(1) positive statements about what school library media programs and
professionals do and
(2) ways in which school and public library programs and professionals
are working together to help people.>>

We have two large high schools close to our public library branch which is
located beside a mall.  The students love to go there for social purposes as
well as for the library materials.  As a school librarian I try to let the
public librarians know about research projects (If I know ahead of time) so
they can limit the number of books students check out.  The public library
has excellent programs.  They also have public access to the Internet.

This fall our students (450 students were working on this project at one
time!) had a Presidential Unit to do.  I sent the public library the
teachers' requirements for the project, MLA bibliographic requirements and
the fact the students may want specific info from the Internet.

The staff at the public library knew that all those students couldn't access
the five terminials and helped by printing info for the students ahead of
time and were ready for the massive amount of students who went there. (The
public library charges per page for printouts from the Internet - students
needed to pay those charges.)  My students loved the service and were
introduced to a reference tool we are just beginning to use in our library.

Feedback from the staff at the public library was positive.  I think that
explaining to students special programs/services that the public library has
for their use and the way we purchase materials to support the curriculum
they have at school, will help the patrons see that we complement each other
with our services.


Mary Anne Brenner      Rather light a candle than complain about darkness.
brenner@ptd.net            Chinese Wisdom