Re: Gen: Opinions re school vs.public librarians

[Cynthia Bramson <cbramso@BGNET.BGSU.EDU>]

I agree that most professions do not realize the amount of unpaid time we
put in.  I worked two days over winter break to try to accomplish things I
never have a chance to do during the school day.

        We keep our high school library open 30 minutes before and after
school, but we felt we needed keep it open longer.  This school year we
started keeping our high school library open two evenings a week(6:30to
8:30PM). Our superintendent has been very supportive.  We hired someone
specifically to cover those hours.  This person has been a volunteer in
the school library for 16 years, so we were very fortunate to have her
expertise.

        We not only open it to our high school students, but also to
members of the community. We also offer access to our 14 computers.  They
are used not only for our On-line catalog and magazine databases, but also
for word processing, database, and spreadsheet programs. The response has
been positive. While we do not have large crowds,we have enough people to
warrant the continuation of this program. The superintendent funded this
for two months and has now continued it for the rest of the school year.

        We will be starting to offer Internet Access this month to
students and members of the community.  Our 14 computers will be attached
to a T-1 line. This will also increase our evening useage (the public
library has one).

        We have a good working relationship with the public library, there
are cooperative meetings and we also are working on a cooperative grant.
I've had a modem to connect to the public library for several years.  If
the students can't find what they need in our library then they try the
public library.

        Yesterday, the branch manager of our local library came over to
the high school and said to me that he came over to check out the
competition. We like to feel that we are both benefiting the members and
students of our community.

        Cindy Bramson (cbramso@bgnet.bgsu.edu)