Suggestions for New Media Specialists

[Margie Fronk <mehcf@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>]

These suggestions are written in the form of an acrostic. I hope you can
follow along in e-mail format.

How to Survive the First Week in a Media Center:
Advice to Media Specialists

        Suggestions for surviving the first week in a new media center are found
below. These suggestions were gathered from postings on LM_NET, journal
articles, and advice from current media specialists. Be positive and
helpful is the message to remember.



Be sincere in greeting your new colleagues, both faculty and staff.
Equipment inventory-determine condition of equipment, decide if its
location allows
        adequate access for anticipated frequency of use. Know what’s available.




Plan your ideal program. Incorporate your personal strengths to decide the
        direction of your media program. Consider what you’ll cover with students,
        the help you’ll offer staff, and how you’ll incorporate your school’s
missions
        and goals.
Online policies-Determine if an Acceptable Use Policy is already in effect
at your school
        or if one needs to be implemented. Be aware of pros and cons of filtering
software
        and the school’s position on that issue.
Survey faculty members and your principal as to their needs, opinions, and
wishes of the   Media Center. A brief checklist would make this a quick and
painless task and give  you a starting point to be efficient in determining
how to plan for a successful year.
Initiate planning sessions with teachers or subject areas to determine how
the media
        center can be useful and how you can provide assistance.
Take time to learn names of teachers and staff of your school.
Impressions count. Be visible, be positive, be productive and be sure to
introduce yourself      to the custodians.
Visit teachers in their classrooms to become more familiar to them and
needs they might
        have which relate to the media center.
Effectively communicate your desire to help faculty and students to have a
productive and
        successful year. Enjoy your students by sharing your love of books and
        technology.





Assess the layout of the media center facility. Determine if the location
of furniture and
        utilization of space allows efficient traffic flow.
Needs assessment-Determine what needs to be done: items needed to be
purchased,
        weeding needing to be done, books needing processing, money needed to
        accomplish goals
Discover what procedures are already being used: checkout policies, overdue
books, lost     books, scheduling. A policies and procedures manual may be
helpful. Find out if
        one exists or plan to implement one.



Help teachers locate information and equipment in a timely manner.
Exhibit professionalism in all you do.
Learn about daily start up and shut down procedures. A checklist may be in
place
        already or you may want to create one.
Prioritize your tasks. Practice time management to make every moment count.
Flexibility is the key word for media specialists. Numerous activities may
be happening
        which may need your attention or may divert your attention from matters at
hand.
Utilize volunteers to help in the media center. Be prepared, professional,
and friendly.
Learn new technologies as they become available to present to the faculty.

Margie Fronk
Media Specialist
Lake Mary High School
Lake Mary, FL 32746
mehcf@worldnet.att

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