HIT: Advice for "newbies"

["Roberta J. Ponis" <rponis@JEFFCO.K12.CO.US>]

Dear Colleagues,

Many thanks to the following netters who responded to my query about
advice for new library information specialists:  T.K. Cassidy, Kathy
Lafferty, GenAnn Keller, Va.Martin, Judith Thomas,Frankie Anderson, Terry
Day, Randall Eckley, Dennis Wade, Beverly Barr, Bonnie Symansky, Diane
Mentzer, Janet Rawdon, Suby Wallace, Susan Inak, and Cheryl Stevens.  I
was gently reminded to check the archives which I did and found more
ideas. Decided to compile the contributions into a list I could
distribute to our ten new folks this fall prior to their orientation.
What follows is the collective wisdom of lm_netters.

"Getting Started" Ideas for New Library Information Specialists

Do Your People Homework (paying attention to this will produce the
biggest payoff in terms of success-some people think this is a book job
or a technology job or an organization job - it's not; it's a people job)

        1.a. Get to know the library staff - the educational assistant,
the technician, the secretary, volunteers, student assistants.  They have
the history of the library.  Take them to lunch or prepare lunch for
them.  Share with them your philosophy and dreams; ask them to help in
establishing goals and prioritites for the next school year.  Include
them as part of the team.
        1.b.  Get to know key school personnel - the princiapl, the
a.p.s, the deans, the financial secretary or principal's secretary
(whoever handles the bookkeeping) and the building engineer.  These folks
are important partners in the success of the library program.  Learn how
they like to receive info, what their various responsibilities are, and
critical deadlines that occur annually.  Are there certain traditions
that need to be honored?  Principal: schedule a meeting before students
arrive to discuss his/her vision of the library and your goals for the
year. Ask how often the principal wants to be updated and how. Ask who
will do your evaluation and based on what.  Financial secretary: ask
about the library budget - what has been allotted and what was the
process.  How many library accounts are there?  How to handle purchase
orders, petty cash needs. Make sure you know who pays for what.
        1.c.  Get to know the teaching staff - their info needs, their
teaching styles, their past use of the library and most importantly,
their curriculum units for fall semester.  Distribute a monthy calendar
for teachers to write in what particular units they'll be teaching.
(works better with elementary).  Find out if there are "sacred cows"
among the teaching staff, such as scheduling.  Avoid disturbing these in
your first year.  Share with the staff your vision of the library program
and what you can do with and for students.  Ask for a few minutes on the
first staff meeting agenda to share with them how you can be helpful to
them and their students.  Give them ideas about how to plan with you.  Go
to grade level or department meetings.  Visit the lounge.  Participate in
staff socials. Sign up for a committee.  Be seen and be approachable.  If
you are the one responsible for checking out equipment to teachers upon
their arrival, be sure you know where it is, know that it is working and
is ready for checkout.  Treat all teachers equitably and fairly, even the
unfriendly.  It is important that you are seen as an equal opportunity
service provider.
        1.d.  Get to know the students as quickly as possible. (easier to
do in elementary schools or small secondary schools)  Get class lists
from the office to update your computer circulation files.  Be open for
students on the first day.
        1.e.  Get to know the parent leadership in the school - PTA
members or business partners in the community.  Identify the movers and
shakers in your school community.

Do Your Facility Homework
        2.a.  Check out library space and its organization according to
use.  Know where everything is.  Make rearrangements. (this is where the
BE's cooperation is important).
        2.b.  Find all of the equipment and supplies.  Restock if necessary.
        2.c.  Check all of the OPACs and circ terminal.  Boot up library
system. Read manuals.  Find maintenance agreements and licenses.

Do Your Collection Homework
        3.a.  Handle the collection.  You need to know what's there.
        3.b.  Suggest waiting to do heavy weeding until after first year.
        3.c.  Determine if any orders have come in over the summer that
need processing.
        3.d.  Examine content standards, textbooks, curriculum units to
determine where logical integration of curriculum with information skills
occur.

Do Your Management Homework
        4.a.  Go through mail-sort by action needed or to be filed and
looked at later.  Put dates of meetings, etc. on master calendar.
        4.b.  Set goal(s) for year.
        4.c.  Work with staff on a calendar for student use of library.
        4.d.  Observe old rules for library use or establish new ones.
        4.e.  Review Library Services: Management guide for policies and
procedures on purchasing, copyright, challenged materials, budgeting,
aide allocation, etc.

Do Your Instruction Homework
        5.a.  Review the Information Literacy Guidelines and the template
for collaborative planning with teachers.
        5.b.  Determine how you will diagnose what students already know.

Last, but not Least
        6.a.  Be patient
        6.b.  Have fun


Roberta Ponis (not normally this verbose)
Coordinator,Library Services
Jefferson County Public Schools
Golden, Colorado
rponis@jeffco.k12.co.us.