GEN: dollars and periodicals

[robie martin <robiem@vikingnet.net>]

My middle school currently has approx. 420 students and my library
budget is approximately $4500 per year for everything, books,
periodicals, software, supplies, furniture, etc.  I inherited a list of
yearly subscriptions which total $1,000.  The students vary RARELY look
at the magazines (I discontinued Seventeen and Thrasher because I felt
they were inappropriate).  Only 2 teachers do instruction on Reader's
Guide, and rarely do any of the teachers require magazine references for
research.

My question:  Doesn't it sound a little out of line to spend almost a
quarter of my budget on something so rarely used?  Or should I be
promoting the use of periodicals?  Does anyone have any thoughts on
this?  What do you spend on periodicals?

Thanks!

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Robie Martin, Librarian
Parsons Middle School
2719 Main
Parsons, KS 67357
robiem@vikingnet.net

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