HIT: Opening/Closing Part 3...(final)

["Nadine R. Lipman" <CTlipz01@AOL.COM>]

Our superintendent has declared that we will be open the first day and
stay open until the last day.  I know that not everyone really follows
that.  There are ways of getting around it.  Oh, yes, we don't get any
extra days at either end of the school year.
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I'm curious about why the library should not be open the minute kids get
there and until the last one is gone.  I don't mean to offend you in any
way, but I do have a probelm understanding why some school librarians think
they need more "get ready" time than anyone else.  Before you blast me,
please understand that I had numerous years of experience as a school
librarian before my current job.  What would happen if the principal or
classroom teachers decided they could not have students the first day.  So
much money is invested in the library that I strongly believe it should be
open every hour schools and in session (and more, too).  I could make
numerous other points about this, but my point is made.
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Beginning of school year--How much time are you allotted to open your school
libraries prior to seeing classes?
     9 - (5 with just secretary and 4 with media specialists - we work
samecalendar as our teachers)  days during pre-planning
Biggest job during this time is getting new students names into automation
system so that they can have an ID card with PIN number by the first day of
school.
End of school year--How much time are you allotted without classes of any
kind?
3 days with teachers after students leave for the year.
When do books stop circulating to students and to staff?
1 week before school is out.
We do not close for student or teacher use ever if we are here. Things like
ordering, inventorying, etc. go on all year long.
All schools in Georgia have flexibly scheduled media centers by law.
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Grades 5-8 - at my school - I'm given about two weeks - not to everyone's
liking.  I've got student workers to select - takes a while - need info on
students -
it also takes time to work out my schedule with individual classes
at closing - usually around memorial day - we stay open for students but NO
circulation of materials for students - takes almost two weeks just to track
them down - besides , we've got to deal with the staff members also -
nedd to make phone calls to parents as well - time consuming too
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We open our library the day school opens; in fact, I am usually
seeing my first class at 9:10 on the first day of school.
At the end of the year, we are allotted two weeks for
inventory/closing procedures.  We still have to cover all of our
classes, but we are given 3-1/2 days of substitute coverage to help
us cover the classes.
I am in a K-6 elementary school with a fixed schedule.
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I am in a middle school with flex schedule so that will make a difference.  I
have 940 students and about 80 teachers.
I open the 1st day of school.  I have 11 days extended contract before school
so I can have materials processed, the library decorated, and calendars out
for sign up.
When school starts, I have one full time and one half time secretary.  That
makes it easy for me to begin teaching the first week.
I stop check outs  7 or 8 days before the last day and paper the halls with
overdue lists.
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In our district we get to work a week before school starts and a week
after school is over. We are expected to have classes start using
library the first day of school and have scheduled classes the last day
of school. Student Books are all due back in a week before school is
out. Teachers can checkout up to the last day.
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These policies are mine and supported by my principal.  I don't
open the library for the first three weeks of school.  Teachers are allowed
to use the materials as they are needed.  I often finish the inventory,
(this year I needed to finish the 700-999), I also have to enter all of the
new students and update returning students with their new locations.
        In the spring I close the library about a month or if it makes
sense 5 weeks before school is out.  This gives me the last few weeks to
get all the books back and on the shelf, to send bills for missing
materials, and to do inventory.  We have almost 12,000 volumes so this
takes quite a bit of time.
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Each of our 21 buildings do "their own thing"; almost.  Most of us have
several days at the beginning: Teachers(including LMS) reprort officially
on the day after Labor Day; kids on that Wed; we are open for staff
immediately since they begin to sign out equipment and materials asap; I
try not to open for kids until the following week just getting the data
updated, periodicals checked in and mail sorted and locating things that
someone moved over the summer is always.  In addition because I have a
homeoroom, I have additional stuff to do.  I have a library aide to
assist in library work.
The end of the year sometimes is more manageable; the Lms at different
grade levels get together and determines the last day for circulation
which is usually before local exams. then materials go out overnight
only.  We have to send letters home to ensure we have notified parents of
missing materials before  before we complete forms to withhold reprt
card.  We try to retireve everything before the end of the year because
we really can't withhold report cards.  Of course there should be
inventory etc and getting last minute orders out .Also I am assigned to
proctor exams just like other techers or supervise hall during exams so I
don't really have a lot of time.  And finally since often my kids are in
session longer than others I still have homerrom etc.  Hope this helps.
I have been advocating for years to work an extra week before school and
an extra week after school for during the summer and get paid but it is
not likely.
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I am in a Gr. 1-5 school of approx. 700 students and am on a
fixed schedule (I am a planning period for the teachers). Library classes
started on the first day of school this year, so the only prep time I had
was the two inservice days, which were of course filled with meetings. I
see six classes a day and have a 45 minute planning period. I have
automated circulation, which has really helped, but I AM the Tech support
for the building. I came in over the summer to get the rest of my
collection barcoded (using Alliance Plus) because the benefits were to me.
Last year, the only day we did not have "specials" was the very last day
of school, which is only a two hour day. My "librarian" duties get done
after school, in between times, etc. or on my own time. I stop book
circulation about 3-4 weeks before the end of school and start a video
which I show in segments. This gives me the time I need to put the shelves
in order and prepare for inventory. It's definitely not the ideal
situation, but it's the way it is for now.
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In TEXAS, I was usually allowed two weeks at each end of the year.  This
was requested by the Media Coordinator and negotiated by the librarian with
the principal at the building.  Sometimes I was allowed other closed
periods if there were pressing needs, such as barcoding the collection for
conversion to automation.
Getting teachers their AV equipment was a priority for the first week of
school, so teachers did come in to get that stuff just before school
opened.  I also allowed teachers to check out AV equipment and some
software if I was not inventorying it at that moment.
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Beginning of school year--How much time are you allotted to open your school
>libraries prior to seeing classes?  Whatever time the teachers are allowed
plus the first day of classes.  This year it would have been a day.What jobs
do you have to do in order to
>get it ready for the coming school year?Checking in summer mail, putting
away, checking in new materials and shelving, putting up any displays,
uncovering computers and putting paper in printers, setting up stand alone
computers with reference programs.  Scheduling 9th grade orientation. Is
your library opened to teachers
>during the time it is closed to students? yes. Is this something decided by
you
>or by the administration, and is each school in your district required to do
>the same thing? Decided in the bldg. and we have limited service during the
2 or 3 days we have done inservice. How many of you have tech help?District
does cataloging and processing, thank goodness.
>End of school year--How much time are you allotted without classes of any
>kind? Every year it get closer and closer to the 3 final days since we are
on computer and can do inventory during the year.  When do books stop
circulating to students and to staff? Staff never now.  Students hinge on
what the registrar does as we used to have to do sheets on every student
starting with the Srs. who leave a week earlier than rest of the students.
What jobs
>are necesssary for you to get done prior to the end of school including but
>not limited to purchase orders, inventory, tracking down lost books? All
the above, hold sheets and/or putting the info on the bookkeeper's computer
record so she can collect (maybe) when the students enroll. We try to get
the shelves in perfect order and take a Dewey list of items out, and check
the shelves for items that did not scan in so we can get them off the
students' records before hold slips are turned in. And we double check what
is turned in. If yearbooks are on time, we have been known to do hold sheets
for the sponsor, and/or write in lib. hold on her lists (but it clears up
some long overdue items).  During
>the time you are officially closed are you responsible for students in any
>way, including helping classes doing research or going on field trips or
just
>letting groups of classes utilize your library for parties or celebrations?
We supervise or help those who end of there.  We stress that we are taking
only those kiddos who have been sick and need to make up lib. work.  (but we
end up with constant traffic/)
> For those of you with added "snow" days, how do they affect your closing
>schedule? Moves it up one or two days if we don't use them. Any tech help?
I don't think so.
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In Georgia, school libraries are required to be open any time the students
are there, so we get prepared during pre-planning and are opening at hour
one day one, and we close the last minute of the last day.  We do cut off
circ. two weeks before school closes, but students still come in and do
research.
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it varies as to when I start classes.  I'm fixed with K-2, flex with 3-5,
with a 15 minute checkout each week for the 3-5.  This year, for the first
time, I started with my K-2s on the first day of school, and started the 3-5
checkout the 2nd week, and the flex schedule the 3rd week.  Last year I took
3 weeks to move into our new library.  It wasn't quite finished by the
beginning of the year, and I couldn't start moving in until partway through
the kids' first week back.
At the end of the year I close a week before school is out, to do inventory.
The books are usually due about a week before that.
I have a full time assistant, no volunteers.  This summer, for the first
time, I asked for and got 10 work days during the summer to catch up on all
of the stuff that I never have time for during the year.  I got 10 days of
comp time, to take whenever I want, in exchange for working 10 days.  Works
out well for me.
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Beginning of school year--How much time are you allotted to open your school
libraries prior to seeing classes?  My contract begins two weeks
before teachers return.
  What jobs do you have to do in order to get it ready for the coming
school year?  Update patron records, create and copy forms, enter
figures for new items ordered and received,  plan schedules and
lessons, decorate.
 Is your library opened to
teachers during the time it is closed to students?  NA
 Is this something decided by you or by the administration - by me
 and is each school in your district required to do the same thing?
no, but we are encouraged not to be closed to patrons after school
begins since we have time before school starts
 How many of you have tech help?  Right now, just one day a week.
Will soon have a full-time person.

End of school year--How much time are you allotted without classes of any
kind?  about 7 days
When do books stop circulating to students and to staff? to students,
about 7 days, to staff, last day of school.
  What jobs are necesssary for you to get done prior to the end of
school including but not limited to purchase orders, inventory,
tracking down lost books?  all of the above plus cleaning equipment,
determining needed repairs, helping plan summer staff development
During the time you are officially closed are you responsible for
students in any way, including helping classes doing research or
going on field trips or just letting groups of classes utilize your
library for parties or celebrations? I am not required to do any of
this but I often do allow last minute research and celebrations.
 For those of you with added "snow" days, how do they affect your
closing schedule?  We build snow days into our schedule, then take
off any unused ones.
  Any tech help? same as above.
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