LM_NET: Library Media Networking
rom owner-lm_net@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU Mon Apr 13 12:25:02 1998
Did anyone watch the portion of _60 Minutes_ last night when the announcer
talked about data? It was really eye opening. It was also a treat seeing
the Library of Congress. Would love to hear your comments about the
debate between print and nonprint sources.
Kandy Korach
korach@typhoon.coedu.usf.edu
Graduate Student
University of South Florida
Library and Information Science
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Subject: Library position
Susan Choi's message on library positions has encouraged me to write. She
wrote: The Maori of New Zealand have a saying, "Let others praise your
virtues." I want to tell you how this worked for me.
In September I took a position in a small affluent community. I was
hired the day before school began. My job is a full time position equally
split between 2 schools grades 4-6. On orientation day the other
librarians in the district introduced themselves and were extremely kind; we
discussed district meetings, etc. But the word was: "You won't be stuck
there forever, a few of us are will be retiring soon." That day I also met
with various union reps who informed me that this was the worst job in the
district; literally "the job from Hell'. At noon time I went to the faculty
orientation at one of the schools but obviously missed all the pertinent
school specific information that was being disseminated at the other school.
It was 4:30 before I even had an opportunity to meet my other principal and
to see what my other library looked like. The next day I would be assigned
there and begin to cover classes--7 were scheduled. I thought it might be
nice to get a feel for the school and see what I had to work with. When I
arrived, the principal took me up to the 3rd floor (a very old building) to
the library. It will take a long time for me to forget the shock of
entering that library.
Entering a prison library, I'm sure, would have been more inspiring.
There were boxes all over, bulletin boards that appeared to have been up for
several years, computers (remember TI 99s?) around the perimeter of one
portion of the library, tables and chairs in that section of the library
that must have lingered from the days when the school had a Kindergarten.
Clearly no student in grades 4-6 could have comfortably sat there. I stood
in that library for quite a while and thought "Where do I begin?" I have
been a school librarian for 7 years and an elementary school teacher for
several years prior to being a librarian. I can't remember ever having felt
so daunted about a position. My first thought was, " Where do I begin; how
can I ever make this inviting to students when I'm not sure I want to be
here?" I could go on and on but here is my point for today's topic.
My saving grace has been parents. I have 20 volunteers; their role is
to assist me but also to serve as my mouthpieces. I have a fantastic
library volunteer coordinator. She has lined up volunteers who come in for
half a day at a time every other week. The library is covered every day.
She has library savvy and has been willing
to train them and keep them on tasks when I'm not there. I dragged my
husband in the following Saturday. We rearranged all the furniture, got rid
of the old computers, opened up space. I got a parent to help with changing
the bulletin boards on a monthly basis. I have informed every volunteer of
the additional hours I put in order to service their students. The parents
are there when I teach classes; they believe their children have never
gotten so much meaningful library instruction. But mostly they have gotten
a taste of what the job requires and they are shocked and appalled. They
realize the impossibility of the task and think I am superwoman. No one
dares complain about anything I do--because these parents see what I have to
put up with and they can't believe I am so good natured about it.
Consequently, without my asking, they have written letters to the
editor of the local newspaper, gone to the principals and the
superintendent, appeared at the budgetary meetings of the school committee,
and started a phone chain to encourage parents to sign a petition to hire
another full-time librarian at this level. The school librarians as a body
(there are 5) had made a power point presentation to the school committee
members the summer before I arrived which also helped to lay the
groundwork. There are of course many other factors that have entered into
the position. But I believe it was the voice of the parents--the
taxpayers--that finally moved the school committee to approve a budget that
included an additional
library position.
So while communities around us are cutting library positions, this
district has budgeted for another librarian and I believe that a major part
of it was the voice of the parents. I constantly, but subtly, let them know
how much time and effort I was putting into the library--I was always there!
I made a point of knowing the students, of making an effort to integrate
library instruction with classroom instruction, attending school
functions,etc. Because I had so many volunteers the word about all that was
being done in the library spread quickly. They could see the results--in
the appearance of the library, in the increased enthusiasm the students'
demonstrated, in the fact that the library is in constant use now.
It hasn't always been fun but my last job taught me the importance of
good PR and that's where the parents came in to play. I can't remember
ever being so highly praised. Of course now I have to
work at topping this next year but a little boost to my ego is that both
schools are begging me to 'please choose their school'. The budget still
has to be approved by the town and there is still a chance that the position
will not fly but the necessity of another position is clearly out there
and the parents are not going to let this die.
Phyllis Humphrey, Librarian
East Greenwich District
humphrej@egr.uri.edu
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