HIT: check-outs by staff

[Linda Slacum <lindas@DELANET.COM>]

Below is an abbreviated list of the replies I received to my query.
Obviously, you must maintain a sense of humor regarding this library
business.  Some mentioned torture or abuse for the offending teacher.
Take it with a grain of salt!

My problem used to be really bad too before I started amputating
fingers when I found out that they had something without signing it
out.  Since I started doing the amputations things have really gotten
better!! One thing that I think may have helped but you've probably
tried it is.... When we've done the inventory and gotten a print-out on
what's missing... we type up a complete list of the titles missing by
type of book or type of item and send a copy to everyone in the building
saying these things are missing and to please keep your eyes open for
them.  I think when I first started doing this they were shocked at the
pages of missing items....this might have helped out in the area of
guilt!!!

Well, I don't have an answer for you, but it made me feel better that I
was not alone in this problem. When I was in the schools before getting
this job, I had the same thing and the teachers didn't seem to
understand why that was a problem. It is one of those touchy situations
when you don't want to tick anyone off over the issue, but it would be
nice if they could see the impact. I bet if you get any good responses
on this, the rest of the listserv would like to hear them...I imagine
this happens all over.

Take one out and shoot him/her and the rest will fall in line?
Honestly, I don't know what else to suggest, you are doing everything
possible.  Could you keep some sort of talley of the time wasted (yours
and staff) searching for materials that later turn up in some teacher's
stash (maybe one of those thermometer graphs) and bring it to staff
meetings to shame them into behaving?

I have some problem with this as well. Isn't it ironic that if we
were to walk into their room, help ourselves to their supplies and
"borrow" them without asking, without leaving a note, they would
undoubtably be livid! I guess it has something to do with the fact that
we "borrow" things from a library, so if we're honest, it shouldn't
matter. But if we're REALLY honest, then we should follow the same rule
and courtesy we expect of everyone else (especially students, for whom
we are an example!!!).

I have some teachers like that.  They just don't give a damn.
It's too much trouble for them to check out a book for themselves
or even to wait while I check it out for them, so they take them.
You might try this:
Teachers pick out whatever they want, leave it in a pile on
your desk with a post-it note on top of the pile with their
name.  YOU check out the books for them and bring the pile
to their room within the hour.
The other  alternative is to get really mean and start locking
the library every time you leave, even if it is for a few minutes.  This
will solve your materials problem, but I guarantee that when you go back
to the open door policy, the behavior will be exactly the same.
There is another possibility--every single time somebody
wants something and it isn't traceable because it's been
taken without being checked out, you calmly give your little
sermonette about how people take things without checking them
out so this is what happens.  Then shrug your shoulders and
DO NOT--REPEAT DO NOT go running around the school to try
to find the material.  Even this will probably not work.

It's just possible that if 90 percent of the materials on
several units disappeared THAT might drive home the point to
the administration and get THEM on your side.

Good luck.  I really sympathize with your frustration.  I have
a few teachers who are incorrigible and they drive me nuts.


I, too, have run around half the day trying to locate a video
or laser disk that someone "borrowed".  I, too, am tired of..." I took
these but I'm honest and returned them". It didn't help when I was
looking for the health film on CPR that the same teacher has used for 3
years. She assumed it would be available and came in a few days ahead of
time.  With all the complaining by these teachers, they have now decided
that in order to protect their "special films" they will just take them
and keep them for themselves so the films won't be missing when they
need them.  It's become a vicious circle, as they say.

  I think you should put in your next memo some of the things you
put into your LM_NET posting - especially the part about how frustrating
it is to believe the book is on the shelf and then find that it is not.
As media specialists we want to help the teachers and we want to be able
to give them that book or video, etc. that they want.

  I think you should put in your next memo some of the things you
put into your LM_NET posting - especially the part about how frustrating
it is to believe the book is on the shelf and then find that it is not.
As media specialists we want to help the teachers and we want to be able
to give them that book or video, etc. that they want.

I just thought of this...maybe we should try a little bit of deception.
I think I will explain what weeding is, that I remove and dispose of
items from the shelf that are not checked out that much.  I'll tell them
that if something isn't useful, it is taking up space that could be used
by some other more 'useful' item.  In other words, the reason I need
them to check it out is not that I don't trust them, but that I need to
justify keeping the item on my inventory which shows that it has been
checked out at least once each year.  They are doing us all a favor by
actually having it checked out!  Think it will work?

The point--the final point--is not that these people are acting, and
choosing to act, with gross negligence, disrespect, and a flagrant lack
of decency or consideration.  The point is not that we might punish or
restrict them.  The point is not that the actions you have described
represent cumulative acts of betrayal, and of terrorism, inasmuch as
they implicitly undermine and void our ability to trust to share our
finite and limited resources.
The point, finally, is that these people, people in positions of
proferred power and authority, people who have been honored with the
title, teacher, are modeling such irresponsible behaviors to/for the
kids--AND (duh) THESE PEOPLE ARE SOME OF THE MOST CRITICALLY INFLUENTIAL
MODELS THESE KIDS HAVE.
And will EVER have.For, who else?
The question we teachers should have the courage and the obligation
to ask ourselves, then, is, if/when the children left to our charge fail
in society, who shares responsibility for that failure?  Who owns it?
Who is it that chooses OUR behaviors, if not us?
Help them, Linda; remind them, please, and do not cease to remind them
that--like it or not, they are TEACHERS.


--
ls
    *************************************
Linda Slacum, Library Media Specialist, KidsConnect Volunteer
http://www.ccps.org/ccps/chms/home/home.html
http://www.ccps.org/ccps/ccemo/home/home.html
Cherry Hill Middle School               2535 Singerly Road,  Elkton, MD  21921
lslacum@ccps.org  (SCHOOL)              lindas@delanet.com  (HOME)
     *************************************

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