LM_NET: Library Media Networking
I hesitate to jump into this discussion, since it's so controversial, but it
happens to be one about which I'm strongly opinionated, so please don't be
too harsh when you disagree with what I have to say. I do think that
librarians and ONLY librarians should be running libraries of any kind, but
at the same time, I don't blame those who are not certified for being in
their positions. I blame the administrations for not seeing "the light." I
wouldn't hesitate to help a library aide who asked me for assistance, yet I
see how encouraging the hiring of non-certified people doesn't help to
further OUR cause one bit. School administrators in particular should be
educated about how important it is to have certified librarians in each of
our schools.
I learned a lot from my mother's example, and I remember some stories she
told. Here's one that makes our point clearer: one day a student walked in
and, as we all know, they don't differentiate between the librarian and
anyone else who works in the library. He went right up to mom's assistant
(who, to my knowledge, had no formal education, at least not in library
studies) and asked, "Was Athena a Roman or a Greek goddess?" The woman
answered, "Roman, I think," and the student went on his merry way, satisfied
with that answer. Now, what's wrong with this picture? My mom was standing 20
feet away and he was not referred to her. Do we just give answers to students
or encourage them and show them how to look things up themselves? Point
number three is--it was the WRONG answer!! Result? Kid goes back to class and
when he gives the wrong answer in class or on a test and the teacher asks
where he got it he says, "it's the stupid librarian's fault." Teacher goes on
believing that the LIBRARIAN lead him astray. Don't like that example? Here's
one from my own memory. In my first library job I had two assistants. In that
particular district they're called "library coordinators." In the high school
they were assistants to the one and only librarian in the district (me). In
the other 6 district schools the lib. coordinators ran the libraries. I made
the mistake of saying to my coord. one day that they weren't actually
"librarians," and she told me that those women would be highly offended to
hear me say that. Tough cookies. I meant it in the purest sense of the word.
I was certified; they were not. Period. End of discussion. Anyway, I digress.
One day my coord. thought she shouldn't disturb me (all I was doing was
reading book reviews), so when I child came in with a question she
automatically lead him right to the encyclopedias (this was a school where
many teachers forbade the use of encyclopedias for certain research projects,
wanting the students to do more, in depth research at some beginning stages).
The question was, "When the mafia first formed (in Sicily), were they
considered criminals or not?" Well, fortunately for me, the student came back
the next day, told me about the encyclopedia and asked if there was anything
else he could search. I lead him to some timely reference material and he was
happy. Later he came back and had a great discussion with me about how each
source had given an opposite answer. Which, he wanted to know, was the right
one? This lead to a discussion about point of view and what to do when
sources don't agree (as well as the fact that some questions don't have right
or wrong answers). Had he not come back to me he might have just taken the
word of one source (not the one I would have started him with) and not
learned a valuable lesson about research.
This is where I have to take umbrage at Linda Peterson's statement that
"...just because someone holds the title of Library Clerk or Aide doesn't
mean they can't or shouldn't teach library skills." I'm sorry, but I
respectfully disagree. For one thing, most aides aren't paid nearly enough to
do the job of running a library, and for another, there's always going to be
the slight resentment on the part of librarians who went to school and worked
hard to learn all the intricacies of being a good, helpful, knowledgeable
librarian. It still bothers me that kids don't know the difference when they
walk into the library for help or when they tell me "the other librarian gave
me this," referring to my assistant. We're very lucky here--two of the three
of us have exceptional assistants (the third librarian is part-time and has
no assistant)--one is a certified teacher and the other holds a master's
degree in history (she's my assistant and she comes in very handy as my
background is in French). I've learned not to take things so seriously, so if
my assistant refers to herself as "assistant librarian" instead of "library
assistant," I don't get all bent out of shape. We're dear friends and I
wouldn't ever risk the wonderful working relationship we have. But she is
wise enough to know she's isn't me, and always tells kids (if she's covering
at lunch or during a day when I'm out) that they should always come back and
check with Miss Gerlock in case what she gave them is not sufficient. She's
the first to admit she's not a librarian and doesn't pretend to be.
There's no easy answer to this dilemma, but for those aides who are running
libraries, please expect that not all librarians are going to be comfortable
with this notion. I'm sure that you're doing a wonderful job, and if the kids
are benefitting, that's great. But if you're there just so your district can
save some money on salaries and/or benefits, then a disservice is being done
not just to you, but to all who work in your district.
Just MHO.....
Jody
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Jody Gerlock, Librarian, Upper School phone (609) 924-6700 ext. 241
Princeton Day School fax (609) 924-7278
P.O. Box 75, The Great Road email: Jody_Gerlock@pds.k12.nj.us
Princeton, NJ 08542
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