LM_NET 12/01/98: No Subject

At home, I can access the LC for cataloguing information with very little
problem.  At the school's computers, however, I can only get to a screen
"Failed to initialize to ibm2.loc.gov"

The only reference I can find to "initializing" is the Macintosh version of
the PC "formatting"

Does anyone have any idea what that means or what I can do to solve it?

Thanks.

Earl
Earl Sande
Secondary School Librarian
International School of Tanganyika
Post Office Box 2651
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
(e-mail :  sandes@wilken-dsm.com)

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Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 23:15:09 +0300
From: sandes <sandes@WILKEN-DSM.COM>
Subject: Re: Cost of new Middle School Collection


I've seen this service listed in the Bro-Dart, Baker & Taylor, and Follett
catalogues, but, if I recall correctly, they ask you how much you can
spend.  Maybe they can come up with some figures, though.

In addition, I recommend that you have a serious discussion with your
administrators on what kind of library they want and what kind of support
they are willing to request for you.

So old figures that might help :  estimate a minimum of 15 titles per
student.  That's the recommendations from a late 60s report (I know, I
know, I'm showing my age!).  After that, the "quantity" approach changes to
a "quality/service/usage" one, something which many adminstrators can't
seem to figure out.

On the Bookwire page, the SLJ article on rising costs of library items is
quite wonderful, though, unfortunately, doesn't go far enough to analyze
some of the non-book things we have.  But, to be fair, that was not the
intent of the two authors.

Check your state's department of education for their standards.  Quite
often this is the real quantities and dollars that the administrators can
try to aim for.

However, a word of warning :  go for quality!!!!  Ask for more than you
think is possible and you raise the admin's level of awareness that
libraries do need to be supported.  A secret :  I always asked for twice
the amount that I figured on, the School Board always cut me back and I
always ended up with extra funds to get many of the "Things I sure would
like to get for the kids." Everyone came out feeling good about it. And,
second, avoid the "I can get it for less if I (a) buy paperbacks (b) use
the Salvation Army (c) get parents to donate (d) and on and on.  If you do
that, the admin. will think you can run a library for peanuts and you end
up selling popcorn (or peanuts, I guess) to raise funds to provide a
service that is essential to the school.

Yes - to avoid outrage - you can get paperbacks cheaper and the Salvation
Army does get some wonderful things, but this first year is ESSENTIAL to
your future.

Finally, the "teacher's order" -  be sure that this inevitable
order-through-the-library is separate from the library order.  Teachers do
have wonderful selections, but limited  time to examine the selection tools
for the WHOLE school.  You might have a $50,000 budget, but if the
librarian only gets to spend on a subscription to Booklist, you end up with
trouble.  The teachers WILL send the students to the library for
information that they never dreamed of ordering materials on.

Hope this helps.

Earl



Earl
Earl Sande
Secondary School Librarian
International School of Tanganyika
Post Office Box 2651
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
(e-mail :  sandes@wilken-dsm.com)

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From: sandes <sandes@WILKEN-DSM.COM>
Subject: Re: Author Query

No, another author tops that one : Anon.  followed closely by Ibid and Op
Cit (probably Greek or Roman authors, though)   :-)

Earl

At 09:43 AM 11/20/98 +0000, Lawton, Debbie wrote:
>ON behalf of myself and a visitor in the library today (this question is
>really for her):  Is it true that Isaac Asimov is the only author who
>has published a book  in every Dewey Decimal category?  Please respond
>directly to me.  I'll post a hit to the list when I get the answer.  TIA

Earl Sande
Secondary School Librarian
International School of Tanganyika
Post Office Box 2651
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
(e-mail :  sandes@wilken-dsm.com)

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