TARGET: LIBRARY STAFFING

[Diantha McBride <asmlibrary@REDESTB.ES>]

Dear Netters,


        I work in a single, private school with an enrollment of 618
students from ages 3-18 (pk-12).    We are not part of any district or
group that would provide any leadership, any centralized orders or
processing, any hardware or tech support, or in fact, support of any kind.
The Library is responsible for student instruction, all acquisitions &
technical processing, circulation of more than 2,000 items monthly ... all
the usual stuff.  Our total collection is about 40,000 items, including all
AV formats, books, periodicals, etc.   We are open from 8.30am-5pm five
days a week.   The library staff comes in two weeks before school opens &
two weeks after it closes.

        Our library serves all our students, about 85 teachers & other
staff members, any parents who care to come in (currently about 140 parents
are regular borrowers), alumni, retired teachers, "special friends," and
others (total about 50 more).

        The library staff consists of:

        1 professional librarian (me)
        2 paraprofessional assistants (both with Spanish library degrees)
        .5 AV Technician
        7 volunteers that equal 0.75 FTE workers
        7 student workers who  mostly work after school 4-5pm daily


        At one time we also had 1 other full time professional & 2 full
time clerks, but one librarian retired & wasn't replaced, &  the
administration eliminated both clerical positions saying that we were
"overstaffed."

        I continue to lobby for the reinstatement of at least one full time
clerk, but my efforts are not met with clapping of hands & smiles.

        I've just received INFORMATION POWER, which is no help.   The most
it will commit to is one full time professional with "sufficient support"
staff to offer whatever you want to offer.   Indeed, I've said that for
years that our curriculum (in the high school, IB, AP, regular, Spanish
Official Program & ESL)(lower school, regular, Spanish official, ESL) & the
diversity of our offerings demands more staff.

        I'd like to hear from you on staffing levels.  If you have a small
staff, do you have support at a district level or any kind of centralized
services that you do not do for yourself.   What are your hours?   What is
the student:library staff ratio in your school?


        ARE we overstaffed?

        I could go on.   But I won't.  Please let me hear from you.    I'd
appreciate some details of your school so I can put your staff into
perspective.  Do you offer special programs?    What are your hours?  Etc.
I'm particularly interested in overseas American or International schools,
k-12 schools, or private schools anywhere.

        And I need it yesterday.   No, no, really I need information as
soon as I can get it, as my adminstration has asked me (I asked them to ask
me) to prepare a report on INFORMATION POWER & to make comparisons to our
school & library.   So all you can offer is very welcome & helpful.

        Many thanks.

        Diantha








***************************
Diantha McBride, Head Librarian
*Library Media Center*
Apartado 80
28080 Madrid, Spain
American School of Madrid
Tel: (34-91) 740-1914
Fax: (34-91) 357-2678
Email: asmlibrary@redestb.es
***************************

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