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dear friends, my plea for help was answered by many of you, with words of support, web = sites, journal references, and wonderful philosphical arguments about the = need for librarians. i put together a packet of research appended to my = curriculum, along with a discussion of which parts of my job would not be = done if the library were turned over to two aides and occasional visits by = the high school librarian, which is the proposal made by my principal. i = gave him a copy of this packet, and with the high school librarian, = presented it to our superintendent. i circulated it among the faculty, = who then sent it on to board members. the position is on the agenda for = the next board meeting, and my principal mentioned that he is interviewing = 2 candidates for the position on monday. he said that the decision to = fill my position rests on whether he can find a =93qualified candidate=94 = (shouldn=92t be too tough, since last week a high school education = wasn=92t even required for the aides to take over for me). anyway, for those of you in similar circumstances of having a librarian = position cut in your district, here is my HIT: 1. http://www.ala.aast/SLMR/select_curry.html article from SLMQ, vol. 22, number 3 , spring 1994, =93the impact of = school library media centers on academic achievement=94 by keith curry = lance this is the =93colorado study=94 which is the major argument for our = existence, and prints out well. 2. Read Steven Krashen "The Power of Reading." It contains much = documentation to support the value of a school library and literacy of = students. = 3. With "standards mania" running rampant throughout the nation, it's = nice to have some reasons why other forms of judging educational = effectiveness are important. There's an excellent and important article in = this month's (March 99) Educational Leadership on "Why Standardized Tests = Don't Measure Educational Quality." The full text is also at: <http://www.= ascd.org/pubs/el/mar99/extpopham.html> = 4. Check the website of the Library Research Service based here at the CO = State Library. There are pointers to several such items, including the = most comprehensive, the so-called "Impact Study" of libraries on student achievement. It can be found at http://www.lrs.org. There, go into the 'school library' link, and into the information on the Impact study. If your contacts bawk at the date it was completed, let them = know we are in the process of compiling current data from CO, AK, and PA = which will be ready this fall. Also check out the Fast Facts link for school-related items, especially including #141, which looked at links between our state student 4th grade reading scores and library programs. Also there is #126 from 1997 that compared 11 western states to national = data available. It shows such things as highs and lows in staffing and = budget, etc. Kansas is included in those compared. 5. If you want evidence, look at what California did, the results, and is = now trying to repair! We were once the envy of the nation in education, = but duing our recession, libraries (resource budgets and personnel) were = cut to the bare minimums in most schools. As far as student reading skills = go, we are now at the bottom of the barrel (49th out of 50, if my memory = is correct) and the majority of our college-bound seniors need remedial = classes in English and math. . . I have been consulted by another school = in my district which closed its library several years ago. The collection = was boxed when the room needed to be utilized for classroom space. Now new = funding is available to restablish the library and a new principal is = pushing for that to happen - but, what a mess the old library was! The = collection was pathetic - most was so old it needed to be discarded - wasn'= t worth barcoding! But what to reorder? Since everything was in boxes, it = was hard to really evaluate what was "missing." Much easier when the = items are shelved in proper order and you can compare to a good catalog sou= rce in Dewey order and compare. I didn't take the consulting job, but the = person who did (a retired credentialed librarian) called me and consulted = me frequently about the confusing automation questions listed in the = vendor catalogs (processing questions)! She was greatly relieved when she = completed her task! Unfortunately, most people don't realize what they'= re missing when they eliminate a good library program. They only see (and = wonder at) the disasterous results as the years go by - the kids can't = read, don't want to read, can't do proper research, etc. Yes, I'm = simplifying things a bit, but the reality is that students who learn to = love to read (and a good library is essential) generally excell at the = rest of their studies, and in many other related life-skills. If you can't = read, you can't follow directions to do anything else! I hope this gives = you some fuel for your fight! = Thanks to all of you. I=92m hoping for the best as I head to the Beekman = Elementary School in Poughquag, NY. Kathy Adin, LMS Wellsville Elementary School Wellsville KS Kathy.Adin@usd289.k12.ks.us = "Wherever you go, there you are." Buckaroo Banzai =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-= All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law. To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST 3) SET LM_NET MAIL * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv For LM_NET Help & Archives see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=