Community

["Anderson, Julie LHS-STAFF" <AndersonJ@ISSAQUAH.WEDNET.EDU>]

Dear Fellow LM_Netters,

I'm a long-time LM_Net member and I'm feeling uneasy about the atmosphere
lately.  I've been watching with growing apprehension as an increasing
number of our members feel they need to apologize for asking a question and
to appease those who have loudly demanded that the rest of us cease to
clutter mailboxes.  These postings sound as though the people are bracing
for a virtual slap for daring to ask for help.

Over the years, I've really enjoyed the sense of community here.  Many of us
are the only librarian in our building, me included.  LM_Net provides a
professional community I can learn from, contribute to, and draw strength
and inspiration from.  Lately, though, I've been logging on with mixed
feelings.  Today's requests for help were the proverbial straw which pushed
me to write.

How can we regain the sense of community I feel slipping away?  Please, no
flames.  I've been a part of other listservs as we struggled with this
issue.  In my experience, those whose atmosphere makes some of their members
feel unwelcome tend to fade away.  Perhaps that won't be the case with
LM_Net because our membership is so large.  But I'd hate to lose one member
of our community because some of us are intolerant, especially of newbies.

Thanks for listening,
Julie

Julie Anderson, Librarian
Liberty High School, a National Blue Ribbon School
Renton, WA
(425) 837-4901

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