Re: Community

[Cindy Dobrez <dobrez@NOVAGATE.COM>]

I think a community helps one another, and that intolerance can work both
ways.  I received numerous supportive replies to me personally last week
after I suggested that people let us know whether or not they've checked the
archives, do some basic research before asking for help, and--gasp--attempt
to read their own collections in addition to relying on LM_NET for all of
their reader's advisory.  Unfortunately, the people who agreed with those
sentiments--most very strongly--replied only to me, rather than to the list.
Those who disagreed replied to the whole list, which made it appear that
there was only disagreement to the request.

It was not my intent to make the general membership afraid to post
questions.  But I still think that our community would be better served if
professional librarians would at least let us know where they have looked
first for their answer.  In some cases, with a very specific question that
you know someone can quickly give you the answer to, that may not be
necessary or appropriate.  But to ask other busy professionals to just do
your job for you should not be tolerated.  Perhaps the broad, general
questions (I have to do a poetry unit, does anyone have any ideas?) doesn't
bother anyone else, and I can hit the delete key.  I wonder, though, if
because of the ease of posting a question, that some of us skip some of the
steps in the research process that we would ask our students to do before we
just give them the answer.

I think it is only fair if you are asking for a list of something (websites,
books on a theme, etc.) that you tell us what you've already found.  You're
much more likely to get people to fill in holes in your list than to have
them be willing to build it from scratch for you.  I don't have time to send
you every website I find useful for middle school, but if you give me a list
of what you already have, I would be glad to send a couple of suggestions to
add to your list.  If you've tried to start your list and just can't get a
handle on it, that's different.

I spend a lot of time reading my LM_NET messages when I get home at night
and I reply to as many people as possible when I feel I can be helpful.  I
enjoy being a part of the LM_NET community.  I think that some of the posts
today to which Julie referred in her message were not necessarily from
people hesitant to ask a question, but perhaps from some who were taking
shots at the suggestions from several of us for improving LM_NET.  Apologies
to anyone who truly is afraid to post to the group.  I'm sure that some
disagree with my points, but I know that there were others who agreed.  I'd
like to think that the tolerance that Julie was asking for is meant for all
of us whether you agree with our opinions or not.

Cindy Dobrez, Librarian
Harbor Lights School
West Ottawa Public Schools
Holland, MI 49424
dobrez@novagate.com

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