Re: Community

["J. Kimball" <jakimball@MINDSPRING.COM>]

On October 4 Julie Anderson wrote:

>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

I agree with Julie.  The atmosphere in which we share our thoughts matters.

As a non-newbie, one year into retirement, I too fear that new people, and
just plain busy people in the field might stop asking questions if we put
limits on what they can ask.  I really love this community, and find that I
can remain current and help, especially in recommending K-5 authors and
books. Others are knowing in technology (I think of Joyce Conklin, and
several others) or teaching techniques (Patty Melville comes to mind) or
copyright (Carol Simpson).......Let's not stifle the questioners. Let's
give them techniques for asking, but no way should we put down needy
colleagues.  We'll give them the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe a librarian
came to the profession after extensive work in technology or cataloging but
little experience in literature, or vice versa.  Maybe they know science
reference through and through but not humanities.  How can we pass
judgement?

If anyone wants ideas for book orders on particular topics K-5 they can
write the net or write me directly. No question too trivial. (By the way, I
have no vendor or publisher affiliations except that I write reviews for
Linworth Publishing's Library Talk.)

Joan Kimball

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