HIT: Administrators

["Lynn. Mitchell" <mitchell_l1@popmail.firn.edu>]

LM Netters,
Earlier this year I posted a question asking for suggestions of what to do
for the administrators at one of their meetings to highlight media programs
in our county.

Thanks to all of your suggestions.  They follow:

I suggest sugar cookies cut in the shape of books, be passing them out
while some one is giving the talk about how sweet the knowledge there is
to be found in books. Where would these administrators be without the
calories books added to their brain growth...This is off the top of my
head, I bet you all can come up with some other ideas too.
Good Luck! Pam
**************
Our county organization does this each year where we invite all the
principals to breakfast and present a 15 min. or so look at what we do.  One
year we did a fashion show and dressed appropriately to the different jobs
we do.  One year we did a slide presentation.  One year we did a video. (I
liked the video best!).

One of our best themes was the Loan Arranger and her faithful sidekick
Pronto.  Table decorations included black masks.

Basically we try to feed them, do our presentation, give them a small token
to remember us by, and get out.  We are thinking of awarding an "Oscar" next
year to the principal we think has done the most to support our programs.

Hope this helps.....

Beth
**************
Last spring I gave a presentation to our school board trying to show them
what we do.  After I got a lovely power point presentation done, Power Tools
for Library Media Specialists - 100 essential forms etc. arrived.  It came
with a CD which included an excellent power point presentation.  What makes
it so valuable is that you can use the parts you want and adapt it to your
needs.  Everyone should have this on their bookshelf.  I believe it is
available from ALA and you owe it to yourself to check it out.

I particularly like the screen that shows starbursts all over - each one
showing a different role that the media specialist carries out  -  including
"information goddess".

Jan
****************
Entertain them!  They attend boring meeting constantly.  Liven it up!

Sing a parody song detailing a day in the life of a librarian .. making it
funny and emphasizing the many hats we wear.  I wish I could think of one
...

Read them a chapter of a book with a real cliff hanger at the end.  Tell
them you'll read the rest if they increase the library budget.

Lunch of Green eggs and ham is obvious but can be a little more elegant if
presented in a California wrap

Or have an elegant afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches.  Yum!

Have a multimedia presentation - video, graphs, photos etc.  Show your
weekly breakdown of tasks (16 hours a week shelving,  10 hours of teaching
information literacy skills, 3 hours software/hardware troubleshooting,  1
hour to review books/purchase/catalogue etc,  2 hours of planning)  Ask
where their priorities are for a well run library and point out what they
can do to help achieve that goal (more clerical help, more reliable
technology)


My district manager has been trying for two years to get into one of those
meeting.  Maybe this year will be her lucky break.  Please post a hit!

geraldine
******************
You might find some ideas in an article on my web page; it's called
expectations and it's about principals.

Go to http://wms.luminet.net/teachers/manderso.html

Good luck---I think it's great that you are presenting to
administrators!!!!!!!!!

Mary Alice
*******************
Food always goes over well.  The librarian in my district did a
presentation for the School Board several years ago and ended with reading
"If you give a mouse a cookie" and then a library parody of the story.  We
gave them each a cookie in the shape of a mouse.  I don't know how they
perceived the presentation, but all commented on the cookies.

Karen
*******************
Having made the transition from building level LM to C.O. administrators
use food, but also consider pointing out how the LM program helps raise
test  scores.  I know this is a dirty word to us media folks, but the
administrative ranks are being pressed more and more in this arena.
Also focus on those skills used to deal with information don't use
information literacy.  Talk about Internet skills and people skills that
are learned in the library media center.  Hit the hot buttons!!!!

If you are going to ask for anything be VERY concrete about the program
and the services to kids.  As much as we would like to think folks care
about providing us more time to do things, you know this will not get
you anywhere.

What about some multimedia shows running independently around the room
or posters highlighting LM programs done during the year???

Congratulations on having such a great opportunity!

--
Joanne
*******************

Lynette (Lynn.) Mitchell
Media Specialist
Withlacoochee Technical Institute (WTI)
Citrus County Schools
1201 West Main Street
Inverness, FL 34450
352-726-2430, fax: 352-726-5842
email:
   work - mitchell_l1@firn.edu
   home- JoMomma5@aol.com

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