Hit on Mary's Hit

[Susan Fulmer <Susan_F@TRECA.ORG>]

>>
>     I agree with everything you said. I often read comments and would like
>to reply or comment but given the lack of privacy on e-mail lists, I
usually
>don't say anything.
>     I could go on and on with examples of what happens when the principal
>does not support the library. He has told me the library is not a priority.
>He has done his best to diminish or ignore anything relating to the
>library.As a new principal of a school that was recognized nationally, he
had
>a hard act to follow. He has done so much harm to the school; it is not at
>all the way he found it when he came here 3 years ago. We out that he has a
>terrible reputation. In his former school he was called the anti-Christ of
>education.  So now we know what connections can do for someone.
>All but 6 staff members have left since he arrived. I know he would like
the
>rest of us who are not yes people to leave as well.
>     Lately, he has informed me that all classrooms on the 2nd floor will
be
>air conditioned; all except the library.  When I asked if I could attend
>department meetings to tell staff what the library has to offer, he told me
>no. The teachers should know that already.  I send out a monthly flyer to
all
>teachers reminding them of the activities and services the library has to
>offer. So they at least have that and my personal invitations. However, I
>know that with support, we could do so much more.
>     By the way, I have a plan. I will be going to another school where I
>know I get support.  It's just a matter of time.
>    Ahhh. Thanks for letting me vent. Excuse any errors, I'm at work and
must
>do this in a hurry. I also hope you understand why I am not signing my
name.
>I hope you post a hit. Thanks\


> ... Another point is that your principal can make you/your program or
>break it.  Does anyone have any comments on this topic?

Susan,
        Guess I missed the original hit.  The sad fact is too many
administrators do exert exactly that much power, without having the
training or  understanding to know, or the professional discipline to LEARN
(ironic, eh?) the damage they do to their own education programs.
        I express it in the following ways:

        With libraries, what is happening routinely, at present, compares
to individuals whose only experience with food is in eating it, being the
ones to decide what, if anything, is to be prepared, served, and stored,
and what budget is available for this miracle to occur.  Under such
conditions, those being served should be surprised and elated to get beans.

        When ground beef is achieved by simply processing an entire cow
through a meat grinder, those who imagine or define libraries, simply, as
rooms filled with books, may have a point.

        Those who try to sell themselves and others on the idea that we may
have
education without professionally managed and maintained library media
programs compare with those who mow their weeds and call the results a
manicured lawn.
        Let THEM roll in it a while, before relegating the kids to it.
        Who knows--maybe thistle teach 'em?

        Imagine if the train engineer were expected to not only engineer
the train's progress down the track, to include scrounging for fuel, but
actually left to secure permissions; construct bridges; smooth out
areas--both physical and political--and in many cases to also actually
build the track onto which the train might run.  Imagine that engineer
being ordered around by practically everyone, on or off the train, as to
the train's size, shape, scope, speed, scenery, cargo and destinations.
Imagine the engineer being expected to chug toward each destination with
ever faster speed, while concurrently pursuing all those other diverse
destinations and expectations.
        Think the passengers and the gawkers would succeed in achieving
each of their dictates?  Think their train would experience much actual
forward locomotion?  (And while it did, quite miraculously, achieve many or
most of these goals--through the fantastic interventions of that
engineer/magician--might these know to appreciate the benefits they had
received?)
        Think the engineer would be at FAULT for such circumstances?
        Now, imagine library professionals.
        How does it serve the interests of the untrained to dismiss these
as mere whistleblowers... ?

        Some days doors are not needed to hold out the cold or the heat.
But it is the fool which discards his/her doors on such a day, only to need
and not have them, later.
        Likewise, it is the fool which abandons or destroys his/her library
on Tuesday, only to recall its necessity on Monday, next.

        The "leader" who elects to thwart the honest efforts of the
"follower," who is endeavoring to freely offer help, is as the misguided
police officer who detains, tickets and/or arrests the firefighter for
running a red light on the way to battle a fire at the police station.
        Nor does it give the fire fighting professional solace to watch the
place burn.
        Abuse of one's proffered power and authority is abuse of
oneself--and one's station.

        The argument "I don't go to the library, therefore I don't benefit
from the library, therefore I don't need a library," is as reasonable as
the argument which suggests "I don't go to the water treatment plant... ."

        Observably, those who fail to honor and support libraries openly
announce their ignorance of the purpose and the essence of libraries; or
they announce that they believe they (at least) possess enough resources to
squander and WASTE.  Those who lack the simple vision that sharing is
essential lack the basic credibility required of any who earn, deserve, and
retain the public trust.  Thus, they naturally weed themselves.
        No problem.

        The rationale which sees any ESSENTIAL program nevertheless being
cut, simply because it is oxymoronically misperceived as being "less
essential," compares with the notion that cherries may be rationally
eliminated from the planet because, after all, the ratio of seeds to fruit
is less favorable than that of an apple or an orange.
        Such logic will prove less than fruitful.

        To those considering cutting our library programs, auspiciously to
SAVE money and resources, a few simple questions, if I may:
        Fashion considerations aside, upon discovering a closet with barely
enough--or less than enough--hangers to support the clean and functional
clothes to be contained inside, who and/or what does it serve (except,
perhaps "Valet girls") to toss these articles on the floor, or in the
trash, in order to pirate some or all of the hangers already properly
functioning, apparently to accommodate similar clothes, just cleaned or
acquired?
        Does not the notion create MORE problems to be ironed out, solving
none?  If so, Reason suggests it does not wash, then.
        Is there any merit in the notion that we can possibly afford to
simply continue to acquire NEW articles each time we think we see a need;
thus doing away with libraries, hangers and closets altogether?!
        This responsible parent and taxpayer does not BUY it, kids.  But
thank you for playing and for revealing your hangups.  Now, do you really
expect more allowance before you clean up your act?
        Will you go ahead and whine, compelled by a need to further
embarrass yourselves?  Or will you do what you NEED to do, and hang it up,
for the sake of Reason?
        (Gosh, it feels good to air my closet anxieties.)

        Now that we have the Internet, who needs libraries?  Yeah, right,
and now that we have the atom bomb, who needs anything smaller, more local,
in its target impact.
        (Have a blast, folks!)

        School and public libraries are as similar as motor oil and salad
oil.
        Bon appetit'!

        A new millennium.  Imagine a thousand years of thoughts, shared and
arranged for your access; use; convenience; edification.  It will happen in
your library.

        Welcome to our library--the library of our making.  Here, we invite
and are invited, in mutual trust and respect, to share--thoughts, hopes,
dreams; all the world, in fact, and more... because it is our choice, if
not our need.

        A library is a simple thing.
        A library is two or more people choosing to trust, then choosing to
share.  With two people, it's as simple as a marriage--and every bit as
beautiful.  With three or more, it gets just a bit more complicated, but
commensurately more beautiful--more magical--when we trust to share, and
one book becomes one hundred, or more.  It's Stone Soup.  And it takes but
an eternity to establish and maintain such a library, after all.  Or an
instant to tear one down.  Remember?

*****


Hi, Susan.  It is very difficult to make change.  I am constantly reminding
librarians in this district that just because someone is a teacher doesn't
mean that he loves reading or teaching.  So he may not love literature and
he may not even know why you need a library.  A library is a big budget
item but fortunately most voters want good school libraries.  You run into
some hostility from teachers in band, drama, coaches, etc. who don't really
get it and to be honest they may not ever.  Teachers don't always know how
to do research either and there must be training there.  So it can really
be a brick wall sometimes.

Lucky for you you had a great principal.  Read Gary Hartzell's book
Building Influence for School Librarians published by Linworth.  Dr.
Hartzell was a high school administrator who realized the value of the
library and the librarian.  I think he felt many librarians underestimated
their own power within the school.

I don't think colleges/MLS program can ever prepare you for reality.  And
everyone's reality is different.
A supervisor librarian or mentor may be the best reality check.

We've all been there.

Some of the teachers will come around eventually.  Some need more time than
others but some never will but you can't control that.




Oh dear, haven't we all been there. But for every "unpleasant" teacher I
had multiple supportive parents who thanked me for introducing their
children to the joys of reading for pleasure. I still treasure letters from
children who wrote me during Teacher Appreciation Week that Library was
their favorite subject of the week. I still console myself with those for
the memories of uncooperatove (and worse) teachers.


I felt exactly the same way when I got my high school job 3 years ago.  I
still walk in quicksand every day because I never know who will be offended
by what next.  I make what changes I can slowly.  The library schools don't
seem to be very aware of the schools they are educating educator for.  I
was taught that high school students know such and such standards and this
and that information, well, the majority do not know what the library
schools says they should know.  I believe the library schools should start
from an improvement perspective rather than from lofty goals that no one
but they know.

I had no idea I was causing "bad" feelings either, especially over mundane
things like moving the newspaper stand.

I do agree that the principal sometimes is the only support the librarian
will have.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
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
4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=