LM_NET: Library Media Networking
OUCH! This whole thread takes me back many years to the infamous "Give em
what they want" article that was required reading in collection development
classes at the time. The article had the audacity to suggest that maybe we
should actually provide students with books that would FIRST attract them to
the library where we could THEN introduce them to other , more "PC" books,
i.e. real literature. A few years ago everybody was whining about the
Goosebumps books; what will be next?
To me the whole point of Trelease's article points out a trend in American
society today: it must be appealing and draw attention to be worth anything.
Sad, but rather than sit around and grouse about the "sad state of affairs"
why don't we see if there's anything on that bandwagon that we can use to
our advantage? A few thoughts of my own:
1. A former colleague of mine (well-respected and with a dynamic middle
school library program) was always reminding our media personnel that we
must make ourselves indispensable to the staff and students. What a
thought! You mean, actually make our libraries someplace kids would want to
come to? What heresy! Turns out she was right! Our district cut our high
school staffs back to 1 1/2 FTE from 2 a few years back, and it was because
of the perception that they weren't really all that necessary, especially
since classroom teachers were in such demand. The cutback has affected all
of our schools except the one whose teachers put up such a fuss that the
school decided that the library was the last place to cut staff. You
guessed it: that school was recently renovated, is dynamic and heavily used
and looks very appealing to everyone!
2. Last year, while on vacation in Houston, I went to a local
"superbookstore" (Barnes and Noble I think) and noticed a number of high
school students in the store quietly sipping drinks and sitting at tables...
studying! Not reading the books in the store but actually studying! My
first thought was "why are they here and not at the library"? Could it be
that the bookstore was an inviting, well-lit, trendy-looking well-decorated
place that they actually enjoy coming to? I wondered what affect could be
had if we started thinking of our libraries in the same way. After all,
what is really wrong with that? We would still be offering the same great
services (for free to boot!), but doing it in a way that would actually make
people enjoy their visit.
Sorry Jeff. I'm not advocating changing our function and/or purpose for
existing, but if we're going to take such a fervent stand against any kind
of change, we will die. Function and purpose won't mean much then, will it?
Let's do something radical. Let's survey our students to find out why they
don't use the library more. Are we afraid of their responses? The idea
that patrons will come simply because we are THE LIBRARY is a terribly
close-minded and death-inducing idea. Let's focus on improving our services
AND our look, if that's what it takes to draw people in. What's wrong with
offering a comfortable couch or chair to sit in, along with something to
drink, and maybe even some quiet background music? I know, I know, were
libraries and we don't DO THAT! But... maybe we should!
Have a great day everyone!
Kevin S. Roe
Supervisor, Media Processing
Fort Wayne Community Schools
1511 Catalpa Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
219-425-7271 (voice)
219-425-7776 (fax)
Kevin.Roe@fwcs.k12.in.us <mailto:Kevin.Roe@fwcs.k12.in.us>
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