Re: Need advice

[Earl Sande <sandes@CODETEL.NET.DO>]

There are many (unfortunately) who neither understand nor support the
yearend procedures, including closing the library early.

A wide array of reasons come to mind : they really  don't understand, they
really don't understand, they really don't understand.

First, be sure that any challenges to a closure is met with directly,
either discussing what you must do with the teacher involved or, if the
complaint has been received through the administrator, discuss first with
the administrator and then request a meeting with those people which would
include the admin. involved.

Be prepared at the outset to identify what you need to do and why - noting
especially that it is a required procedure in most
schools/districts/states.  Carefully listen to the complainer (-ant?) on
their rationale.  No fair calling them anything beginning with the letter
"B", unless their name is Bonnie or Bill :0)  Be sure to make sure that
they know you understand their position.

If there is no resolution, then be prepared to request an immediate meeting
with the administrator to determine the course of action/inaction.

Be sure that, if the admin. denies your closure, to ask for that decision
in writing.  I know, this is rather hard to do, but it will ensure that the
onus of the responsibility goes to that administrator when the
inspectors/senior (like SENIOR) administrators question why no inventory
has been done.

Then simply re-open and continue to the end of the school year. Don't,
whatever you do, take it personally, as in "Mr/Mrs/Ms Jones won!"

It is, after all, the administrator's role to make decisions for his/her
school, even though in this case it is a poor one.

Assuming you will come back in the next school year, discuss a library
calendar with your administration and, at the first staff meeting have a
printout of various library events, including the dates of next year's
closure.

Make sure that you provide ample opportunity for feedback from the teachers
and then repost the finalized version.

And, as I suspect, you might need to do some pr on the real role of the
library/librarian in the school.

If the real role is to provide preparation/spare time for the teachers,
then you need to inundate the administration with some of the "library ed."
kinds of things that is published.  Check the LM_Net archives for a
marvelous reference to a posting of an item sent to all elementary school
principals - it is, I know, available on the  Internet.

Finally, and I mean finally, if the yearend closure remains a problem, be
sure to call in VERY senior administrators from your state department of
education to discuss it with you.  Few administrators can ignore THE
Inspector for School Libraries.

Earl


Earl P Sande
Elementary School Librarian
Director of Library Services
Carol Morgan School
Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic
e-mail :  sandes@codetel.net.do

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