Fwd: GEN: NEW LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST

[Vernita Granger <Veandte@AOL.COM>]

--part1_9e.670fc84.268af5ca_boundary
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit



--part1_9e.670fc84.268af5ca_boundary
Content-Type: message/rfc822
Content-Disposition: inline

Return-Path: <joymicah@4ez.com>
Received: from  rly-yb04.mx.aol.com (rly-yb04.mail.aol.com [172.18.146.4]) by 
air-yb02.mail.aol.com (v74.17) with ESMTP; Sat, 24 Jun 2000 17:46:43 -0400
Received: from  ntmail.okeechobee.com (ntmail.okeechobee.com [207.30.184.47]) by 
rly-yb04.mx.aol.com (v74.17) with ESMTP; Sat, 24 Jun 2000 17:46:22 2000
Received: from ppp-188-77-26-209.4ez.com (ppp-188-77-26-209.4ez.com 
[209.26.77.188]) by ntmail.okeechobee.com (NTMail 5.02.0001/NY2105.00.b0587233) 
with ESMTP id dqzfwbaa for Veandte@AOL.COM; Sat, 24 Jun 2000 17:48:52 -0400
Message-ID: <00ec01bfde25$ce4444c0$bc4d1ad1@joymicah>
From: "Joy Hendrickson" <joymicah@4ez.com>
To: <Veandte@AOL.COM>
References: <03210581138306@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Subject: Re:      GEN: NEW LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST
Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2000 17:47:32 -0400
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
        charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2615.200

"HOW TO SURVIVE THE FIRST YEAR...AND BEYOND"

     These commendable and valuable survival tips for new media specialists
were gathered using the LM_NET forum.  The overwhelming amount of responses
are categorized and organized in five topical areas.  Many library media
specialists contributed to this work. Enjoy and feel free to add, delete,
and copy for your own needs or those of your fellow media specialists!

BEFORE YOU BEGIN
· Network with other librarians.
· Subscribe to LM_NET.
· Learn something unique that makes you the "go to" person.
· Come up with a realistic 5 year plan then cross off ½ of the list and make
it a 10 year plan or create your own timeline.
· Get a camera and have it available to document events.  Take pictures of
people enjoying the library and display them.
· Prepare a media center information booklet for the staff.  Refer to it
when teachers say, "I didn't know".
· Expect to spend considerable time beyond the school day.
· Go through cabinets and drawers and take stock of things.  Don't throw
anything out until after your 1st year.
· Organize supplies, make sure you have the things you'll need and label
media center things.  Put items that will most likely "walk off" out of
temptation's reach.
· Develop a letterhead for information from you and make sure your name and
your staff's name is prominently displayed.
· Visit the public library's staff and get to know them.  Most are eager to
collaborate and to share resources.
· Become familiar with the policy and procedures manuals from the school and
the district.
· Get an answering machine so you are not distracted from more immediate
needs.
· Review your budget.
· Become familiar with your collection.
· Subscribe to a good professional journal.
· Get a yearbook and start learning the staff's and student's names.

DURING THE FIRST WEEK
· Establish a good relationship with the secretaries, lunch staff,
custodians, and maintenance staff.  Learn their names.  Do what you can to
make their life easier.
· Join the committees that interest you before you are put on one you won't
like.
· Find out who the users of the library are.  Work with these people first.
The word will get around about the things you are doing.
· Get out and around the building.
· Get to know the staff.
· Don't be afraid to ask questions and ask for help when you need it.
· Attend department/team meetings.  Take notes and keep files to refer to.
· Post a copy of the school's schedule with everyone's planning period
highlighted.
· Make a chart listing every teacher with 10 empty columns.  Try to make at
least ten contacts with every teacher during the year.
· Delegate jobs.
· Make as few library rules as possible but enforce them when necessary.
· Write down a list of things to do daily when you open and close the media
center.
· Make lists for you.
· Encourage others to put things in writing when they ask of you, so you
will be sure to do the task.
· Don't change anything in the first year if you can help it.
· Do a special introductory program of some sort like a book talk in
costume.

THROUGHOUT THE FIRST YEAR
· Implement changes slowly.  Build trust and support first.
· Keep everyone informed about the library and what you offer.  Do this
through monthly reports, a newsletter, video announcements, or a web page.
· Be as helpful as you can, but don't agree to do something extra unless you
really can do it.
· Attend FAME and know about AASL.
· Encourage everyone to look to you for whatever they need.
· Food helps.  Have some sort of candy or specialty coffee available if you
can.
· Don't give up lunch and eat where the faculty and staff eat.
· Don't give up your planning period.  You've earned it.
· Find out what students like to read and suggest books for them.
· Make regularly scheduled visits to the principal and to those in the
district office that need to know you are working.  Touch base formally and
informally.
· Leave yourself open to new ideas and experiences.
· Recruit the classes into the library if they don't come.
· Have your own short agenda of things you are working on and wish to
accomplish.  Try to stay focused on these things or return to them when
other requests or needs are met.  It is important to see progress every day.
· Keep a copy of all of your memos, communications, and things you send to
the county office.
· Take a lot of notes about LMS procedures and keep them in an organized
3-ring binder.
· Offer a few mini-workshops on topics that interest you.  Don't be
discouraged with low attendance at first.
· Be easy to work with, cheerful, and supportive especially when a teacher
uses the LMC for the 1st time.
· Expect opportunities to come from every part of the school.
· Have an emergency plan for what to do with a class when everything goes
wrong.
· If you have a problem with a co-worker, make every attempt to work it out
with them instead of running to the principal.  Misunderstandings will
occur.
· Be courteous to parents, even when irate, but stick to your guns about
your policies and ethical obligations.
· If you are alone in your LMC, make friends with an LMS at another school
so you have someone to talk with and vent to.
· It's only a job.  You will need your own time to enjoy your own interests
and to relieve stress.

AFTER YOUR FIRST YEAR
· Think about being an advisor to a student club.
· Remember you can't always get everything done in the time you are given.
Some things will be left until next week, month, or year.
· Prepare a survey and find out how teachers feel about the library.  Ask
them to rank things in order of importance and make the top 3 a focus for
the next year.
· Never stop promoting the library and how it can make things easier for
teachers to do their job.
· Submit a report to your principal and district supervisor including your
goals met, programming, and circulation numbers.
· Begin planning for next year.



WORDS OF WISDOM/MOTTOS
· Keep visible.
· Listen.
· Have a sense of humor and laugh a lot.
· Enjoy yourself.
· Enjoy the kids but don't try to become one of them.  Just be a friendly,
firm and trustworthy adult.
· "The person is the program," let people get to know you.
· "Be Switzerland".  Remain neutral.
· "The job is what you make it."
· Always expect the unexpected.
· Be a ham.
· A warm smile can make someone's day and make you feel better, too.
· Be yourself, let your personality show through.
· Don't believe everything the kids tell you.
· Be adaptable.
· Keep the doors open.
· Be eccentric.
· Prioritize.
· Expect to make mistakes.
· Forgive those who don't understand the role of a LMS.
· You are a professional, you are there to provide a service.
· Weed.
· Trust you own judgment.
· Try not to say "no".
· Be able to change gears quickly.
· EVERYONE has a problem that needs attention NOW!
· Good PR is the name of the game.

Joy Hendrickson
Library Media Specialist
Frostproof Middle Senior High School
Reference Librarian / Faculty
Hillsborough Community College
Florida
joymicah@4ez.com


--part1_9e.670fc84.268af5ca_boundary--

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
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
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=