Target: Advice for handling change to prep. period for teachers

[becky creswell <Beezie29@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>]

Dear LM_NETTERS,
Under new administration, it looks like a strong possiblity that our
district will be changing the role of the
library to a scheduled preparation period for teachers in order to
accomodate a six day cycle type of schedule. Presently library is not a
teacher prep. period  & our teachers accompany their children to library.
Typically, unless we are working on a team-taught project, teachers do not
stay for the "lesson" part of the time, but do return for the last 15
minutes or so to assist with the selection of books, which is invaluabale.
We have shared our concerns re. the impact of this change on the operation
of our libraries & service to teachers & students with our principals,
supervisor, & higher up types, inlcuding :
    - the impact of the loss of the beginning of the year time when we enter
students & faculty into the         computer, generate patron barcodes,
check our new materials' cataloguing for accuracy, do original
cataloguing of unprocessed materials, & a myriad of other tasks
    - the end of the year time for inventory, mending, ordering, etc.
    - the loss of teacher involvement as children select their library books
    - the loss of opportunities to team teach research units, literature
units, etc. to tie into curricular             themes
Has anyone else ever been faced with this situation & if so, how did you
handle it? If we are forced to make this change, what advice would you give
for handling the beginning of the year/end of the year duties which are so
necessary to maintain the integrity of our libraries? I do not think being
compensated for coming in over the sumnmer is a possibility. Neither would
hiring a sub to cover the teaching of  classes for us. I do not want to
sound unprofessional or not dedicated, but I have a problem with being
"expected"  to come to ready the library for operation during vacation. I
typically come to school in the summer periodically to check in new
materials, "clean", keep up with the mail, etc., but I do this because I
choose to.
Please send me your ideas  directly if you can help!
TIA!
Becky Creswell
Librarian, Hamilton School
Bridgewater, N.J. 08807
Beezie29@worldnet.att.net

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