Re: Changing face of school library media centers

[Floyd Pentlin <Floyd.Pentlin@LEESUMMIT.K12.MO.US>]

I was hoping to see more comment on this topic.  This is something I've
been giving a great deal of thought to as well. In Missouri we are going to
see a great deal of retirement from the profession in the next 5 years.  My
guess is that the requirements for a LMS position will decline as it is
harder to replace certified personnel.  As the Missouri Association of
School Librarians has lobbied to maintain high standards, we are met with
those doing the hiring that there aren't people in the field to meet the
standards, and if there is going to be any one to provide services,
administrators are willing to catch as catch can.

In addition, Region III of AASL issued recently a statement of concern
because of the dropping of media specialist positions in Iowa and Ohio (I
believe those were the two states) and not replacing people who retired at
all.

I think this is a big issue for our profession down the road.  I think we,
and certainly  administrators, are trying to figure out where LMSs fit into
the Web-dominated research environment that currently exists.  Floyd

***************************************************************************************

Lee's Summit North High School
Floyd Pentlin, Library Media Specialist                         VOICE
816.986.3027
901 NE Douglas
FAX 816.986.3171
Lee's Summit, MO 64086             EMAIL Floyd.Pentlin@leesummit.k12.mo.us
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What hair color do they put on the driver's license of bald men?
***************************************************************************************



                    Terri Toppler
                    <Darth5Mom@AOL.        To:     LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
                    COM>                   cc:
                    Sent by: School        Subject:     Changing face of school 
library media
                    Library Media &        centers
                    Network
                    Communications
                    <LM_NET@LISTSER
                    V.SYR.EDU>


                    08/12/01 12:19
                    PM
                    Please respond
                    to Darth5Mom






Dear Fellow LM_Netters,
I would appreciate  hearing from anyone who has been experiencing possible
"downsizing" of school library media centers in their area.  Several
"things"
have occurred in our area that have me wondering about the direction our
school library media programs are heading.  I would like to know if this is
a
trend or just something that is happening in our area.  Our timetable
(earliest to most recent changes over the last few years):
1.  Our District Media Coordinator and District IMC were dissolved and
"replaced" with a Technology Director and department.
2.  Full-time elementary media specialists were replaced with half-time
media
specialists in the smaller schools.
3.  Cut-backs in library aide time in some schools.
4.  Annual inventory of library collection challenged at building level in
some schools.
5.  Some elementary full-time media specialists given additional teaching
assignments by building principals, such as teaching Reading an hour and a
half a day, yet still listed as a full-time media specialist in the
building.
6.  Site-based library media budgets implemented.
7.  Renovation of library media center facilities without being
media-driven.
 Often little input by library personnel during initial planning stages.
8.  Name change implemented at district-level from LMCs to CLRCs (Community
Learning Resource Centers).

Change can be progressive.  It would be helpful to know if others have been
through these same changes and where their programs ended up.
Sincerely,
T Toppler
darth5mom@aol.com

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