LM_NET: Library Media Networking
"In addition I think that a lot of people are not going into the
profession because of the difficulty in finding the training. Since in
most cases you have to have a bachelor's degree and/or a teaching
certificate first, it means that people are often settled before they
begin to persue the degree. Since there are not many schools that offer
this program ( at least not in Michigan-especially if you live in the
western part of the state-Thanks GVSU) it is difficult to persue the
program. "
So true - I live in Texas (a huge state as it is) and while UT-Austin is
closer to Laredo (where I live), I finished my school library certification
classes in a school four hours further (Sam Houston State - Huntsville)
because this school brought classes to our area, in addition to offering
them on Saturdays. Although I am so grateful for SHSU and I feel that I
really learned what I need to know about school libraries, I would really
have liked to have had an ALA-accredited master's program to provide more
flexibility in future opportunities. At the time, UT Austin did not offer
any distance-learning and online courses were unheard of (this was 1994-95).
There was no way I could travel to Austin during the week and work. I feel
that the online university trend will help avoid this situation.
I hope that the online university trend continues because even though many
of our classes were reasonably accessible (often within 2 hours driving), to
continue the master's will be more difficult unless we have this new wave of
education (i.e. completing an entire master's online). I've heard that
Eastern Connecticut U. and Florida State U. have a complete on-line
master's. I don't know if these would count toward a Texas certification.
Anybody out there with some info?
Carol Valdez, Librarian
Salvador Garcia Middle School
499 Pena Dr.
Laredo, TX 78046
956.724.4113
fax: 956.724.6566
cvaldez@uisd.net
http://www.united.isd.tenet.edu/middle/sgm/
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU]On Behalf Of Darlene A Yasick
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2001 9:51 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Changing face of school library media centers
I see people everyday saying they are librarians/media specialists when
in truth some aren't even certified teachers (Wow that didn't come out
the way I wanted it to-please don't send me the teacher/librarian
flames--I would say the same thing about someone who was in a classroom
saying they were a math teacher and wasn't certified) The school district
considers them media specialists and list them as so because their
assigned location is the library! That helps to perpetuate the idea that
one doesn't have to have a special degree to do this job. I think it
reflects on the wonderful and dedicated people who work as aides/
parapros/clerks--they often do such as good job that the school district
feels it would be silly to pay for a professional at a teacher's salary
when they can pay an aide $7-10 an hour and "get the same thing" ( I
worked as an aide for eight years and never would have introduced myself
as the librarian) Also if you look at the suggested staffing levels set
up by the different states and accreditation agencies (didn't there used
to be a standard in Info Power) you will see that is most cases these
numbers seem very low and can be used to jusitify cuts/eliminations. So
at a time when our expertise is most needed due to the glut of
information and the pressing need to raise information literate citizens,
we seem to be most expendable. The very situation that makes us more
important, the vast amount of information at our finger tips makes it
seem like we are not needed. Our knowledge in training others to evaluate
and locate information is crucial.
In addition I think that a lot of people are not going into the
profession because of the difficulty in finding the training. Since in
most cases you have to have a bachelor's degree and/or a teaching
certificate first, it means that people are often settled before they
begin to persue the degree. Since there are not many schools that offer
this program ( at least not in Michigan-especially if you live in the
western part of the state-Thanks GVSU) it is difficult to persue the
program. Just my opinion.
Darlene Yasick, Media Specialist
Hopkins High School
lib027yas@juno.com
Only a mediocre person is always at his best. Somerset Maugham
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